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Hello hope you all had a good near year and Christmas. First try out sheath for the scissors Had some issues with the thread that came on the kit or maybe I just need to hone my sewing skills and learn how to use the tools better Start getting used to them what some.videos on how to saw. Also got some leather from tandy like some of you suggested tried getting some from.kichaels it is over prized, Amazon I think I choose the wrong one small amount of it for like 30 bucks . But tandy was the best option and it was for sale. Any suggestions things to keep a look on

Yes. I think this saddle is best served as a pleasure saddle and not built for any specific tasks like roping, racing, etc. That said I think the typical double ring rigging would be fine, but that placement of the rings I'm still deciding on. The first photo's of how the saddle started, the rings appear much lower than they should be, but the way they had made the skirts (not sure what style you would call it as they just covered the sides and sewed fleece to the bottom with no real "skirt"?) kind of makes them look lower compared to a traditional saddle. Most of the traditional double ring saddles I'm looking at for inspiration show both rings at the same level, though Al Stoleman's book gives some good points to setting the front rings lower than the back so they don't interfere with the stirps. He also brings up the merits of mounting the back rings to a wider area, having the leather come up each side and lace together behind the seat, provided it doesn't make any raised lumps under the skirts and seat. Coming up with the rigging design for sure needs to be settled before laying in and carving down the floor leather, but I plan to get both started next. I'm also considering attaching the front rings to the tree in the typical way and building the back rings into the skirts as a way to get around having the rear ring mount and the floor leather get in each others way. My only reservation with doing something like this is that it would be a newer design than the traditional saddles I'm trying to emulate. Al Stoleman's book does give some good guidance on how the front rigging placement can interfere with the stirrups and the horses shoulders. With my lack of experience though, I'm wondering if it would be best to keep it simple with the rings at a full or 3/4 position? Mounting the front rings lower also seems to lead to the skirts being elongated in the front to support them. I'd like the skirts to be the more traditional long and squared off design, but that could work to my advantage being able to mask the hight difference between the rings without changing the skirt design.

Thank you!

There will (should) be gun oil on the firearm. Gun oils vary between slightly base to slightly acid. The slight difference in pH between leather and gun oil will be negligible. There really is no need to oil the inside of the holster, as some of the gun oil will transfer to the leather. Protecting the gun is the higher priority here and guns should NOT be stored in the holster when not in use. Normal application of NFO during your work process is adequate. It is the new owner's responsibility to keep the holster cleaned and conditioned and the gun oiled.

I looked at that connectors on my servo motor and the the connector on a AliExpress NPS and they were compatible so I bought the NPS for about $40 CDN delivered and installed it. Works a treat, just need your servo motor manual to get it sorted and understand how to program it. If I can do it you can too!

That looks like a very nice addition to your DA! The bamboo will likely wear like iron!

they must be good tools.

I have purchased several tools over the years from Kevin Lee and found them to be very good. I have also sent him a few questions and received a reply within a day or two. Nigel Armitage recently posted a video on YouTube where he discusses corner cutters, both stock and custom, by Kevin Lee. He also gives Kevin Lee a high recommendation.

Thanks Tom!

Very nicely done.

If the site's origin is not really as it implys it is i would also question the integrity of their products. On the "about us" page, it seems that Kevin speaks Chinese prolly better than English. We are specialized leathercraft tools in : Prickin irons, Punches,Knives, Edgers,Pliers, Hammers,Custom cliker dies, brass logo die and other custom great selection of quality tool. We were selling lots of products over 60 countries and region. Main to Europe and North America markets. Company Name：Kevin Leather Tools Company Address：Guangdong China

This is a very old post, but I'll give it a try! It's a really beautiful project! Is the metal plate available for purchase somewhere, or is it custom-made?

Damn nice IMO.

Thats a good holster!

