My name is Charles Stewart Biegel.
I grew up a hard core farm boy about 20 min south of Grande Prairie, Alberta in a small community called Grovedale.
We had almost every type of animal you could imagine!
Everything from Yaks to cats and everything in between.
One beautiful summer morning, when I was 12 years old, I woke up to the rooster crowing and the rays of the sun shining in through my bedroom window.
I threw off the covers, jumped out of bed, stretched and yawned just like a farm boy would do.
I went over to the hanger behind my door, grabbed my trousers and slipped them on.
I stuck my trusty leather belt through the buckle, and as I tried to pull it tight, It couldn't quitttteee reach the very last hole!
It was the old leather belt my Dad gave me as a little kid.
“I must have finally outgrown this good old leather belt in my last growth spurt” I thought to myself.
“What should I do now”?
I tried many other belts in hopes they would last in keeping my pants up, only to have them fall apart after a few months and leave me looking like a joke!
What a pain, and how frustrating.
I didn't like looking like a joke!
Somehow the good old leather belt my Dad gave me years before was different.
What was it? It seemed to never wear!
It only ever got better with age.
I only became more proud of it the more I wore it!
It had sorta become part of me.
I’ve got to say, it was a very sad day for me when it didn't fit any longer.
So I decided to just keep it as a relick.
Something that told my story, stories of all the wonderful hunting, trapping, farming and little kid adventures I had had up to that point.
My family was very musical and we did many music tours across Canada.
On one of our tours, we landed in an old museum church down in Coaldale, Alberta Canada.
It was there that I met the real Grandpa of my life.
A 79 year old gentleman by the name of Andy Mccallm.
Old school as I’ll get out, with a heart as big as a house!
In his own words towards me, “I saw you and instantly knew there was something different about you. I knew you would soar to great heights in time to come”.
We instantly bonded and cultivated a solid relationship that intime, would lead me to places I never dreamed were possible.
He had been a leather-smith since the age of 16. A hard core, old school farm boy just like myself!
We had so much in common… except for the 67 years of difference ;)
As I'm sure you can imagine, he knew the tricks of the trade like the back of his hand!
As I was always very intent on learning every new skill possible, I immediately took great interest in the trade.
He was over the moon to share his knowledge with me, in hopes of one day passing on the dying art of Old World Leathersmith to someone young and ambitious as myself.
After all, It was his life's passion.
Our relationship was not without problems.
He lived in Lethbridge, and I in Grovedale. About a distance of 1,000 kms.
Whenever possible, I worked with him either down in his leather shop, or he would come up and work with me in my leather shop.
We spent many hours talking over the phone of “the good old days” way back when he was young.
As we worked and talked together, our relationship grew and I naturally took on the passion of an old world leathersmith.
So he passed down the trade, along with many of his tools that had been used for decades before my time—most of which I still use today
I became a natural artist at the trade and never looked back!
After about a year of getting into the trade, word got out and many other hard working men started coming to me for those leather belts that had something “different” about them.
Belts they could be proud of, that would keep their pants up without making them look like a joke!
So I made it a priority to test and critique designs and materials that would make the ultimate, “old world” leather belt, fit be the right hand companion of any hard working man.
It took much trial and error.
I went through many types and qualities of leather and hardware.
But I did finally succeed in reaching the pinnacle of quality, design and craftsmanship.
I call it “The Man Belt”.
I have now been in the trade long enough to know without a doubt, there is no other belt in Canada made to the quality and craftsmanship standards of these belts.
A belt designed specifically for the hard working man.
I say this with complete pride and confidence knowing how hard to come by true quality and personal touch is in today's world.
It’s a belt that’s different then all the rest.
A belt that seems to never wear.
A belt that only gets better with age.
A belt you only get prouder of the more I wear.
A belt that will sorta become part of you.
A belt that will become a relic in years to come.
The belt that will hold all your life’s stories and adventures baked into it.
Now, I see that my story has only just begun.
This journey so far would not have been possible without the great influence of my dear Grandpa Andy as well as the support of each of my parents and siblings.
I give all the glory to my Heavenly father for all that he has done in my life and the journey he has set me on.
As a young man, I continue to prepare for one day getting married and raising a beautiful family of my own.
A family with strong moral standards that will make a difference in our fast changing world.
I look forward to serving you in a way you’ve never been served before.
When you think Stewart, think “different”.
If your pants stay put, thank me later. If they don’t, you’ve got bigger problems ;)
Written by Charles Stewart Biegel.
Owner and founder of Stewart Leather.
