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Posted

I am working on a pancake holster for a 1911 with a stingray inlay and I need some help. I have cut out all three pieces that I will be using: 1 thick piece for the back; 1 thin piece for the middle; and 1 thin piece with a window cutout and stingray glued in. I already dyed the top piece and burnished the edges of the window before gluing in the stingray. Now I do not know what to do. I want to bone the holster for retention but when do I do it?

Should I glue the back and middle together first, then wet mold, then glue the top piece with the inlay on, then stitch all three pieces together? Or should I glue all three pieces together, stitch, and then wet mold?

Thanks in advance for your help! I have been lurking for quite some time and learning a lot, but this is the first time I couldn't find an answer to my question just by searching.

Laird

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Posted

Think backwards......do your detail boning on the back side of the holster.

Mike DeLoach

Esse Quam Videri (Be rather than Seem)

"Don't learn the tricks of the trade.....Learn the trade."

"Teach what you know......Learn what you don't."

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Posted

From the old grump: Twin Oaks has it right. When using an inlay, you are not going to be able to bone the front side - just the part that ain't seen. That bumply skin just won't take it. Mike

NOTE TO SELF: Never try to hold a cat and an operating Dust buster at the same time!!

At my age I find that I can live without sex..........but not without my glasses.

Being old has an advantage.......nobody expects me to do anything in a hurry.

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Posted

Thanks Mike and Twin Oaks! I understand that the stingray won't take a mold. Now that I have the inlay glued in, should I proceed as normal (i.e. glue, stitch, mold)? With the only diference is that I cannot bone the front of the holster.

Sorry if I am not making myself clear or if I am too slow on the uptake but I don't want to waste a nice piece of stingray. Right now I have three panels, a thin top with inlay, a thin middle with nothing, and a thick back of the holster. Should I go ahead and glue all of those together, stitch, dye, then wet mold?

Thanks again,

Laird

  • Contributing Member
Posted

I would dye before stitching. And get an airbrush if you haven't already. The results are spectacular over dauber dying.

Jake

Once you know what the magician know.... it isn't magic anymore.

  • Members
Posted

Thanks Mike and Twin Oaks! I understand that the stingray won't take a mold. Now that I have the inlay glued in, should I proceed as normal (i.e. glue, stitch, mold)? With the only diference is that I cannot bone the front of the holster.

Sorry if I am not making myself clear or if I am too slow on the uptake but I don't want to waste a nice piece of stingray. Right now I have three panels, a thin top with inlay, a thin middle with nothing, and a thick back of the holster. Should I go ahead and glue all of those together, stitch, dye, then wet mold?

Thanks again,

Laird

From the grump: I always cut, DYE, glue up, stitch, edge, and finish. After dying, allow to dry thoroughly --- like 12 hours as a minimum. Solvent based dyes will feel dry in short order, but stitching into leather which is not totally dry can easily discolor the thread. In essence, take your time. I believe it was Sylvia that said something similar to "leatherwork ain't an instant gratification thing". A very true statement. Mike

NOTE TO SELF: Never try to hold a cat and an operating Dust buster at the same time!!

At my age I find that I can live without sex..........but not without my glasses.

Being old has an advantage.......nobody expects me to do anything in a hurry.

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Posted

From the old grump: Looks like you did a good job, your workmanship is pretty damned good, but two things pop out at me. First, it appears that the mag release is covered - which ain't too good a thing. You can end up with a missing mag, or, as you draw, the mag can decide to hit the floor, dirt, gravel, or roadway, leaving you with one round in the shooter and egg on your face -- if on the range. But if in a personal defence situation, things can get real icky-poo in a hurry if that happens. The other thing is that the rear sight is quite exposed - allowing for dings, bangs or thumps resulting in damage to it, just from walking around. Also, being exposed, it will provide for a lot of torn shirts, and/or jacket linings when worn concealed. The sharp corners sticking out there seem to like to tear stuff up pretty quickly. Overall, not a bad go at things, just a little tweaking of the pattern and you have a winner, JMHO. Mike

NOTE TO SELF: Never try to hold a cat and an operating Dust buster at the same time!!

At my age I find that I can live without sex..........but not without my glasses.

Being old has an advantage.......nobody expects me to do anything in a hurry.

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