A Dying Art Form [Documentary]

Robert's Website: http://laughingmadman.com/mm/index.cfm

A short documentary I did this summer to help my friend with his leather crafting business. And I finally got it edited!

Robert Anzaldua is a leather craftsman in Austin, Texas. His talents show through the entirely handmade leather products he creates. Robert has his own company, Sanitarium Leather Works, which is finally taking off. He can make things from dog collars to purses, but his most common work consists of guitar straps. Robert gained interest in this particular craft to find a creative outlet in his life and fell in love with it. Leather crafting is being taken over by machines and manufacturers, but he tried to keep the custom hand-making style alive.


Original music by Josh Levine
http://www.youtube.com/22ndCenturyJosh

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• breezyfilm
• breezy
• films
• leather
• guitar
• straps
• custom
• robert
• anzaldua
• tooling
• stitching
• handmade
• austin
• texas

[TheOnlyHatchet101]

Having worked with Adler, Pfaff, Consew, Union Lockstich, Pitman, etc. I will vouch that Consew remains my favorite. Additionally, it would be nicer to see some of the artists REAL works, which he has custom made for himself.

[BreezyFilm]

@TheOnlyHatchet101 cool.

[TheOnlyHatchet101]

Being that I am a professional leather crafter, I appreciate the love of the craft, but those methods shown are anything but profitable unless you are prepared to charge the customer $700.00+ for a guitar strap. Additionally, there is no possible way that saddle stitching is stronger than machine stitching when done properly, and with the proper tools. A well adjusted Consew, set for proper density of the leather, moisture content, tension, release, and uptake will give you a 100yr unbreakable.

[BreezyFilm]

@TheOnlyHatchet101 hey, it would be much appreciated if you two took this elsewhere, or gave it up! you both are pointlessly arguing and it's going nowhere. This is a video about handcrafting leather. Criticism of the quality of the video is welcome bit outright ridicule of fellow crafters and others' opinions is ridiculous.

[BerkeleyGang]

@TheOnlyHatchet101 Machine stitching would keep this from being called hand crafted, wouldn't it? Point taken about the time involved. 7-8 hours is a long time, and expensive if the artist values his time. If you're paying yourself less than minimum wage to make a product, it's a hobby, and not a profession.

Nice work on the documentary, too. Debate the merits of the art of leathercrafting all you want, boys, but the documentary itself is better than what I see locally on the TV. Good job.

[BreezyFilm]

@BerkeleyGang ha, thank you for that comment :)

[RattonCain]

don't use Scissors to trim of leather it leave an the leather with a mess edge get your self a stitching jig ad finish your edges rub them down with canvas it will shine up your edges and you don't need to use a saddle stitch if you got a good sewing machine that job you just did did not have to be done by hand . Now Nice Art Good Grasp on the Fundamental Skill good with applying paint and keen as masted Keep up the Work

[khal540]

is that a woman

[wescobts]

Awesome 

[shook919]

You brilliant son of a bitch! I want that koi strap! Awesome work!

[transdetendal]

@BreezyFilm it warms my hart to see others do what i lovee as a hobby ,learned it of a pro from the the 70es and made almost every thing you can do with leather and tings your not soposed to do and it turned out just great . a lovely made film with wrmth and deep felt hart , thanx

[ANXIETOR]

beautiful work, brother.

[teagm003]

@TheOnlyHatchet101 $700 for a guitar strap that took 7 or 8 hours to make? That's about £500 - £600, which is around what I charge for knives I make. My knives take me around 20 - 30+ hours to make... All by hand, and with a hammer and anvil, I don't have a grinder.

[prepaidbrian]

I enjoyed the video very much and did learn a lot thank you.

[therealnpc]

vote 4 pedro

[sinpac6161]

The Saddle Stitch is the best stitch. Don't let him rattle you.