BamBam

I was thinking of something along the lines of this http://www.campbell-bosworth.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/1_2_122 With blades - http://www.campbell-bosworth.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/1_2_121/sort/3a/page/2 Seems like that would make it a bit easier to change out a blade if damage did happen. I'm learning that Tandy is not the one stop place for what I need.

As a follow up - if I went the route of getting an awl that takes replaceable blades, what would be the best size blade to use. Mostly on holsters with a nice heavy leather. Length and size. Again, thanks for any help you can provide.

Thanks very much for the advice. I will be shopping around for a quality awl now. I remember reading about using beeswax as well and evidently forgot that. (Age, you know?) The belly leather was just so that I could get the hang of it and hopefully get good enough so that when I moved onto a better quality, I wouldn't waste it. This awl had a 1.5" blade - is that too long? What would be the ideal length blade for this particular use? Denster - "I use a oblong block of wood with a trough in it filled with beeswax. It lubes the awl and keeps my digits out of the way." Would you happen to have a photo of this? Sounds like a good finger saver for a newb like me. Thank you again everyone for the great advice and tips. I appreciate it very much.

I am interested in making holsters mainly for handguns - auto's and revolvers. I'm just looking to make them for myself and my son right now and am really looking forward to working with leather in general. So, I read tons of great info here and watched the tutorials many times. Then bought my tools, made a holster pattern, cut out my holster and glued it. Before jumping into the stitching, I thought best to practice on a scrap until I got the hang of it. This is where I ran into a problem. Piercing the leather is extremely difficult with the awl. I bought veg tanned bellies that Tandy had on sale several weeks ago. They were inexpensive. Very thick. I wanted to use this and then move on to better leather as I progressed. It was next to impossible to pierce and on only the fourth hole the awl "needle" broke off. The tip bent as if it had been smacked onto cement. I was holding the leather tightly and pushing through with the awl, with nothing behind the leather to create this bend. I was planning on doing the stitching with an awl, as I like the look more than that from drilling holes for the stitching. Was the leather that I used just too thick for the awl? Was the awl inferior in quality? It was bought at Tandy and was recommended for that specific leather. I would appreciate any and all advice. I am still looking forward to this and just need a bit of advice to get over this setback, so that I can get going on my first holster. Thanks very much.

I am still in the planning stages of making my first and this is very helpful. Step by step. Your holsters are fantastic. Thanks for putting this together - it might sound corny, but this is very inspiring.

I found this site about a week or so ago and have been reading since. I am interested in, and want to begin making holsters. Not for profit, but for my firearms and possibly for my son as well. The amount of information here is amazing. Tutorials and everything needed on one site and the best part seems to be the members here! So much information – I haven’t read this much since I was in school! (A long time ago.) I have been picking up my tools and supplies at the local Tandy Leather and should be able to start my first project in a week or so. I am looking forward to posting the results here and seeing where I can improve. I look forward to being a part of the membership here also.