(Don't Fear) TVvoodoo's Insanitarium

[TVvoodoo]

Today, when photo taken about 17C or, 65 F yesterday it hit 75. Was kind of nutty walking on the Columbia Glacier in shorts and sandals

[Spike]

Looking forward to being well hung - to go with all that cheap Cialis I scored earlier!!!

Thanks Brad, couldn't have asked for a better experience in dealing with you Sir!!

First class!

He’s a peach! I need to send [mention]TVvoodoo[/mention] some more American dollars soon as well.

[mickey]

Today, when photo taken about 17C or, 65 F yesterday it hit 75. Was kind of nutty walking on the Columbia Glacier in shorts and sandals

As a rule I am a fan of the metric system, except when it comes to temps.
When it goes from 75 to 95F you really feel it.
But when it goes from 23 to 35C it just doesn't say much.
Still sounds cold.

It never got down to 75F here yesterday.

[UrenragK]

Today, when photo taken about 17C or, 65 F yesterday it hit 75. Was kind of nutty walking on the Columbia Glacier in shorts and sandals

As a rule I am a fan of the metric system, except when it comes to temps.
When it goes from 75 to 95F you really feel it.
But when it goes from 23 to 35C it just doesn't say much.
Still sounds cold.

It never got down to 75F here yesterday.

The papers here (Well, the Daily Mail) use Centigrade most of the time and change to Fahrenheit when it reaches close to 100 DEGREES!!!!! Just to sensationalise it a bit.

[mickey]

Do you still have "page three girls" in the papers?
I well remember Samantha Fox from page three when I lived there.

[UrenragK]

Do you still have "page three girls" in the papers?
I remember Samantha Fox from page three when I lived there.

Goodness me no, the snowflakes saw to that a few years ago

[mickey]

Pity.
It brightened my day irrespective of the news of the day.

[UrenragK]

The Sunday Sport is still about

[TVvoodoo]

Today, when photo taken about 17C or, 65 F yesterday it hit 75. Was kind of nutty walking on the Columbia Glacier in shorts and sandals

As a rule I am a fan of the metric system, except when it comes to temps.
When it goes from 75 to 95F you really feel it.
But when it goes from 23 to 35C it just doesn't say much.
Still sounds cold.

It never got down to 75F here yesterday.

Perspective... that 75 degree temp at 12 thousand feet altitude standing on some 300 feet thick of solid ancient ice was kinda strange. There were tornado warnings and 85 degree temps hours away in edmonton / calgary the same day we found out. Many people escape to the mountains to beat the heat. Few Canadians would travel to the southern USA in the Summertime because we would literally melt.

[mickey]

[

Perspective... that 75 degree temp at 12 thousand feet altitude standing on some 300 feet thick of solid ancient ice was kinda strange. There were tornado warnings and 85 degree temps hours away in edmonton / calgary the same day we found out. Many people escape to the mountains to beat the heat. Few Canadians would travel to the southern USA in the Summertime because we would literally melt.

We get a LOT of Canadian snowbirds here in the winter because IF they go further south in Floriduh the winter is TOO WARM for them.
In this part of Floriduh our winters are about the same as your summers.
Now if the french Canadians would just go elsewhere it would be wonderful.

[TVvoodoo]

Some of my fellow peoplekind feel exactly the same as you

[TVvoodoo]

Been awhile since I got anything new in here... been doing some travelling. Banff Jasper corridor. Hiked, ate, drove.

Over that little family travel break some new material arrived, I was excited to worth with this again. I made a couple years ago out of this, just looks killer, so I finally picked up some more. The one I made before I believe Tobijohn picked up before I even had a chance to list it.

Sturdy black 'n Tan amp grillcloth from my friends at mojotone... plus I can use it two ways, innie or outie!



Super sexy stuff, both these made with the same material, turned one side or the other. Doesn't show up in still photos, but it has a very hot little gold glinty action going on, under regular lights... but put it in the sunshine and it just seems to actually glow! Stuff is pretty darn tough too. 3' wide, as usual, heavy leather ends. Below, the dark version... or Black and Tan... with oxblood leather



This here is the opposite side, Tan 'n Black. Each has it's own special groove going on. Great luster and texture either way, soft feel and the ultimate in Straptone™



You have a goldtop, or black beauty, or maybe a gold strat blackguarded, even a blonde tele? This might be your strap!

[TVvoodoo]

While on my little road trip I was able to hit up a few small town, small city thrift shops. I kind of drive my family crazy insisting on doing this, but they head straight to the book section, and over the last while don't seem to be complaining much. It's kind of like hunting for me, you never know what you will find. I normally head straight to the belt section, because I have a whole strap series based on recycled fashion belts called "No Prisoners."

There are a lot of junky real bad belts to be found in thrift stores, but sometimes a nice find makes it worth the stop. Like this solid leather gem, picked in in Lacombe, Alberta...



