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Dominik Gräber

Hot Topic Tourer
Contest Winner!
  • Nov 11, 2019
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    www.instagram.com
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    Dominik, what got you into leather work?
    #AMA
    I love art. When I was in Kindergarten I used to go to my grandpas once a week and we would always draw or paint a picture. I just loved drawing. Whatever was stuck in my head I drew it! (mostly TV shows and games lol).
    Fast foreward A LOT to 2018. I am in archery club since years and went from modern bows to a more traditional wood bow. And I was wearing a leather arm guard. Now one day I was at my (other) grandparents house when grandpas old wood burner fell into my hands. Shortly after I burned a design into that leather armguard of mine. So the idea was born to make myself a personalised armguard ALL ON MY OWN. So I kept annoying everybody with it (I can be really annoying if I want something) until I ordered some leather and rivets and off we go.

    Man seems like forever ago when it really isn't. It turned out great (at least I thought at that time) and I did more to sell for a few bucks at a local tournament. That all got me so motivated that I opened up a facebook page where I would take requests for personalised armguards. I learned how to stitch and tool leather and from the money I made I bought tools and more leather. Man I think I have almost a complete cow at home (ate the rest). After a time I was able to do different fun projects, like the Dishonored Mask JUST FOR FUN, my first guitar strap or two wallets.

    It's just an incredible feeling to be able to turn something in your mind reality with a quality that looks like you could have bought it from somewhere. But you made it, on your own and it's much cooler than what you get somewhere else.
    88301447_1418875584949050_2118065359700361216_o.jpg

    So here is my very first armguard and first custom leather project from spring 2018
    And this is my facebook page where I offer custom armguards and you can see a shitload of my works. I've made 101 of those boys with #102 in the making.


    Sorry if I geeked out on this too much but you asked 😅
     

    Jesse Salmons

    Stairway to Heaven Tab Studier
    Nov 11, 2019
    501
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    Indiana
    8
    I love art. When I was in Kindergarten I used to go to my grandpas once a week and we would always draw or paint a picture. I just loved drawing. Whatever was stuck in my head I drew it! (mostly TV shows and games lol).
    Fast foreward A LOT to 2018. I am in archery club since years and went from modern bows to a more traditional wood bow. And I was wearing a leather arm guard. Now one day I was at my (other) grandparents house when grandpas old wood burner fell into my hands. Shortly after I burned a design into that leather armguard of mine. So the idea was born to make myself a personalised armguard ALL ON MY OWN. So I kept annoying everybody with it (I can be really annoying if I want something) until I ordered some leather and rivets and off we go.

    Man seems like forever ago when it really isn't. It turned out great (at least I thought at that time) and I did more to sell for a few bucks at a local tournament. That all got me so motivated that I opened up a facebook page where I would take requests for personalised armguards. I learned how to stitch and tool leather and from the money I made I bought tools and more leather. Man I think I have almost a complete cow at home (ate the rest). After a time I was able to do different fun projects, like the Dishonored Mask JUST FOR FUN, my first guitar strap or two wallets.

    It's just an incredible feeling to be able to turn something in your mind reality with a quality that looks like you could have bought it from somewhere. But you made it, on your own and it's much cooler than what you get somewhere else.
    88301447_1418875584949050_2118065359700361216_o.jpg

    So here is my very first armguard and first custom leather project from spring 2018
    And this is my facebook page where I offer custom armguards and you can see a shitload of my works. I've made 101 of those boys with #102 in the making.


    Sorry if I geeked out on this too much but you asked 😅
    Dude thats awesome.. are you a fan of the witcher? I noticed some witcher-items on that page thats badass!!
     
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    Donovan Etue

    Campfire Attention Holder
  • Nov 11, 2019
    437
    682
    Washington State
    2
    I love art. When I was in Kindergarten I used to go to my grandpas once a week and we would always draw or paint a picture. I just loved drawing. Whatever was stuck in my head I drew it! (mostly TV shows and games lol).
    Fast foreward A LOT to 2018. I am in archery club since years and went from modern bows to a more traditional wood bow. And I was wearing a leather arm guard. Now one day I was at my (other) grandparents house when grandpas old wood burner fell into my hands. Shortly after I burned a design into that leather armguard of mine. So the idea was born to make myself a personalised armguard ALL ON MY OWN. So I kept annoying everybody with it (I can be really annoying if I want something) until I ordered some leather and rivets and off we go.

    Man seems like forever ago when it really isn't. It turned out great (at least I thought at that time) and I did more to sell for a few bucks at a local tournament. That all got me so motivated that I opened up a facebook page where I would take requests for personalised armguards. I learned how to stitch and tool leather and from the money I made I bought tools and more leather. Man I think I have almost a complete cow at home (ate the rest). After a time I was able to do different fun projects, like the Dishonored Mask JUST FOR FUN, my first guitar strap or two wallets.

