Dan Matsuda

Posted by Ryan Jan 18, 2022 at 12:13 PM and filed under Projects

Updated on Jan 18, 2022 at 12:13 PM

I have a thing for watching other people work in mediums that I’m not experienced with. Last year, I dove down a rabbit hole of YouTube leather workers and though I’ve never worked with leather in my life, I feel like I know the tools and working environments pretty well as a result. It all just sort of fascinated me…

Anyway and as some of you might know, I am also an “every day carry” geek and a bag nerd. In that world, a guy named Dan Matsuda is pretty much a royal celebrity. He’s won all sorts of awards for his design work for companies like Triple Aught Design and others.

But, he also runs a little side business where he hand makes pouches and bags and sells them in limited batches on his personal website. It all brings crazy money, so I’ve never bought any of it… just admired from a far.

Recently, I found a little video of Dan making one of his packs from start to finish. And while I’m not certain this footage shows off the legendary quality that he is now famous for, there’s no denying that it is fun to watch – even if you aren’t into tailoring of any kind.

Check it out:

View thread (31 replies)

NUTTSGT

Super Moderator

Staff member

Jan 18, 2022

What's the deal with making stuff out of rice bags ? I have seen that done before but never knew why.

Ryan

Administrator

Staff member

Jan 18, 2022

NUTTSGT said:
What's the deal with making stuff out of rice bags ? I have seen that done before but never knew why.

That particular brand of rice bag is made out of a Dyneema that is crazy light and really, really durable. Most bags made out of Dyneema are very expensive.... So, it's sort of a middle finger to all of that.... I think...

NUTTSGT

Super Moderator

Staff member

Jan 19, 2022

Never heard of that stuff either, might have to Google it.

Some of those pouches he makes are cool but wow, crazy prices.

Sumboodie

Well-known member

Jan 19, 2022

So he makes rice bag holsters???

Maybe I'm a little slow, I'm not tracking what "everyday carry" has to do with a rice bag.

Dogmeat

Well-known member

Jan 19, 2022

This whole thread is a mystery to me....duzzn't make any hot damn sense....

Ryan

Administrator

Staff member

Jan 19, 2022

Sumboodie said:
So he makes rice bag holsters???

Maybe I'm a little slow, I'm not tracking what "everyday carry" has to do with a rice bag.

Dogmeat said:
This whole thread is a mystery to me....duzzn't make any hot damn sense....

Ok... You are aware that there is a group of people that obsess over what they carry in their pockets every day, right? It's become so prevalent online that it's sort of annoying for some people. There are message boards, Facebook groups, popular hashtags, websites, etc... all dedicated to the **** people carry with them every day and the things they use to carry this ****.

Anyway, because so many people are into EDC, there's a pretty healthy market for vendors and creators to capitalize on. Most of the companies supplying this market with innovation are really just dudes in their garages and shops making things like knives, wallets, pens, and bags.

One of these guys is Dan Matsuda. In fact, he is sort of a legend in the bag making world because his stuff is made in the USA in his own little shop, he has an incredible attention for detail, and he uses both innovative and really, really durable materials. His legend has grown so much, in fact, that his prices have outgrown the normal man... and only those that are really obsessed with this stuff can justify buying it. Luxury goods to a point...

But the reason I liked this video was because for those of us that know who he is, can appreciate the way that he works - his patterns, tools, techniques, etc... are interesting to see... to me anyway...

I have this thing of jumping down rabbit holes and discovering disciplines that I know nothing about. I think it's quite fun... Broadens my horizons a bit I guess...

Grokew

Well-known member

Jan 19, 2022

I really like this. For some reason leathercrafting, sewing, and woodworking videos make me feel at peace.

Tman

Well-known member

Jan 19, 2022

Ryan said:
That particular brand of rice bag is made out of a Dyneema that is crazy light and really, really durable. Most bags made out of Dyneema are very expensive.... So, it's sort of a middle finger to all of that.... I think...

