Ok... continuing on! Sorry for the delay, had to make a quick video for COVID-19 safety for someone, ( I dabble in that still because, well I have the video production background). Don't think it'll win me any Emmys, but it gets the point across. Which reminds me, if anyone reading here now has like ambient "bed" style music on file that you might like to offer up royalty free, just so a fella like me can use it I'd appreciate that. Maybe we could work a deal out on something-something, y'know, y'know. I make a little of that stuff myself but in this case I just didn't have the time and didn't want to re-use something I already made/used before.
I like downtempo stuff with chords, and drones, maybe a little moderny trip-hop beat. Kind of there, but not there if you catch my drift. Synth, piano.. or guitar. Reverby.... Simple stuff not too busy. NOT Brad Gillis ESPN sports highlight shredding LOL! Well, maybe sometimes. anyway if it's sitting there in your soundcloud doing nothing, let's talk.
Back to Xonoth, Third Orc General during the Time of the Poisoned Kings, taker of No Prisoners!
Here we are nailing 'er all together with T99 upholstery thread. Good strong stuff. You might be able to break a strand with your bare hands. Maybe two if you're a beast. But when it's stitched, it's secure. I've taken apart straps by big names to repair 'em, and too often I find most makers can use real cheap thread, sometimes they double-stitch to compensate, sometimes not.
Here you can see I use black thread on top, the bobbin underneath is loaded with golden brown, that'll be the stitch that shows underneath on the matching brown lining. Rolled leather edges, padding inside, makes a nice comfort difference as well. Have a look at the straps in your collection. You may have some with rolled edges. Many of you will find some with just raw cut off edges, which might bite into your neck a bit. You may not even feel the difference, until you know it's there.
So, once I get the edges sewn to the lining, back to the bench to shape the nose. I probably should make a template, but right now I am doing most by eye, because it's way more crafty - Hey look! My fret leveling ruler also functions as straight edge! You can see a bit of raw leather on the edges here, we'll fix that up later.
Back to the Consew....
Here I am driving through some good depth of leather, lining and strap to marry it all together. I typically do a double seam on top and on the ladder end as well. They are also glued with barge cement... Strap ends are stable.
Bring it back to the workbench to dye the raw edges on the nose here. Then, I use my cotton webbing covered burnishing stick. Basically you wet it down, let it sit for about fifteen minutes then you rub that leather like crazy, getting some real heat going. Helps to add a little bit of gum tragicanth too, gets you a pretty nice smooth and shiny edge.
Looks great, feels "finished." Not all nose leathers can be finished this way, but this is one. I'm getting better at burnishing slowly, but like I said before it's kind of an art in itself. One day an electric motor burnisher polisher might be in order. It's kind of a lot of work but makes a nice difference in the end product.
Now I pop some holes in for the tail strap ladder. I don't have a template, just eyeball it... slots about an inch or so apart.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! repeat about ten times.
More banging still.... keyhole slots with the button holes. Even though this leather is in extremely low danger of "ripping" like other straps, I put the small punch holes at the end of the slot there because it looks right, and gives the leather a bit more flexibility to go over the button. One on the end, and another in case the one on the end ever wears out, you can just cut it off. Or you can use to upper one if the base strap is too long, this gives you three inches in reduced length, or more length depending on how you look at it.
Burnish the strap end, like the nose end, and... Ta-dahhhhhh!
Xonoth... a 3" wide padded black and brown leather strap with aged bling. Goes about 46 to 57" - That's about five inches LONGER than many factory straps. OMG that bugged me for so many years. Buy an $80 strap and it's three inches too short, even on the last loop. I have a solution for that too.
Another handcrafted monster creatived in the Well-Hung (not a factory) Straplab. Xonoth soon to be up for public consumption. After I complete these, I'll take a bunch of photos in my little "studio" on "Felix," my paisley-shirted dummy, before putting it forward. Sometimes I'll take a few with a guitar, so I can stick a pic up on Reddit or wherever.
I like the results of No Prisoners because they're all unique, and I believe that's a key selling point... every guitarist should strive to have a signature type strap in the collection, something hundreds of others can't just grab off the rack. Something fellas at the blooz jam will be inspired to ask "Where did you get that?" And, you can say *wherever*. Great conversation piece. Plus, if you are really kind, might even let them try it just to watch the look on their face when they suddenly realize how comfortable a strap can be, like they can't believe they suffered bad straps almost their whole playing life.
Then you have to try and get it back!
Oh hey, here's something... look what a cultmember sent over today:
Not the guitar, unfortunately. Just the pic.
Sorry. Couldn't resist. This is just before I fold/roll the edges over to make the base black strap at approx 3" wide - I normally make most of my straps at 3" or 2.5" wide, for better weight distribution and less pounding on pressure points.
