There are some small details on a bike that can make it seem truly special. One of these is properly leathered toe clips. But such toe clips are becoming impossible to find; so why not leather your own?
Starting with a small piece of buttery soft upholstery leather, I cut out the appropriatly sized rectangles. Then using a punch that evenly spaces the holes, I perforated the leather. The thread is a special bee's wax-coated traditional sailmaker's thread. And the needle is a blunt tip sailmaker's type.
Sewing on the leather took exactly 10 minutes per pedal by someone who has very little sewing experience - that would be me.
So once again I ask you: could this be a Velo Orange product? I was thinking of a little kit with the pre-cut and pre-perforated leathers, enough waxed thread, instructions, and the sailmaker's needle. Comments? Suggestions? Ideas? 
28 March, 2006
Toe Clip Leathers
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7 comments:
I like the idea of a kit. I'll design the folded-over lable/tag that staples to the little zip-lok bag everything goes in in trade for some product!
Charles Willi (Seattle)
Another very nice idea. I was just thinking about these as I removed the tattered remains of leather from an old toe clip the other day.
Thanks,
Rob
i've been thinking of tryin' the same, esp. after seeing a pair of beleathered christophes go for over $50 in a last-minute feeding frenzy of bidding a couple weeks back on ebag... this emboldens me to try...
-robert
http://rjl.us
This kind of stuff is right up my alley. I like the ideas that you have and I really like your bike! I've been to Jitensha studios in Berkeley, and the quality is just as good as rivendells.
I put up a pair of leathers on E-Bay today just to see if anyone is interested. 10 minutes later I recieved an e-mail asking if I'll ship to Japan. Hmmm.
Chris
why don't you try selling your own leather versions of MKS toeclips... pre-leathered, as it were... i'll bet your profit would be higher and you wouldn't lose sales to folks who don't want to DIY.
Another leather product you might want to consider is a chainstay protector. I made one for my BOBish touring bike out of shoestring but the upholstery leather would be a better idea and would look nicer.
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