    It's just an incredible feeling to be able to turn something in your mind reality with a quality that looks like you could have bought it from somewhere. But you made it, on your own and it's much cooler than what you get somewhere else.
    88301447_1418875584949050_2118065359700361216_o.jpg

    So here is my very first armguard and first custom leather project from spring 2018
    And this is my facebook page where I offer custom armguards and you can see a shitload of my works. I've made 101 of those boys with #102 in the making.


    Sorry if I geeked out on this too much but you asked 😅
    Holy crap man! I checked out your Facebook page and wow! Your leather projects look incredibly high quality! I love the art you've got on them! I love that Leshen design you did for an arm guard! That's my favorite looking monster from the Witcher 3! I should ask as question. What would you say is your favorite creature/monster from the Witcher 3?
     
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    Dominik Gräber

    Hot Topic Tourer
    Contest Winner!
  • Nov 11, 2019
    2,787
    1
    5,990
    25
    Saarland
    www.instagram.com
    6
    It should also be noted that I believe I have the only known Graeber Original Leather custom guitar strap in the world. I got mine, and now maybe Matt Heafy. Fuck that guy for riding my tails. :cool:
    Beware. Two more persons in the row you didn't mention and one's strap is already done 😎
     
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    Dominik Gräber

    Hot Topic Tourer
    Contest Winner!
  • Nov 11, 2019
    2,787
    1
    5,990
    25
    Saarland
    www.instagram.com
    6
    Holy crap man! I checked out your Facebook page and wow! Your leather projects look incredibly high quality! I love the art you've got on them! I love that Leshen design you did for an arm guard! That's my favorite looking monster from the Witcher 3! I should ask as question. What would you say is your favorite creature/monster from the Witcher 3?
    Thank you!! 🤗 Dude, that's hard. I Love the Looks of the leshen but Always found fighting it a little dull. So it's probably the bruxae or humanoide Vampires from Toussaint because I Loved that cinematic Trailer with them and the Game is Just Like that!
     
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    Dominik Gräber

    Hot Topic Tourer
    Contest Winner!
  • Nov 11, 2019
    2,787
    1
    5,990
    25
    Saarland
    www.instagram.com
    6
    Thought of another two questions. How long does a pretty intricate piece take to go from bare materials to ready to hand off to the customer? I don't mean to pry much but how much does one of your creations sell for?
    It's been forever since I exactly measured how Long it Takes to make a pretty complex one. As I do all stitching by hand those are probably that Take the Most time. I'd say I need 3-5 days on average on those, If I have a Lot of time. My top work armguards go for around 100 bucks.
    Now I do know more precisely what goes into a strap, which is usually 16-20 hours of work. So you see why Ed currently is the only one owning a Gräber strap 😂😅
     

    Dominik Gräber

    Hot Topic Tourer
    Contest Winner!
  • Nov 11, 2019
    2,787
    1
    5,990
    25
    Saarland
    www.instagram.com
    6
    That's cool. The more you make, the more being NUMBER FUCKING ONE means. :)
    Ed Seith the First(?), speaker of the truth, Captain of the Synyster Gates School, the one who speaks Papa gates' thoughts First and First of owners of a Gräber strap.
    Write that on a Coffee Cup, starbucks!
     
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    Donovan Etue

    Campfire Attention Holder
  • Nov 11, 2019
    437
    682
    Washington State
    2
    Thank you!! 🤗 Dude, that's hard. I Love the Looks of the leshen but Always found fighting it a little dull. So it's probably the bruxae or humanoide Vampires from Toussaint because I Loved that cinematic Trailer with them and the Game is Just Like that!
    Nice! I never got the chance to play any of the DLC's due to having an internet connection that is barely stable enough to watch 720p videos. It only happens on days that end with X or when a blood moon occurs on Friday the 13th. Looking them up though they look well designed as well! Supposedly a new Witcher game is going into development after Cyberpunk comes out here in a few months.

    It's been forever since I exactly measured how Long it Takes to make a pretty complex one. As I do all stitching by hand those are probably that Take the Most time. I'd say I need 3-5 days on average on those, If I have a Lot of time. My top work armguards go for around 100 bucks.
    Now I do know more precisely what goes into a strap, which is usually 16-20 hours of work. So you see why Ed currently is the only one owning a Gräber strap 😂😅
    Damn. I can definitely tell you put in that many hours into a strap with how awesome that one you posted on facebook turned out. I know you have make arm guards and have done a couple of guitar straps. Are there other projects you want to do? Sheath's, holsters,maybe going really big and making a vest? Looking forward to seeing what projects you show off next man! Thanks for answering my questions!
     
