Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Bitchin' Beer Taps

Next time ya grab a beer in yer local pub, see if the taps are this cool. Gotta love Swiss design, here at the El Dorado bar in Biel, Switzerland.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Wrench Works - Current Chop Build

Check out the paint just laid down on the tins for a new bike over at Wrench Works. Lookin' Good!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Random Findings in Spain

Life is all about finding randomness. Personally I enjoy getting lost, or rather just exploring new roads and places without fear of getting off the beaten path. With that in mind, I found these two interesting slices of motorcycle culture. While in Orihuela, Spain I was walking down the street and found a "Cafe Racer" bar inspired by the Harley crest logo. Wish it was open as I could have checked the place out. Then in a music venue in Valencia, Spain in a backroom was this low budget Kawasaki hardtail chop. It was quite crappy but still, a random chopper in a random backstage dressing room is always cool in my book.


Wednesday, January 20, 2010

"Rock N' Roll Will Break You Up"

I am always fascinated by the writing on the walls. Whether it be the random folks leaving perverted messages in bathroom stalls or people trying to give color to urban blight, messages are to be found everywhere. Here are a few found recently on tour in Europe...






Tuesday, January 19, 2010

The Bottle Rockets

How random is life, we are on tour in Bilbao, Spain and Crank County Daredevils get to share the stage with a band that I have been wanting to see for years. The Bottle Rockets are an alt country band outta St. Louis, Missouri. Good luck to the rest of the tour fellas and looking forward to seeing ya stateside again!

The Bottle Rockets - main site

The Bottle Rockets - myspace

Crank County Daredevils - Lille, France

Here is a link to some killer photos from one of the bands that we work with, the Crank County Daredevils. We like to call it "Southern Sleaze" but with a band pushin' amps and drum heads as hard as this, they will be known world wide very very soon.

Crank County Daredevils - Lille France, photos by Janick

Old School - A Caruna, Spain - Biker Bar

If you ever find yourself in the seaside town of A Caruna, Spain do yourself a favor and head over the the bar called "Old School". Didn't get to speak too indepth with the owner due to the language barrier of my "spanglish" but he is a biker and knows whats up. Lets just say, we all dug his pub and had a great time hangin' out. Besides the great photos on the walls, all the guitars and numerous accoutrements are truly make a killer vibe. Check out his norton 850 Commando inside the bar.



Sunday, January 17, 2010

Hold Fast

Hey folks, hold fast, found this piece of graffiti that sums up the lack of posts. Currently on tour with Crank County Daredevils in Europe and only able to do blog updates when I get a good internet connection. In the interim, have a look at the travel photos on our flickr page. Stay Tuned and Rock Out!

Rusty Knuckles on Flickr



hows this for dedication... thank ya Dime City Cycles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Chainlink Extreme 4x4

Oh how we do enjoy all things mechanical and after finding this engineering marvel on youtube I want to know why the Discovery channel isn't featuring this builder. The new show called Howe On Howe Tech is quite interesting with the twin brothers building all sorts of tank and off road vehicles but the engineering on this four wheeler is just way cooler. Check out the video and see how well it can articulate terrain that would even give hikers a hard time.

Tattoo Your Eyes

So you get a tattoo of barb wire around your arm and a few letters of Kanji and think your knowledgeable of the world and instantly bad ass. Well I say up the ante and do what a few inmates are doing to shake things up. Tattoo your eyes with some unrevealed process and don't worry about getting the trendy color contacts to alter the look of your dna. Kinda hard to believe but proof is in the puddin'!

Skateboard Patents

Woke up with the intention to figure out some ideas on frames on the current motorcycle build and imagine what happened, a google search lead me somewhere else entirely. My plan was to look at old pistols for engraving along with the barrel construction to get some ideas for a metal texture and or coloration. Somehow I stumbled across patents for old skateboard construction. It truly makes me smile a wide grin to think of how far skateboarding has come and of my wish that I was 18 forever. To be able to wake up with no major plans but to skate and realize that the biggest goal of the day is to do that one trick that makes you feel utterly alive. This goes out to you backside lipslide, you still haunt me.