Yup, Dyneema is super popular within the fast packing, bikepacking, ultra running and pack rafting communities. Ounces count and these folks are many times HOURS or DAYS from civilization. A whole lotta DIY as you said.

DIY / Make Your Own Gear (MYOG)

www.bikepacking.net

vavet

Well-known member

Jan 19, 2022

Everyday carry doesn't have anything to do with firearms, does it?

Ryan

Administrator

Staff member

Jan 19, 2022

vavet said:
Everyday carry doesn't have anything to do with firearms, does it?

That’s a part of it. Yes.

FredWanaker

Well-known member

Jan 19, 2022

meanwhile the supply side problems continue because too many focus on fun things rather than the supply side of putting food etc on the table. I heard today that a friend has once again moved onto a new career, taking junked Tesla's, gutting them and putting the parts in sports cars.

LB-1911

ALLIANCE MEMBER

Jan 19, 2022

vavet said:
Everyday carry doesn't have anything to do with firearms, does it?

Maybe this will shed some light on the topic for you.
:see:

What does EDC Mean? - AllOutdoor.com

If you’re like me, your monthly routine involves youtube searches for “August 2013 EDC Update,” to see what people are carrying in their pockets or on their belts everyday. It interests me, it always has, and it is also the way I got into gear/knives to begin with. The image above shows what I …

www.alloutdoor.com

Ryan

Administrator

Staff member

Jan 19, 2022

FredWanaker said:
meanwhile the supply side problems continue because too many focus on fun things rather than the supply side of putting food etc on the table. I heard today that a friend has once again moved onto a new career, taking junked Tesla's, gutting them and putting the parts in sports cars.

I bet you’re a lot of fun to party with.

Note: This is a joke. Only kidding. Not meant to hurt feelings.

FredWanaker

Well-known member

Jan 19, 2022

Ryan said:
I bet you’re a lot of fun to party with.

Note: This is a joke. Only kidding. Not meant to hurt feelings.

no offense taken. I love artistic things, including the diversion from everyday mundane. I had just gotten off the phone with someone who is trying to rebuild a 40 year old foreign transmission and he was sharing some experiences trying to find people who work on those because it was a lot more complex than he thought it would be. Everyone has retired and both he and I were wondering who will do that type work now for the average guy or gal who needs it done. Somehow the idea of a guy making things from rice bags struck me as "is this more of what we need right now?"

Last edited: Jan 19, 2022

Ryan

Administrator

Staff member

Jan 19, 2022

FredWanaker said:
no offense taken. I love artistic things, including the diversion from everyday mundane. I had just gotten off the phone with someone who is trying to rebuild a transmission and he was sharing some experiences trying to find people who work on that type product. Everyone has retired and both he and I were wondering who will do that type work now. We also are concerned because the average person starting out today lacks the attention span needed to make a career of anything - hence empty shelves and many months wait to get normal things. I remember watching some folks in their 20's be interviewed a while back - they were looking for work and one job available was that of a machinist apprentice at a nearby factory. Every one of the 20 year olds said that while the job paid well, $80K a year, they didn't want to be like their parents who had to get up every morning to report to a job like that, work all day, and come home at 5 to do it again the next day. They wanted something that paid well but they could take time to play more. Somehow the idea of a guy making things from rice bags struck me as "is this what we need right now?"

Feels a bit like hunting for frustration.

I personally think you are barking up the wrong tree when pointing fingers at people that work with their hands - no matter what they are making. Making as an act in general is something that has been on the decline for sometime... and I personally applaud folks willing to get out in the shop, put the work in, gain the experience, and make something from raw materials with their own hands. To me, that's beautiful.

As for Matsuda, he's a talented craftsman... and the world would be a better place if more people valued that sort of thing over saving a buck, buying from Walmart, etc...

As for the limited supply chain capability, I think it's a HUGE stretch to blame that on something like the EDC market or guys building stuff for fun in their shop.

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FMB4

Well-known member

Jan 19, 2022

Quote from Fredwanaker: "I remember watching some folks in their 20's be interviewed a while back - they were looking for work and one job available was that of a machinist apprentice at a nearby factory. Every one of the 20 year olds said that while the job paid well, $80K a year,"

I'm calling baloney on your statement above.

