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Thread: The straps I ended up making

  1. #1
    Registered User Gunnar's Avatar
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    Default The straps I ended up making

    So a few weeks ago I asked for advice on making leather straps, and then a few days ago I finally went and made a few.
    I decided to make a flat one and a braided one, but my mom suggested I make more cuz I'm going to a camp Banjo Ben is having, and she said I could give/sell some there. So I have so far made four flat ones, one three strand hair style flat braid, and one four strand round braid. Two of the flat ones are 1.5" and the other two are 1c, all very comfortable. The flat braid is fairly comfortable, looks good, but it's too long for me (I like shorter straps) the round braided one is the one I'm using now.
    So the round braid was made from four offcuts from making the other straps, so peices of fluctuating width. It worked out very nicely, and I'm gonna try to do another with thicker strips of leather. The difference in width of the strips was slightly inconvenient to work with, but didn't harm the finished product. I really enjoyed working on them, despite not liking the smell of leather.
    Also, just gonna mention that my mom did all the major cutting because she knows how to use her leather tools, and I'm not trusted with sharp objects cuz my parents like my music and don't want me becoming an adaptive-cuz-of-disabilities musician.
    I'll try to attach a few photos here
    Never mind, photos aren't working right now, I'll attach them later
    Mandolin: Kentucky KM150
    Other instruments: way too many, and yet, not nearly enough.

    My blog: https://theoffgridmusician.music.blog/
    My YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChF...yWuaTrtB4YORAg
    My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africanbanjogunnar/
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  2. #2
    Registered User DougC's Avatar
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Moms are always right. You want to keep thoes fingers. ha, ha

    You could do a tune while we wait for the pictures.
    Or talk more about the music scene in Africa...Banjo Ben camp? Got a link?
    Decipit exemplar vitiis imitabile

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  4. #3
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Look forward to seeing those straps.

    Adam

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  6. #4
    Registered User Gunnar's Avatar
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Quote Originally Posted by DougC View Post
    Moms are always right. You want to keep thoes fingers. ha, ha

    You could do a tune while we wait for the pictures.
    Or talk more about the music scene in Africa...Banjo Ben camp? Got a link?
    Still not uploading, I'll try tomorrow at a time with faster internet.
    The music scene..... well, I am the music scene here. The locals listen to Brazilian pop (like American pop, but in Portuguese, so don't imagine choro) and the closest other musicians I know are over four hours drive away.
    Banjo Ben held his first cabin camp last year, and it was a huge success, so he's doing two this year (about two weeks apart) due to popular demand. There's twelve spaces for each of the three instruments (guitar, mandolin and banjo) and six for bass. To my knowledge all slots are taken this year. There's discussion about it on his forum if you want more info, just search cabin camp in the search area.
    Mandolin: Kentucky KM150
    Other instruments: way too many, and yet, not nearly enough.

    My blog: https://theoffgridmusician.music.blog/
    My YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChF...yWuaTrtB4YORAg
    My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africanbanjogunnar/
    Free backing tracks:
    https://backingtrackers.wordpress.com/

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  8. #5
    Registered User Gunnar's Avatar
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Mandolin: Kentucky KM150
    Other instruments: way too many, and yet, not nearly enough.

    My blog: https://theoffgridmusician.music.blog/
    My YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChF...yWuaTrtB4YORAg
    My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africanbanjogunnar/
    Free backing tracks:
    https://backingtrackers.wordpress.com/

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  10. #6
    Barn Cat Mandolins Bob Clark's Avatar
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Hi Gunnar,

    They look really good. I especially like the flat braided one (bottom of first photo). I wouldn't know these were your first attempt if you didn't tell us. I am sure the people you will meet at the camp will like them.

    I think it is especially nice that you and your mother have the kind of relationship where she makes suggestions and you listen, and she works on the straps with you.

    Thanks for showing us these. Good job!

    Best wishes,

    Bob
    Purr more, hiss less. Barn Cat Mandolins Photo Album

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  12. #7
    Registered User Gunnar's Avatar
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    Mandolin: Kentucky KM150
    Other instruments: way too many, and yet, not nearly enough.

    My blog: https://theoffgridmusician.music.blog/
    My YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChF...yWuaTrtB4YORAg
    My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africanbanjogunnar/
    Free backing tracks:
    https://backingtrackers.wordpress.com/

  13. #8
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Gunnar, nice job on your straps. Here is a style of braiding call 'never ending braid'. It is nice for a strap as you have no ends or knots. this is a smaller piece that I was making for a watch fob or key ring.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by pops1; Dec-28-2019 at 1:21pm.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

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  15. #9
    Registered User John Kelly's Avatar
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Good work there, Gunnar. They look the part.
    Pops1, that one has me intrigued - what is the trick in making such a strap?
    I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order. - Eric Morecambe

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  17. #10
    Registered User Gunnar's Avatar
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Thanks Pops and John! I've got a few more pics to share shortly.
    Pops, I'm also now curious how does one manage to create such a braid? It looks like you cut a strip of leather into three strips, braided them, and then uncut them at the end....
    Mandolin: Kentucky KM150
    Other instruments: way too many, and yet, not nearly enough.

    My blog: https://theoffgridmusician.music.blog/
    My YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChF...yWuaTrtB4YORAg
    My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africanbanjogunnar/
    Free backing tracks:
    https://backingtrackers.wordpress.com/

  18. #11

    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Quote Originally Posted by John Kelly View Post
    Good work there, Gunnar. They look the part.
    Pops1, that one has me intrigued - what is the trick in making such a strap?
    John - look up 'mystery braid' on YouTube. It's made from a flat piece of leather (like a belt) with parallel cuts made along its length, except for short uncut tabs at each end. Then you do a lot of twisting and fiddling. It's not very difficult.

