Today, The Time Bum is talking
with Daniel Cheek, founder of Beckett Leather Goods, a small
team of American artisans specializing in bespoke watch straps.
TTB: Welcome to The
Time Bum! Why don’t you introduce yourself and tell us what makes Beckett
Leather Goods special.
DC: At the risk of
sounding cliché, we’re obsessively dedicated to quality. I’ve spent the past
few years studying the art of leathercraft and strap-making. We use materials
from a variety of American and European tanneries and can also upcycle vintage
leather goods. Not only are we focused on making quality straps, but we’re
working to create a prestigious brand.
TTB: I’d like to
start with your upcycling service. The Gucci loafer video (below) really shows what goes into your process. I love the way you incorporated
things like the red keepers and green stitching to make a more interesting
strap that better reflected the original item.
TTB: What found objects make
for good raw material for a watch strap?
DC: Almost any leather
good can be turned into a strap as long as the leather isn’t cracking.
TTB: What sort of
items do people send you?
DC: We’ve been sent old
wallets, shoes, purses, baseball gloves, etc. I’ve even turned a vintage suede
bota bag into a strap just for fun.
TTB: Have you ever
received an item for upcycling and said, “Uh-uh. No way.”
DC: One time, someone
asked me to make a strap out of a fake Louis Vuitton bag and I turned them
down. I can’t in good conscience be associated with a counterfeit item.
TTB: Do you work with
fabrics or other materials, or just leather?
DC: We work with a lot
of different materials including, but not limited to, toad skin, ostrich leg,
shoe leather, Louis Vuitton canvas, beaver tail, and baseball glove leather.
TTB: I would imagine
that deconstructing a found object involves more work than starting from a new
piece of leather. How many hours go into making a typical strap as opposed to
an upcycled item?
DC: Upcycle projects do
involve a bit more labor than standard leather straps. First, we have to
determine what part of the item is most suitable for making a strap. Then we
have to try and flatten it and sometimes condition it so it’s easier to work
with. When a piece of leather has been in the shape of a baseball glove for 20
years, it can be challenging to force it to lay flat and behave like a strap. We
make straps in batches, but if we sat down and made a leather strap start to
finish it would take 4 hours. An upcycled strap would take 4.5-5 hours.
TTB: Your hand
painted straps are pretty wild. What sort of challenges to you find in making
those?
DC: The hardest part
about making hand-painted straps was finding an artist we felt was talented and
creative enough to collaborate with. We ended up choosing Jeff Bertrand, a
local Nashville artist. I give him full creative authority on his designs and
tell him to just have fun.
TTB: What steps do
you take to make sure painted straps stand up to normal use?
DC: We get asked
“Will the paint hold up?” pretty often. The answer is yes! Our artist
uses a special leather paint that was designed for projects exactly like this.
There is no chipping or cracking or fading of the paint.
TTB: I don’t want to
neglect your ready-to-wear line. I really dig the way you have incorporated
some off-beat colors like turquoise and sky blue. Do you prefer producing
products that are a bit unusual?
DC: We’ve selected a few
standard leathers such as brown and black but I’m finding that we enjoy making
more special pieces. With bespoke orders, our clients get to create the design.
We’re starting to view the ready-to-wear collection as a chance to play the
role of designer and we’re having fun with it. A big portion of our clients
wear vibrant watches and want unique straps to pair with them.
TTB: A watch strap
guy has got to have some cool watches. What’s on your wrist and in your watch
box these days?
This is going to sound
crazy, but I only have one watch. It’s a Seiko SNXS79K my fiancé gifted me a
couple years ago for Christmas. I promise, I’m a watch lover! I used to own a
few other pieces: a Nomos Orion, a Nodus Trieste, a Magrette Waterman, and a
Seiko SKX. Then I came to the realization that I could sell them and invest in
my business. I used the funds to purchase world-class tools for our team and
improve quality. I miss my watches every day and hope to someday to re-purchase
my Nomos and buy some other cool pieces. A few of my future watch goals are the
De Bethune DB25, Ulysse Nardin Freak, Rolex Oyster Perpetual rhodium, F.P.
Journe Automatique Lune, and the Patek Nautilus with white dial. If we become
the Hermés of straps, I’ll revisit this list. Until then, I’ll be reinvesting
earnings into the business to grow and keep improving in every aspect possible.
TTB:
Yes. That does sound crazy but I get it. I just don’t have the willpower to
do that myself.
Beckett
straps range from $110 to $250 depending on the style for more information, pictures,
or to get ideas about a bespoke or upcycled strap of your own, head over to
BeckettLeather.com.
