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Early rough sketches and patterns of what would become the No. 92 (and the discontinued No. 67)
Two original samples of the design-in-progress
Line sheet from 2004 showing early examples of both the No. 92 and No. 67
Collaboration with Vans Vault, circa 2005
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Ever since I got my first decent BMX bike in the 1980s (a Chrome Raleigh Rampar with all the fixings), I have always had a bike under me. I ride weekly and commuted to work for about five years. These days, I have a custom-built single speed Freeman Transport Gravel Racer, a Cannondale Mountain Bike, and a vintage Raleigh three-speed. Some years ago, I went head first into a parked car on my 1980s Guerciotti road bike, and I have not purchased a replacement. Yes, I was wearing a helmet…. But, of course, with the bikes come the accessories and third-party add-ons. I am not immune to the lure of these “extras,” and that’s one reason we added a few biking accessories to our collection many years ago.
Over the years, we’ve designed single and double leather pedal straps, cycling messenger bags, leather U-Lock belt holders, Cordura nylon saddle bags, and a few different hand-stitched leather pouches for the frame, saddle, and handlebars. Many of these items were inspired from vintage biking accessories we had come across. The item I want to highlight below was inspired by old bicycle culture.
No. 211 BIKE FRAME BAG
The genesis for our frame bag included two 50s- or 60s-era French-made bike frame pouches shown blow, that I found years ago while visiting France.
They are not made very well, and the leather is sub-par, but I was intrigued by their shape and how it nestles neatly inside the top frame and down tube. These were slightly small, so we increased the size, added collar button closures, and hand-stitched it from a single piece of cowhide leather.
Below are some shots of Kirk from 2008 stitching up an early sample version of the No. 211.
A few years later, we added the No. 334 Saddle and Handlebar Pouch, which is very similar but has a more symmetrical design.
Because my love for bicycles also includes their storied history, I went down a rabbit hole looking for images of bikes with old leather tool pouches. I was also curious about Brooks Saddles, a brand we admire greatly. So, I thought I would highlight some interesting facts I found during my research. Enjoy!
EARLY DAYS OF BICYCLES AND THEIR ACCOUTREMENTS
Bike pouches have been a mainstay for cyclists for almost as long as bicycles themselves. And it’s really no surprise, considering before bicycles there were horses, and we all know that saddlebags and horses are connected, especially if you’re riding for any great distance. In fact, Brooks Saddles, founded in Hockley, Birmingham, England, in 1866, got their start making leather horse saddles. Legend has it that Brooks founder, John Boultbee Brooks, started riding a bicycle in the 1870s soon after his horse died, but found the wooden seat to be understandably uncomfortable. As a result, Brooks cycle saddles were born. Around the same time, as their saddles were getting underway, they also began making bike accessories, including tool pouches that fit behind the seat and on the frame.
Perhaps the bike saddle idea popped into John Brooks’ head while riding around on one of these English-made S&E “Boneshakers” from the 1870s?
ENGLISH BICYCLE MAKERS
This timeline makes perfect sense because, by the late 1870s, fellow Englishman Henry John Lawson was creating his Lever Driven “Safety” Bicycle (pictured below). He adopted the term “Safety” because of all the injuries sustained from getting on and off the larger high-wheeler Penny Farthing bicycles.
A few years later, another Englishman John Kemp Starley, who invented the Penny Farthing (High-Roller bike in 1871), invented his "Rover Safety Bicycle.” Starley’s was the first bicycle to have two similar-sized wheels. Interestingly enough, his factory and the Brooks factory were in the same town of Coventry — so you have to wonder if the two entrepreneurs crossed paths.
In 1889, the company became J. K. Starley & Co. and in the late 1890s, it became the Rover Cycle Company. After JK Starley’s death, this company started to manufacture and sell Rover cars, and, this is where the first Land Rovers would be built.
EARLY BICYCLE ACCESSORIES
By the late 1880s, Brooks was already offering a wide range of saddles, along with accessories such as saddle bags, tool bags, golf bag mounts, and the ever-important bicycle-mounted cigar tray. I would love to find one of those at the flea market!
Interestingly enough, the first panniers designed specifically for bicycles were patented by John B. Wood of Camden, NJ, in 1884.
AMERICAN BICYCLE MAKERS
In 1882, the Overman Wheel Company was the first manufacturer of safety bicycles in the United States, made in Chicopee, MA.
Another builder at the time was George T. Warwick who founded the Warwick Cycle Manufacturing in Springfield, MA, in 1888. His “Warwick Safety” design was the first bike with front and back spring suspension.
Finally, I would be remiss not to mention the Columbia Bicycle Company founded in 1876 by Boston Civil War vet Colonel Albert A. Pope. He’s considered the first bicycle maker in America starting with his version of the Penny Farthing, then transitioning into more traditional designed bicycles. By 1888, his factory was turning out 5,000 quality bicycles a year.
Many of the tool bag makers at the time used galoshes clip closures. These were used into the 1960s.
THE FIRST GOLDEN ERA OF BICYCLING
In 1890, there were 27 U.S. bicycle firms that produced about 40,000 bicycles. By 1900, that number had risen to nearly one million per year. Then, almost as suddenly as it had risen, the bicycle fad crashed. By 1904, total U.S. bike sales dropped 75% to 250,000. Many bicycle manufacturers tried to pivot to making automobiles with most falling further into debt.
Some manufacturers used durable hickory for their bike frames — think golf clubs of the era.
There were also companies working with bamboo.
MILITARY BICYCLES AND THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS
While the bicycling craze was sweeping the world in the 1880s to 1890s, army leaders in several European nations, including Great Britain, Germany, and France, began experimenting with the military potential that these two-wheeled vehicles might have.
In America, DC's National Guard was the first in the US to have a separate bicycle corps. In 1888, General Albert Ordway, who was in charge of the DC’s militia began looking into ways that the militia could use bicycles. He started a company but there weren't enough "safety bicycles" around at the time to fill the group out. By 1891 however, Ordway was ready to form the first separate and distinct bicycle corps as a branch of a militia in the United States. In the Spring of 1892 he published, with the help of the Pope Manufacturing Company (which just happened to produce a "Soldier's Standard Bicycle" model of their Columbia Light Roadster), a book on Cycle Infantry Drill Regulations. In it, the owner of Pope argued that if we'd just had the safety bicycle, and a network of well-paved roads, the British would have never burned the Capital.
The same year Ordway had the Washington Military Cyclists participate in a relay to Pittsburgh and in 1895 organized a messenger relay to New York City to prove the value of the bicycle to those in the military that were skeptical. Unfortunately, they were shortly thereafter disbanded due to a high level of defections.
A couple of years later, 2nd Lieutenant James Moss also had thoughts of modernizing the Army. He was able to get permission to organize the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps (Buffalo Soldiers) to test the practicality of the bicycle for military use in mountainous terrain. Moss, a West Point graduate, wanted to show that cycling was faster than marching and cheaper than traveling on horseback. They contracted the bikes to be built by sporting goods maker A.G. Spalding & Co.
At the time, their accomplishments were only celebrated by black Americans and marginalized by American society as a whole. The Buffalo Soldiers provide an important role model within African American history. As Bob Marley famously stated in his song “Buffalo Soldiers”:
By the early teens, BSA and Raleigh, among others, were producing folding bikes for WWI paratroopers.
Turn-of-the-century photographs showing bicycles with leather tool pouches.
When the teens and early 1920s rolled around, bike sales were flat with Columbia and newcomer Ignaz Schwinn selling the lion’s share of U.S.-produced bikes and bike accessories. Through the Great Depression, annual sales of bikes in America were under 300,000. Then, with new streamlined designs, fat “balloon” tires for easier riding, and better marketing, demand took off crossing 500,000 in 1934 and reaching a record 1.2 million by 1936. Schwinn was a big factor in all of this.
U.S. BIKES OF WWII
WWII saw a resurgence in military bikes with Westfield-Columbia and Huffman (later known as Huffy) getting contracts to produce olive drab military bikes. Most came with leather tool pouches. However, for civilians, bike production was limited when the government imposed a freeze on bicycle sales and allocated almost 10,000 bikes to war production plants for use by workers and messengers. So, to help with the war effort, Uncle Sam created “Victory Bikes.” Columbia and Huffman were contracted to make them but they were only able to produce 95,913 adult bicycles for civilians in all of 1943 or, a dismal 13% of the 750,000 originally promised. This form of WWII rationing must have been upsetting to a ton of smaller bike builders. Of course, these measures were designed to conserve rubber and metals needed for war and complement gasoline and automobile tire rationing by providing an alternate form of transportation for war production workers and other workers.
THE SECOND GOLDEN ERA OF BICYCLING
As the 1950s came into view, the major bike builders began to focus on inexpensive bicycles sold under store brands (private labels) for the largest retail chains, leaving the top end of the market to the independent bicycle dealers and Schwinn. Big customers for Huffman (Huffy) and Murray were Sears, Montgomery Ward, and JC Penney.
By the mid-60s, the next golden era of bikes had begun. And once the 70s hit, business really took off. Low-riders, banana-seats, “hot rod” bikes like the Schwinn Sting-Ray, as well as BMX dirt bikes were coveted from coast to coast. We also got our first look at the “English racers,” often made by the Raleigh in England. Adults also flooded back into the market as more sophisticated gearing systems, stronger and lighter frames, and lighter and more weather-friendly touring bags and panniers hit the market. Helping sales in the 70s were more televised European road races like the Tour de France and cycling sports and hobbies like randonneuring and touring.
As high-end road bikes have evolved in unimaginable ways, we have remained rooted in the classics. Be on the lookout for a small collection of Waxed Canvas Standard Issue Bike Accessories that will hopefully thrill fans of the 70s touring bike era. Safe Travels!
I will leave you with this to contemplate....
If you live in downtown Jersey City you have likely crossed paths with the dapper gent, DeCarlos Morse, the owner of DeCarlos Bespoke. On any given day, you will see an impeccably dressed DeCarlos peddling about town, driving his vintage Alfa Romeo, or puffing his favorite Ferio Tego cigar in the front window of Sky Tobacco. There is no doubt that he would be the front runner if Jersey City had a “Best Dressed Man” competition. Affable, knowledgeable, and generous are a few other words I would use to describe DeCarlos. Thankfully, I have had the pleasure of knowing him for over a decade and recently met up with him to ask him some questions for a “Friends of Billykirk” Journal post. Accompanying the interview are photos from a recent day-in-the-life photoshoot with DeCarlos.
Q: You're from Virginia and have great passion for your birth place, so what made you head North and how did you land in Jersey City?
I came up from Virginia in ‘98 after rounds of interviews with the prestigious Alfred Dunhill of London. I joined that team of amazing clothiers and tailors, staying there over six years. I landed in Jersey City honestly by accident. I knew I wanted to be south of NYC. I had no interest in living in the city. I knew I’d be back and forth to Virginia, and never wanted to contend with traffic getting out to head South. So Jersey City it was. It ended up being the best place for me and my business to grow, and I’ve been here ever since.
Q: I remember you once saying your father would make some of his clothes. Is that who set you on this tailoring path?
Yes, facts! My dad made suits and jackets for himself. He worked at a bank in those days, ’70s and early ‘80s, and decided he would teach himself how to make clothes — he is a talented maker of many things, so it’s in our code, for sure. And my mom has always had a passion for style. It was natural for me. I just loved clothes and wanted to figure out how to make a career out of it.
