Adventures of an Imperfect Man In Search of a Handmade Life
Freezing cold temperatures for weeks on end and no pressing chores with this old house gave me a chance to cut out a dozen new projects. Now, just a bit of trimming, stitching, lacing, riveting, and wet-moulding to make these into some useful heirlooms.
Sometimes it's nice to have the security of a bag strapped closely to the body and not swinging around your neck and shoulders. This little 9 x 5 x 2 inch design has done quite well over the past year and has been a popular seller in the shop. Made from 7 oz. veg-tanned leather … Continue reading Small Possibles Bag for the Belt
Another possibles bag completed and out the door. This one was designed, at the request of a customer, to fit a specific case that would fit inside. This is clearly my favorite "go to" design and will make an excellent bushcrafter's kit. This one is about 3 1/2" deep and a little over 12" by … Continue reading Large Possibles Bag
More shameless promotion from the workshop. This is my new, deluxe model possibles bag for the right mountain man or woman. This design has proven to be practical and popular. The leather is veg-tanned Hermann-Oak and all sewing is double-needle saddle-stitch. The hardware is premium solid harness brass. This bag will only get better with … Continue reading Deluxe Possibles Bag
I've added a photo gallery in the sidebar to the right of the main blog feed. I think nearly all these projects have been shared here over the years but this makes for easy viewing. I'll continue to add images and re-post some older work as I get time so please check back feel free … Continue reading Photo Gallery
Some very thick leather shoes. They would last a remarkably long time under the worst conditions.
I have posted about the traditional Mexican Burra Footwear already a couple of times on this blog and consider Burras another fascinating area of footwear research. These Burras I was lucky to photograph also at the Bata Museum in Toronto, their origins are from the 1950’s Uruapan area of Mexico. Although I have never seen a similar Burra design during my research in Mexico.
Shop aprons are not as widely used as in the past. I believe this is related to our modern view on clothing and how it has changed over the past century. Not only are we training less in the trades, our clothes are ridiculously cheap in the modern world. Low prices and availability keeps our … Continue reading Make a Shop Apron
I have come across these little benches for quite some time and I find them fascinating. I even started a folder in my image library for them. A quick search around the web finds many of these in auction houses, on Ebay, Craigslist, and elsewhere, generally at exorbitant prices. It appears they generally end their … Continue reading Cobbler’s Workbenches
One cannot have enough baggage in one's life. Especially if one is a traveller. On that note, I put together this 18th century style portmanteau to attach to the bottom of my rucksack. It is on the small side for this style bag but the dimensions are based on a convenient size to attach to … Continue reading Petite Portmanteau
Preindustrial Craftsmanship 