Some Long Term Updates

Time to report on some stuff I promised a long term update on. As always, I paid for all these items and am receiving no compensation or other consideration from any of these manufacturers.

A couple of years ago Michael made me a beautiful custom race rig consisting of belt, holster and magazine carrier. Because I've been so wrapped up in the house remodel my shooting has taken an unfortunate backseat so a holster report will have to wait but that actually gave me the chance to really put one of Michael's belts through it's paces.

Though I was initially hesitant to use this belt for everyday wear due to it's beauty and intended use I decided I really needed a new belt and hey, there's a pretty cool one right here and everything! I've been wearing it virtually every day now for about a year. During that time I did a lot of remodel and demolition/construction work. Everything from fencing, roofing, concrete and lots of landscaping. I remodeled a bathroom, added a covered porch, did entirely too much plumbing for the new laundry room plus a whole lot more. Through it all I wore this belt.

Here's a closer look. You can see the hole I use for the buckle tongue thingy (what is that called anyway?). It shows the wear from a year of everyday use but if you look closer you'll see essentially no deformation. No elongation or widening. The belt fits exactly the same today as it did after I got it broken in a year ago. That's impressive.

I put the magazine holder in that top picture so you could see pretty near negligible the difference in exterior wear between it and the belt. One worn seldom and the other constantly. It'd look even better if I cared for the leather the way I'm supposed to but like many (most?) guys I tend to ignore stuff like that. This belt will hold up to that kind of abuse. The belt doesn't exactly look brand new but it sure doesn't look like it's been daily wear for a guy who tends to be very hard on clothes and accoutrements. Like belts. I can go through a belt in no time. I hang stuff from it, rub against rough surfaces and generally put it through hellish torture. This belt looks more like it's been a casual wear item than something a laborer has beaten on for a year through numerous projects. I'd wear it to church today. It's been used as a rope anchor (don't ask) and abraded on everything from wood to granite to concrete blocks. The inside shows little appreciable wear though it has broken in nicely and is now softer and more pliant than when new. It does take a little to get the belt well broken in due to the thick and rugged construction but trust me on this, it's worth the minor effort. I love the thing. Eventually I'll retire every other belt I have and replace them with Michael's creations. I can't recommend them strongly enough. It's thick, strong, tough and beautiful. This has become my go to belt and now I hate to wear anything else.

It's been a couple of months now since I bought my Keen boots and so far they have worked out very well. They broke in nicely and surprisingly quickly and are comfortable as any ankle height boots I've ever worn. Wear is entirely acceptable. They're my work boots as well as my hiking/trail wear. Like most things clothing related I'm hard on my footwear, especially those I wear on a daily basis. The Keens are holding up nicely. One of the things I really like about them is the lacing system (for lack of a better phrase). The laces click into the eyelets at the top of the boot which allows me to set the lace tension at a comfortable level (remember I have a bad left foot) and still tie the laces tight enough not to unravel while walking. Genius and much appreciated. I like them so much I put them on my Christmas list and SantaLu was kind enough to bring me a second pair. Highly Recommended.

Remember the dishwasher addition? I talked about adding a granite top to the installation but I never posted a picture of the final product. Well, I finally got it all put in and done. This is the Before picture, just after the dishwasher installation.

And here's the After photo. Lu found a nice used black cooktop  stove for reasonable money so all her kitchen appliances are now ebony in hue.You can see how much shorter the rest of the counter is due to the non standard sized cabinets. They're on the list and such a long list it is. The granite I used over the dishwasher is probably an old vanity but it works perfectly for this application and it only cost me 50 bucks. Note please the blue light on the dishwasher, proof it's actually working and not just a cardboard cutout I stuck in there to try and fool Lu. I think it all turned out pretty nice if I do say so myself and really gives the kitchen an updated look and feel.

I'm certain there's some other stuff I swore I'd post long term updates on. I just can't remember what they are at the moment. I'm sure it'll come to me sooner or later. Probably.

Maybe. Man, it's tough getting old.

Six