Thursday, January 7, 2010

Sanctity - Asheville, NC Pt. 2

Another great band outta Asheville, NC that was on Roadrunner Records, abruptly dropped on tour leaving them at the gates of the Canadian border. Quite shitty, but that is how many labels tend to operate these days, they forget that the bands put the food on the table. Unfortunately Sanctity folded soon after and I only got to see them one time opening up for Machine Head and Arch Enemy at the Warfield in San Francisco.

The Campaign 1984 - Asheville NC, Pt. 1

Saw these guys a few months back and they put a serious amount of energy into their live show. Soild dudes and another band that is helping to define a hotbed for music of all of genres, Asheville, NC, enjoy.


The Campaign 1984 - Myspace


Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Flickr - Japan Choppers Group

Became a fan of this group I found on Flickr called Japan Choppers. There are a great bunch of bikes on here that show some styles coming out of Japan along with various photos posted by a wide variety of folks. Browse around and get some ideas cook'n to be ready for the 2010 bike season. All photos from the Japan Choppers, flickr pool

Flickr - Japan Choppers

Flickr - Rusty Knuckles - Our Photo Hub





Honda cb650 - Spare Parts

Got a huge batch of spare parts from our last build, a 1979 - 1980 cb650. If anyone needs some parts just give a holler. Would like to get rid of everything as a basket case.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Home Depot - Xmas Gift Card

What could be better than a gift card for xmas. Its sort of as if you hit some mini lottery and get to go on a crazy shopping spree, well thats how I like to think of it. Knowing that Home Depot has certain tools, I had to plan my shopping spree accordingly and plotted out a few key items they carry. I am particularly fond of Ridgid tools as I have had a few and they are great quality. Their flexible air hose simply rocks and its 50 feet long, perfect for reaching anywhere in the shop. Also, really needed some mini propane tanks with an easy on/off switch for getting those pain in the ass bolts loose without breaking out an oxy acetylene torch. Or for that matter, the mini propane tanks make for great cigar lighters, haha. A few Dremel diamond edged tips were throw in for good measure as they are needed for some engraving projects. Last but not least are a heavy duty set of metal snips and a leather punch for the random projects that pop up. Special thanks go out to my N'Laws for the gift card. Now if my shop wasn't freezing I would be running downstairs to work on the new build. Damn cold in the dirty south with a garage that isn't heated.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Carlos The Amazing Backyard Inventor

Wasilla, “real America” Alaska is more than just Sarah Palin’s stomping ground and a natural-gas haven. Wasilla’s also the hometown of Carlos Owens, a man whose 20-foot robotic exoskeleton has flamethrower hands. An Air Force transplant and amateur inventor, Carlos makes the machines for which our inner seven year-olds never stop begging. While both his Hover Bike and Sky Bike need a few kinks worked out, but for a guy who draws blueprints in chalk on his driveway, Carlos’ progress is astounding. (taken from VBS.TV)

Sunday, January 3, 2010

It Might Get Loud

How often do you get three iconic guitar hero's in one room or to play together for that matter. Having Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White talk about their influences and the guitars that helped to define their sound is just killer. The stand out for me personally is Jack White of the White Stripes and Raconteurs fame. He comes across as a very humble individual and is in awe of what power music has on people, truly an old soul.

It Might Get Loud

Antique Diving Helmets

Being that I grew up in between the bay and the ocean and forever clambering to be at my grandfathers crab shanty, I have always been drawn to the water. What has really been catching my eye as of late after working on a new bike build are the designs of antique diving helmets. Whether it be the intricate metal work or the use of brass and copper to help deter rust, they are true works of craftsmanship. Gotta stop in the diving museum in Islamorada, Florida next time to see a few more up close. Take a look at the details within these and just imagine how the guys working underwater had to feel about gearing up for this, quite amazing.

Antique Diving Helmets - Photo Collection

Diving Museum - Islamorada, Florida