My Latest Holster

[Big O]

[katsass]

For what it's worth from a grumpy old man....... IF you are asking for a critique. Your overall design 'taint bad, it looks like everything is in the right spot, but I would like to see the shooter in place. I saw your post elsewhere in this forum where you stated that you used linseed oil on it. That stuff is for wood...'taint that good on leather....I'd use neatsfoot oil. To me (just an opinion) I don't want my leather to look like plastic. For my tastes use something else for a finish...or a lot less of it. Your stitching is all in the right place, evenly spaced from your edges, and doesn't 'wander' much....but needs some work. The individual stitches look to be even in length......but, maybe a little long. I'd suggest a #6 overstitch for marking, then again for a final go after your stitching is done. (that's why it's called an 'overstitch') If you are using a punch to do the stitching holes....get rid of it and get a good stitching awl. Also, maybe make your stitching groove a bit deeper. Finally, get to burnishing your edges nice and smooth. A nicely burnished edge, maybe even with a touch of darker dye (to match your stitches) would perk this puppy right up. OK, please don't take my comments as any sort of 'put down' on your work. I try never to anything of the sort, but we all want to do the best we can. I learn from this forum frequently, and I've been messing with cow skins for well over 30 years. You are well ahead of the game..you are doing the work....all it needs, in my opinion is some 'tweaking'. Take from my comments what you will, many consider my comments the rantings of a grumpy old man ...BUT....you didn't pay a penny for them. Keep at it. Mike

[Big O]

Grumpy old man or no, I value your opinions, Mike.

I used the linseed oil kind of by accident. I had two different colors of Fiebing's leather stain - black and walnut. I found the walnut to be a darker brown than I'd like, so I called Fiebing's and asked what to thin it with. They said linseed oil. I mixed some up half and half and tried it on a different holster. Still came out darker than I wanted. Just out of curiousity, I put a single coat of plain linseed oil on this one, and I liked it, so I applied several more.

I took those pictures about 2 hours after applying the Resolene, so it wasn't completely dry yet. It ended up a little less glossy.

Unfortunately, I can't get a picture of it with the 1911 in it just now, because I took that holster to the local gun shop to put on display there in an effort to drum up some business.

I actually DID use a #3 stitching awl for most of the holes on this holster. Everything on the reinforcement piece, and the stitch line running along the outline of the pistol. Up right above the belt slot, my awl got too dull to pierce the leather any more, and I didn't have the means on hand to sharpen it (I was at a table at a gun show at the time), so I reverted to drilling holes with my Dremel.

I'm thinking maybe I need a wider groover blade. I bought my adjustable groover used, so I don't know what its size is. Going deeper is a good idea, and I'll try that first.

The spacing looking even is almost an accident. I didn't even use an overstitch wheel, just winged it - but took my time to place the awl blade in as close to the right spot as possible. Same thing with the drill bit later on.

Thanks for the pointers. I can use all that I can get. That applies to everyone else, too. I guarandamntee that NOBODY will be a harsher critic of my work than I am. I said that I felt good about this holster......not that it was perfect.