Q: Tell us about DeCarlos Bespoke, who’s your customer, what do you specialize in?
We are custom suit makers and designers. We specialize in custom suits, jackets, vests and trousers. But the brand has taken on more of a lifestyle — not just suits, but all of the finer things in life.
Q: What designers and brands inspire you?
I hope this doesn’t sound like arrogance, but I do not follow any designers of clothes or fashion. I’ve always stayed in my lane and pulled from what’s within. However, I do have a deep appreciation of designers like Ralph Lauren and Dapper Dan. It’s more about their journeys. From where and how they got started, with so much passion, to what they’ve achieved and who they are today. I see myself in both of these guys. What really inspires me is traveling, my family, nature or Virginia’s beautiful countryside and classic cars.
Q: You have some vintage Alfa Romeos in your stable. What is the fascination with these Italian steeds?
I have owned my share of these Italian beauties over the years. I’m fascinated with the design, especially the elongated sporty body. And they are a lot of fun to drive.
Q: I have known you long enough to know you’ve gone through some challenges and yet you always seem to have a cheery, upbeat disposition. Just so the readers know….Your original ground floor location on Monmouth St. was destroyed by an out-of-control car, you then relocated to a temporary space on the 9th floor of our building, and then, a little over a year later, had to pivot your business yet again in the age of Covid. This would have seriously demoralized many businesses. With all of these trials and tribulations and everyone’s work life forever altered, how have you stayed grounded and positive?
Yes, it’s true. I’ve had a few unfortunate things happen, but also so many great things during those times. What helped me get through the weeds was lots of praying, lots of support, my love and passion for what I do, cigars and meditation. It wasn’t easy at the time. I’m very grateful to still be here and going stronger than ever. It’s a real true blessing.
Q: We did a recent photoshoot at your bright and airy corner shop on Grove Street and you let slip some information I was not aware of. You and your twin brother were tapped to be Ford Models in the 90’s. How did I not know about this?! Can you expand on that?
That’s funny. Yes it’s true, but maybe we can skip this part. We hated that job, but obviously were blessed with the opportunity. I wouldn’t say anything positive about that industry. So I’ll keep my thoughts to myself. Let’s just say we both moved on to what we really loved to do as soon as we could. Sorry man!
Q: Any new product or special announcements you would like to share?
New spring collection is here! Vibrant colors and textures, as always. Sports jackets, seersucker and linen trousers, band and camp collar shirts. Imagine yourself in Florence, Italy enjoying a Negroni or in a Southern Baptist Church on Easter Sunday. That’s the best way I can paint the picture.
I hope you’re intrigued to pay DeCarlos a visit at his shop at 255 Grove St. in DT Jersey City. Have him construct a Bespoke suit with vintage fabrics or take a peek at his growing collection of nicely curated ready-to-wear items. You may also get a nice pour of bourbon and catch Darondo, Miles or Coltrane on the turntable.
Photography by Joe Velez
]]>I have always been a fan of the iconic English satchel with its classic good looks and utilitarian design. In the mid 20th century, no schoolboy or girl would be seen without their indestructible leather uniform school satchel. Their scaled-down size was simply a version of the adult satchels of the day… perhaps designed to prepare students for the workforce. Either way, the nostalgic aspects were not lost on me, especially since most of the historic images and movies featuring satchels showed them in British Tan leather with a well-worn patina that took years to achieve… and you know how we like patina at Billykirk!
It’s because of these indelible memories and a void in our growing bag collection that we set out to design a proper satchel in 2009. We already had the smaller No. 95 Shoulder Satchel in our collection, but the No. 236 Schoolboy Satchel was our first East/West style satchel.
To fit the satchel into our line, we looked to our current pieces for inspiration. The final design pulled elements from our existing No. 95 Shoulder Satchel and several vintage pieces we’ve picked up in our travels.
The original No. 236 Schoolboy Satchel was not too big and not too small; it easily handled a 13” laptop and other work essentials. Like the No. 95, it also featured the same gate and tab custom cast bronze hardware.
For the overall shape of our No. 236, we borrowed some simple but effective design elements from a vintage Swiss Army Ammo Case. We really liked how the ammo case had a distinctive squared top line and handle design that could lay flat on when the shoulder strap was being used. These elements, combined with the WWII Map Case gate and tab that we had been using since 2002/2003, really helped complete the look and helped find the balance we were after.
Since our beginning, we have looked towards vintage military items for inspiration, and their incredible quality and utility. Also helpful, these pieces shed light on the techniques leather crafters were employing while charged with making 1000s of units in short periods of time. It really is astounding what the “industrial leather-making complex” of the 1940s was able to accomplish.
The original No. 236 Schoolboy Satchel was launched in 2009 and was a runaway success, quickly being featured in all the fashion rags at the time. In the years that followed, we would make hundreds for J.Crew’s online shop and the J.Crew Liquor Store in NYC.
This helped set into motion a number of new briefcase designs, including the larger No. 486 Schoolboy Satchel currently in our line. A utilitarian design at heart, the Schoolboy Satchel has had to take on several evolutions over the past decade, including becoming large enough to fit modern laptops.
Billykirk - Spring Studio Playlist
I know I’m not the only one excited about warmer weather and longer days.
Here’s the Spring 2022 Playlist on current rotation in the Billykirk studio. Get ready for a mix of tunes ranging from Portugal. The Man to the late great Mark Lanegan.
We hope you enjoy.
Thanks for the song suggestions last season. We’d love to know what you’re listening to. Let us know here.
This year, we are adding a product spotlight email to the mix.
First up is our No. 117 Mechanic’s Belt. Looking as good with a pair of chinos as it does with a suit, the No. 117 Mechanic's Belt continues to be one of our top-selling belts — and the one that gets the most attention.
The mechanic’s belt has a history almost as interesting as the belt itself. In fact, few belts on the market are steeped in Americana like the mechanic’s belt.
But we can’t talk about this beloved belt without first mentioning Arnold Arons, our early mentor. Arnold runs Arons Manufacturing in downtown Los Angeles, where we were first inspired to create our own version of the belt. Arnold took us under his wing in 2000 after we found him in the yellow pages of all places. For nearly two years, he taught us how to add a rivet to a belt, skive, stitch, and prepare designs for cutting dies. He gave us access to his tools, machines, and sourcing materials and sold us one of his Grandfather Morris’s Jacques Board Sheer — a large tabletop leather cutter that we still use today. Arnold’s unwavering tutelage is a big reason we are in our 23rd year. I called Arnold recently to reminisce and ask him about this fabled belt.
“The mechanic’s belts were first produced in the late 1950s by my grandfather for autoworkers and electricians, and the flap of leather that covers the buckle would protect the paint from being scratched or from conducting electricity,” said Arnold “We primarily sold them to uniform supply businesses in brown and black leather, but I do remember making red ones for Standard Oil and green ones for Texaco,” says Arnold. “In fact, I still have some of that leather from way back then.”
Seeing is believing. I remember the day I first saw the mechanic’s belt. We were in Arnold’s cluttered office reviewing CAD drawings of a cuff watch strap we were working on, and I noticed it hanging on the wall. The small buckle and design caught my eye; it was like no other belt I had ever seen. Arnold took it down and explained its 40-year existence. Kirk and I were fascinated by its history, clever design, and utility. The Arons version was made with a light ounce of leather and was one-inch wide with a machine-stitched flap that connected to the buckle. For our version, we increased the ounce of leather, widened the belt by a quarter inch, and hand-stitched the flap. To finish it off, we added our signature angled belt tip.
Now, 20+ years later, it has found an audience of guitarists and motorcycle enthusiasts who don’t want the buckle banging away on their guitars and gas tanks. It’s also my go-to formal dress belt because I prefer that minimalist design.
Another fan of the No. 117 is our good friend and past sales rep Cory Heenan. Cory has almost exclusively been wearing his tan No. 117 since 2009. I asked him to send some shots of how it’s wearing in and what he thought about it.
“I personally stamped this belt at the first Pop Up Flea in June of 2009. I think I already had the belt for a year before that, so it’s about 14 years old. I wear it every day. I don’t own another belt. Dress it up, dress it down. It’s always on.”
It’s certainly a design that is special to us. Not only does it remind us of our beginnings as a company and our mentoring time with Arnold, it also celebrates blue collar workers and the efforts they put in every day.
Below are photos of two vintage mechanic’s belts that I have found at thrift shops over the years. These date to the 60s or 70s. Arnold mentioned that Unitog has been a competitor for decades and most likely manufactured the Lee Jeans belt as well.
Billykirk - Spring Studio Playlist
I have a tendency to sing out loud in the studio, probably to the displeasure of those around me. When the song is good, I just can’t help it! Once you hear these tunes, I bet you can’t either.
Here’s the winter playlist on current rotation in the Billykirk studio. We hope you enjoy it.
What songs are you listening to? Let us know here.
I can still smell the waxed canvas from our dad’s hunting gear all these years later — that was my first memory of this now familiar fabric. When my brother and I started Billykirk, I think we both knew we would be using this durable canvas even before we made the first pouch.
We introduced waxed canvas to our collection in 2003, and it hasn’t left our line since. Its versatility and water-resistant characteristics make it ideal for many of our bags and pouches. But, like anything worth its salt, waxed canvas requires upkeep in order for it to perform at its best.
Over time, the wax will wear off on the parts of the canvas that get the most use. These areas may be lighter in color or shiny. A good rewaxing is ideally done once a year. If your bag is in the elements often, twice a year may be more appropriate.
The re-waxing process will take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and half.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Here are the steps you can take to re-wax your canvas bag:
If your bag has webbing or leather, you’re going to want to cover it with painter’s tape to prevent wax from getting on it. I prefer painter’s tape over masking tape because it’s less aggressive than masking tape and won’t damage your bag. If you can, apply the tape so that it aligns with the width of the webbing or leather so that it doesn’t cover up any of the canvas.
This is an important step. Before applying the wax, you’ll want to clean the bag with a damp sponge or lint-free cloth. (An old cotton T-shirt would also work quite well.) Just dip the sponge or lint-free cloth in water, squeeze out the excess water, and wipe down your bag. If you skip this step, the dirt or lint on the bag will be sealed under your fresh coat of wax. Once you’ve cleaned the bag, set it aside to dry.
While the bag is drying, now it’s time to heat up the wax. First, fill the glass bowl with water so that it reaches about a quarter of the way up the bowl. Then, place the tin of wax (with the lid removed) into the bowl without getting water into the wax. (Pour out some of the water if that happens). Then, put the glass bowl into a pot on the heat source and turn it to the medium/low setting so that the water heats up slowly and melts the wax. Once the wax is clear, you’ll want to maintain that temperature so that the wax doesn’t harden. Be careful not to put the heat too high, as the tin of wax will jostle and spill out into your bowl.
Now to the fun part. Once the wax runs clear, take the second sponge (or lint-free cloth) and dip it into the tin of wax. Start spreading the wax evenly on the bag, making sure to cover the entire bag. Don’t be alarmed if you get more wax in some areas; the hair dryer will help spread it out evenly. If there’s a pocket on the bag, try and get inside the pocket. If there are parts of your bag that get more wear or are exposed to the elements more than others, make sure they are adequately covered. As long as the wax stays clear, this process should be pretty quick.
