Stamping Then Wet Molding

[dikman]

A fellow club member has asked me to make him a gunbelt and holsters. No problem with that, but he wants some decorative stamping/tooling done (which I haven't done before). I'm uncertain about doing the holsters. If I tool the leather while it's flat that should be fine, but if I then soak the holsters to wet-form them around the revolver, will I lose the definition in the tooling through wetting it?

It's going to be rather difficult to stamp/tool the holsters once they're formed and stitched, I think.

Nearly forgot, I assume that with the belt I stitch the edges first and then case it and stamp it?

Edited July 20, 2015 by dikman

[ehalvorson]

I haven't made any belts yet, but I have made quite a few holsters and knife pouches that are all tooled first while the leather is flat, and before stitching any linings to them. Things that I have determined work best for me:

Case the leather and stamp / tool it

Glue and sew lining in place

Trim lining

(do not stain the piece yet)

Sew the holster or pouch

I do not completely submerse or soak my holsters and pouches, I will pour water, or hold it under running water from the sink to fill the inside of the holster getting the non-tooled/stamped inside more wet than the outside, then i quickly run the outside of the holster under the faucet to lightly wet the outside of it. Finishing it or staining it before this step tends to make the finish run. Getting the outside too wet, or letting it stand in water will cause the stamping / tooling to blur, fade, or rise a little.

I let it air out for a couple minutes, Then I put the item in the holster/pouch to mold it. I generally do the initial shaping / molding with my fingers. Sometimes I use a vacuum sealer if the piece is very detailed, or heavily tooled. (Use non textured plastic or the texture will transfer to your piece)

Boning the piece, is going to smooth out the tooling/stamping proportional to how much pressure you use, I generally use a rounded wooden tool handle in the curves of a piece lightly, and really only use pressure in grooves.

After the outside of the piece has dried I remove the item it was formed around to let the inside finish drying. Then do any staining or dying.

[ehalvorson]

Many people also recommend using rubber cement to glue your piece to a piece of cardboard or poster board before tooling it so that it does not change the overall shape or stretch it. When done flip it over and peel the cardboard / poster board off the leather piece, as opposed to peeling the leather off the cardboard. (You want the throw away piece being the piece that is bending and stressing, not the tooled leather).

[dikman]

Thanks for the reply. I'm going to keep the stamping to a minimum (along the edge of the belt and holsters) so I think I should be ok. With my previous holsters I had to stain before stitching, as I was using a contrasting thread. These will have a brown thread on a brown holster so at least I can stain them after stitching, which should make the job easier.

Yes, soaking and molding after staining does make the colour run slightly (and colour my hands!) but it actually worked out quite well, as it evened out the stain a little and gave it a slightly "worn" look, one of those little "accidents" that worked in my favour.

[club49]

I hope you don't mind me asking. I can't help wonder why another member is asking you to make him or her a holster? I would think most people are on here because they do their own work or trying to learn how. Please don't take this in a bad way, just curious.

Jim

[TheModifier]

I hope you don't mind me asking. I can't help wonder why another member is asking you to make him or her a holster? I would think most people are on here because they do their own work or trying to learn how. Please don't take this in a bad way, just curious.

Jim

I believe that the op meant another club they belong to, not a member of the forum. I could be incorrect, but that's the way I read it. not sure if you will get a reply since the post is from mid summer last year.