MK Custom Leather, Ponoka, AB (2026)

02/09/2026

Hey there folks!

I just wanted to start this off by thanking each and every one of you for the support over the last few years, especially in 2025. It was hands down my busiest year of leather projects, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that. However, as of today, my custom order books will be closed for the foreseeable future. There are some changes coming to my personal life that I’m incredibly excited about, however I’ve decided that trying to balance those changes and keep operating my leather business at the same time isn’t going to be practical.

I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve built of this little venture, and I don’t plan on being gone from leatherwork forever, but I can’t say what my return will look like or when it will happen.

If you have an order with me or we have spoken about your project, don’t panic. All projects that are currently on my books will be completed before I step away!

If you’re feeling like you missed out, I apologize. I debated heavily on when/how to announce this and settled on only doing so once I had my books filled with projects that would take me up to the date I have set to step away. I will be updating my website in the next week or two, with all pre built products I have in inventory, so there is still a chance to scoop something up for your own!

These pictures are just a few of my favourite projects I had the opportunity to work on over the last few years!

Once again, thank you all for your support over this incredible journey of mine! I would not be where I am today without it!

Sincerely,

Matt Korchinski - MK Custom Leather

12/30/2025

I’ve been patiently waiting to post these, but not as patiently as their new owner had to wait to unwrap them… thanks UPS…
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When Kelsey reached out to me, the initial plan was to build a wallet for her boyfriend for Christmas. He must’ve brought home flowers a few days later because she messaged me again asking if could build him a set of chinks instead, as he had lost his old pair in a house fire last spring. Absolutely!
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I got to put what I’d learned building my first pair of shotgun chaps to use, and learned a few new things with this pair, but I’m incredibly proud of the way they turned out!
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That’s a wrap for 2025 here at MK Custom Leather! I’ve got another day up north for work before it’s time to hop on a plane, head home, ring in the new year, and get started on my goals and projects already booked in for 2026!
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I want to send a giant thank you to all of my customers, new and returning for the support in 2025! It was the busiest year yet, and I’m looking forward to 2026!
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Sincerely,
Matt Korchinski - MK Custom Leather

12/28/2025

graduation jacket also deserves a place here on the timeline!
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I’m the kind of person who can look at a mud puddle and magically end up covered in it, so when I pulled this beautiful off white jacket out of its bag, I panicked a bit…
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I love getting requests that really make a project unique. Initials, brands, a certain type of flower or a name tucked into a project. Lots of these things however, are just an element that I add in without much thought. This brand was a little different though. I recognized it immediately, and felt honoured to be trusted enough to tool this onto a project!
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According to Jestin’s parents, Ty was always really good to Jestin as a youngster, and since starting to ride steers and bulls, he has found a way to have Ty’s brand on anything he has made!
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Thanks for the order and support Craig, Wendy and Jestin, and congratulations on your graduation! Stay safe and healthy down south while riding and going to school!
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**taintcoolandcools**taintcheap

12/27/2025

Trapped in a loader at my day job during “the void” between Christmas and New Years, so I figured what better time to go back and share some projects from 2025 that deserve their own place on the timeline!
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These grad shoes I had the pleasure of doing for .stewart were such a fun project. My first time attempting anything like this, but thankfully, there are tons of other leather workers who lead the way and have been building and posting custom leather Converse shoes, so it wasn’t anything a few reels and YouTube videos couldn’t help me figure out.
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I’m really proud of the way these turned out, despite the hassle it took to keep these things as clean as when they arrived in their box… WHO THE HELL BUYS WHITE SHOES!?
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Thank you for the support Jenalee, and congratulations on your graduation, and move into post secondary education!
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**taintcoolandcools**taintcheap

10/28/2025

Shaving kits were some of the very first projects I sold, and as I’ve progressed in my craft, they seem to come across my bench less and less often. Between wanting a brand on the shaving kit, and me having seen a technique I was dying to try, I took a bit of a shot in the dark and just ran with my idea!
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Rather than a simple “patch” with the brand tooled onto it, this brand is inlaid, over top of some nice thick veg tan pieces so the brand really pops out of the bag!
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I love how this shaving kit turned out, and having lit the fireplace for the first time this season, I couldn’t help but snap a couple pictures! It almost feels like a view you could share with someone on your Christmas list! 😉
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**taintcheapandcheaps**taintcool #

10/04/2025

Yesterday I put the finishing touches on the largest custom order I’ve taken to date. Had I ever built a pair of chaps before this? No. Had I ever even tried before this? Nope. Would I recommend this method? Probably not! Do they throw babies into swimming pools to teach them how so swim? Yep, so I suppose it’s not the worst way to learn!
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I would be curious to know the number of hours spent solely thinking about these and just trying to figure things out. Admittedly, I’m pretty stubborn and not great at asking for help, but when I was stumped and couldn’t peel anything out of the forums, YouTube or Google, I had to ask an expert! Thank you , if it weren’t for your gracious response and willingness to teach, I’d probably still be scratching my head wondering how to properly install the zippers on these!
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I’d love to build another pair in the near future, so if that’s something you’re into, shoot me a message!
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🇨🇦

09/08/2025

Proof of life.