With the hair dryer on the low setting, dry the bag in long, sweeping motions. Do not focus on a single area for too long. Using a low setting will help permeate the wax into the weave of the canvas and accelerate the drying time (allowing you to use your bag sooner).
In my experience, it’s best to allow the bag to dry overnight. It shouldn’t feel tacky when you’re ready to use it again. So, if you notice some areas that are still wet or oversaturated with wax, go ahead and hit them with the hair dryer again. That should do the trick.
That wraps it up! Your bag should be all set for whatever adventures you take it on. Click here to watch a full video of the re-waxing process.
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Musgrave Pencil Company is a family-owned pencil factory founded in 1916 and located in Shelbyville, Tennessee. When we were searching for a pencil to include with our No. 231 Journal, we came upon Musgrave. Being a history buff and also from Tennessee, I knew right away that we would be ordering from them. Now, over ten years later, they are making a new custom golf pencil for our No. 580 Scorecard Holder.
I had the opportunity to speak with Henry and Harper Hulan, the father-son team who are members of the family-run board of directors at Musgrave. Later on in the interview, I speak with Studio Delger an independent graphic design and marketing practice based in Nashville, Tennessee who has been helping to spread the word about Musgrave.
It must be extremely gratifying to continue this family tradition. Our company is going on 22 years, but when you’ve got 105 years under your belt, that is really an accomplishment to be proud of. How do you even describe that sense of pride you feel?
We do feel a sense of pride but also of humility. For so many years, we were able to “white label” products and sell them upstream, here in Shelbyville. We did not really need to connect with customers outside of the state or outside of a few key accounts, and we did not need to think about developing our “brand.” But the global economy evolved, and we have had to evolve as well, maybe a bit slower than we ideally should have. We are certainly proud to be one of the last domestic pencil manufacturers in the United States, we are thankful for the reception that our brand has received within the context of our community here in Middle Tennessee, and we hope to continue our path for another 100 years! We have also recently had a number of collaborations with really great brands (like Billykirk!) that we are very proud of. It has been so great to work with Studio Delger and get the word out that we are here, dedicated to producing in Shelbyville, and we are so thankful for our fans and customers.
I know Asian manufacturing has taken the wind out of a lot of U.S. manufacturing, but I am optimistic that the generations coming up are becoming more mindful of waste, how things are made, and where they are produced. Also, with Studio Delger getting out the word to a new and well-informed audience, have you seen a shift in buying habits
I think that “telling our story” has been so critical and also feel that we have been very open and transparent about our manufacturing process. It has been awesome to see folks step up and support our brand. Though we cannot discount the importance of an interconnected global supply chain, the imported pencils from overseas have hurt us. I think our history, the fact that we employ real folks in Shelbyville, Tennessee, and given we are committed to a future here does make a difference. Studio Delger has helped us to leverage new technological tools and social media and refine our ecommerce practices to reach new fans and to help show that we are unique, that we are rooted in history, we are producing here, and we intend to continue manufacturing pencils in Shelbyville for future generations!
It really is disheartening when a company with stockholders has to be so penny-pinching when it comes to something as low-cost as a pencil. We’re not talking hundreds and hundreds of dollars in savings for the companies and institutions. What percentage of sales has been due to this cheaper and often inferior product, and what are some of the ways you have pivoted to stay in business?
That’s a tough question! There are so many expectations these days around getting your product the next day at the lowest cost, and a lot of big jobs and RFPs by other folks are fulfilled by purchasing the lowest priced SKU from the largest global retailers. I think our story, the fact that we are made in the USA, and history have helped us tremendously. We also have a lot of flexibility that other manufacturers do not have; we can run orders of practically any size and can pretty much do anything with respect to pencil type, core, color, imprint, etc. Additionally, we are not in any way wedded to one pencil type, and from standard to jumbo to golf, we’ve been able to supply a wide range of industries as our economy has evolved.
Finally, I know what I like about Musgrave (sharp-edged hex pencils, authentic letterpress printing, quality wood, and U.S. made), but could you give our readers your top reasons why they should order from Musgrave?
We employ about 80 people here in Shelbyville and have employed thousands over the course of our history. We’ve been offered to be bought out many times, but we’ve always stayed focused on the people we employ and the community we support. It’s easy to say “Buy American” without much thought around the deeper story behind it, but we hope that our story and history help to show folks that by making a small investment in USA-made pencils, it’s worth it (it benefits our community, helps us to provide insurance to our employees, and helps us to continue producing). So we hope a top reason would be made in the USA, and secondly we hope people support our story and are willing to invest in a piece of history!
Questions for Studio Delger. Run by husband and wife team Tim and Nicole Delger, they make beautiful things for nice people.
When did you start working for Musgrave, and how has it been working with such a revered and long-standing company?
We started working with Musgrave about three years ago. Harper Hulan, who is the great-grandson of the founder and a member on Musgrave’s board, had reached out to us about creating a new brand identity and website. Even after just a quick search, we knew immediately how special the company was and what a tremendous creative opportunity it was.
The company at the time was doing pretty well, but the brand was suffering, and the level of brand awareness by folks was in really rough shape. Here you have a 100+-year-old company making a majority of the domestically made pencils in the U.S., and hardly anyone knew about them.
For us, working on this brand, it was like getting a treasure box where we have been able to pull out each piece of history. It might be a pencil that went out of production that we helped revive, an old manufacturing material or technique, or even a photograph of an old delivery truck from the ’50s with typography that inspired our choices in the present. There was more than 100 years of history to dive into. And Musgrave’s brand was so authentic and rooted in history, it was really cool to work with.
Musgrave has also given us a tremendous amount of trust creatively. When a client trusts you and doesn’t question your design choices, you feel 1,000 times more motivated to make the work that much better and special. We get to take them through our ideas and openly share what work we recommend. So rather than feeling like you’re presenting a choice they’ll make at random, we feel like we get to present how we came to the best choice possible and take them through iterations, directions we played with, and where we landed. Really, you just can’t beat that kind of client dynamic.
When you’re little, you think, “Who gets to name the pencils?” — and in a small way working for a company like Musgrave feels like we’re getting to do that each time we develop a new line of pencils or revive something from their vintage line. It’s a relationship we value tremendously, and as our Studio grows, Musgrave will also be a crown jewel in our portfolio of clients.
Were they pretty receptive to your ideas on shaping their social platforms? Old companies can be set in their ways..... I know Henry Hulan III is the grandson of the founder and still works there, so did he take some arm-twisting?
The board we answer to has a tremendous amount of buy-in and enthusiasm for what we’re doing. Henry Hulan, who has been at the helm of the company for almost 60 years, is a joy to be around, learn from, and work with. He loves showing off the posts we do on social media to his friends! The only complaint I’ve heard from him is that his friends who follow us wish we’d post more.
On the days when we get to visit the factory and we walk up, you can smell the wood shavings and hear the hum of the pencil machinery. It’s really pretty magical. The social content makes itself because the pencils, colors, and wood moving through the machine look incredible no matter the angle. We really try to capture that magic in social media, and our fans and customers love it.
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Chris sat down with screen printer Dylan Houser of Pink’s Inks at his Philadelphia shop to ask him a few questions about his business and how he got started. Dylan is currently printing our Shopper Totes for our Grateful Dead collaboration.
Buffalo nickels, Steel Wheat pennies, Mercury dimes, Standing Liberty quarters, Franklin half-dollars, and the Gold Indian Quarter Eagle are some of the coins that captured my attention as a curious kid. The silver content, wear, and scarcity enamored me. There’s a warmth and softness to silver coins that is hard to duplicate. I‘ve been around long enough to remember a time when you could pop into your local bank and find silver coins that you could freely exchange.
While I am a novice numismatist, I love the history and lore that surrounds our U.S. currency. It's fraught with intrigue, ingenuity, forgery, hearsay, corruption, and our founding fathers had a big imprint on its existence. It’s a deep, deep rabbit hole, but one I was willing to go down. So, I decided to write a multi-part blog, starting with the little-known Hull Mint coinage, which was created 140 years before Congress passed the Coinage Act in 1792 and opened the Philadelphia Mint.
Before we get into the actual Hull-minted specie (“specie” refers to money in the form of coins), I thought we’d first go back to the early 17th century when the English colonists were making their plans to sail to America.
Settling in the New World
Of the 102 passengers on the Mayflower that landed on Cape Cod, MA, on November 21, 1620, there were 50 men, 19 women, and 33 young adults and children. Forty-one were true saints, who were religious separatists seeking freedom from the Church of England. The term “pilgrim” didn't come about until the early 1800's. The others were considered common folk — or “strangers” by the saints — and included merchants, adventurers, craftsmen, indentured servants, and orphaned children.
THE LANDING OF THE PILGRIMS
The Mayflower Compact, an agreement drawn up on the ship prior to landing, would bind the saints and strangers together to ensure they would abide by the same laws in the new colony.
Once the colonists arrived in America, their plans, in theory, were fairly straightforward: They would live under the English government while being able to worship freely in their separate church. Without the capital to establish a new village in America, they agreed to be funded by The Company of Merchant Adventurers of London. This investor group, chartered by King James I, had a goal of colonizing parts of the eastern coast of the New World. The investors would provide the colonists safe passage and provide them with tools, clothing, and other supplies. In turn, the colonists would work off their debt in the form of natural resources such as fish, timber, tobacco, and fur. The Mayflower Compact was signed, and America, as we know it, got off the ground.
The Early Systems of Legal Tender
This system of legal tender the colonists and investors agreed to was, in essence, the same form of currency that would last decades in the colonies. If you took a stroll down to the local butcher, blacksmith, or trading post, you were most likely trading services or goods like beaver skins or musket bullets, instead of coins. If your trade involved anything agricultural — tobacco, Indian corn, a delivery of chickens, sugar, rice, to name a few — this was called “country pay.” These items were given a value, making it easier and more fair to trade. In 1631, the value of corn was fixed at six shillings a bushel. In 1634, beaver was the best exchange to send to London, and by 1650 it was nearly as good as gold. One year later, in 1635, the General Court enacted a provision ordering that one full bore musket bullet was worth one farthing (one-fourth of an English penny.)
Wampum: The Colonists’ First Currency
Another form of payment with an interesting story was wampum or wampumpeag (or “peage” for short, which was often used in colony records). Wampum was made of seashells, primarily whelk, mollusk, and quahog shells. These shell beads were very laborious to produce. It took a real artisan to carefully carve, polish, and bore a small hole through the center of each bead with a stone drill. The shells were then strung together with rawhide leather or a plant fiber for convenience in trading. Wampum came in many forms, from necklaces to headpieces to belts, all of which had a fixed exchange rate.
Wampum was introduced to New England in 1627 by Dutch settlers in New York who traded with Native Americans. It was legal tender in New England from 1637 to 1661 and currency in New York until 1673. In Delaware and New Jersey, the rate was set at six white wampum, or three black or deep purple wampum, to one penny. The darker beads were rarer than the white beads and worth more, which led people to dye the white beads and dilute the dark beads’ value. Regarding the abundance of “counterfeit shells,” it is also noted that some Indians passed "stone and other materials" as if it was wampum. This was the start of counterfeiting and forgery that would soon run rampant in the colonies.
