Magic is real. The OG Sand Bison makes its comeback.
About that Cunningham
In Calavera's earliest days, Chris Cunningham of Cunningham Wood Work emerged not only as an excellent late night friend, but a tremendous supporter of the brand and everything to come. Always there with input on a new product, a new direction, or just to lean on with the myriad challenges of running a small business.
Hard to believe as it may be. there was once a brief moment some years ago that I was perhaps a little down, questioning Calavera's future. And out of nowhere a package arrived... containing what remains one of the nicest gifts I have ever received... a jaw-droppingly gorgeous walnut and brass mallet, designed specifically for the needs of a small leather shop.
Without exaggeration, that mallet supercharged my maker's heart, driving me back to the shop and the hard, gratifying work of building a small family business. And heaven forbid there's ever a fire in the shop, but you can bet everything you've got that my Cunningham mallet's the first thing I'm grabbing. Thanks again, buddy.
If you really want to be like Chris, here's his preferred mix...
Sand Bison
Orange Back Pocket + Trim
Vintagized Brass
Lower Pocket + Flaps
Y-Back
About that leather
In a word, the ultra-soft yet incredibly durable American Bison work apron is, well... glorious. In terms of color, these aprons will range from a warm sand, almost khaki appearance to a slightly more buttery color... imagine the sawdust under your table after cutting a piece of yellow pine.
These wild buffalo hides come to us with more holes, abrasions and barbed-wire scars than all the others combined, so we're pretty lucky to get 2 clean aprons out of a full hide (compared to 3-4 for the others). Some are lighter, some are darker, some feature the hide's original brand (those are our favorites), and most will have at least a few scars due to their wild origin. They're still amazing... we just want to be sure you know what you're getting.
Color: Think warm sand
Main Panel: Pure American Bison Thickness:4-4.5ozwhole hide leather Front pocket: Hand-Dyed Walnut Back Pocket: Same bison as main panel as standard, but plenty of other options D-tabs: Walnut Bridle Straps: Walnut Bridle
Hardware:Nickel, Vintage Brass
Length Options: Short version below.
26" - 5'6" and below 28" - 5'7"-5'8" 30" - 5'9"-5'10" 32" - 5'11"-6' 34" - 6'1"-6'2" 36" - 6'3"-6'4" 38" - 6'5" and above 40" - For the really big kids
Please use this as a guide. If you want more coverage, go with the longer size. If you sport a large bay window or for some other reason require a bigger fit, go with the larger size.
Streamlined Plain Front:This is the classic Calavera style... no muss, no fuss. Still, all aprons come with a standard-issue upper pocket for pens, pencils, small rulers and such.
Lower Pocket (with or without flap):A traditional rectangular pocket style that hews tight to the main apron panel to prevent accumulation of dust and debris, with or without the inclusion of the optional upper flap.
Paolini Pocket:Generously sized, side-entry pouch design prevents dust and debris from collecting, without the need for flaps. If we were going to rock the pocket, this would be our choice. Named after Gregory Paolini, who is a fantastic woodworker and teacher, as well as one of our favorite human beings.
Strap options:
X-Back:For an incredibly comfortable fit, choose the adjustable 1" harness-style straps with quick-release.
Y-Back:Combines the comfort of the harness style straps with a sturdy, adjustable belt for a perfect, secure fit. We strongly endorse the Y-Back.
Tape Measure Clips and/or Towel Rings
Apron w/ Plain Front - See gallery for options
Apron w/ Standard Pocket - Upper positioning matches gallery. Lower positioning will go to the lower front of the pocket.
Apron w/ Paolini Pocket - Upper positioning will be on the front of the pocket, near the top. Lower positioning will be on the front of the pocket. See gallery for visual.
And if all that is way too confusing, just drop an email to michael@calaveratool.com and we'll walk you through it.
A note on caring for your work apron:
In the shop, we finish all our work aprons with Fiebings 4-Way Conditioner. A modest application will do good things to worn or dry areas. For hotter, dryer regions (or applications), we recommend modest doses of Fiebing's Aussie Leather Conditioner with Beeswax. Don't apply too much or it'll get a little sticky.