This is a link belt, made of stamped leather bits are cleverly woven together with a single middle strap. Jimmy Page is sort of famous for his black link belt strap not exactly like this, but I personally dig that hippie old school vintagey look. It's kind of rare to see these on shoulders nowadays, never mind in a store, so any I can make ends up being a real unique item. They are deceivingly strong and comfy. So comfy, I have pretty much stopped putting padding behind them, just leave them as they are, leather right against you. They also always seem have just the right amount of "give" to 'em, too.

In it's previous life as a fashion belt by Old Navy, it cost some larger lady $40 ( I didn't pay near that much, but it was still kinda pricey for a thrift shop). This one is 2-3/4" wide. Perfect! The buckle on it was is cheap and suspect, so it had to go. During removal, I proved I too am susceptible to the dreaded workshop injury, normally I cut into my fingertips on my fretting hand which sets me back five or six days for guitarin', so this small gash is nothing but a thing. No ambulance required. Just some TP and gaffer tape, I'm good to go.



On the what will be the back end... we are going to make this a buckle adjuster, so I haul out my buckle collection for a nice buckle more befitting a Well-Hung strap. Found it! A nice medieval look to this one, with a perfect 2" shank, and a very robust tooth, in matching antique brass with built in mojo already. We are going to need more leather for a tail strap. So I go to one of my leather stockpiles, and pick out something that is real close, just a bit less lustrous. But it will be alright once I am done with it.

Here I have made a hole for the tooth, and riveted it thricely plus one, with matching rivets.



Here it is on the back end of the strap. This buckle climbs up or down, we have about six maybe seven inches of adjustment with the buckle alone.
See that one rivet holding it all together? That won't do.



The leather I chose for the tail strap, and on the nose of this strap is strong, and just a thick as your average guitar strap. But, I want to
shore it up just a bit with another layer of thin leather. So, I picked out real stiff some black crocogator cowhide to attach the the backside of
the nose and tail, to give them a little extra body.

Like I mentioned, I was a little leery of how the ends were held to the links. I constantly security for Well-Hung straps, as if I would personally hang my finest guitar on it without a care. This heavy duty fashion belt was basically held together by that one small rivet on each end. I figured a couple of even larger ones would not hurt one bit, plus I'm going to stitch through that center strap once I get the cowhide on the nose. So, I smash in a couple rivets first to minimize the chance of metal contact with a guitar, then I'll cover that inside with the black gator.




Had to break for a date with ol' red, my rider here in the backyard. My son found a way to throw the drive belt off yesterday, so we gotta remove the deck, and see what's going on under there. Never done it before, but watched a couple youtube vids on it last night. I'm gonna make him help, which will aid him into being more careful in the future. See the bucket on the side fender? Capacity of four plus ice. Yes, I am a very stable genius.

EDIT... we got 'er done. Lunch!



We got under that mower, found a really twisted up and jammed drive belt. But she's back together and mowing again! Phew!
Took us about an hour and half, not bad for first time at that. Lunch! Sorry to tease you fellas but it was 100% yum and a spur of the moment TVvoodoo culinary invention out of stuff quick at hand. Great big green salad laced with smoke cured salmon, bacon ranch dressing, couple slices of garlic toast on the side, a Chelada for quenchment factor and an apple for dessert.

Hunger sated, back at the strap. Wasn't but another half hour to sew it all together, then treat up the new leather with some boot dope to better match the older leather, then some photes and put 'er up on them market. Meet "Vrikdarok" of the Well-Hung No Prisoners series.

Badass.

[UrenragK]

Nice work!

[nomadh]

Had to scroll AAAAAAAALLL the way back to the top to like thIS

[TVvoodoo]

You know it was only a matter of time. Meet "Illegitimate Son of a Wealthy Man"



Unfortunately, buying this strap might put you a little short for beer, babes and BBQ, but there's always next payday for that.

[TVvoodoo]

Got a shipment of new leather in the other day. Sigh. One of the larger hides had a nasty looking wrinkle/scarring section, not in the middle of the whole hide, kind near one side. Anyway, the more I looked at it the oblong aberration, the more I started to dig it... So...earthy? unique? organic? Helps tell an important part of the story of the massive beast that formed it. And, it's just freakin' cool. Never saw this before, maybe never see anything like this again. Didn't see much use in trying to send the hide back or fretting about it.

So, I decided to cut a uniquely badass strap around it.




No padding, no stitching, just thick, beautiful, (and gorgeously ugly) dark black buffalo leather. And heavy duty too... like 4.5mm, or 3/16" thick. That's strong! The wonderful thing about this kind of buffalo hide, it's also still somewhat soft and flexible, unlike vegtan cowhide. So, not all stiff like a board to start. Plus, this hide has just a bit of "give", say nearly an inch of springiness, adding greatly to the comfort level of a 3" wide solid leather strap.