Cmon man dont overthink this lol. There are no problems with nfo its been used for centuries on holsters with guns of all types of bluing. But you can use almost any oil, as time and human history have proven. I use a light brushing of nfo then a good helping of Feibings Golden mink oil for conditioning and water resistance. Olive oil is also used regularly also so use it if you want. Boot waterproofings and dressing aree relly good for any leather gear, used outdoors or inside. This is off the net and provided by Artificial intelligence if you have decided to believe that over actual written human history. AS you can see, NFo is less acidic than the leather you are putting it on. "The pH range of neatsfoot oil is typically between 5.5 to 7.5, which is slightly acidic to neutral. This characteristic helps in conditioning and preserving leather." "The pH of vegetable-tanned leather typically ranges from 3.5 to 5.5, which is slightly acidic. This acidity helps preserve the leather and contributes to its durability and aging characteristics." Free acidity is a defect of olive oil that is tasteless and odorless, thus can not be detected by sensory analysis. Since vegetable oils are not aqueous fluids, a pH-meter can not be used for this measure. Various approaches exist that can measure oil acidity with good accuracy. ALso, The acidity of olive oil refers to the level of free fatty acids present, which is an important quality indicator. Extra virgin olive oil must have a free acidity of less than 0.8%, while virgin olive oil ranges from 0.8% to 2%, and higher acidity levels indicate lower quality oils

@cmunch To be in compliance with the rules, we really need a picture of this. Looking forward to seeing what else you list.

Happy New Year to you. 🙂

Thank you！

When I made holsters many years ago, I didn't typically apply any type of oil to them, however as I'm getting back into it, I'm thinking of applying a very, very light coat of 100% pure Neatsfoot oil on both the inside and outside of my lined holsters, not enough to soften the leather any, but just enough to add a touch of moisture to ensure that the leather doesn't crack. My concern lies in the fact that Neatsfoot oil is mostly or entirely comprised of various types of acids, and seeing as how even mild acids can damage a firearm's bluing, I'm hesitant about applying Neatsfoot oil to the inside of a holster for nice gloss blued guns. Yes, I would be applying Resolene to the inside of the holster after applying the oil, but I'd still be a bit concerned about the gun coming into direct contact with the oiled leather as the Resolene is worn over time. Have any of you ever seen this cause a problem for bluing? I know many of you probably make holsters primarily for modern guns with indestructible finishes like Nitron, Tenifer and the like, but any advice would be appreciated. I'd be interested in hearing the opinion of Mr. Lobo, since I know you have applied Neatsfoot Oil to your holsters since the days of brand-new gloss blued guns, therefore I figured you could be able to tell me if you ever saw any issues with nice blued Colts and Smiths in holsters that have been conditioned with Neatsfoot oil. Also, any recommendations for alternatives to Neatsfoot oil that aren't acidic are appreciated. I know some use Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is relatively PH neutral, and I've also considered using the Bickmore Exotic Conditioner that I use on my boots, although I've never heard of it being used on a holster. Thank you in advance for any advice.

I’m following for sure. Would like to get one!

Good call, thanks

Well done!

This is what I found on the international leathercrafters guild list. Linda Zavala Pres 2327 Calwagner St Melrose Il 847 363 5738 Meet 2nd Sunday 130pm. I do not know how current the info is,but good luck.

Hey guys, I spent New Year’s Eve on a last practice before my internship at a saddlers workshop. Since I only own dogs and got a new toy (what my friends jokingly call my little leather splitter), I decided to make a flat and a rolled collar. Both were made to measure for my mum’s dog. I’m still waiting on my new creaser, which might arrive tomorrow, so all decorative lines are missing for now. # Italian leather with steel hardware. The blue hide is dead stock and no longer available. I originally bought it for my dog’s new harness, but I had already planned to use some for dog collars. When my mum and I discussed the collar, she mentioned a whole hide of flower-print fashion leather (1.5–2 mm) that I was gifted by my grandparents. Since I was already working on some reflective piping for my dog’s new harness, we decided to use this leather for a colorful twist on the plain blue design. This project really tested my patience — I had to cut a 2-inch strap three times due to mistakes! Just when I was ready to give up, I finally got it right. If you look closely, you can still see my maker’s marks on the back side of the pull. The pink stitches are purely decorative and inspired by the beautiful work of Windsor & Hanly Bridles from England. The stitching ended up being the most fun part of the project! For my first rolled collar, I’m quite happy with how it turned out and learned a lot in the process. My mum already wants another one as soon as I’m back from my internship, and I’m planning one for my dog too. I used 10 mm dog leash rope for the core, as my mum’s dog is fairly large. Both collars measure 46 cm from the third hole. On my bench right now are a half-checkered/martingale collar and a harness, which I hope to finish by Tuesday evening. All in all, these were fun last projects before trying to convince the pros that I’m worth their while. The rolled collar, in particular, was a great stress test.

I live in Aurora Il and I’m trying to find the Prairie state leather workers guild but I don’t seem to have any working website. I e seen the Facebook page but I did t see a single piece of anything made or meeting or anything. Any help for any local groups would be appreciated