It just occurred to me that there might be other leather carver/artists on Mudcat besides Bill Sables and myself. I don't want to speak for Bill until he sees this but my guess is, that like me, he loves hearing about new tricks and tips, as much as dispensing them. Here's a post Bill made in the "Guitar strap" thread.

"I have made dozens of straps for players of various instruments and I find that a strap of two and a half inches width is the most comfortable anything narrower cuts into the shoulder and anything wider cuts into the neck. Nylon straps tend to fold or crumble into one narrow string so I make straps from top grain leather which holds its shape. I finish the strap by chamfering and rubbing the edges so as they don't leave a sharp edge and to keep the stains and tanning from marking clothing, and indeed guitars, I fix them with a final coat of pollish. So far I have never stained a shirt even when playing in a hot sweaty room. One other point is always take off the strap when putting the guitar into the case as most straps have metal adjustments which will scratch the instrument. Cheers Bill"

I concur that two and a half inches seems to be the best width for most straps, although many folks specify the dimensions they want simply from long experience.

I was taught to use a tool called a "bone folder" to smoothe off my edges, but in recent years have gone to a homemade device (a small cylinder with a groove cut into it and impregnated with carnauba creme) that I just slip into my Dremil. I attach the strap (by one of it's holes) to the wall, and run the Dremil up and down it a couple of times. Fast...and works well.

One change that I've noticed over the years, is that certain designs that were hugely popular 10 years ago (Celtic motifs) hardly get asked for now, while others that city-folk thought corny then (Western Motifs) are cool again.

One stamp I bought years ago (a Volkswagen!!) has REALLY become popular again.

Any other carvers?

Rick