LeonardY

Well-known member

Jan 19, 2022

Ryan said:
As for Matsuda, he's a talented craftsman... and the world would be a better place if more people valued that sort of thing over saving a buck, buying from Walmart, etc...

And there is the problem in a nutshell.
Everyone wants something cheap but at the highest quality.

But back to Dan Matsuda. I enjoy his crafting and design. Mastering a sewing machine is like mastering any other power tool. There so many adjustments and variables. Being great at it takes time.
I was taught how to sew by my mother and grandmother. My mom used to take me to the fabric store where I would look at patterns and then beg her to sew me costumes. I managed a batman suit once.

Thanks Ryan for sharing.

FredWanaker

Well-known member

Jan 19, 2022

FMB4 said:
Quote from Fredwanaker: "I remember watching some folks in their 20's be interviewed a while back - they were looking for work and one job available was that of a machinist apprentice at a nearby factory. Every one of the 20 year olds said that while the job paid well, $80K a year,"

I'm calling baloney on your statement above.

call BS all you want but we watched the interviews. I don't lie.

gahrajmahal

Well-known member

Jan 19, 2022

Starting in the van culture of the 70s I was exposed to lots of creative sewing be it tuck and roll, diamond pleats, tonneau covers and boat interiors. I was never the upholsterer, but was called into service many times to cover seats, armrests and door panels. I did install many a vinyl roof.

I was allowed to work on my own projects using the walking foot machines just like the video. I completed many a sewing project. The video was fun to watch.

Ryan

Administrator

Staff member

Jan 19, 2022

FredWanaker said:
call BS all you want but we watched the interviews. I don't lie.

I don't think anyone is accusing you of lying at all man.

As for interviews, I can find plenty of 50+ year olds that don't want to work as well. Point being, I think it's unfair to label a whole generation of people as slackers, a genre of making as unproductive, and a market as silly because of some cherry picked interviews.

Everyone has a perspective. That's yours... And that's cool. I'm just showing a counter point is all.

metlmunchr

Well-known member

Jan 20, 2022

Ryan, you really need to add a compound walking foot sewing machine to your repertoire of tools so you can sew your own on anything from rice bags to cowhide. I picked up a low mileage used one about a year ago, and once I added a servo motor so that it doesn't run at 200 MPH, it's been a really enjoyable hobby. Just imagine the satisfaction of taking an $8 HF tarp and turning it into a custom fitted cover for the John Deere grass grinder for those times when it has to sit outside for a few days to make more room in the garage

I'm 70 years old, and I get really tired of listening to other geezers carrying on about how useless and lazy the younger generations are. If a person looks at it objectively, they'd see a fairly equal distribution of dead asses across all generations, but a lot of so-called news seems to have an agenda of blowing smoke up the butts of geezers via the use of cherry picked "testimonials" designed to confirm their opinions that they're superior to anyone and everyone from a younger generation.

Ryan

Administrator

Staff member

Jan 21, 2022

metlmunchr said:
Ryan, you really need to add a compound walking foot sewing machine to your repertoire of tools so you can sew your own on anything from rice bags to cowhide. I picked up a low mileage used one about a year ago, and once I added a servo motor so that it doesn't run at 200 MPH, it's been a really enjoyable hobby. Just imagine the satisfaction of taking an $8 HF tarp and turning it into a custom fitted cover for the John Deere grass grinder for those times when it has to sit outside for a few days to make more room in the garage

I'm 70 years old, and I get really tired of listening to other geezers carrying on about how useless and lazy the younger generations are. If a person looks at it objectively, they'd see a fairly equal distribution of dead asses across all generations, but a lot of so-called news seems to have an agenda of blowing smoke up the butts of geezers via the use of cherry picked "testimonials" designed to confirm their opinions that they're superior to anyone and everyone from a younger generation.

YES!!! I want to do this…

I want one of those old cast iron Singers… Seems like you can pick them up pretty affordably?

