Rhomylly Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 Help! I've posted to the forum before about the fact that my wrist straps are just too big. To recap: I have a husband with a new ph.d which means we're broke and my new concertina is a 20-button Hohner (it was either that or nothing, and nothing was unacceptable!). I also have very small hands (I can wear large children's mittens), so good fitted wrist straps are going to be critical in my quest to be able to reach all the keys! I tried punching more holes, but the leather is doubled and padded after the original hole part, and won't fit into the cheap-ass buckle. The nearest Renaissance Faire is 120 miles and a month away. Anyone know someone who knows how to make concertina wrist straps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbowers Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 Do you have a local shoemaker? My first concertina was a cheap German instrument and the straps were simply 3/32" leather 1/2" wide. The padding, etc. really aren't necessary, they just increase comfort. Simple flat staps will let you add holes until the straps are the right length. Then drive the 120 miles to the Renaissance Fair and get a proper set of straps made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomylly Posted August 22, 2003 Author Share Posted August 22, 2003 I can find one. The local saddlery wasn't very helpful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 Marcus sells wrist straps for 12 quid (read $18). What's a Rennaissance Faire? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipcmo Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 Hi, If the pic upload works, you can see a very reasonable alternative. I took a piece of line, the right length, whipped the ends, and screwed them to the handrests. Geo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Rather pretty, I have to say. Give a very nautical air to the instrument. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomylly Posted August 25, 2003 Author Share Posted August 25, 2003 A Renaissance Faire is when a bunch of artists, craftspeople, musicians and faux recreationists converge on some suburban spot for 4-10 weekends in a row and create a "village" complete with a visit from royalty, permanent booths, and lots of bad English accents. Rather silly, but the craftspeople are usually good, and the hard cider they serve in the pubs is usually cold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbowers Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 I like your term,"faux recreationists". Most of the Renaissance Fair types I know are really coming at it from the Fantasy side rather than accurate historic re-enactment. My all-time favorite is swords being worn through a ring on the belt with the naked edge sticking out behind. Still, it's a lot of fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomylly Posted August 25, 2003 Author Share Posted August 25, 2003 I like the rope straps. What'd you whip them with? Re: Faires -- Even though I've worked far too many of them, I have to agree they're a lot of fun, if the anachronisms don't bother you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Re: Faires -- Even though I've worked far too many of them, I have to agree they're a lot of fun, if the anachronisms don't bother you. Y'mean, like Renaissance concertinas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipcmo Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 I like the rope straps. What'd you whip them with? I used waxed whipping thread, but any really heavy duty thread will work. Geo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Root Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Re: Faires -- Even though I've worked far too many of them, I have to agree they're a lot of fun, if the anachronisms don't bother you. Y'mean, like Renaissance concertinas? Hey, someday they'll have Industrial Revolution Faires, where people will play concertinas in ye Rocke and Rolle bands, and will pretend to have obsolete jobs in the, for instance, manufacturing sector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmm Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 Dog collars work well--they come in various sizes and widths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 You might look in a fabric store, too, and see if they have any leather. They're bound to have some woven nylon strapping such is used on backpacks for their shoulder straps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexCJones Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 My local cobler, (Tony in Oak Park Illinois) made and installed the new straps on this one for $10. I hope you can find one in Columbia, Missouri who can do the same. - Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goran rahm Posted October 10, 2003 Share Posted October 10, 2003 Guess what I am going to say?.....:-) In my view the 'traditional' wriststraps in principle are crap and everything with the same width and floppiness not very purposeful either. Not only the straps themsleves are bad but the bar to which they are attached is wrongly located, too low and not offering good stability but that are other matters.Straps....: Of course playing methods do vary and of course different individuals may be quite happy with different attachment and the conflict between 'flexibility' (=movability of the hand) and 'stability' (=control of bellows work and positions) is the clue. IF you want good stability a much broader and thicker(more rigid) strap which is cut to be formed to the individual hand and hand position( U,W or S shaped) will offer *much* better playing conditions. I use 2-2,5 mm fairly hard leather myself and I could provide some examples of possible patterns some time later on (not home right now...) at wish. I also have changed the fixation points at both ends. To make strap length more adjustable you make the holes at one end with say 6 mm interspace and at the other end 8mm insterspace.This way by combinations you can adjust the length with an accuracy of 2 mm instead of 6 (or 8) Goran Rahm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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