Tobacco Crop
In the new colonies of Virginia and North Carolina, colonists had a somewhat easier time with tobacco. It was their prime crop, and they could trade it in the villages and send it back to England in exchange for goods. But the tobacco leaves had durability issues, so they soon substituted tobacco warehouse receipts for the actual tobacco. These receipts acted as promissory notes, and since the bearer of the receipt had a claim on that exact amount of tobacco, the receipts circulated like currency.
Bookkeeping Barter System
You can imagine how confusing this “bookkeeping barter” system must have been. Each town's shopkeepers had to continually alter the numbers in their books depending on crop yields and their coinciding exchange rates with goods. Not to mention, tobacco and wampum in circulation would fluctuate widely, making them an inadequate form of legal tender.
The Introduction of Coin Money
To have a functioning economy, the colonists were forced to turn to other forms of money. Thankfully, in time, Spanish, Portuguese, and French coins appeared in the colonies due to trade with the West Indies.
The most famous of these coins was the Spanish Dollar, worth eight Spanish reales (“real” translates to “royal” in English). It was also known as Pieces of Eight because it was made by cutting the real into eight pieces or “bits.” The Spanish Dollar is the coin upon which the original United States dollar was based, and it remained legal tender in the United States until the Coinage Act of 1857.
Another Spanish coin that made its way to the English colonies was the Spanish Cob. Silver deposits were quite plentiful in the Spanish colonial territories, which led to an increased demand to export silver to Spain. Starting in the mid-16th century, the Spanish mints began to produce irregular coinage called “cobs.” “Cob'' comes from the Spanish word "cabo," which refers to the “end.” In this instance, the minter would clip off the silver bar’s end and use a red hot stamping die to pound the design into the cob. Most cobs were stamped with the Catholic church’s cross on one side and the coat of arms of Spain on the other. Eight was simply the coin’s denomination in “reales.” The cobs’ size, shape, and impression varied, but they were always the same weight.
The Spanish Dollar soon became the unofficial national currency of the colonies. With 26.96 grams of pure silver, the Spanish dollar was also the most trustworthy coin the colonists knew. But it could also be very easily “clipped,” “chiseled” or “sweated.” “Sweating” coins involved shaking them in a bag until there was enough metal dust to collect and pass off at full value. Soon every merchant had scales and monocles to inspect their coinage.
Counterfeiting had some pretty barbaric consequences. Here's just one example from August 8, 1679:
Peter Loephilin was accused of making rash speeches in Boston and was arrested a few days later on August 12th. While searching his belongings the authorities discovered silver clippings, a crucible, a melting ladle and a strong pair of shears. Loephilin was convicted of clipping coins and sentenced as follows: he was to be confined in the pillory (a wooden framework with holes for the head and hands, in which an offender was imprisoned and exposed to public abuse) for two hours and was to have both ears cut off, additionally he was to pay a £500 fine or about £35K today.
Despite being the unofficial currency at the time, Spanish Reales were still too rare to meet the needs of the economy. To add to their scarcity, they were exported as payment to England since King Charles II stopped recognizing wampum as a monetary system in 1660.
Consider the sentiment of the moment. England, in the midst of a civil war, has its guard down. The English colonies are dealing with exchange rate chaos, a coin shortage, and rampant counterfeiting. The Massachusetts General Court may have sensed an opportunity when, in 1652, it made an audacious decision to go above English hierarchy and establish a mint in the colonies.
The First Mint Established in the New Colonies
It called on the respected Boston silversmith John Hull and his partner Robert Sanderson to establish a mint on Hull’s property, located at present day Downtown Crossing near Boston. The Coinage Act of 1652, a law authorizing the establishment of a mint to produce silver coins, was born.
Here’s an account from John Hull himself in his diary from May 1652:
“Upon occasion of much counterfeit coin brought into the country, and much loss accruing in that respect (and that did occasion a stoppage of trade), the General Court ordered a mint to be set up, and coin it, bringing it to the sterling standard for fineness; and, for weight, every shilling to be three pennyweight. ... I chose my friend, Robert Sanderson, to be my partner.” (Pg. 51)
As compensation, Hull and Sanderson received one shilling for every 20 coined, a contract that made them both quite wealthy. Joseph Jenks, a master ironsmith, is believed to have produced the wrought iron rollers to roll out the molded sterling strips, crucibles, ladles, and stamping dies and punches for Hull Mint. The steel punches were used to cut out the blank silver planchets and the steel stamping dies were used to directly impress letters and numbers onto each of the coins. All of these tools were likely produced at Jenks’ factory 10 miles from the Hull Mint at Saugus Iron Works in Saugus, MA. This factory still stands today and is open to the public.
Before the Hull Mint could strike their first coins, they needed raw materials that were difficult to acquire. Silver sources were never in ample supply or of the correct fineness. This compelled Hull and Sanderson to melt down silver coins from Spain, Mexico, and the West Indies.
Historians agree that many coins that found their way to the colonies were plundered by pirates from Spanish galleons in the West Indies. A diary entry from the notorious privateer Admiral Henry Morgan suggests this. In 1668, Morgan received a commission from Sir Thomas Modyford the Governor of Jamaica “to draw together the English privateers and take prisoners of the Spanish nation.” The pretext of this request was rumors of an intended invasion of Jamaica by the Spaniards. Morgan and his fellow privateers (also known as “pirates” or “freebooters”) were let loose. At the time, Jamaica was a Colony of England (1655–1707).
On one occasion, Morgan wrote in his diary in 1668: “In coin alone the spoil is said to have amounted to two hundred thousand pieces of eight, which was divided among the freebooters….” Morgan and his crew of privateers were just one of the many who likely were responsible for Spanish Pieces of Eight finding their way to the new colonies.
The Minted Coins
Hull and Sanderson minted three New England (NE) “tree” coins: the Willow Tree, Oak Tree, and Pine Tree shillings. For over 30 years, the Hull Mint struck three denominations of silver coinage — the threepence, sixpence, and shilling. All of the Hull Mint coins are dated 1652 except for the 1662 Oak Tree twopence. Many speculate this was done to deceive England into thinking the coins were only minted for one year.
The first coins they struck were the New England coins. The shape was to be flat and square, but it was later decided that they should be round.
The rarity and significance of the NE coins can hardly be overstated. They were the very first coins struck in the new colonies and bore no date. Interestingly, production was halted in October 1652 — only seven weeks later. The General Court quickly passed legislation to alter the design because it had become apparent that their plain design invited clipping and counterfeiting. The extremely short production period for the NE coins explains their rarity today. It is said that only about 20 are known to exist and just one of the threepence variety. Check out this fascinating post about a NE shilling that was found in 2020.
In the same month, the Hull Mint revised the design to incorporate a tree on one side and the “1652” and denomination on the other. This coin soon became known as the Willow Tree.
Willow Trees were struck from 1652 to 1660 using amateurishly prepared dies and a hammer. In 1875, this led Sylvester Crosby to write in his book, Early Coins of America, “So rude, indeed are they, that it is difficult for us to believe them to have been accepted by any people except under urgent necessity for coin of some kind, however imperfect.”
In 1654, about two years into the minting of the Willow Tree coins, an ordinance was passed to keep the money in the colonies. This ordinance forbade the export of no more than 20 shillings per person upon penalty of total forfeiture. An inspector was appointed at each port to enforce it. This ordinance was necessary because Massachusetts colonists traded with people of other colonies, and the coinage was constantly being depleted.
Here is what Hull had to say about it in his diary entry from 1654:
“Each defender was decreed the loss of his whole visible estate. All contracts in kind are to be satisfied in the kind contracted, ‘or if in fault of the very kind,’ they are settled in another commodity, then the damage is to be made up.”
The Willow Tree was soon followed by the Oak Tree coinage, minted from 1660 to 1667. This change was mainly due to new technology as the previous coinage was made using a hammer strike method, which often resulted in uneven stampings. Eventually a rocker arm press was developed.
The rocker arm press technique provided a more consistent quality stamp and was less taxing on the minter. The dies needed for a rocker arm press were not flat like the ones used in the hammer strike method. Instead, this method used two large rectangular-shaped dies that had the image of the front and obverse of the coin engraved on the curved faces. As the two dies were rocked back and forth, the image was cleanly pressed into the blank planchet.
This Pine Tree coin was the last variety of coin minted by the Hull Mint and also saw further innovation in the way the coins were struck. Though the invention of a screw press had been around since the 16th century, it was not employed in the colonies until 1662. The more sophisticated screw press used an upper and lower die that were pressed together by turning handles attached to a large screw. This type of press was also needed because the planchets for the Pine Tree coins were thicker than previous coins minted at Hull. A direct strike from a screw press also made a sharper impression, without the unevenness or bending which often occurred with the rocker press.
Some historians think the image of the pine tree may symbolize the pine trees used for the mast of ships, an important export for Massachusetts. The Pine Tree coins were minted from 1667 to 1674 in a large-diameter format and after that, until 1682, on thicker planchets of reduced diameter to help reduce die wear. The Pine Tree or Bay shilling, continued to circulate in Massachusetts and neighboring colonies as late as 1776.
The End of an Era
The Hull Mint was finally shut down in 1682. Besides tighter scrutiny from English authorities, the narrowing gaps in value between an ounce of coined silver from Spain versus Massachusetts made it increasingly unprofitable to convert Spanish coin to local coin.
There are no records showing how much silver coinage the Hull Mint churned out during its 30-year run. However, there are ledger notes that state how much silver the Hull Mint purchased. While the mint was important to Hull, it was only one of many ventures that he was involved in. In fact, in Hull’s only surviving 320- page ledger from 1671 and 1680, there were only two pages dedicated to the mint!
Mintmaster Hull died a year after the mint’s closing on October 1, 1683. Sanderson died ten years later on October 7, 1693.
One year later in 1684, Charles II abolished the Charter of Massachusetts Bay, invalidating all of the laws of the Commonwealth including the Coinage Act of 1652 and the revaluing of Spanish silver coinage. England had successfully strong-armed the colonists again, and a new government was instituted under the royal governor Edward Andros, who took office on December 20, 1686. As Governor of the Dominion of New England, Andros was given full authority and the right to regulate the value of foreign silver.
Thus, the reign of the Spanish Dollar and all the intricate court battles regarding what an ounce and fineness of Massachusetts silver was worth versus Spanish silver would last for about 100 years.
Up next: The rise of paper money, small underground mints, and something called the Revolution of 1776.
Another brand that I really aspired to have was Filson, but it was simply too expensive for a recent high school graduate. My friend Paul’s older brother, Dan, had a decent paying job and started buying Filson clothing and gear for snowboarding and hiking in the early 90s. I was always envious of his large Filson gear bags as well as his ‘Tin Cloth’ jackets and pants. I recently asked Dan a couple questions about his Filson gear:
How did you become aware of the Filson brand?
Dan: I first noticed Filson at Burger Brothers Sporting Goods up in the “new” Woodbury Village Shopping Center in 1992 (Burger Brothers was sold in 1996 and soon after became Gander Mountain.)
What was the catalyst for using Filson?
Dan: I really appreciated their durability and the waterproof waxed canvas. My Filson gear never let me down. I also liked the generous cut. I would wear sweatpants underneath. I didn't wear a belt, only the Filson suspenders. That gave me full range of motion, and because the waxed canvas breathed so well, I don’t remember ever being cold.
Did you know other snowboarders using Filson gear back in the early 90s?