Ryan

Administrator

Staff member

Jan 24, 2022

So... somewhat incredibly, a really nice guy decided I deserved a Dan Matsuda pouch and sent it to me. Check it out:

My thoughts? Quality and craftsmanship is off the charts. I mean... I don't have a lot of experience with really well made carry goods from luxury brands, but I've never really seen anything like this... ever... It's sooo good and it's very obvious that Dan Matsuda gives a ****. He gives all kinds of ****.

Is it worth $200? To the normal guy, I'd say no... because he's not gonna get $200 of functionality out of it. But man, I get the hype amongst bag nerds.

somebody

New member

Jan 24, 2022

One of the things on my regular skimming list to read is the Reddit MYOG (Make Your Own Gear) sub-reddit. Some of the packs and things those folks are making are incredible, and the Wiki is a great resource to figure out what kind of machine you need and some of the other basics. I also recently ordered both a "sample kit" and a "ZPP bag" from ripstopbytheroll.com which is catering to people making their own gear, you can get some pretty interesting fabrics online (and the sample kit lets me hold them in my hand so I can figure out what I want to do with them...)

Make Your Own Gear • r/myog

Join our community to learn and share how you make your own gear (MYOG). Tents, tarps, hammocks, stoves, packs and anything else you can think of...

old.reddit.com

and

Fabrics and Materials to Make Your Own Gear or Grow Your Business.

As DIYers, we were tired of settling for generic fabrics while big companies had access to all the good stuff. So we launched Ripstop by the Roll - an online community for makers to find the world's best materials - plus the knowledge on how to use them - to successfully make their own gear or...

ripstopbytheroll.com

username2

Well-known member

Jan 24, 2022

I've had an unhealthy fascination with instrument cases for some time.

With saxophones, most of the kind of cool ones are 'gig bag' style, also known as the 'instrument repairers friend'.

You think there'd be more of this (now unavailable):

GL Cases – Leather Case for Alto Saxophone, Q Series, (GLQ1 ASLB), Brown : Amazon.co.uk: Musical Instruments & DJ

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders of £20 or more. Buy GL Cases – Leather Case for Alto Saxophone, Q Series, (GLQ1 ASLB), Brown at Amazon UK.

www.amazon.co.uk

Alternately, it would be cool if Pelican made a case that was well suited to either a tenor or alto sax (with a foam insert of course).

Zippercat

Well-known member

Jan 28, 2022

Ryan said:
So... somewhat incredibly, a really nice guy decided I deserved a Dan Matsuda pouch and sent it to me. Check it out:

My thoughts? Quality and craftsmanship is off the charts. I mean... I don't have a lot of experience with really well made carry goods from luxury brands, but I've never really seen anything like this... ever... It's sooo good and it's very obvious that Dan Matsuda gives a ****. He gives all kinds of ****.

Is it worth $200? To the normal guy, I'd say no... because he's not gonna get $200 of functionality out of it. But man, I get the hype amongst bag nerds.

Cool! Can you add some more pics and point out some of the features? I know absolutely nothing about this EDC stuff, but it looks like an interesting rabbit hole.

Ryan

Administrator

Staff member

Jan 28, 2022

Zippercat said:
Cool! Can you add some more pics and point out some of the features? I know absolutely nothing about this EDC stuff, but it looks like an interesting rabbit hole.

You can see a ton of detailed images of this pouch here:

Article 116 — DAN MATSUDA

A hand made organizer pouch, built from VX21. Features a front horizontal pocket for phone or tool storage. These items are made to order. Please allow 2-4 weeks for shipping. 2 Sizes available: STANDARD & SLIM STANDARD Dimensions: 9.5” x 5.5” x 3” Rear elastic retention s

danmatsuda.com

What makes them special is the build quality and the materials. This one is made out of vx21 X-pac. It's weirdly light, really durable, and waterproof. The interior is just super detailed - pockets, elastic holsters, and **** like that everywhere. And it's all just stitched beautifully. Sort of reminds me of really good car upholstery? I guess cuz that's the world I'm used to judging as far as craftsmanship.