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  20. #12

    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Good work, Gunnar. You will find that when making a round braid strap, if you make the braid much tighter, the result is the strong, round, rope-like effect you might want. Your very loose braid doesn't have that rope-like roundness to it.

    Here are round braided leather straps of mine that are bound quite tight. These braids are only about 5mm wide (under 1/4 inch)

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Also be careful to twist each strand as you go along so that you keep the same side of the leather on the outside at all times. This way you won't get the mix of treated and untreated leather on the outside of the braid. If you wanted that mixed effect, pay no heed

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  22. #13
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Like Ron says, " you do a lot of twisting and fiddling". If I remember you braid four, then pull the end of the piece thru and do two more and pull the end thru again. I saw it many years ago and sat and fooled till I figured it out, but haven't done it in a while. This is one of a few I stumbled on a few days ago. You could do the round braid, or something similar, but it is a little more work.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

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  24. #14
    Registered User Gunnar's Avatar
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Quote Originally Posted by Ron McMillan View Post
    Good work, Gunnar. You will find that when making a round braid strap, if you make the braid much tighter, the result is the strong, round, rope-like effect you might want. Your very loose braid doesn't have that rope-like roundness to it.

    Here are round braided leather straps of mine that are bound quite tight. These braids are only about 5mm wide (under 1/4 inch)

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Also be careful to twist each strand as you go along so that you keep the same side of the leather on the outside at all times. This way you won't get the mix of treated and untreated leather on the outside of the braid. If you wanted that mixed effect, pay no heed
    Thanks Ron. I couldn't pull it tighter because my four pieces of leather were very different sizes (one was about a third of an inch, and another was tiny, about like a shoelace)
    I'm gonna braid two more, and they'll have more uniform pieces.
    Also, I did intentionally leave one of the strips as suede all the way, I was twisting each piece all the way through. I like the two tone look
    Mandolin: Kentucky KM150
    Other instruments: way too many, and yet, not nearly enough.

    My blog: https://theoffgridmusician.music.blog/
    My YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChF...yWuaTrtB4YORAg
    My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africanbanjogunnar/
    Free backing tracks:
    https://backingtrackers.wordpress.com/

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  26. #15
    Registered User Gunnar's Avatar
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/15rC...w?usp=drivesdk

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ojb...w?usp=drivesdk

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_Ay...w?usp=drivesdk

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BMM...w?usp=drivesdk

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XdV...w?usp=drivesdk

    Here's the other pictures I got, note that the last one is a round braided strap that was pulled much tighter than the other one I made, and it's got that rope-like quality. Also I intentionally made it two tone, I'm gonna braid one more that's also gonna be two tone but a different tone pattern. I'm enjoying making these, I've got around twenty, mostly flat straps, they're super comfortable, about seven of them are a bit short, good for people built like Sierra, or people who wear the strap like Bill. Also, all the straps can be attached with a short leather thong to either A or F styles, and the flat straps also can be attached to a strap button (I'm not a fan of those though)
    I've enjoyed doing this, when I move back to the states I'll probably try and find a leather supply and start selling them
    Mandolin: Kentucky KM150
    Other instruments: way too many, and yet, not nearly enough.

    My blog: https://theoffgridmusician.music.blog/
    My YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChF...yWuaTrtB4YORAg
    My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africanbanjogunnar/
    Free backing tracks:
    https://backingtrackers.wordpress.com/

  27. #16
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Quote Originally Posted by Gunnar View Post
    Thanks Pops and John! I've got a few more pics to share shortly.
    Pops, I'm also now curious how does one manage to create such a braid? It looks like you cut a strip of leather into three strips, braided them, and then uncut them at the end....
    You don't cut all the way on either end, so each end is one piece, but the middle is 3.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  28. #17
    Registered User Gunnar's Avatar
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Quote Originally Posted by pops1 View Post
    You don't cut all the way on either end, so each end is one piece, but the middle is 3.
    Yeah, I saw that it wasn't cut, but I still don't get how you braid it without cutting it. I'll look it up on YouTube sometime
    Mandolin: Kentucky KM150
    Other instruments: way too many, and yet, not nearly enough.

    My blog: https://theoffgridmusician.music.blog/
    My YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChF...yWuaTrtB4YORAg
    My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africanbanjogunnar/
    Free backing tracks:
    https://backingtrackers.wordpress.com/

  29. #18
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Each time you cross in the braiding count 1,2,3,4 then twist the end through your braid,1,2 twist it in again. Now start over until you have braided it tight enough for your length.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

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  31. #19
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Have a couple charity shop belts to use, modify , to be a strap..
    writing about music
    is like dancing,
    about architecture

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  33. #20

    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Here is one I made using the mystery weave or never ending braid method.

    Attachment 182715
    Gibson Jam Master A #56
    Kentucky KM-1500 89302
    Kentucky KM-505

  34. #21

    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Quote Originally Posted by Guitfiddle Mike View Post
    Here is one I made using the mystery weave or never ending braid method.

    Attachment 182715
    You need to go into edit mode / Go Advanced and sort out the photograph. The attachment hasn't been done correctly.

  35. #22

    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Gibson Jam Master A #56
    Kentucky KM-1500 89302
    Kentucky KM-505

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  37. #23
    Registered User John Soper's Avatar
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    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    I like that security loop under the tail piece; protects against end pin pop out!

  38. #24

    Default Re: The straps I ended up making

    Quote Originally Posted by John Soper View Post
    I like that security loop under the tail piece; protects against end pin pop out!
    Had a near miss not long after I got it. Whew! Almost learned the hard way.
    Gibson Jam Master A #56
    Kentucky KM-1500 89302
    Kentucky KM-505

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