Tuesday 8 January 2013

Sideburn Key Fob & Bottle Opener

We've just taken delivery of these beautiful key fobs. They were handmade in England by Chester Belter. Here's the specification from the maker...

100% Italian tanned hide. I'm using the double shoulder for these pieces which gives a good thickness.
1" solid brass D ring which is nickel plated. It has a good weight and quality. (It's usually used for bags due to its size) 
3 cord Coates Barbour 100% linen thread which I further treat by hand waxing it. 
Packaged in cotton drawstring bags which also contain a 25mm nickel plated split ring in case needed to attach keys. 
Veg tanned, debossed Sideburn tag. 

The manufacturing process goes like this; 
1. Hand cut the initially pieces from the hide and trim for final shape. 
2. Individually Deboss by hand the Sideburn logo and Flattracker tread using an Arbor press 
3. The pre-worked out stitching design is first deep skived so the eventual stitching is countersunk and protected. 
4. You can't sew most leather by hand in the way you would sew clothes so the stitching holes are always marked and punched with an awl or a punch tool. For these I use a 5 hole punch tool in preparation for the final stitching (all pre-worked out). 
5. I then cut the 3 cord thread to size which I then wax. This gives the thread some colour rub protection but also aids the stitching by giving the thread more "bite" 
6. The ready leather is then folded over the 1" D ring (solid brass nickel plated) ready for stitching. 
7. I use a saddle stitch on these pieces (2 needles, one at each end) which gives a good strong stitch which I finish off with a securing back stitch running all the way across the horizontal, below the D ring which gives a design symmetry I like (form and function).

 They're £15 plus post. I can't believe we can sell them for that. If people like them as much as I do they should sell out in a blink.

We also have some lovely Co-Built bottle openers. The world's best bottle opener? Perhaps. Made from stainless steel and etched with the dirt track specialists' logo, this credit card-sized tool is designed to slot in your wallet, so you never struggle again. £12 plus post.

Get them both at the Sideburn Webshop. G

2 comments:

Bubble Visor said...

Fraai!

rustyli150 said...

Picked up a co-built bottle opener at rollerburn. It is the bottle opener of choice in the house and on excursions where the credit card size really comes into its own.

Limited efficiency on wine bottles though.