D.I.Y., greasy hands, and fueled by passion
Weld Burn started as an outlet, a creative outlet for me to get away from the mundane daily grind and design gearhead related products. The initial outcome of my efforts were simple t-shirt designs. Eventually Weld Burn grew and changed to include handmade leather goods. The core of the project has remained the same all the while and will always remain the same, build quality gearhead related products that have the same attention to detail, the same care, the same passion that you the client would put into your own projects.
The beauty of the gearhead world is that while its most closely associated with cars and hot-rods it really involves so much more. To me being a gearhead is more about the D.I.Y. side over the specific application. The Weld Burn catalog is filled with items designed for gearheads by a gearhead and produced by a gearhead; from my custom handmade leather motorcycle half masks to the individually pressed and custom designed apparel I work hard to create what I see others clamoring for.
The market for motorcycle masks is a unique one. There are those that don’t want a mask, those that do, those that think the idea of a mask is absolutely insane, and then there are those crazy people that have claustrophobic problems and probably shouldn’t wear a mask. I love the feel of wind on my face. I love the raw feeling of riding a motorcycle. I do not love taking a pebble to the face at 70mph. I don’t love catching a bug on my lip at 60mph. I also hate riding up behind an RV that is dripping who knows what kinda liquid onto the road that is splashing up into my mouth. I decided that I wanted a mask for those times where riding conditions where less than ideal. The line of Weld Burn motorcycle masks are all based around a traditional half mask design and are intended to be work with half helmets, aka ‘Brain Buckets’. Before cutting the maks blank from the larger shoulder of leather I inspect the surface for imperfections and position my patterns to avoid scars or other blemishes that could affect the finished product. The masks are then tooled or if a smooth finish is desired it goes straight into water forming. Using only top brand dyes and finishes the mask is detailed out, sealed, and then loaded with a single rounded edge plastic buckle on nylon straps. The single rounded buckle is comfortable and is easy to manage with our without gloves, which as any motorcyclist knows is a major bonus. All of this combined with a closed cell foam liner that is wrapped with a famously durable bandanna makes for mask that is strong, easy to use and wear, and also stylish. Visual designs for the half masks available on the Weld Burn website are unique designs I’ve developed and won’t be found anywhere else.
Similar to my motorcycle masks the line of gearhead apparel available from Weld Burn is custom designed for those with inclinations towards things powered by engines and wrenching. The very core of a gearhead is covered in grease just like the knuckles of his hands. I’m a gearhead first and all other things second. Each design available as part of the apparel offerings here are Weld Burn are designed to speak the very core of what it means to be a gearhead, a grease monkey, a wrench jockey. Each product is pressed individually one at a time as you order them. I don’t sit on big stocks of shirts hoping to sell them and marking them down and down as they get old and stale.
They call me Zombie Jake, an ironic nickname in that zombies kinda freak me out. I am a long time gearhead having wrenched for years in small home garages with under stocked toolboxes and nonexistent budgets but fueled by true passion for horsepower, and Coca Cola… lots of coke.