There are makers that specifically rely on buffalo, or water buffalo hide because it's real tough and yet pliable.... wonderful stuff to work with. It does have a problem hardly mentioned or talked about. Over a period of time, if you make nose and tail holes standard size, this leather stretches and it'll slip off pins like crazy, because it's so flexible. You'll want to become a straplock guy on those straps as they age, or use jumbo size strap buttons, like I designed and supply. When I made this strap, I was sure to punch button holes smaller than standard size to counteract this... and it still slips on regular pins. I do think if you are a dedicated straplock guy, buffalo hide is an ideal choice.

[UrenragK]

That is stunning!

[TVvoodoo]

kind of like elephant hide in that little section, I figure. Never worked with elephant hide. Forgot to call it by it's name... "Scar Tissue" which won out over "Earthquake"

[rrobbone]

Wanna trade Michelada recipes?

Ya just never know what little twists you might get ideas for....

[TVvoodoo]

Mine goes like this... take one can of whatever was on sale, squirt in some lime juice or concentrate, a couple dashes of tobasco, add a couple cubes and top with clamato. I don't really measure.
.

[rrobbone]

Okay, here's South Texas style:

Take a frosty mug and rim the, uh, rim with lime. Take some of this:

and dress the rim. Squeeze the rest of the lime (1/4) into the mug. Sprinkle some Tajin into the lime juice, along with a bit of black pepper. Then, it's two shakes of each: Tabasco (or similar), Worchestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Add Clamato (or similar) and fill 1/4 to 1/3 of the mug. Slow pour of your favorite Mexican style beer to fill the mug. I prefer it stirred at this point, but some want the beer "floated." Enjoy.

Shake amounts are to personal taste, of course - as is the style of pepper sauce used. I dislike Clamato, so I sub regular V8 - Spicy V8 if I can find it. I never can find it here. Also, the Tajin seasoning is fantastic for garnishing fruit of most kinds for a tasty snack - doubly so if you can find the habanero Tajin variant. I can never find this stuff either. Most folks use Corona Extra for the beer, but I prefer Dos Equis or Dos Equis Amber. Lately, I can't find Dos Equis. For some reason, it's suddenly nowhere to be found locally, so Sol has been a decent substitute. Noticing a theme about Utah (where I live, for some reason)?

[nomadh]

Very interesting

[TVvoodoo]

Picked up a new leather stamp tool over my holiday break, kind in the gruesome/badass category. Figured I'd try it out this morning on some 3" wide vegtan. At first I thought I would try to match up the upper points of the spades side-to-side, but then decided to alternate them. As sometimes happens in leather pattern stamping, you end up with unexpected and interesting surprises... Had no idea this was going to form a cool jagged wave down the middle, but gotta say I frickin' love it!

One problem, the stamp I picked up is more suitable for a mechanical emboss press rather than hammering, due to the larger (1" wide) surface area. I don't have one of those doggone presses... yet. As a result, my hammering arm is killing me LOL! I had to really smack that stamp hard and many many times to get decent impressions, and they still could be a little better... but it is what it is.

Name of this strap will be what else but... "Ace of Spades"



Starting out, I was pretty sure this was going to end up a pure black on black strap. Subtle. Now I am wondering about that. If I can dilute my black dye I have enough, maybe I can get a grey effect in the middle then fade it to black on the edges. I'm still learning this stuff. Want to try to highlight the sawtooth down the middle a little bit.

I could also fade black to to colours, blue, yellow, green, or orangey/brown. Could drop some studs on it too. thinking white stitching.

Any other ideas? Open to 'em if you got em.

[fullonshred]

Got a shipment of new leather in the other day. Sigh. One of the larger hides had a nasty looking wrinkle/scarring section, not in the middle of the whole hide, kind near one side. Anyway, the more I looked at it the oblong aberration, the more I started to dig it... So...earthy? unique? organic? Helps tell an important part of the story of the massive beast that formed it. And, it's just freakin' cool. Never saw this before, maybe never see anything like this again. Didn't see much use in trying to send the hide back or fretting about it.

So, I decided to cut a uniquely badass strap around it.




No padding, no stitching, just thick, beautiful, (and gorgeously ugly) dark black buffalo leather. And heavy duty too... like 4.5mm, or 3/16" thick. That's strong! The wonderful thing about this kind of buffalo hide, it's also still somewhat soft and flexible, unlike vegtan cowhide. So, not all stiff like a board to start. Plus, this hide has just a bit of "give", say nearly an inch of springiness, adding greatly to the comfort level of a 3" wide solid leather strap.

There are makers that specifically rely on buffalo, or water buffalo hide because it's real tough and yet pliable.... wonderful stuff to work with. It does have a problem hardly mentioned or talked about. Over a period of time, if you make nose and tail holes standard size, this leather stretches and it'll slip off pins like crazy, because it's so flexible. You'll want to become a straplock guy on those straps as they age, or use jumbo size strap buttons, like I designed and supply. When I made this strap, I was sure to punch button holes smaller than standard size to counteract this... and it still slips on regular pins. I do think if you are a dedicated straplock guy, buffalo hide is an ideal choice.

Are you kidding me? I love distressed leather. That "damaged" part was likely the very best piece on the hide. As always you do such fine work. More power to you!