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Something else to consider is to not put so many "tacks" in that backtack. All you really need is one back stitch. One is enough, but 2 can be a plus. 2 as in 2 complete stitches back, not 2-3 piled up on top of each other. All that thread in one place just makes a globby mess and doesn't look so neat. If you're backtacking with heavy thread like yours, you shouldn't have more than 2 threads visible in each completed backtack stitch.

With the complication of belt and suspenders, I think your best option is pocket carry... if your pockets are big enough, such as with cargo pants. Recommended high-quality, extremely shootable, small revolvers. Expensive but worth it: S&W UC632 (.32), K6xs (.38+P), Kimber K6s (.357) Recommended high-quality, extremely shootable, small semi-autos: S&W Bodyguard 2.0 (.380), Sig P365 (9mm) Do not even think about any kind of belly band... hot as blazes in the summer. If you cannot do pocket carry, IWB or AIWB carry offers the greatest concealment but I don't know how that's gonna work with belt & suspenders. Perhaps a belt pouch would be your next best option. Maybe put an Apple or Nike logo on it for distraction. For that I would recommend the S&W Bodyguard 2.0 for its' slimness and small overall size. nick

I repeated the experiment, but this time I sprayed the strips with water to see if that would even out the unevenness, and skipped straight to 5min. This time, it was worse. Much worse. And the depth of color was nowhere near that of the first experiment. Conclusion: Don’t spray your leather with water first… Cheers, AZR

A couple of updates: I found a 2nd-hand handheld cordless compressor that seems to work really well and was missing the airbrush top end, but the thread on top of the compressor is some odd-ball thing that I can't find any adapters for or even information on what the thread size is (likely something proprietary), so I'm going to get crafty on the lathe and either make a fitting from scratch, or modify a couple to bridge it all together (pictures to come). I'm going to give it to my daughter to use and my intent is to make it work with the M5 Badger style hose connections, so it'll be portable, but less weight in the hand. She's mainly into drawing and painting right now. It would be cheaper and way easier to buy a complete working unit, but there is the sentiment factor that she can use one of her grandpa's old airbrush's. He had four of the Badger 150 clones and at least 3 work (I'm keeping his genuine Badger 150's with his leather tools). One or two of the clones are going to go to my nephew who's been getting into models lately. For his set-up I got a new 110v compressor as he's putting together a workbench/model station for his room. Then with the Binks Wren size "A" that I was trying to find a piece for, I got a good deal on a complete size "B" gun that looks like it's never been used. My current "B" works well, but between the two of them I'll use one for parts as they all use the same trigger/air flow pieces. The only parts that change between the sizes is the main body (stamped differently) and the fluid control assembly on the front. Now I just need to find a "C" size (heavy flow) and my flock of Wren's will be complete.

Thanks

You don't remove marks... you never make them. Thanks for sharing that video. Beautiful work. Very enlightening. I would agree that it is high-grade, thinnish leather, worked with great skill. Very impressive. However, I never understood why people desire this level of detail. Personally, I do not want to advertise the gun at all. I would be perfectly happy if no one could even tell it was a holster. But, that's a personal thing. In reality, my holsters do have a little detail, mostly in the trigger guard and ejection port, for retention. nick

Thanks, I had seen a couple like that. This one was like that because of a cutting disaster that I was able to sorta recover from. My intent was to have something like that.

Nice! My dad had a 16 when he was doing saddle and harness work and really liked it. Eli's a good man.

Excellent!

No I didn’t 😊

The guys that I have made them for like about an inch or so of the handles(scales) in the sheath for better retention. Most of these guys are "cowboys" of one form or another. The rest of their lives are a bit rough and tumble. This helps the knife to still be there when they need it. JM2C, Jim

absolutely gorgeous! fine detail!

Stunning! Very nice work!!

FredK, Chuck123...Thanks, I will ask him about that

A bit off topic: I just wonder what your neighbors thought your were up to peeking in your window?? Cool old machine! Wish I had one. Jim

Thanks

excellent rig my friend!! That is some nice tooling.

Personally I think what factors that are contributing / causing you to breaking the needles are: 1) Needle size: a 160 (#23) needle is meant for V138 thread in thinner leather. i) On a straight run a 160 (#23) needle may work as there is just enough room in the needle hole to allow for the 3 threads in the hole (1 for the top thread, two for the loop). ii) On a turn there isn't enough slop in the needle hole to allow the twisting movement and the bending on the needle. iii) When you are finishing off by reversing into the same last couple of holes you now have 3 stitches that are all ready in the needle hole and you want to add 3 more. In thin items this may not be as much of a problem but in 8mm (5/16") it probably will be ending with cutting the thread or broken needles. 2) Friction on the needle. i)When the hole isn't big enough, diameter wise, there is friction being created by the threads grabbing the walls of the thread and pulling on the needle. As the thickness and toughness increases so does the friction. ii) This friction will increase ever so slightly with darker coloured thread. iii) If you are using a edge guide the leather will not move sideways but when free handing you are going to add an additional twisting / bending moment on the needle. iv) Also when using a cylinder arm machine you get additional twisting and bending as the item moves farther back as most times the item wants to move to the left. Also unless you are using a flat bed table attachment the item will want to droop down once it doesn't have any support from the needle plate. Probably will be ending with a broken needle. Suggestion: i) Change needle to a 180 (#24) and see if that works. ii) change thread size to V207 and use a 200 (#25) needle. iii) Add a flatbed table top attachment. kgg

That is some very nice tooling work there That circle design (a seeder?) both on the borders and on the lower part of the holster ties it all together nicely

@susanjeanscott did you by any chance buy this machine in Canberra a couple of years ago ?

Thank you for that!

I'll get some close ups going shortly since you're interested. The ammo was from a guy I found that reloads. Sorry, please do forgive my ignorance, after a Google and comparing the results, you are totally on the money it's .45acp... Another thing to add to the learning curve.

I’m sewing 8mm of leather, 160 needle and 138 thread Yes it most likely is that’s why it’s breaking the needle

I was thinking a couple conchos but like you, thought it might give it too much bling? Thanks for the compliments, making me wanna do another rig. 😆