It’s been a crazy summer between beating on leather, travelling the province playing music at rodeos, delivering chemical for work, and trying to slip in a bit of living in between it all.

Now’s a pretty damn good time to start thinking about Christmas! It’s coming quick!

1,2.)50/50 basket weave and floral belt tapered in width and thickness to fit customers personal custom buckle.
3.) Rear cinch cell phone pockets for the 2025 Reserve Champions for the Canadian Junior Cowboys Association.
4.) Basket weave belt with no flower border stamp and interior personalization.
5,6,7,8 and 9.) 3” full floral fashion waist belt. This one was a lot of fun to design and tool!
10.) Wedding shoes, belt and bouquet wrap for some friends who have been long time supporters!
11.) Custom collars for a pair of four legged friends!
12.) Custom rifle sling.
13.) Putting some miles on the old pencil, practicing my own floral designs and getting that piece ready for a large project I’ve had on the back burner for far too long.

Reach out through the website to get yourself a piece of workable, wearable art!

05/02/2025

An old project, but it seems fitting for where I’m at these days. Buckle up, this could get lengthy.

Back in 2022 when I was approached about building these trophy “bronc style” halters, I had never built one. That didn’t stop me from saying yes and taking on a challenge.

Hours of crunching numbers, borrowing a bronc halter from a local stock contractor, pictures, measurements, a cheap nylon halter to compare measurements from. At the end of all of that? My pricing was too high. So I sat down and went over the numbers again. I got my price as low as I could possibly get it without losing money. Accepted.

Okay, now I have to build not one of these things, but 11. Let’s rock and roll. I could try and count the hours worked over the week leading up to this rodeo, but it would be faster to subtract the hours I slept, seeing as I’m positive they could be counted by hand.

I got them done on time, with maybe a minute to spare, but I got it done. The committee was beyond pleased, and couldn’t say enough good things about them. While I loved every encouraging word from the fans who saw them on display, the committee, and the riders who won them, I could see the flaws, and didn’t think they were all too special.

A lot of words to say this… DID YOU KNOW PEOPLE JUST BUILD NOSE BANDS AND RIVET THEM ONTO NYLON HALTERS!?! I laughed out loud when nearly a year later I figured out that’s likely what they wanted!

Instead, they got completely hand made halters, 100% from scratch. No slap it on and call er good like the duct tape on your farm truck taillight.

That’s what you get with MK Custom Leather. The very best way that I can think to build something. I build belts differently than anyone else. I do console covers better than anyone else. Wallets? I’ve got ideas on how to execute those even better than I already do. Is it slower? Almost every time. Is it better because I took the time to think it over and re think it three more times? Undoubtably!

Whether I’ve built 100 or never before, I promise you’ll get the very best product I can provide, every time. Cheap s**t ain’t cool, and cool s**t takes time!

04/08/2025

Big thank you to everyone who took part in the giveaway with your likes, shares and comments! It means a ton to a small business like mine and it feels great to be able to celebrate and give back with something like this! Congratulations Courtney Hofer! I will be in touch shortly to get you your tickets and your custom belt sorted out!

03/17/2025

Announcement AND giveaway time!

I’ve had a week to process this being official and figure out what to do to celebrate! I will have a booth set up at the Wild West Trade Show at the 89th Ponoka Stampede this July Long Weekend, and I want you and a friend to enjoy the show and the vendors, while sporting a custom belt made by yours truly!

Up for grabs are 2 tickets to the 89th Ponoka Stampede for Saturday June 28th and a custom hand tooled belt! You’ll have the same seats for the afternoon rodeo performance and the evening show featuring WPCA chuckwagons, the Wild West PBR, and live concert by the Hillside Outlaws! You’ll also be able to come and check out the Wild West Trade Show between performances! All this while rocking your favourite buckle and a brand new custom hand tooled belt from MK Custom Leather!

Want to win? It’s easy!

Facebook: Like MK Custom Leather, and leave a comment tagging who you’d bring with you! Each comment counts as an entry. For an extra entry, share this post! (Please be aware that you must share the original post, as Facebook likes to hide posts shared from other people’s feed!)

Instagram: Follow MK Custom Leather, and tag a friend in the comments! Each comment will count as an entry. For an extra entry, share this post to your story! (Please be aware that if your account is private, I may not be able to see your story to count it towards entries!)

This give away will run for 2 weeks, closing on March 31st with the winner drawn on Instagram Live on April 4th. Live drawing will be posted to Facebook afterwards.

BE AWARE OF SCAMMERS! MK Custom Leather is a one man show, and I don’t need, nor will I ever ask for your credit card information! This is a GIVEAWAY! You WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY TO RECEIVE YOUR PRIZE!

This giveaway is not associated with the Ponoka Stampede, Facebook, Instagram or Meta. No Purchase Necessary!

Good luck and I’ll see you at the Ponoka Stampede this July Long Weekend!

MK Custom Leather

02/09/2026

12/30/2025

12/28/2025

12/27/2025

10/28/2025

10/04/2025

09/08/2025

05/02/2025

04/08/2025

03/17/2025

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