MWA Heritage belt completed

I'm not sure if anyone reads this thing or not, but, if you are, please be sure to check out the pictures of the MWA Heritage belt I just completed: http://www.nickelographics.com/belts/customsgallery.htm

There were a few things on this belt that were firsts for me. First off – and this is a big one – I tried my hand at doing some 24k gold plating. As you can see in the photo I've included, the "dual plated" silver/gold combo looks pretty sharp. It's not an easy process, but it definitely adds to a belt, and is a very popular option. Full dual-plating services are now available on all belts.

Another first for me on this belt is the MWA logo that I hand-carved into the leather. It was another time-consuming process, but certainly a welcome addition to any belt that doesn't have a "logo plate". I will also be offering this service on all belts going forward.

All in all, this is a nicely crafted 5 plate, dual-plated championship belt that is even nicer in person than it is in the photos. Please be sure to contact me at mike@nickelographics.com if you wish to order a custom belt for your wrestling, boxing, or mixed martial arts promotion. These custom belt will also make a fine addition to a personal collection or as a creative award for just about any competition.

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog, and feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Mike

Introduction

I'm not really a blog-guy, but I figured this would be a good place to share news, show off new stuff, and allow you to get a glimpse inside the twisted mind of a man who prances around in a wrestling mask and calls himself "Papi".

I'm assuming you found this blog through my custom championship belt page; if not, you can check it out here.

I guess I should start by talking about my belt idol, Reggie Parks. Reggie is "The King of Belts" and the very reason that I got into this. As a kid, I can vividly remember all these larger-than-life wrestling superstars fighting for or defending championship belts made by Reggie Parks. I can also remember how badly I wanted to hold one of those bad boys (the belts, not the wrestlers). I figured the only way I'd ever get my hands on one was to become a professional wrestler and work my way up the ladder. Unfortunately, I have two left feet and a strict no-weightlifting policy, so that idea was out the window.

I sadly accepted the fact that I'd never get to wear one of those beautiful titles. Cardboard belts and cheesy replicas would have to do...

Well, you can imagine my joy when I learned, as an adult, that I could just *buy* a championship belt made by Reggie Parks. And buy one I did! Here's a photo of that beauty:



Well, as much as I love my Reggie "Winged Eagle," I still felt that I needed more -- I needed to create. So I started designing belts, and that was fine for a while. Then I started messing around with leather. Eventually I worked my way toward creating my own belts. I'm still very much a rookie, but I'm working hard to improve my skills. You can see photos of my work on my website, if you haven't already.

And that's my story. I'm a full-time graphics/web designer and a part-time championship belt-maker. I'm also a full-time husband and father, which is definitely my most important job.

My goal is to earn a living from making belts some day, but I realize it's a long, hard road, and my chances for success are probably slim. But I'm just getting started and I'm very confident in my abilities. I may never be "the next Reggie Parks", but I will certainly give it my best try.

It's either that or start hitting the gym.

I think I'll stick to making belts.

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