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    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    ZeeBee Leather

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    • seawolfS
      seawolf
      Mod Squad
      Joined:

      @jdl1279 Fixed. Thanks for your input 🙂

      “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

      @zeebeeleather

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • J
        jdl1279
        Joined:

        Very well done sir!

        Bourbon: because living in Kentucky just makes you want to drink

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • seawolfS
          seawolf
          Mod Squad
          Joined:

          @jdl1279:

          Very well done sir!

          I wish I could take credit. My wonderful wife is a freelance copywriter and does this sort of thing all the time! You're the inspiration, and she's the brains. I guess that leaves me being the labor 🙂

          “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

          @zeebeeleather

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • J
            jdl1279
            Joined:

            Well, you make a solid team then[emoji106]

            Bourbon: because living in Kentucky just makes you want to drink

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • seawolfS
              seawolf
              Mod Squad
              Joined:

              A big thank you to @Megatron1505 @jdl1279 and @mclaincausey for their generous contributions to my Testimonials page!! You guys are too kind, and I really appreciate the support. See them here! http://zeebeeleather.com/testimonials/

              “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

              @zeebeeleather

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • J
                jdl1279
                Joined:

                Thank you for the great pieces! Without them, we'd have no reason to brag on you

                Bourbon: because living in Kentucky just makes you want to drink

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • seawolfS
                  seawolf
                  Mod Squad
                  Joined:

                  “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                  @zeebeeleather

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • mclaincauseyM
                    mclaincausey
                    見習いボス
                    Joined:

                    @jdl1279:

                    Thank you for the great pieces! Without them, we'd have no reason to brag on you

                    This!

                    Think it, be it.

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • seawolfS
                      seawolf
                      Mod Squad
                      Joined:

                      So pleased with how this wallet came out. This wallet is for a customer in MO, but the real credit for the design goes to @elclintor !! It's interesting to see how different it looks with the black thread vice the turquoise on Clint's wallet.

                      Also, if you haven't checked out my website this week, I'd like to please ask that you pop on over to www.zeeleather.com I've done a bunch of work to the site, and it' really something I'm proud of. Thanks for all of the suggestions to make it better. I've tried to take them all to heart and run with them.

                      I'll throw some pics up below of the wallet I just completed, and a couple of Clint's for comparison. Hope you like!

                      “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                      @zeebeeleather

                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • seawolfS
                        seawolf
                        Mod Squad
                        Joined:

                        “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                        @zeebeeleather

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • mclaincauseyM
                          mclaincausey
                          見習いボス
                          Joined:

                          Evo update.

                          Think it, be it.

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • seawolfS
                            seawolf
                            Mod Squad
                            Joined:

                            Gorgeous!! Thanks for sharing!

                            “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                            @zeebeeleather

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • seawolfS
                              seawolf
                              Mod Squad
                              Joined:

                              Hello! I posted this on Facebook on the ZeeBee Leather page https://www.facebook.com/zbleather but I wanted to share it in here as well.

                              I wanted to take a minute to answer a couple of the most common questions people ask me about leather working.

                              1. "Where do you get your leather?"
                                Most of my leather comes from Horween Leather company in Chicago, Illinois. It's Chicago's last tannery and they're still tanning leather the old-fashioned way. It comes in rolled-up pieces ranging from about 12-26 sq. ft. They supply leather for many things you may already be familiar with. Allen Edmonds shoes, NFL footballs, and Aero Leather jackets to name a few. Read more about the famed tannery here! https://thedistance.com/horween/
                              2. "How do you poke holes in the leather (for stitching)?"
                                I have an awl with a very sharp diamond shaped blade. The diamond shape gives the stitching the angled and stacked look. I have to hold the awl haft at a certain consistent angle every time I pierce the piece so that the stitching is straight, and has a consistent appearance. Every stitch is carefully placed, one at a time with a technique called Saddle Stiching. When I begin stitching a piece, the first thing I do is thread a needle onto each end of a length of 100% waxed polyester thread*. For a belt, I start with a single 30 foot length of thread, and a wallet requires about 15 feet. A tool that really helps make this process a little easier is a Stitching Pony. It's a long wooden clamp with the tips wrapped in leather, that holds the piece steady so I can use both of my hands for stitching. The next thing I do is make my first hole with the awl and thread the first needle through. I pull the needle through so that both needles have the same amount of thread on each side. Once both sides are even, I being the Saddle Stitching. I do this the old-fashioned way with a classic Saddle Stitching grip. I keep a needle between each of my fore and middle fingers, and the awl in my rights palm. I make a hole in the leather with my right hand, use my left hand to pass the first needle through, use my right hand to pass the second needle through, and use both hands to simultaneously draw all of the thread through the hole, making sure to pull it tight, meanwhile never putting the awl down. When I get to a stress-point in the piece, I'll backstitch a few times to add strength.
                                I've added some pictures below to illustrate the process a little. There's also a diagram that shows the difference between a machine made Lock Stitch and a handmade Saddle Stitch. I really believe that if you're going to invest in one of my products, you need to confident that it's going to last forever, which is why I have no interest in getting a machine for stitching. It's faster, easier, and more economical to use a machine, but I won't compromise on quality, ever.
                                *Why 100% Polyester thread? Polyester thread is very strong and won't ever rot and it won't wear away easily. I expect my products to last a lifetime and linen or cotton thread will break down over time. I get all of my thread from Maine Thread Company and use it with pride!

                              “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                              @zeebeeleather

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • seawolfS
                                seawolf
                                Mod Squad
                                Joined:

                                Trying to use photo bucket to embed this video but it's not working. Click the link to watch!

                                http://vid135.photobucket.com/albums/q142/zepicurean/Belt time lapse_zpszxsixgl4.mp4

                                “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                                @zeebeeleather

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • seawolfS
                                  seawolf
                                  Mod Squad
                                  Joined:

                                  Really pleased with the way my new belt came out. @madmonday said once that craftsmen always make nice stuff for others but never for themselves, and I thought it was time to make myself a nice belt. This is tooled Veg-tanned leather saddle-stitched to Horween Essex in Teak with olive thread. I'm absolutely smitten.

                                  “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                                  @zeebeeleather

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • AnesthetistA
                                    Anesthetist
                                    見習いボス
                                    Joined:

                                    Nice work! Be careful now that someone doesnt buy it off you 🙂

                                    IG: bluehandsslim

                                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • S
                                      sabergirl
                                      見習いボス
                                      Joined:

                                      Beautiful!!

                                      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • ColeC
                                        Cole
                                        啓蒙家
                                        Joined:

                                        Simply beautiful.

                                        Gesendet von meinem D5803 mit Tapatalk

                                        WTB:
                                        IHJ-96-OLV Size L
                                        IHE-13

                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • GilesG
                                          Giles
                                          IHUK Crew
                                          Joined:

                                          We say, the cobblers children go barefoot….

                                          "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • FinksterF
                                            Finkster
                                            見習いボス
                                            Joined:

                                            This belt is gorgeous @seawolf - excellent craftsmanship!

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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