Awesome Homemade Straps!!!!!

I have no pictures, currently, and am too lazy to post any right now, but I recently pulled out the 100 year old singer sewing machine. It's literally over 100 years old, and has been in my family since the start of it's life. It is a great machine because it will go through anything. This was important because I made my strap out of jeans! I had some jeans that didn't fit me, and a guitar that had a crappy strap. So the one sensible solution! Create one! I cut the jeans into two equal lengths, as the jean legs weren't long enough to create the strap in once piece. After some measuring, sewing, and cutting, I got an awesome new strap that I put my straplocks on, securing my guitar to me until I WANTED it to come off.

If anyone has made awesome straps, feel free to post! And if you haven't, try making one! It's super easy and it's a great way to have a custom fitted strap

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm308/coltwknight/2011-08-20180835.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm308/coltwknight/100_2929.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm308/coltwknight/Allen%20Shadd/100_3507.jpg

Pretty cool, I have an ancient Pfaff sewing machine, probably similar to your singer, I've made straps out of old belts from charity shops, sewing one on top of the other, it's pretty cool and some of the belts are already decorated so look great :)

Made my own straps? With my 1954 Singer 185j? Have I..?

here's some examples - probably made sixty by now...

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h156/tvvoodoo/Strapping%20young%20fellow/Gitchamonaruhnin.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h156/tvvoodoo/Strapping%20young%20fellow/beast.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h156/tvvoodoo/Strapping%20young%20fellow/brootzwideside1.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h156/tvvoodoo/Strapping%20young%20fellow/wideside2.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h156/tvvoodoo/Strapping%20young%20fellow/skyhighandkreature.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h156/tvvoodoo/Strapping%20young%20fellow/whiteHOTT.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h156/tvvoodoo/Strapping%20young%20fellow/davycrockett.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h156/tvvoodoo/Strapping%20young%20fellow/firebirdnew.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h156/tvvoodoo/Strapping%20young%20fellow/bombsaway.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h156/tvvoodoo/Strapping%20young%20fellow/rickmansblues.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h156/tvvoodoo/Strapping%20young%20fellow/thebusiness.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h156/tvvoodoo/Strapping%20young%20fellow/dayswork1.jpg

There's the Singer above - you could say i have a bit of a factory going. I typically have been making eight or ten a month, but took the last month off. I'm not registered as a seller on TDPRI, but another forum, a good amount of custom commissions have been done. I'm fairly well known on agf, there is a review thread over there with a quite a lot of pics, and reviews.

I cruise thrift shops for old leather coats and interesting fabrics, cut 'em up and reassemble with extra strong reinforcement inside for the pins, most are reversible and adjustable, and feature padding inside where it counts. I've been experimenting with design and construction of straps for about a year, guitars and gear has come a long way in the past 50 years, but straps have not really kept up, IMO. It's quite fun, but you know the thing about a successful hobby, it can seem to turn into a bit of a job after awhile, if you are good at i, even if it does provide a bit of extra GAS money. :roll:

Really it is very gratifying to see a strap I created on a guitar someone else owns, and know it is being played more because of it.

Got some pictures. BTW, Love those straps!

My pile of old jeans that don't fit.
http://i.imgur.com/1xLgv.jpg

I recently made this one for the new guitar I got for 10 bucks
http://i.imgur.com/sWefS.jpg

(uploaded the blurry pic, oops) It's nice and wide to give comfort. It's made of some vinyl My mom bought and jeans. That's 4 layers of jean material on the ends.
http://i.imgur.com/X2Hp2.jpg

My favourite
http://i.imgur.com/XaBWx.jpg

I made the joint of the two peices of fabric land where the belt rested on my shoulder, it makes it nice 'n' comfy.
http://i.imgur.com/h0ZIw.jpg

Very nice! I know exactly why you are excited. It's totally fun, and now you've outed yourself as a dedicated sewing machine junky

they look very similar to the ones I started out with. one tip to make them look more finished, is sew the fabric inside out, then when you have your tube, use a yardstick to turn it right side out. long seams along the sides help give them a more finished look. I'm putting flooring vinyl inside mine in the strap ends for max holding power. I've tried leather, but prefer the strength of the vinyl.

I've even cut a pattern template our of vinyl that I use to cut my fabric so I can achieve a more regular design.

Those are some great straps! I'm tempted (and inspired) to try making my own but I took the motor off my Singer to make this winder. Its a retrofit motor so I can always put it back on again. :smile:

I made one from two belts I got from goodwill. I gave it away or it was stolen or something

I do sew them inside out, the stitching you see is on purpose, as I like the look. That's a HUGE motor for a winder!

Once I showed up for rehearsal without a strap. Only thing even remotely similar I could find was some of that real thin ribbon they tie on balloons.

What I learned that day: skinny little ribbon is STRONG!

a ladies leather fashion belt... $1 at the markets,,,

it had that guitar strap look about it.. wide in the middle, thin at the ends, double sided soft leather,,,:wink:

Nice straps guys! I am just starting to collect straps to so far I only have 5 straps. I Will post pictures of my straps once I finish the other straps im working on :D

I helped a friend of my moms get his guitar in working order. One day, out of the blue he shows up at the door and gives me this....it is just beautiful. My sister in law is a master leather seemstress and I'm going to have her make me a few here soom.

I made these two... I need to make a couple more. I don't like metal or buckles on my straps because I leave them on the guitar in the case. This way the strap button holes stay snug.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/attachments/tele-home-depot/53128d1278221876-tres-recogida-especial-img00367a-jpg

I made the pickguard and matchng strap on this one.
http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/714/medium/img_1321a.jpg

Although the buckles and conchos look cool, I also wleave my straps on the guitars in the cases. I don't want to scratch the guitars going in and out, so no buckles.

In case anyone wants it, here's a pdf of the straps I've made from heavy belt cowhide. They could be tooled, but they work well plain too.137144

Great thread!

Now everyone's gonna be turning their pickup winders, drills and variable DC power supplies into sewing machines. :razz::razz::razz:

Now everyone's gonna be turning their pickup winders, drills and variable DC power supplies into sewing machines

I just got an old sewing machine for the motor and threw the rest in the garbage. Now I'll need to start looking for another.

On a side note, Since starting a build I have been in Hobby Lobby and Michaels more than I should. Now sewing?? Is this grounds for Man Card removal?

Now sewing?? Is this grounds for Man Card removal?

Nah, I used to work for a guy who sewed vinyl tops, and car upholstery on an old Pfaff machine. He was one of the toughest SOBs I've ever known. He got struck by a powerline and electricity blew out both of his heels and burned him severly...after his recovery, he went back to sewing. :cool: