Guitar Strap Update
16th November 2017
Working With Heistercamp
If you have followed us for some time now you will know about Heistercamp, the Devon-based family-run business that supplies some of our leather goods at Bare Knuckle. Heistercamp are a family business, and Nigel and Alaine are the couple behind Heistercamp. The company is part of a story that goes back over 130 years to Nigel's great grandfather, a master craftsman of leather in Belgium. Nigel felt that creating premium leather goods was in his blood from a young age and their passion and commitment to high-end, stylish products is evident in their work. Today Nigel and Alaine live and work in rural Devon, surrounded by idyllic countryside and rolling hills. Their sons, Craig and James, are now full-time employees of the company, working alongside their parents to bring the Heistercamp word to the rest of the world. As a company, their methods are traditional and their values grassroots, as they say; "In a world where mass production and compromise are the accepted norm, we lovingly hand craft each and every piece that leaves our door." Check out the products Heistercamp make for us here.
A Family Run Business
Until recently we've been outsourcing our leather straps from a company in the UK, but due to a change in their circumstances we have had to change our suppliers, and we knew there would be no point getting leather work from anyone else. As a company, we've always prided ourselves on making as much as we can ourselves, and then making sure that things we can't make are ethically and locally supplied. The move to using Heistercamp is fantastic for us, as they are only in the next county along. All the work that goes into their products can be designed by BKP and Heistercamp, and it's only a day out for us to see them, have a cup of tea and plan new products. By doing this, we are able to support a local business that is family-run. The only member of the family who doesn't work with Heistercamp is Nigel and Alaine's daughter, who is a chef. The two sons, James and Craig, work with their parents every day, and the workshops are located at the family home. We know that they source their leather with as much care as possible, and that it comes straight from their workshops to us.
Changing the Straps
We've recently had to change the leather used in our cuffs and our guitar straps. Because Heistercamp work with natural materials, they can't always guarantee that once a leather supply has run its course, they can get the same thing again. This is why our cuffs changed colour slightly, although the skill and attention to detail, not to mention the quality, remains the same. Because the company we got our standard Bare Knuckle straps from has changed, we had to find another supplier, which was of course, easy for us! But we wanted to make sure the strap didn't change too much, as our standard black straps have long been favourites of BKP players. We also didn't want to switch to a closer supplier and then up the cost too much, as we still want it to be our most accessible leather strap. Heistercamp worked hard to produce a smart, durable and beautifully-crafted strap that is still within the everyday price bracket of our players. Our standard leather guitar strap is now 2.5" and retails at a very affordable £35, and you can check it out here.
