Members lairdstew Posted August 6, 2012 Members Report Posted August 6, 2012 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 Quote
Contributing Member TwinOaks Posted August 6, 2012 Contributing Member Report Posted August 6, 2012 Think backwards......do your detail boning on the back side of the holster. Quote 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." LEATHER ARTISAN'S DIGITAL GUILD on Facebook.
Members lairdstew Posted August 6, 2012 Author Members Report Posted August 6, 2012 Ok, thanks for the tip! So, should I glue and stitch everything together now like I normally would? Then I will wet mold the holster but only in the back. Quote
Members katsass Posted August 6, 2012 Members Report Posted August 6, 2012 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 Quote 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.
Members lairdstew Posted August 6, 2012 Author Members Report Posted August 6, 2012 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 Quote
Contributing Member SooperJake Posted August 6, 2012 Contributing Member Report Posted August 6, 2012 I would dye before stitching. And get an airbrush if you haven't already. The results are spectacular over dauber dying. Jake Quote Once you know what the magician know.... it isn't magic anymore.
Members katsass Posted August 7, 2012 Members Report Posted August 7, 2012 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 Quote 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.
Members lairdstew Posted August 7, 2012 Author Members Report Posted August 7, 2012 Thanks for all the help. I have it sitting in the basement right now waiting to be wet molded. I'll do that tomorrow and post the results. Laird Quote
Members lairdstew Posted August 8, 2012 Author Members Report Posted August 8, 2012 Finished the holster this evening. I think it turned out pretty well. Not perfect, but pretty good. Thanks for the tips! Wet molding the back did the trick. Laird Quote
Members katsass Posted August 9, 2012 Members Report Posted August 9, 2012 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 Quote 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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