9’ Diamond Professional Custom Oak Tanned Pockets by Hood Leather

Slim Limpy said:
9’ Diamond Professional Custom Oak Tanned Pockets by Hood Leather

Ok, I wasn’t going to put up another thread about this table until I started to reassemble it but this deserves its own thread.

I received these today.

This is for a Diamond 9’ Professional that I way overpayed for and am in the midst of refurbishing/refinishing. I was had and bamboozled into it.

Anyway, this is a very early Diamond probably from the late 80’s/early 90’s. This table has the original ½” lips on the pockets which as far as my research and questioning goes haven’t been used since the very earliest days of Diamond. The pockets were apparently changed over to 1” pretty early on in their production. This table is early enough to practically be considered a prototype, and when I finally reassemble it and take pictures, I will demonstrate why I believe that is so.

According to someone at Diamond, this was pretty much made in their original “garage” [his word] before they had the production plant they have today.

The original pockets were disasters—really, really trashed. So I called Diamond and they referred me to Hood Leather Products in Milwaukee who made the original pockets. Well, lo and behold, I live in Milwaukee.

So I’se calls ‘em up and the sales manager says to me, he says to me, “We haven’t reconditioned those ½” lip pockets [meaning make new ones using the bare nylon frames from an old set] in over 6 years. We stopped doing those years ago. People didn’t know how to strip the pockets off the framing element and still keep them in usable condition.” He said they came in all melted and ragged from people who had no idea how to strip the old leather and studs off the nylon frame.

So I’se described my Diamond and what I’m doing (he loves the build of Diamond tables) and we chit-chats a while. Then I remember that I know someone who used to work at Hood and he remembers this person also. So he says that “If you strip it down properly and get the studs out without damaging the frame” he says to me, he says, “I’ll redo the set myself.”

Turns out he was the floor manager when these were in production at Hood and he’s the only one left who could even think about doing these pockets anymore. He looks up in his computer, and there it is, the pattern or whatever he needed to do the job.

I asked if he could do a tan or light brown leather and he said he’d give it a try but he might have to do it in the original dark brown if the Oak leather finish doesn’t let him mold the leather correctly.

So I got a call early this morning and I drove over there and picked them up today.

Well, he did them in Oak tan leather and he said they turned out excellent. He said no one at Hood has ever done a Diamond pocket in anything other than the standard dark brown or black ever. True Custom Diamond Pockets.

I sent the bill to Diamond and expect them to reimburse me for both my time and expenses for these pockets. “Next time” I says, “Why don’t you’se peoples put on some pockets that are gonna last, for gosh sake. What do you expect out of me?”

This table originally spent many a year in a Chicago Pool Hall somewhere and was dark Walnut stained Oak. I can’t stand stain unless no other options exist. So here’s a picture of the framing and rails all stripped and ready to put a finish on when I get to that stage.

These are probably the only Oak tanned leather Diamond pockets on the planet.

The leather still needs to be trimmed and some gluing is still needed before final assembly.


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Beautiful pockets! I've dealt with Alex at Hood Leather Goods for years. They are a quality company that will go the extra mile to try to satisfy all their customers. Their prices are extremely reasonable, despite the fact that they pretty much have a monopoly in the leather pocket market since RC Designs went out of business. Good luck getting reimbursed from Diamond for the bill!
 
Also In need of 2 sets rewrapped myself of the very first diamond pockets

Wow, I have also been going thru the same problem for 6 months and would love too get 2 sets redone.. Is there anyway you could give me the name of the manager and his contact number? Would really appreciate it... thanks Gotcues
 
Table

The first few diamond tables I believe those was made by stepleton billiards, if anyone knew the exacts of the origin of the table it would be Greg Sullivan.
Is there any identifications,stamps or numbers into the bottom side of the rails?
I think the diamond tables have been made since the 1980’s...


Rob.M
 
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