Richard Sachs is one of the people in my realm of awareness that I can truly say without question “did it his way” and that is one of the reasons I think he’s a badass. He is a role model for craftsmen, artists and small business people everywhere that struggle with a way to make a living making the product they make the way they want to make it, shooting themselves in the foot with their refusal to sell out or compromise or conform to the wishes of outside investors or business advisors. He makes a fine steel bike by hand by himself from start to finish. No outsourcing. No mass production. No bullshit.
Lane Kagay of CETMA racks and cargo bikes is well on his way as well. He is running a one-man show in Eugene making cargo bikes and racks. I’ve admired his products and business plan for years. Soon I’ll be sitting on the saddle of a CETMA cargo bike taking my daughter to the park and grocery store and library. But that’s a whole other story that you can share with me someday soon.
Dave Schneider of Schneider Guitars is another guy to take a closer look at. Being my cousin he’s oh-so-close to the pilderwasser heritage and family tree literally and figuratively being from and working in Cincinnati. I’m not a musician but I know that Dave is “the man” among men in the guitar restoration world and unusual instrument construction. Solo start to finish. By hand.
Cory Bennion of DANK bags is one more guy that’s on the right track right here in Seattle. He’s often referred to by me as “one of the guys down at DANK bags” but let me remind you he is the only guy. He’s a one-man operation, start to finish, one of kind, one at a time.
There’s a Steel Wool song that says “I’m a simple man, I like to work with my hands” and if I could find it online I’d take you there because I am and I do.
I like to silkscreen things onto T-shirts and hoodies and thriftstore merino wool sweaters. People sometimes would ask me to make them t-shirts with specific designs and logos on them for alley cats or special events and I used to say OK. But now I say these are the shirts I make and you can take them or leave them. A Hobson’s choice. A pilderwasser choice. Order any foo-foo espresso drink you want and I’ll smile and serve you up a cup of black coffee. It was never about making a living or making a profit it was about making a shirt I would be proud to wear.
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