Dan: Over all those years, I never saw anyone else using Filson gear on the slopes. Although, my wife Elizabeth did remind me that some people commented on my Tin Pants in the chalet on that Montana trip to Bridger Bowl (photo below.) They knew what they were right off.
What brand of snowboards did you ride?
Dan: Burton Asym Air.
When our first waxed canvas items came off the production line in 2003, Filson was certainly on our minds, but waxed canvas was still viewed as a hard-working outdoor material. In fact, Barbour, Belstaff, and Filson, arguably three of the most iconic waxed canvas brands in the world today, were not at all mainstream, and certainly not sold in boutiques in Paris and Milan.
So, to whom do we owe for this waxed canvas material that has captured our imagination and caused vintage collectors around the world to swoon?
To find that out, one must go back to the 15th century and jump aboard a huge sailing ship. In order to get their precious cargo from port to port in an efficient manner, sailors began using larger and larger flax or coarsely woven hemp sails.
The seamen also quickly realized that wet sails traveled faster and could hold more wind. However, wet sails were heavy so they began testing out grease, tar, fish oils, and even bull’s blood with varying degrees of waterproofing success.
For hundreds of years, flax and hemp sails carried explorers, merchants, and military might millions of nautical miles. By the end of the 18th century, a clever textile mill — named Francis Webster Ltd. and later, Helly Hansen — discovered that when flax seeds were ground up to a paste, the flaxseed oil, commonly referred to as linseed oil (the first iteration of waxed canvas), could be used to coat the flax and hemp sailcloth, which prevented it from becoming soaked but kept it lighter in the heavy winds.
Though it was the chosen coating for well over a century, linseed oil was far from ideal. It cracked in cold conditions, lost its weather-resistant properties fairly quickly, and also turned yellow in time, leading to the traditional yellow of the fisherman’s slicker.
A fortunate bi-product of sail repairs was the oiled sailcloth (oilskin). Sailors used the material to craft crude smocks and hats to protect themselves and keep them warm from harsh biting winds, torrential rain, and sprays. Interestingly, little changed in their design and formulation until the 1930s.
When sailing vessels reached their peak in size and complexity between the mid-18th and early 19th century, often referred to as the “Golden Age of the Sail,” these heavy oiled flax and hemp sails were becoming an issue for ship designers. These formidable merchant and war ships needed to be faster and lighter not only to gain an advantage over the lucrative trade competition but also for potential battle on the seas.
For centuries, sailmakers had been trying all sorts of sail configurations and had determined that the width of the cloth combined with the number of seams determined the strength and deformation resistance of a sail. That is why in the Middle Ages, sail and seam sections were more than twice the size as they were in the 19th century. It was also soon discovered that cotton was the perfect alternative to flax or hemp because it was lighter and stronger in large sail configurations. For large vessels, particularly in the United States, cotton was also used as a matter of necessity since it was indigenous and the supply of flax was periodically interrupted by wars such as the War of 1812.
However, the turning point for cotton sails came in the mid-19th century, thanks in part to the infamous ‘tea-races’ where companies were challenged to get their cargo from China and back to London as quickly as possible. Many of these tea clippers would stop off in Africa to pick up Egyptian cotton, which soon became a heavily sought after commodity.
A few industrious textile companies like Halley Stevenson, who at first relied on Jute and flax for their sails, recognized this growing Egyptian cotton sail market. They also were keen on the importance of waterproofing the sails. For many years, they, along with other textile mills, began to take the linseed application a step further and dry the linseed into wax and paint it onto the materials. While this made the material more flexible than simply coating it with linseed oil, more R&D was to come.
In the decades to follow, all these textile and refinishing mills would figure out a way to infuse the densely woven cotton canvas with paraffin, a waxy substance derived from petroleum. The benefit of paraffin, as opposed to linseed oil, was its excellent waterproofing properties, its ability to sweat vapor, and its tendency not to become stiff when melded with the fabric. Paraffin also didn’t yellow as it aged like linseed oil.
By the end of the 19th century, cotton finishing company British Millerain had nearly perfected their own paraffin-based waxed canvas.
Realizing the superiority of their pioneering wax treatments, Francis Webster Ltd. and other European textile mills began sending their woven and dyed canvas to British Millerain Co. Ltd., who would eventually provide the world with the first supply of paraffin-based waxed canvas for apparel. It was good timing because these large sailing vessels, with their huge expanses of canvas sails, had been losing ground to the quicker steamships since the Civil War.
While the days of large, cumbersome sails were numbered, the treated canvas innovations that were invented would soldier on. By the 1870s, forward-thinking companies like Helly Hansen were winning awards for their waterproof oilskin jackets, trousers, Sou’westers (hats), and tarpaulins made from coarse flax linen and coated in wax made from dried linseed oil.
In 1894, British clothing company J. Barbour & Sons, known today as Barbour, began to make their own version of oilskin material. These “Beacon Brand” oilskins that Barbour produced through the turn of the century were popular with farmers into the teens.
Just like the linseed-soaked sails centuries earlier, the oilskin fabric became rigid and stiff in the cold and yellowed over time. It would be another 15 years before Barbour and others would perfect waxed canvas for apparel.
Just prior to WWI, an industrious Latvian chap named Eli Belovitch put his weatherproofing and fabric development experience into establishing a factory in Manchester, focusing on reclaimed fabrics and rubber. As WWI got underway, the British Army asked Eli to produce waterproof capes, groundsheets, tents, and other equipment for the cold and damp trenches the soldiers were enduring.
In 1924, Eli went into partnership with his nephew and son-in-law Harry Grosberg. They named their company Bellstaff — a combination of Belovitch and Staffordshire where the new company was located. Note the extra “l,” which remained until the 1930s.
By then, Belstaff was manufacturing protective, waterproof clothing for the growing motorbike industry using expertise gained during the war years. They claim to be the first company to use waxed canvas in the manufacturing of waterproof apparel for motorcycling — perfect timing in the era before it became affordable to own motorcars.
During the 1920s and 1930s, advancements in chemistry and science led to the development of new mineral- and petroleum-based waxes, with higher melting points and different characteristics. This emerging technology put Barbour and Belstaff in the game as they helped usher in a new generation of treated canvas users. While Barbour appealed to gentry, farmers, and gamekeepers, Belstaff appealed more to sporting enthusiasts, like intrepid sailors and aviators.
Both companies enjoyed great success with motorcyclists. In fact, for three decades, Barbour supplied British international motorcycling teams with one-piece waxed suits, the “Barbour International.” They have also outfitted the Household Cavalry Polo Team for nearly two decades. And, of course, both brands have the distinction of having outfitted one of America’s favorite icons of cool: Steve McQueen.
During WWII, waxed canvas was the British armed forces fabric of choice because it performed far better than the non-breathable rubber outerwear from the previous World War.
After the war, a lot of surplus waxed canvas military clothing and gear was sold off to Army & Navy shops, which gave this storied and time-tested material another life both on the streets and for all sorts of outdoor pursuits like camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing. If you’re 40+ and your parents took you camping when you were a kid, you were likely sleeping under waxed canvas.
From the high seas to high street, the lore and evolution of waxed canvas is almost as enticing as the material itself. I know we’ve been enthralled with it since slogging through duck blinds in southern Minnesota as teenagers.
With the exception of leather and raw selvedge denim, few materials take on the character and patina that waxed canvas does. While it does require a bit of TLC now and again, we wouldn't change a thing.
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This virus is tough and likes to stick around. We now know it may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days. Since this virus is spread by respiratory droplets expelled by someone who is coughing the likelihood of a surface becoming contaminated is very possible. That is why we have been recommending you disinfect and condition your leather items.
We might not think about it, but we come in contact with our EDC (Every Day Carry) items often multiple times throughout the day. Besides bag handles, think about the number of times we touch our wallets or our leather key fobs when out shopping. Remember, leather is a hide, and porous, and you should think of caring for it the same way you care for your own hide. So, besides giving our hands a proper wash and scrub when we get back from a trip to the grocery store our leather goods should be properly disinfected as well. Thankfully this is easy to accomplish provided you have some disinfecting wipes or a disinfecting spray.
At Billykirk we recommend disinfecting your leather goods after such an outing with Lysol or Clorox wipes. You can also make your own with the below ingredients:
1 roll of quality paper towels
1 glass, stainless, or plastic container (#1 HDPE or #2 PET plastic work well)
2 cups distilled water
1 cup 99.9 % isopropyl alcohol
1 tablespoon of castile soap
1 teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide
A few drops of an essential oil with disinfecting properties like Tea Tree, Lavender, Orange, Rosemary, or Peppermint.
Blend ingredients together
Cut the entire roll in half and place horizontally in sealable container
Pour contents over paper towels
Once the inner cardboard tube is soaked it can be pulled out easily.
Seal lid
Now, many of you are probably thinking, “There’s no way I am putting alcohol on my leather handles….It will dry them out and ruin the leather!” Well, in theory you're not wrong. However, since you started using your leather item, your skin's natural oils have been conditioning the leather fibers the whole time. So, a bit of surface alcohol will not be a concern. That said, after you have disinfected your item(s) after a few trips to the store it will be time to add a bit of leather conditioner.
At a microscopic level, leather is made up of trillions of interwoven fibers. Those fibers are smaller and extremely densely packed near the surface, the deeper into the hide you go the fibers get looser and looser. While this leather was once a living skin, it was kept nourished with a continuous replenishment of natural oils. Now that it isn't living these oils are no longer replenished.
During ‘non-pandemic’ times, we believe your skin’s natural oils and sweat are usually enough to keep your leather pliable and in tip top shape. In fact, we only use leather conditioners once or twice a year on our items. Of course, if your bag or tote is regularly in the sun or gets wet you’ll need to increase the frequency of conditioning, and may even need to use a waterproofing wax.
The reason for that is to nourish and restore flexibility to the leather fibers. Imagine these fibers are your knee joint. We are given a limited supply of a natural lubricant called Synovial fluid which cushions the bone so the joints don’t rub together. As we age, this important fluid deteriorates and we are left with bones rubbing onto the bones. Those small, interwoven fibers are no different. If they aren’t lubricated, friction will occur and over time the leather will lose its flexibility, begin to break down, and eventually turn to dust. When that happens the only alternative is to replace the leather item….Same goes for our old creaky knees!
But were not talking about replacements, we’re talking about preservation! Thankfully, there are lots of leather conditioners available and the one you select will depend upon the type of leather your item is made of and how you use it. At Billykirk we have been using and recommending Skidmore’s Leather Cream for 20 years. Made with all natural ingredients and a pleasant smell this conditioner is perfect for restoring those fibers so they continue to flex and move with ease.
Keep in mind some leathers absorb conditioners more readily than other leathers, while some require less amount of conditioner until they are properly brought back to normal. Through a bit of trial and error you will eventually get to know the unique qualities of your leather item so you can develop a proper routine.
Before you disinfect and condition your leather item you’ll first want to make sure it is nice and clean. In most cases a soft cloth and a bit of water is all you will need. However, a soft bristle brush can be used if there is any dirt or grime present.
If your leather is really dirty or grimy you’ll need to use a leather cleaner or leather soap to remove the dirt before it gets conditioned.
Once your item is completely dry it's ready for the leather conditioner. Remember, if it’s not fully dry the conditioner won’t penetrate into the fibers properly, which will only exacerbate the issue.
