I kind of thought that the strap would be questioned. I did see a couple of bikes in the Inspiration thread with something similar and that is where the idea came from. It does look kind of cool in person, kind of a retro look. Now, whether I can pull that off remains to be seen. If I can get the transition from wood to metal around the half moon top seamless, then it will go. I still intend to go with the wood, only because it is different. Pretty easy to change if it turns out cheesy. Slap a pad over it.
I like the idea of a little glove compartment, but not sure how to do it. Brain cells now burning.
Thanks for the input. Tews, your build is almost a mirror of mine. Your blue is very close to my frame, although mine is more of a satin finish.