cleanview Report post Posted June 18, 2015 The other day I bought an embossed leather side. Looks like caiman. Thought it would be good for overlays. Making one for a gun of mine to experience it. Will post pics this evening. Wondering about thought on using this stuff. My own observation is that it does bevel pretty well and take a burnish as well. But I did notice that when I shoved the dowel in for the sight channel that it cracked a little. That made me think that it might not form or bone very well. I ASSUME that it is sealed like any other leather?? Put some resolene on a small scrap and it SEEMS to be ok but not sure. I have looked at and called a poor mans gator, but wondered if it was anything others on here used or had good or bad to say about it?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
glockanator Report post Posted June 18, 2015 Is this the stuff from tandy? I bought a piece a year ago and have only used maybe 4"×4" square piece of it. Was not impressed at all. I had the same thought to make a holster with it but it never made it that far. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cleanview Report post Posted June 20, 2015 A day lat but here are the pics Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted June 20, 2015 Personally don't care for it - I mean, the "foh" stuff in general. Just another marketing gimmick. "Faux" is French for FAKE. So, why not just CALL it fake? Because people won't [largely] buy it. Instead, call it "foh", "embossed", "print". Maybe add in a story about how this "imitation" is saving the REAL whales (or whatever)... But for the immediate question ... I assume you're not talking about crack in just the finish. That's tons of pressure making that 'design', but it can result in unequal tension -- top pressed more than middle, for example. This type of stress can cause cracking (not just in leather). If it's cow or calf, then enough moisture and slow enough bend should allow it to work UNLESS the grain separates (which I have seen in prints AND in leather with no print). It looks like the edges are still pretty square-ish.. not actually rounded. Did it not want to edge, or was it just tough to find an edge dye to match? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cleanview Report post Posted June 21, 2015 I just sanded, beveled, dyed, burnished. It felt a little different when I beveled, could be I was a little "skiddish" and not taken enough off. Edges are dyed the same as the belt loop on the back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
glockanator Report post Posted June 21, 2015 The holster looks good. My experience with the embossed stuff just wasn't that great for what I paid for it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