It’s always a good rule of thumb to test out the conditioner in a spot that is not often noticed. The reason for that is because a leather conditioner can alter the color of your bag, particularly if it’s made with full grain, natural veg tan leather. That said, in order to condition and preserve your investment, you may have to compromise by allowing it to darken some.
Below are a few photos showing the process of conditioning your leather items after it’s been spot cleaned and disinfected.
The great thing about Skidmore’s Leather Cream is that it’s completely natural so you really don’t need latex gloves or a lint free cloth to apply the cream like other brands suggest. Simply, use thin, even layers, letting it absorb naturally. This will also prevent over-conditioning. Be sure to allow the conditioner to fully dry between applications.
Now that the conditioner is properly applied you can buff off any of the remaining conditioner with a soft, lint-free cloth or a horsehair brush.
Once dried it’s ready for its next outing.
Conditioning one's leather item will help preserve its supple texture, keep it from drying out and will ultimately prolong its use. Try to form good habits with your leather gear. Treat them with respect and you'll be able to pass these special items onto the next generation.
Did you know the world's oldest leather shoe was found a few years ago in an Armenian cave? This wasn't a 500 year old leather shoe or even a 1000 year old leather shoe, it was 5,500 years old! Luckily, this one-piece leather-hide shoe was stuffed with grass, preserved in sheep dung, and stayed in a cool and dry environment.
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Dear friends and family,
Chris and Kirk
Brothers & Founders
]]>It’s not every day that you get to revive a memory from your past and turn it into a tangible product in the present. Chris and Kirk of Billykirk spent the majority of their childhood in Minnesota where their father was an avid hunter.
“Our pops decked out in camo during duck hunting season was a common sight,” says Kirk. “He had a closet full of camo and waxed canvas OD hunting gear, some from his days in the Army.” Chris continues, “We eventually learned the sport and got our own camo gear, which we wore proudly. For us, these camo patterns were purely utilitarian. But sometime in the mid 80s, they became more mainstream for us. In fact, during Prince’s “Purple Rain Tour,” I remember wearing a pair of camouflage trousers and a turquoise Polo shirt.”
It’s safe to say their fascination with high-quality, lasting goods started during that time. For the past 18 years, Chris and Kirk have stayed committed to balancing the design of high-quality utilitarianism with tasteful minimalism.
The Camo Collection is a tribute to the past and the hunting tradition. By blending understated waxed cotton woodland camo and premium full-grain black leather on nostalgic silhouettes, each bag in the collection becomes something unexpectedly modern.
All three Carryall sizes ready for your next adventure!
At Billykirk we are often approached to collaborate on various items. So, when legendary New York based apothecary company, C.O. Bigelow asked us to collaborate on a waxed cotton and leather “Gentleman’s Kit” for their Proraso line of shaving essentials it was a no brainer. The best part... This kit was about to be a part of the new movie, Murder on the Orient Express. Click on the link below for details on how you can win a VIP trip to New York City, hosted by Proraso and Murder on the Orient Express, as well as your very own Gentleman’s Kit filled to the brim with quality Proraso items! Look sharp and remember you only have until 12/5/17 to enter the giveaway.
http://proraso-usa.com/murder/sweepstakes.html
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They weren’t looking for a one-time-use-and-discard bag. They wanted a multifunctional bag that would withstand the rigors of road trips near and far and encompass both brands' commitment to quality.
Introducing the Galileo Backpack. Now you can take your coffee rituals on the road with a bag designed for coffee lovers and adventurers alike.
Here’s to the explorer in all of us.
I met Nyugen back in my early days in Jersey City at the infamous 58 Gallery, where we both had the opportunity to show work. From some of his early sculpture work with Bundle House to his current performance-based art, I have always been fascinated with his succinct message. After he recently modeled for our new website, I wanted to learn more about his art and where it comes from.
Kirk Bray: Tell us a little bit about yourself and how your upbringing has sent you down this creative path?
Nyugen Smith: I am a Caribbean-American interdisciplinary artist and educator who lives and works in Jersey City, NJ. My practice consists of sculpture, installation, writing, video and performance, influenced by the conflation of African cultural practices and the remnants of European colonial rule in the Caribbean region. I received an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and in 2016 I received Leonore Annenberg Arts Fellowship. Currently, I’m back and forth conducting practice-based research in the Caribbean.
KB: I know you’re primarily known as a multi-media artist, when did performance start to factor heavily into your work?
NS: Performance became a significant part of my practice in 2011. I had a solo show at Solo(s) Project House in Newark and was asked by the then founding director to consider making a performance during the opening. I gave it some thought and realized that through performance, I would be able to not only embody the work I had made for the show, fill in some of the gaps, but also add another dimension to my practice. It was a wonderful experience and I began to receive invitations to make more performances since. It’s interesting that now, four years later some people only know my performance work and are surprised to learn that I have had a longer history with object-making than performance art.
KB: You’ve done quite a few residencies over the years, how have these helped and kept you motivated in the growth of your art?
NS: I’m glad that there is a perception that I’ve done many residencies, when in fact, I’ve only ever done two. The first one was a teaching-artist residency that I co-designed and took place at my former high-school, the Milton Hershey School, in Hershey, PA. During the day, I taught a 3-D design class and after the class was over, I had access to all of the amazing facilities and materials to make my own work. I worked like a madman and created a good amount of work there. I returned twice after that. So I guess I have to count those too, huh? The next residency I did was at Fresh Milk International Residency in Saint George, Barbados this past June.
KB: As an artist how do you quiet your inner voice and have the confidence to continue on any particular piece at any given time? Or is this not something you struggle with?
NS: Quieting the inner voice will perhaps cause me to feel like there is no urgency to make work. For me, it’s the active inner voice that brings me to the work. It’s a guide, it’s both a protagonist and the antagonist, it’s a cheerleader and a critic.
KB: I know your West Indian heritage and the struggles of that nation factor into a lot of your performances, can you elaborate on this?
NS: My West Indian/Caribbean heritage informs my performance work, however, for me it’s my African ancestry, the struggles, triumphs, history, and contemporary urgent issues of the diaspora that inform my work. For example, my performance work has been informed by police brutality in communities of color in the United States and worldwide, informed by the multi-layered Carnival tradition in Trinidad and Tobago, and informed by religious syncretism in the African diaspora. While my work is absolutely about the black experience, it can no doubt be theorized, discussed and historicized in wider contexts.
KB: Dance, movement and theatrical ornamentation factor heavily in a lot of your work, where does that emanate from?
NS: I grew up going to all kinds of performances that involved movement and have always been interested in the way people train and move their bodies. Having been an athlete through high school and for a short time in university where I also studied and acted in a number of theater productions, and practiced martial arts in my adult life, all of these experiences have taught me so much and I draw from these experiences in my work.
KB: I’m sure you are aware of Chris Burden’s performances. Much of his work verged on danger and physical pain. Your work seems to be becoming more bold and fearless while containing a great deal of weight and emotional pain. Do you feel a connection to Burden’s work?
NS: I am familiar with Burden’s performance work and agree that they contain all that you attributed to it. I can only say that I feel a psychological and bodily connection to the work when I engage documentation of it, but there are other artists whose work I actively think about and have had an impact on my current performance practice. Some of these artists are, Ian DeLeon and Tif Robinette, Ayana Evans, Preach R Sun, Geraldo Mercado and Sandrine Schaeffer to name a few.
KB: Who are your mentors?
NS: Two of my mentors are accomplished inter-disciplinary artist and educators in their own right, D. Denenge Akpem and Gregg Bordowitz.
KB: What would you be doing if you weren’t making art and do you have any advice for someone just beginning their art career?
NS: I always say that in another life I would be a chef or an architect. Most likely a chef. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen when I’m procrastinating, when I’m upset, when I’ problem solving, when I’m happy, and when I’m hungry. Ha ha!
My advice would be to stick with it. It is about the long term. Believe in yourself. Have other artists and non-artists with whom you can share and collaborate. READ! Teach a class or two once in awhile and not necessarily an art class. TRAVEL!
KB: You’ve recently done some modeling for us, is this something you ever thought of pursuing as a career instead of the art field?
NS: I actually pursued a modeling and acting career when I was in university. It was short-lived, but I have fond memories of that time. Working with your team was a lot of fun and something I would do again.
Nyugen is currently exhibiting work at MOLAA in Long Beach, California. For more information, click here.
He will also be speaking at The Betsy Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. Artist Talk Universal Belonging: Transcending Borders through Visual Arts Practice is Thursday, Oct. 19th at 10:30am to12:00pm. Click here to RSVP and for more details.
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"Shakespeare, in his day, was punk rock," said Angus Vail at a 2016 TEDx Talk about his Container Globe project, a traveling theater inspired by Shakespeare’s Globe in London, but made using repurposed shipping containers. Vail’s dream is to create a theater that can be torn down, moved, and set up again in a new city—a way to bring the excitement of live theater, concerts, and other performing arts to a wider audience. “Back then, The audience was so close to the actors that they’d often climb up on the stage and join in on the sword fighting. It was a total mosh pit."
Indeed, throughout history, one of the Globe Theatre’s defining traits has been its up-close-and-personal nature. Unlike traditional “black box” theaters, the Globe’s cheapest tickets are the ones closest to the stage. Show-goers who opt for standing room tickets, often called “groundlings,” get to experience shows in a unique and exciting way where everybody gets to be a part of the action. Back in Shakespeare’s day, groundlings could get into the theater for a penny. Angus wants to continue this legacy by selling groundling tickets at Container Globe for less than the price of a movie ticket. Now if that isn’t punk rock, I don’t know what is.
I've had the pleasure of knowing Angus for about a decade, and for a good chunk of that time I’ve been listening to his unrelenting desire to make this Container Globe a reality. If there's anyone to see this through, it's Angus...bloody...Vail! I recently caught up with him at his home in Jersey City, NJ, to discuss this endeavor.
Chris Bray: First off, please tell our readers a bit about your fascination with Shakespeare, the Globe Theater, and how it led to this massive undertaking involving 36 shipping containers.
Angus Vail: I first got bit by the Shakespeare bug after seeing Anthony Hopkins in King Lear in London in the 80s. It was so raw, so terrible, but even though it was so sad, I walked out of that theatre just blown away thinking “that was Shakespeare?” And so it was the start of an incurable Shakespeare obsession.
It was very different than what a typical Shakespearean audience is like now. In some ways, it was more alive, more crazy, and often it meant the plays unfolded in unpredictable ways, depending on how the audience reacted on the day. It’s that element of chance, the interaction of the crowd, and sometimes even the way the weather unfolds during a performance. You might get a real storm in the middle of the storm scene in King Lear.
I also love the fact that there were crowd-pleasing special effects at Shakespeare’s Globe. In fact, in 1612, the wadding from a cannon that was shot off during a play lodged in the thatch roof and the Globe burned down very fast. No one died and one person got mild burns when his pants caught fire, but people around him threw their beers on him to put the flames out!
The more history you read about the Globe in Shakespeare’s time, the more interesting it becomes. I could bore you for hours!
CB: Did you have to get the “royal blessing” from the Globe Theatre in London before you went down this road?
AV: No, but out of courtesy, I did want to let them know what I was doing, and because I love the Globe! I was lucky enough to be invited to speak at a Shakespeare theater conference, and was on a panel there with Patrick Spottiswoode, one of the top people at the London Globe, and he was very gracious and supportive. So a few months later I met with their management team and they’ve continued to be big boosters for the Container Globe. They’ve taped video endorsements and even sent me a wooden baluster from their Globe, just so I could have a little piece of theirs in mine. It was really touching. They want me to build it so they can use it too!
