When “Average” Just Won’t Do: A Custom Leather Work Apron Befitting a Custom Woodworker
Meet a Maker:
Jevon Cheney of Cheney Concepts
“What I love most about my apron is that everything I need is on me at all times.”
Organization is very important to Jevon Cheney, a custom woodworker who makes everything from coasters to built-in cabinets.
With his Custom Leather Apron from Leather By Dragonfly, Jevon can quickly grab his favorite tools, without looking. They’re right there on the apron, all logically placed and within easy reach.
“What I love most about my apron is that everything I need is on me at all times,” says Jevon, 29, founder of Cheney Concepts in Upper Sandusky, Ohio.
That helps him work more efficiently — especially important for an entrepreneur. “I have quickly learned that time is money. If I can cut down even a few minutes, that helps,” he says.
Jevon also is thrilled that his bespoke work apron was designed to fit his 6-foot-5-inch frame perfectly. “Being of my stature, ‘average’ isn’t what fits me,” he says.
Jevon’s black-on-black leather shop apron does double duty. He wears it in his woodworking shop but also when he is involved in another passion: cooking. Jevon, who built his own smoker, has catered weddings and graduations.
He appreciates how the apron keeps him safe and clean. Sawdust “just falls right off’ the apron as he works, and the apron also protects him from anything that might fly off the firebox while he’s cooking.
Jevon’s affinity for craftsmanship may have started in childhood. His father owned a furniture store, and Jevon grew up going to Amish country and helping to pick up furniture to bring back to the store.
Although Jevon has always been creative, the kinesthetic part — working with his hands — came after college.
A special education teacher by trade, Jevon is largely self taught as a woodworker. He also brainstorms with his father, who used to do furniture restoration. His father lives next door.
Jevon started by making a lot of cutting boards for clients. “Late October to the end of December is just cutting board season,” says Jevon, who’s also done some metalwork. Within the past year, he’s gotten more into crafting cabinets and furniture.
“I enjoy working on things for the people,” he says. “I really like putting smiles on people’s faces. One of the ways to do that is to be able to take someone else’s idea and bring it to life for them.”
Jevon is a hybrid woodworker who works with both power and hand tools. His favorite tools include his track saw, “a pretty high-dollar sander” and his chisels.
Jevon received his Custom Leather Apron as a prize when he won a cutting board challenge by the “Woodshop 101” podcast.
Our process of creating a Custom Leather Apron is very collaborative. As we do with all Custom Leather Apron clients, we sent Jevon a canvas apron template.
During a video consultation, Jevon wore the canvas template and together we designed his apron. We gave him suggestions for tool placement, helped him think about which tools he really needed on him at all times, and gathered measurements to ensure the best possible fit.
The final product, which Jevon received a few weeks later, is versatile enough that he can swap out one category of tools for another, depending on his needs. Here’s his apron layout, along with his typical woodworking toolset:
large pocket on the chest for his cell phone
another front pocket, perfect for stashing a piece of paper with measurements written on it
next to the large pocket, an opening for a thick Sharpie marker or certain measuring gauges
on the other side of the large pocket, four pencil holders (Jevon uses three for pencils and one for a center punch)
beneath the pencils, a hidden magnet that can hold right-angle squares, bits, screws and other magnets
a large pocket on the belly, with a left-hand opening so he can hold a drill in his right hand and use his left to retrieve an extra towel, sand paper, a sanding block or a block plane from the pocket
a smaller half-circle pocket beneath the belly pocket, for holding screws
a sheath to hold his box cutter on the left side of the apron
a space for his 12-inch combination square beside the sheath
a rag D-ring, tape measure clip and another sheath for a marking knife on the right side of the apron
an extra D-ring at the top of the apron to hold his dust collection remote
an American flag pin
Jevon appreciates how comfortable the apron is, even fully filled with tools. The leather is durable, yet soft.
So, would Jevon recommend a bespoke leather apron from Leather By Dragonfly to other makers?
“Absolutely!” Jevon says. “You’re going to get exactly what you need for whatever your particular profession or hobby is.”
“My apron is the first thing I put on every day when I go out there,” he says. “It’s the most-used tool in my shop.”
Thank you, Jevon! We’re so glad your Custom Leather Apron is such a good fit for you!
To learn more about Jevon and see the amazing things he crafts from wood as well as his cooking creations, follow him on Instagram, @cheneyconcepts.