Old Bill

Well-known member

Mar 16, 2023

Ryan said:
Ok... You are aware that there is a group of people that obsess over what they carry in their pockets every day, right? It's become so prevalent online that it's sort of annoying for some people. There are message boards, Facebook groups, popular hashtags, websites, etc... all dedicated to the **** people carry with them every day and the things they use to carry this ****.

Anyway, because so many people are into EDC, there's a pretty healthy market for vendors and creators to capitalize on. Most of the companies supplying this market with innovation are really just dudes in their garages and shops making things like knives, wallets, pens, and bags.

One of these guys is Dan Matsuda. In fact, he is sort of a legend in the bag making world because his stuff is made in the USA in his own little shop, he has an incredible attention for detail, and he uses both innovative and really, really durable materials. His legend has grown so much, in fact, that his prices have outgrown the normal man... and only those that are really obsessed with this stuff can justify buying it. Luxury goods to a point...

But the reason I liked this video was because for those of us that know who he is, can appreciate the way that he works - his patterns, tools, techniques, etc... are interesting to see... to me anyway...

I have this thing of jumping down rabbit holes and discovering disciplines that I know nothing about. I think it's quite fun... Broadens my horizons a bit I guess...

For Christmas ⎌my son got me an EDC flashlight. Really nice but it has been sitting on the kitchen counter since Christmas. I can’t stand carrying anything. I have no cell phone and even spare change in my pocket annoys me. I was also given a Leatherman with a case and its lost in my dresser. I readily admit that I am a dinosaur!

cgrutt

Well-known member

Mar 17, 2023

Ryan said:
So... somewhat incredibly, a really nice guy decided I deserved a Dan Matsuda pouch and sent it to me. Check it out:

My thoughts? Quality and craftsmanship is off the charts. I mean... I don't have a lot of experience with really well made carry goods from luxury brands, but I've never really seen anything like this... ever... It's sooo good and it's very obvious that Dan Matsuda gives a ****. He gives all kinds of ****.

Is it worth $200? To the normal guy, I'd say no... because he's not gonna get $200 of functionality out of it. But man, I get the hype amongst bag nerds.

Interesting thread for sure and I look forward to watching videos. Admittedly I know nothing about Dan Matsuda or his work. My dad was an executive in the textile industry back in the 70s and 80s and he spent a ton of money on his suits. I always thought he was a bit crazy but he pointed out the seams on a $x,*** suit vs a $*** suit and said the pattern will always match at the seams. He obsessed over that stuff. First thing I noticed about the bag posted above was the pattern was off on the main panel. It sort of transitions on one side to lower panel that spans the main one but is really mismatched on the main panel. That sort of thing would have driven my dad nuts lol. It also looks like there is a tab of cut fabric that is not hemmed at the top of that panel. Just an observation I'm sure it is a great bag but not the sort of craftsmanship and attention to detail I'd expect to see for a "luxury" item.

Unrelated to any of this I still have to make sure all the slots on screwheads are oriented the same direction on wall plates etc, I'm sure a trait inherited from my dad lol.

I have been considering pulling the trigger on a Juki 1541 to tackle reupholstering my boat so am extremely interested in this topic.

metlmunchr

Well-known member

Mar 17, 2023

cgrutt said:
I have been considering pulling the trigger on a Juki 1541 to tackle reupholstering my boat so am extremely interested in this topic.

If you buy a Juki, be sure to get the 1541S model rather than the standard 1541. The S model has a safety clutch in the underneath drive mechanism while the standard one does not. The safety clutch allows the machine to "pop out of gear" in the case of a bad thread jam or other condition that causes the drive mechanism to become jammed. Without the clutch, such a jam can cause serious damage to the machine, or at a minimum likely cause the machine to get out of time which often requires a pro machine mechanic to correct.

Funny thing is, the safety clutch has been standard fare on the major brands of walking foot machines such as Juki, Consew, and Singer for years. Why Juki decided to leave it off the original 1541 is sort of a head scratcher.