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    Dominik Gräber

    Hot Topic Tourer
    Contest Winner!
  • Nov 11, 2019
    2,787
    1
    5,990
    25
    Saarland
    www.instagram.com
    6
    Nice! I never got the chance to play any of the DLC's due to having an internet connection that is barely stable enough to watch 720p videos. It only happens on days that end with X or when a blood moon occurs on Friday the 13th. Looking them up though they look well designed as well! Supposedly a new Witcher game is going into development after Cyberpunk comes out here in a few months.


    Damn. I can definitely tell you put in that many hours into a strap with how awesome that one you posted on facebook turned out. I know you have make arm guards and have done a couple of guitar straps. Are there other projects you want to do? Sheath's, holsters,maybe going really big and making a vest? Looking forward to seeing what projects you show off next man! Thanks for answering my questions!
    You NEED to play Blood and Wine if you can. Probably at my #1 spot of best DLCs of all time (right next to Oblivion - Shivering Isles)

    And thanks again! I would love to do all sorts of stuff but I am really picky with what I do as if nobody buys it it's just a lot of money and time invested. I was thinking about doing Aragorns Armguard from Lord of The Rings, which isn't suited for archery. And I would love to do Sheaths for swords and stuff. Already made three quivers. Hell, I would even love to do a full on fantasy armor!
     
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    Donovan Etue

    Campfire Attention Holder
  • Nov 11, 2019
    437
    682
    Washington State
    2
    You NEED to play Blood and Wine if you can. Probably at my #1 spot of best DLCs of all time (right next to Oblivion - Shivering Isles)

    And thanks again! I would love to do all sorts of stuff but I am really picky with what I do as if nobody buys it it's just a lot of money and time invested. I was thinking about doing Aragorns Armguard from Lord of The Rings, which isn't suited for archery. And I would love to do Sheaths for swords and stuff. Already made three quivers. Hell, I would even love to do a full on fantasy armor!
    Will have to try and find a way to check out Blood and Wine one of these days. Shivering Isles was a pretty good DLC from what I remember! It's been a while since I went and played Oblivion so I can't remember the story too well but I spent a bit of time in it. Not quite as much as Skyrim but not many games really caught my interest and got me to deep dive into the games as much as Skyrim did. Fallout 4, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Call of Duty Ghosts and Skyrim are in my top games of all time. I'm waiting for Elder Scrolls VI to finally come out. It's been 9 damn years in November and still nothing much beyond a 30 second teaser with the title and a world in the background. I know they've said to keep waiting but I'm 99% sure we'll get a System of a Down record before a new Elder Scrolls game that isn't multiplayer or card based comes out. Aragorn's arm guard would be sick! As someone who isn't very familiar with archery why wouldn't Aragorn's arm guard be suitable? I know with traditional bow that an arm guard is necessary so when you let go of the arrow the string doesn't fly back and give you a hell of a beating on your forearm. A full suit could look wicked! Especially if you go all out with your drawings/designs through out the armor.
     
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    Dominik Gräber

    Hot Topic Tourer
    Contest Winner!
  • Nov 11, 2019
    2,787
    1
    5,990
    25
    Saarland
    www.instagram.com
    6
    Will have to try and find a way to check out Blood and Wine one of these days. Shivering Isles was a pretty good DLC from what I remember! It's been a while since I went and played Oblivion so I can't remember the story too well but I spent a bit of time in it. Not quite as much as Skyrim but not many games really caught my interest and got me to deep dive into the games as much as Skyrim did. Fallout 4, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Call of Duty Ghosts and Skyrim are in my top games of all time. I'm waiting for Elder Scrolls VI to finally come out. It's been 9 damn years in November and still nothing much beyond a 30 second teaser with the title and a world in the background. I know they've said to keep waiting but I'm 99% sure we'll get a System of a Down record before a new Elder Scrolls game that isn't multiplayer or card based comes out. Aragorn's arm guard would be sick! As someone who isn't very familiar with archery why wouldn't Aragorn's arm guard be suitable? I know with traditional bow that an arm guard is necessary so when you let go of the arrow the string doesn't fly back and give you a hell of a beating on your forearm. A full suit could look wicked! Especially if you go all out with your drawings/designs through out the armor.
    Skyrim is one of my all time Favorites too! It's the Game I spent the Most hours on. But I also love Oblivion, Dark Souls, Witcher, Bioshock and Doom. Just to Name a few of my Favorites!
    Totally agree about Elder Scrolls VI.

    Armguards for archery are worn the Other way around than medieval Style armguards as they have to protect the inside of your arm. Aragorns bracer has pointy ends and buckles so you could Not wear it for archery.
     
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