CB: I haven’t met many people as passionate about an idea as you are with your Container Globe project. How long has this dream been percolating and tell us about your current crowdfunding initiative?
AV: The dream has been going for about five years now. It’s really helped that I’ve had amazing architects, engineers, designers, and other professionals who have joined the team and added their drive, enthusiasm, and talent to the mission. It’s independently validated that the Container Globe is practical, possible, and a damn good idea. And having people with fresh eyes and fresh ideas really helps the project develop. Nowadays, I realize that in most meetings, I’m the least smart person in the room. I have a lot of super-bright and talented people working on this, and I let them get on with it!
We’re running a crowdfunding because we want to both raise some funds to help build a prototype of the Globe, but also to show that we have a bunch of hardcore supporters that are willing to part with their money to help push the project along. Crowdfunding is hard, it’s a slog, but when we’re successful it shows potential future partners that we’re organized, dedicated, and can get the job done—and that we have enthusiastic supporters who want to see it happen.
CB: Tell us about your first container project, ArtBloc, and how you got interested in repurposing shipping containers for public use?
AV: We wanted to start a gallery in Jersey City, but soon realized that it was too expensive. So we saw container structures around and thought we’d be able to do something that’s cheaper than a brick-and-mortar gallery, something moveable and multifunctional.
In a way, the ArtBloc gave us our first experience of fabricating shipping containers into an art space—knowing how to move them around and getting a feel for their advantages and limitations. All of this has helped in our current endeavor.
ArtBloc is now part of the greater Container Globe project currently being built in Detroit.
CB: Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see your TEDx Talk on the Container Globe in early 2016. Brilliant job by the way. Besides the crowdfunding efforts are there any new developments you would like to share?
AV: Thanks, the TEDx Talk was fun. I could talk about Shakespeare and punk rock all day. Don’t get me started.
The most important development is that we have a site for the Globe in Highland Park, Michigan, that’s within the greater Detroit area, where the ArtBloc is. We’re starting work on the fabrication of the containers for the prototype of the Globe. We want to work out some practicalities and make the inevitable mistakes with the prototype first. Plus, we want to show people that we’re building something real. The nice thing about using containers is that we can just keep adding containers like a big LEGO project.
CB: At first glance, this seems like a damn big undertaking. But then I'm reminded of all the massive traveling circuses, amusement parks, and rock ‘n’ roll stages that go up in a week. How different is this compared to those events?
AV: It is a little different. With rock ‘n’ roll stages, they use scaffolding and truss sections that all fit together and can be erected and dismantled in a few hours.
The Container Globe is a full-scale venue that can be erected in one place for a minimum of, say, 6 months, and then moved to a new location. And the fact that it’s made of containers that are designed to be easily transportable makes the moving process easier. But we’ll still need cranes and lots of trucks to move it.
I’ve been a business manager for some big-name rock bands for more than 30 years, starting from INXS to KISS, and so I’m familiar with touring large sets of stage equipment around the world. So the first thing I did when putting this idea together was run it by our road crew production manager, who is a hard-core veteran of moving stages everywhere, and he immediately gave it two thumbs up. So it was nice to get his nod!
CB: Well, I really hope I am there when the first Container Globe is unveiled and you take the stage. What will that moment mean to you and when can we expect to see one officially standing in all its glory?
AV: Thanks! You better be there! And I know there will be better-looking and better-qualified Shakespeare actors that’ll be taking the stage before me. I can’t even think about what it’ll feel like on opening night because we have such a long list of things to do before then.
The biggest thing with this and any passion project is the execution taking all the steps, getting past all the setbacks, and just grinding forward. Always forward. I have a little saying taped to my desk: “Vision without execution is hallucination.” That says it all. It’s just about bloody well doing it.
To support the Container Globe project, you may contribute here.
To learn more about the project, please visit www.thecontainerglobe.com
]]>Have you grown tired of dreary, commercial hotels? You’re not alone. Traveling is one of our favorite things to do, and hotels filled with musty smells and lackluster bedding often sour the excitement. Located on the historic Saratoga Race Course (the 4th oldest Race Course in America, also known as The Graveyard of Champions) in Saratoga Springs, NY, the Brentwood is a boutique hotel that goes out of its way to break every mold set by the “Hotel Standard”. Like us, they value character and originality above all else, so it’s no wonder that Condé Nast Traveler named them among their 2017 list of “Best New Hotels in the World”.
We first learned about the hotel when an old friend, Jou-Yie Chou, sent us a message looking for a custom version of our No. 434 Round Tray. We met Jou-Yie back when he was still cutting his teeth at Ace Hotels. At the time, he was tasked with brand placement and merchandise at the Ace Store. The result was our first ever Valet Tray, “Change is Good”. Years later he became a partner at Studio Tack, the design and development group that crafted Brentwood, Scribner’s Catskill Lodge (Hunter, NY), and Casa Bonay (Barcelona, Spain) - all three of which won “Best New Hotels in the World”. Needless to say, when he called us we knew the project was going to be more than making a new hotel, they would be making an entirely new experience.
In 2014, the Brentwood Motel went up for sale. A run-of-the-mill motel, it’s facade of green lattice fencing and neon open sign fit the bill for just about any local roadhouse. When Studio Tack began renovating, the goal was to bring the building back to a style fitting of Saratoga’s historic past. Working with local artists, craftspeople, and antique pickers, they set out to make an aesthetic balancing the victorian elegance of Saratoga’s equine past and “... just enough irreverence to make you look twice.”
The exterior of the building was redesigned taking inspiration from local stables. The white board-and-batten exterior fit right into the surrounding barns and buildings while the brass lights and clean landscaping maintain a feeling of airiness.
Inside is where the real fun begins. Here’s a short list of our favorite bits:
I know, I know. This shouldn’t be the first thing on our list, but a well designed bathroom is worthy of high praise. Black walls, brass hardware, and sparkling white porcelain make a small room worth remembering. The bath products supplied by C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries eliminate need to wonder if you should take them home with you.
From the “Do Not Disturb” horse tassels and Public-Supply notebooks to the hand dyed French linen blankets by Sharktooth, everything in the room was chosen for the purpose of telling a bigger story. It isn’t difficult to find a supplier who can offer mattresses, linens, and art all from their warehouse at a reasonable price. Taking the time to find artists and hand-selecting every piece shows that Brentwood isn’t just here to give you a place to sleep, they’re here to provide an experience of culture and comfort.
Perfectly cozy yet sophisticated, the bar of Brentwood is a warm room to enjoy a can of Genesee Cream Ale or a nice glass of wine from Scribe Winery. The bar itself was made by a local woodworker Dave Cummings in his Bolton Landing shop. An octogonal beam of clear pine outlines the Carrara marble surface, surrounded by antique gilded mirrors and oil paintings dotting the paneled walls.
On weekdays, the bar hosts a listening party happy hour, a concept we think should be used more often… At 6pm each weeknight, the hotel starts a record on their Shinola Audio Runwell Turntable, happy hour lasts until the B-side ends. We had the pleasure of selecting a week’s worth of albums back in August of 2017 - it’s a great way to hear new music, meet interesting people, and enjoy a truly refreshing environment.
And remember, you don’t need to be a guest to enjoy the bar...
Happy Trails!
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Our thornproof wool was woven by Abraham Moon & Sons, a mill founded in 1837 in northern Leeds. With their nearly 180-year history of weaving woolen fabrics, Moon is considered one of the finest mills in the U.K.. Their impressive repertoire includes “British Redcoat Wool” and “Royal Airforce Blue,” materials iconic of Britain’s military. With frequent visits from the Royal Family, Moon continues to be a symbol of British quality in textiles.
Founded in the heyday of tweeds, Moon makes a thornproof unrivaled by other mills. The term “thornproof” has historically been defined two ways and made as such. One was a coarsely woven wool that, when punctured by thorns, could easily be smoothed out. This would prevent permanent holes from forming in the fabric. The other was a wool woven with two yarns tightly twisted together (making a yarn that’s much stronger and less likely to fray). The tight weave and exceptionally strong yarn prevented thorns from piecing the fabric and kept it safe from sharp scratches and abrasion. The thornproof we chose for this collection is the latter. It’s extremely high-quality yarn and weave make it not only able to withstand far more than the average tweed, it also allows it to maintain an exceptionally new appearance.
The accent leather of this collection is a favorite of ours: waxed flesh. Made in Chicago by Horween Leather Company, waxed flesh can be traced back to WWII. At the time, Horween was the official supplier of leather for the U.S. Marine Corps., using an iconic leather they invented in 1913: Chromexcel. This historic leather, with its fibrous flesh side facing outward (referred to as "roughout" by the U.S. military), was made into boots (“Service Shoe w/ Reverse Upper,” “Combat Service Boot,” and “N1 Field Shoes”). A naturally water-resistant leather, marines and soldiers who received the boots would then coat the exterior in Dubbin (a mixture of natural waxes and oils) to further the boots’ water resistance. By saturating the fibers in wax and slicking them down, the leather was able to withstand the drying effects that water can have on vegetable-tanned leathers (for more info on vegetable tanning, see here) for much longer.
So enticed by the beauty of this utilitarian leather, Horween began making the material themselves. Waxed flesh is the same Chromexcel leather with Dubbin professionally applied by the tannery. Coating the hide while still flat, Horween is able to apply a perfect slick to the fibers. Black pigment in the waxing of the leather gives the flesh side a unique appearance, as only the top-most layer is colored while the rest of the leather remains undyed.
These two materials were originally created to withstand the harshness of nature, their elegance was a side effect. We say it often, but only because we truly believe it: form follows function. We set out to make a travel collection that would withstand years of use. In doing so, something elegant began to emerge.
With a limit on the availability of these two highly unique materials, we are offering a pre-order sale until Oct. 4. Following that, we cannot confirm the availability of any of these pieces. Click here to see our pre-order deals.
Happy Trails!
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What makes leather so special? Of course it’s durable, can stand up to daily wear and tear, and survive extreme weather. But isn’t the best part of owning a leather belt or wallet how it looks after a couple of years of use? Don’t we love seeing the things we buy become uniquely ours? Here at Billykirk, we strive to create pieces that not only stand the test of time, but get better with age. The marks and scuffs, the discoloration, the quirks that a leather piece picks up throughout its journey all tell a story about its owner, where they’ve gone and how they’ve lived.
Now let’s get down to it: We love natural vegetable-tanned leather. Although they don’t always sell as well as their black and brown-dyed brethren, we continue to offer a natural version of almost every product we make. We’ve always seen it was a critical part of our offering at Billykirk. When it comes to aging gracefully and developing that beautiful patina, nothing performs like well made, natural veg-tanned leather.
Vegetable tanned leather is made using an age-old process that utilizes tannins and ingredients found in plant-life. The most common ingredients are tree barks and leaves, but can even include fruits and roots. The hide’s final color may vary slightly in color, tone, and darkness depending on the mix of materials used in the process. Unlike chrome tanning, which uses a combination of minerals, acids, and carcinogenic salts to tan leather quickly, the vegetable tanning process can take up to 60 days to produce a useable hide.
