Equipping
stations.
Building legacies.
Radio straps, suspenders, and bunker belts cut from a single side of Hermann Oak and sewn to order — sized to the way you actually wear your gear, and built to outlast the career.
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On the bench now
Six reasons it outlives
the gear it replaces.
One hide, one piece
Cut from a single Hermann Oak side so the grain, temper, and thickness match end to end. No spliced blanks, no filler layers.
Sewn one at a time
Every piece is cut and sewn to order by hand, one at a time. Nothing is batched, nothing sits in a warehouse waiting for a buyer.
Hardware that won't shear
Solid brass, copper, or stainless steel — never plated pot metal, and it will not rust. Hardware is the first thing to fail on cheap gear.
Sized to order
Measured the way you intend to wear it, not a street-clothes size chart. If your numbers look wrong, I call before I cut.
Edges finished four ways
Beveled, sanded, slicked, and waxed. A raw edge drinks water and rots; a burnished one sheds it for decades.
Repaired, not replaced
Repairs on normal wear and tear, free for as long as you're working — you cover shipping. If I can fix it, I will; if I can't, I'll contact you before we do anything else.
Four steps from hide to firehouse.
Measure the way you intend to use the piece. The sizing guide walks through it; call if you're between sizes or need a hand.
Cut from a single, veg-tanned Hermann Oak side, checked for scars and stretch before anything is cut and stitched.
Your name or department stamped and stained, paint built up in 2–3 coats, then stitched and riveted at the stress points. Edges finished four ways — beveled, sanded, slicked, and waxed — then conditioned and sealed. Picture updates go out as it comes together, not just at the end.
UPS with tracking, plus instructions for keeping the leather alive and clean.
What actually goes
into one strap.
St. Louis tannery, 140 years running. Vegetable-tanned, so it stiffens with use instead of going limp.
Cast, not stamped — including the AustriAlpin COBRA quick-release, the buckle trusted on alpine climbing gear. Patinas instead of flaking.
Sized for the leather it goes through, and rivets set behind it wherever the strap carries a load.
Beveled, sanded, slicked with gum, sealed with wax. Four passes, no paint.
Rivets are post-and-burr, not pop — set to be trusted under load. Every strap is hot- and cold-conditioned and given a coat of Resolene on completion: a flexible acrylic finish that adds water, sweat, and UV resistance, stops paint and dye rub-off, and keeps the shine.
You’ll know where
it is the whole time.
An email the same day with your options written back to you and your place in the queue — your last chance to change any of them. Wrong size? Say so now, not later.
A photo of your hide cut and laid out before it's stained and stitched.
UPS with tracking, wrapped in paper with a care card. Free over $250.
Send it back for repairs on normal wear and tear. If I can fix it, I will — if I can't, I'll contact you before we do anything else. Free labor for as long as you're working.
It’s about being
a family and
protecting your own.
Nobody buys a radio strap because it’s beautiful. They buy it because it has to work when things go bad, and because the person standing next to them is counting on them to do their job.
Every piece leaves this bench built for one person on one crew — name stamped in the leather, sized how they wear it, repaired for as long as they need it. That’s the business.
What crews are saying
“The craftsmanship and attention to detail were exceptional, and the finished product exceeded all of my expectations.”
“From concept to design to finished product, Martin Leatherworking was great.”
“The attention to detail was incredible. All of my items looked great, are clearly going to last me a long time if not the rest of my career, and were comfortable to wear and use with the rest of my gear.”
3–5 written testimonials plus a photo of the gear in service. Pull the Google and Facebook reviews with permission.
Tell me how it turned out. It comes straight to me, not the site.
LEAVE FEEDBACKIn service
The questions
I get most.
If yours isn’t here, email or text me. I’d rather spend ten minutes on the phone than remake a strap.
How long until it ships?
5–6 weeks — everything is made after the order comes in. Rush placement is +$60 and ships in 10 business days.
How do I measure for a radio strap?
Most people wear the strap under their bunker gear. Decide where you want the radio bucket to sit, then measure from one side of the bucket, over your shoulder, to the other side — including the clips. Between sizes, go up: a strap can be shortened, not lengthened.
What can I have stamped?
Up to 16 characters in 1" letters for radio straps and belts, and ¾" for the Mask QR, struck one at a time down the strap — last name, badge number, company, or department, whatever you want. The letters are cut into the leather and painted, so tell me the colour you want. Maltese crosses, the Star of Life, and other emblems are included in the character limit. Want something else stamped or tooled? That is a custom order — contact me.
Do you do department orders?
Yes — six pieces or more gets bulk pricing and one invoice. Purchase orders are fine; net 30 for departments.
Can I return a custom piece?
Stamped and made-to-measure pieces can't be returned. If the fit or workmanship is wrong, I fix or remake it at no charge — email me first.
Is the leather NFPA rated?
No. This is traditional veg-tanned leather gear, not certified PPE — check your department's policy before you carry it on the fireground.
Tell me what you need built.
Department orders, retirement gifts, tool rolls, dog collars — send the details and I’ll quote it. Bulk pricing starts at 6 pieces.