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Post by xyshannen on Sept 23, 2014 19:42:05 GMT -5
Just finished my latest project and wanted to show it off to ya'll. I had an old beanie helmet that was in serious need of a makeover so I wrapped it in 3 ounce veg tan leather then used 12 ounce bridal leather for the base trim. So now I have a helmet that matches my seat and the saddle bags that should be done in a week or so. The stitching is done by hand and again I used solid copper rivets. The hard part was having to wet mold the leather. Without a form of some sort I had to basically hold the pieces in place until they dried enough to retain their new shape. i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a624/xyshannen1/helmet1_zps348b4f0f.jpgi1287.photobucket.com/albums/a624/xyshannen1/helmet2_zpscc6b8f03.jpgThe right side isn't a different color. Light was fading when I took these shots and even with the flash the right side is a shadow. |
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Post by urbanmadness on Sept 23, 2014 19:51:35 GMT -5
I like it!
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Post by oldchopperguy on Sept 23, 2014 20:54:45 GMT -5
Oh oh, THIS is SO cool!!! It will look GREAT with your scooter... Now, you need to find a pair of vintage-style aviator goggles! They are all over eBay, along with modern leather-covered skid-lids, but YOUR helmet is truly a one-off. Only problem with the goggles is that you can't wear them over glasses, so it leaves me out.
Your leather talents really knock me out! And they are SO appropriate with bikes!
Ride safe!
Leo in Texas
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Post by xyshannen on Sept 23, 2014 22:51:03 GMT -5
Thanks guys, it's a labor of love and helps my wallet here and there.
I've been looking for some vintage style goggles but unless I wanna spend 100 bucks on a pair, it's darn impossible to find some made of real quality leather. Most are pleather or vinyl. I'm thinking that I may just buy a cheap $20 pair and just copy the vinyl with a leather replacement. I have some awesome lamb skin that would be great on a set of goggles..
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Post by JerryScript on Sept 23, 2014 23:03:31 GMT -5
A bit off topic, but I sure wish you lived in Vegas. I'm having the vinyl booths in my restaurant redone. Wish I had someone with your skills around here!
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Post by SylvreKat on Sept 23, 2014 23:55:40 GMT -5
You really do have some mad leather skills!
>'Kat
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Post by xyshannen on Sept 23, 2014 23:55:42 GMT -5
LMAO I wished I lived in Vegas too. That would be some nice coin in my pocket!!
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Post by wheelbender6 on Sept 24, 2014 20:01:43 GMT -5
That helmet looks great. A lot of the motorized bicycle guys are into the leather helmets too. The leather helmets looks so good on somebody riding a boardtrack racer replica.
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Post by xyshannen on Sept 24, 2014 21:57:37 GMT -5
Sorry ms kitty I didn't see you there. Thank you very much. wheelbender6 I admit to having to look up what a boardtrack replica was. I never have been a big fan of the modern bicycles with the 50cc ebay kits in them, but those vintage ones look flipping sweat. I would so rock the crap out of one of those! |
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Post by captaincrunnk on Sept 25, 2014 10:59:35 GMT -5
That is ridiculously sweet! Nice work, I envy your skills.
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Post by xyshannen on Sept 25, 2014 13:09:55 GMT -5
Thanks man...There are a few things I'm not happy with but for a first attempt at taking something flat and making it round, it turned out pretty good. I'm going to do another one for a friend and with that one I'll try to do some things better. Like make the pieces more symmetrical and keeping the connecting pieces straighter wile gluing them before stitching.
Leather craft really isn't that difficult. Sure there are some rudimentary skills like learning to sew and have it turn out nice and neat. But other than that and a few other little tricks here and there. It's basically just some creativity, the ability to read a ruler and make a clean cut. The cutting part takes some practice. Especially when you're working with really thick stuff like my seat cover. I have to keep a diamond sharpening stone on my workbench and run my knife on it every 1-2 feet worth of leather I cut. And sometimes like in the case with my seat I had to break out the jig saw.
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Post by urbanmadness on Sept 26, 2014 10:02:41 GMT -5
Yeah, if you were in my area, I'd pay you to do my gold wing seat and to make some leather grips for the handle bars..... along with the back rest.... and the pockets for the trunk.... What I will probably do is get on the seat kits to redo my seat... it's currently worn out, 80's velour... yup they made velour seats for goldwings (talk about ugggghh) If I was keeping the Scarabeo, I'd have you do it's seat too... and back rest.... Oh well... not like I have money anyway...  Anyway, awesome work! |
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Post by seamus26 on Sept 26, 2014 10:33:48 GMT -5
You know ... leather helmet ... copper rivets ... You are only a few steps away from total steampunk.   |
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Post by xyshannen on Sept 28, 2014 12:54:26 GMT -5
That scooter is freaking sweet! Someone put a lot of work into the way that thing looks. I love the wood on it.
Reading all the horror stories about needing a full face helmet I've decided to buy one and wrap it in the same fashion. This one being a half helmet will live in my under seat storage as a spare for any passengers I may need to let ride with me. Again I figure, why pay over 300 bucks for one when I can get a decent helmet for about 100 bucks and wrap it myself..
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Post by spidergoat813 on Oct 11, 2014 15:33:35 GMT -5
very neat, good job!
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