Vegetable tanned leather is made using an age-old process that utilizes tannins and ingredients found in plant-life. The most common ingredients are tree barks and leaves, but can even include fruits and roots. The hide’s final color may vary slightly in color, tone, and darkness depending on the mix of materials used in the process. Unlike chrome tanning, which uses a combination of minerals, acids, and carcinogenic salts to tan leather quickly, the vegetable tanning process can take up to 60 days to produce a useable hide.
The most noticeable trait of newly finished veg-tan leather is its strikingly light color. Because it never dyed, the finished leather tends to be a very light tan or pinkish white and can show marks acquired in the hide during the animal’s life, such as scars or insect bites. These organic markings contribute to the unique aesthetic of each and every natural hide that we use to make a bag, card case, or belt.
But how does this light, pale material develop that deep, dark brown patina we strive for? The answer is surprisingly simple: Use it! The oils in your hands, the dirt and dust outside, the indigo dye in your jeans, even sunlight itself will all contribute to a great-looking patina over time. Like our own skin, veg-tan leather tends to take on characteristics of its environment. Leave your new natural wallet in the sun for a few hours and that pale white color will quickly turn a golden tan. Rub it down with a little bit of leather conditioner and it will quickly absorb the moisture and darken in color. Establishing this base tan can give your patina significantly more depth and substance as it develops, those differences in use and care are what give natural leather so much character.
While the best way for leather to age is through heavy use, establishing a maintenance schedule for natural leather goods is imperative. Because natural leather is technically “unfinished” and lacks many of the oils and waxes that go into producing dyed leathers, it tends to lose its oil content faster and show wear and tear more dramatically. If neglected, it’s not uncommon to notice natural leather stiffening, cracking, or feeling dry to the touch. To combat this, we recommend periodically cleaning and conditioning your natural leathers with a good conditioner like Skidmore’s. Dry leather will soak up oils and conditioners very quickly, temporarily changing color and becoming noticeably softer and more supple. How often you “feed” your leathers is a matter of personal preference, but even just taking the time once or twice a year should help them last a lifetime.
The beauty of natural leather is that no two persons’ pieces will ever look alike. Like a good pair of jeans, you’ll see yourself and your adventures reflected in your natural leather goods more and more with age. As your belt or wallet wears and changes, as it molds to fit your pocket or waist, it becomes a part of you. This heirloom quality is something that has always inspired us: the attachment you feel toward a wallet you’ve carried every day for years, or the bag that’s been your daily driver as long as you can remember.
Our goal has long been to create pieces that can be enjoyed and well-worn by their owners, then passed down and passed on for others to cherish. When properly cared for, natural leather can last multiple lifetimes. It is a truly unique material that embodies what Billykirk and leather enthusiasts love about artisan craft. We make each piece not only as a gift to you, but those you may pass it on to.
Photo's by Tatsuro Nishimura
Ever wonder what makes leather different from a decomposing body? It’s a technique used for thousands of years, invented and reinvented by cultures throughout human history. Today, only a handful of tanning methods are still used in the production of cow-hide leather, each with their own pros and cons.
Today, almost every variation of leather found in the market stems from these three techniques...
All leathers begin in the same process of basic preservation and cleaning. The process removes moisture from the hide, cleans off any hair and tissue, and establishes its pH. The prepped hide then moves to the tanning stage where the quality, appearance, and characteristics are determined.
There are two main techniques of tanning that define nearly all leather used today. Tanning is the process of permanently altering the hide's protein structure to make it less vulnerable to decomposition. This is the step that converts a hide to leather.
1) Vegetable Tanning
Also known as veg-tanning, this natural process predates Ancient Rome and Egypt. Made by impregnating the hide with natural tannins, it can take up to sixty days to complete this initial step on a single skin.
Tannins are naturally occurring molecules found in most plants (it’s what makes red wine dry and unripened fruit tart). In leather manufacturing, these tannins are sourced from tree barks and leaves - which are ground to speed up the extraction process. Trees like chestnut, oak, and hemlock have long been used in this process. Recipes of these materials are closely guarded secrets of each tannery, giving each its own unique style of leather.
The hides are then stretched on racks and submerged for several weeks. Over the weeks the hides are progressively moved into vats of higher tannin concentration, resulting in a very strong, evenly tanned leather.
Once complete, the leather is in its natural color. This color is the most susceptible to color change as there are no dyes to mask the oils and UV rays it comes into contact with. To make tan, brown, black, and other colors, the natural leather is drum dyed to achieve the desired color. These colors take time to penetrate the skin, and in some cases only color the exterior sides, leaving the flesh in-between a light, natural color.
Veg-tanned leather has a natural stiffness that allows pieces to stand up to heavy wear and tear. The leather can also be “stuffed” with natural oils, resins, and/or waxes to make it more supple and give it unique characteristics. This process allows veg-tan leathers to naturally biodegrade if disposed of.
*The long history of natural leather tanning means there are a lot of wild stories and techniques, all that have had an impact on the culture of the modern leather industry. We’ll follow up with another post on these soon*
2) Chrome Tanning
Invented in 1858, chrome tanning is the process of tanning hides in chromium sulfate and other chromium salts, rather than natural tannins. Rather than weeks, this process can be completed in a day, resulting in a much more affordable leather. When the tanning process is complete, chrome tanned hides are a light blue (referred to as wet blue), a result of the chromium held within the hide. The chromium neutralizes all tonal variation in the skin to this light blue, reducing the appearance of natural marks to near zero.
The tanned hides are then drum dyed, however, unlike veg-tanned leather, chrome tanned leather picks up dyes very quickly. This allows for the color to quickly penetrate the skin and fully color its flesh (known as “struck through”).
The final leather is a very soft, supple leather with moderate stretch. While it lends well to certain bags and clothing, it often needs extra support from other materials to maintain its shape and keep it from stretching.
Chrome Tanning is often considered a high pollutant process due to the high volumes of non-deteriorating chemicals used, however, some tanneries have go to great lengths to minimize their impact. Closed system water cycles allow some tanneries to clean and reuse water with additives like chromium sulfate still present, creating a system in which little to no chemicals are wasted. Unfortunately, these systems are very expensive and thus very rare, making it difficult to source and verify chrome tanned leather made this way.
3) Latigo Tanning
Latigo leather is created by blending the processes of vegetable and chrome tanning. By first chrome tanning then vegetable tanning, the leather takes on a very flexible quality without becoming stretchy. A useful material in horse tack, Latigo is generally made in heavier weights for straps and belts. Due to its weight and mixed manufacturing method, Latigo is often the most expensive process of tanning cow-hide.
Since our inception, we’ve used countless leather varieties within the vegetable and latigo tanning classifications. Each has had its own strengths, weaknesses, and overall character. The hunt for perfect leather has led us to an important realization, there is no one perfect leather. While some are especially good for one purpose, they may fail in another. Balance is the key to optimal performance, and finding the correct quality for each need is the only way to make the best leather goods.
*All images are courtesy of Horween Tannery
]]>At Billykirk we often meet other makers doing awesome things. One maker we have had the pleasure of working with is jewelry designer and craftsman, Aaron Ruff of Digby & Iona. Aaron and his capable team of artisans have helped to develop a number of custom items for us over the years, from bag hardware and key tags, to our solid brass Round Tuit Coin. I recently posed a few questions to Aaron to shed some light on him and his ever growing jewelry brand.
I was lucky enough to be set on the creative path from a really young age, my father was a carpenter and I grew up in rural Maine so I had a lot of time and tools to play with and spent a lot of time in his woodshop messing around. The company name was created as a ruse to make people think there was a Charles and Ray Eames design power couple behind the line, at the time I started the company I was a carpenter myself and didn’t think that people would take it seriously if they knew it was just me.
The strong rooting in hand craft and maritime culture again comes from my childhood in Maine, all the pieces I create in this vein are based off real antiquities like scrimshaw that I had no hope of ever owning (whether they’re in museums or just wildly expensive) so I chose to make them for myself.
At heart, I am a traditionalist and always prefer to make everything by hand, but I have no problem using 3D modeling and printing as a resource if my vision exceeds my own craft as long as it remains just that, one tool of many. It can definitely be a slippery slope and these days a trained eye can easily pick out entire jewelry lines that have the ‘CAD look’ devoid of any hand craft. While we use the lost wax casting process for all our production, for prototyping new work we hand engrave into silver prototypes rather than wax carve. The hand engraving directly in silver gives the high level of detail you see in the signet rings.
As I go deeper down the rabbit hole of custom engagement rings, my favorite is always one of my most recent pieces. I’ve just started sourcing rough sapphire from Montana and cutting it in NYC. This is the first time I’ve been part of the process for everything but the mining, so all the pieces I’m creating from these stones tend to be my favorites recently.
The salt and pepper diamonds are a personal favorite. Until recently these diamonds were considered for industrial use only and mainly ground down for use in products like saw blades (a tragedy). Each is unique and has its own character, so I find them a lot more exciting than a traditional white diamond. I started using these diamonds and gearing my designs toward medieval reference just before GOT really got a foothold; so I suppose it was just lucky timing, but I’ve definitely seen a lot more references to it when people see my work. That said, my dream job would be designing accessories for the characters of that show.
My first jewelry teacher, Rolando Negoita who was an incredible old school interdisciplinary craftsman, has been my greatest influence in the craft. He told me ‘you should be able to make a whip from shit and it should crack’ and the ethos of that has always stuck with me and in the way, I run my workshop and my designs. In contemporary jewelry, I have the greatest admiration for fellow jewelers that have carved out such a unique design sensibility no one can touch what they’re doing, people like Polly Wales and Nick Potash.
Likely digging ditches. After 10 years I’m not really qualified to do much else than this.
I’ve always loved this quote and actually used it for a signet ring design a few years ago, although I reinterpreted the quote with arrows rather than hours in the day. But I never knew the original was from a sundial.
To see more of Aaron Ruff's work, click HERE
]]>For more than ten years, Uncrate has been a leading guide for men looking for stylish gear, travel destinations, and the latest tech. Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to have been featured on their blog. So when they came to us for a custom bag collection, we were happy to oblige. Made up of three of our most classic designs, the Billykirk x Uncrate Blackout Collection was assembled to create the perfect set of bags to get you through a long weekend away.
Although each bag is perfectly tailored to your everyday carrying needs on its own, when combined they create the ultimate weekend away collection. Our classic No. 165 Small Carryall is the perfect all-purpose companion. It can easily fit a 15" laptop, your favorite book, and all of your daily necessities. The No. 326 Commuter Tote has been refined again and again to become the most versatile tote in our collection . Whether you're sliding your laptop or iPad into the interior laptop sleeve or stuffing the tote for an exciting weekend, rest assured all will be safe for the journey.
Arguably the most important piece of the Billykirk x Uncrate Blackout Collection, the No. 257 Dopp Kit is the smallest member of the family. It's designed to get you through the weekend and help you look great while doing it. Made from our signature 20-oz. waxed canvas, matte black hardware, and trimmed with luxurious bison leather that softens over time, the Billykirk x Uncrate Collection will stand up to a lifetime of use and only get better with age. To make them even stronger, the bags have been lined with durable Ranger Tan nylon, making it easy to spot everything you’ve stuffed in there and even easier to clean.
A unique set of travel companions to lend your weekend plans some attitude, the Billykirk x Uncrate Blackout Collection is available here for a limited time!
Photography: Ray Neutron
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