DoubleKCustomLeathercraft

Chuck, I would love to meet you sometime. You are always one of the first to respond and you have a lot of useful knowledge. Thanks for being a great member here. I'm done sucking up lol So here's what I found on what this company is calling a back. It's not the double bend like you had mentioned. My mistake is asking Google, which is only as smart ad a toddler sometimes. When I asked the question, Google stated that the back cut is also known as a double bend. In this diagram the company sent me with a bunch of samples, it shows the back section as B/D or C/E. This is where my confusion in pricing comes in. It's just a trimmed side, no belly, no neck (head.) So I'm trying to understand why I would pay more for less at this point. Sure the belly is a source of wasted material, but there's still usable leather. I get the double bend being more of a premium, since hind quarters are usually the better sections of a side. Which is what i originally thought until... Google lol.

I tried talking him into black stitching, but he wouldn't budge on the color. I like black on natural better than white or cream. The contrast makes all the effort of hand stitching shine. From what I can tell with what little information I was able to find online and pictures, they don't typically make any cartridge or western style belts. Just the normal everyday belt. I'm still kinda perplexed by it. Long story short, they opened up so about 2 years ago. (I considered buying the business when the previous owner was retiring) Every time I try to go in to introduce myself, they're closed. They don't answer the phone and they don't return calls. That seems to be a pattern with some other people I've talked to. It would be nice to meet and work with some local makers though.

Thank you. This was the first time using that kind of bison. It's Utta shrunken bison in mocha flavor. I usually go with the Big Sky bison they sell but they were out of any decent colors at the time. I like the temper and feel of the Big Sky a little better, but the shrunken bison has such character that's it's hard not to like. It's heavier, and a little looser grain. I think it's stronger than the Big Sky and it doesn't stretch much considering the feel. I rarely get requests to use bison, so I usually buy the 2x3 pieces. A whole side would be nice but it's not cost efficient for me at this time of my journey. I'll be making a dog collar out of some of the leftover here shortly though. Billings is a long drive from my part of Montana, but some day I'll get out there and actually see the store. Problem is it'll take all my money for the gas to get there and I won't be able to splurge hahaha. I know that the employees there are some of the best I've dealt with long distance. It's a great company to work with.

That's looks good. It'll last s lifetime and I'm sure the owner will love the custom work.

Chuck I honestly thought the back cut was only one side not both. So that totally makes sense. I should have known, but this new distributor I'm using doesn't have great explanations on the site and it was too late to call when the question popped into my head. I can always count on the knowledge here. Thank you

I will definitely post some pics if I get them. That's up to my client to send me some, but he said it'll be no problem. I wore fresh rubber gloves during the recipe prices of making this so I didn't risk any dirty from my hands rubbing off. I heat with wood and live in the forest so dirt just like to appear out if nowhere haha. Double stitching always looks great on a holster, but I'm a hand stitch guy so I don't often offer to do so. It takes so long and I don't typically charge extra

Thanks. Montana leather co. Any time I have an order with bison they're my first choice. Thanks for the comments. It really keeps me motivated to read them.

Can someone explain to me why a back (double bend) would cost more than a side of the same tannery and grade? A quick search on Google states the back cut is a more consistent piece with less waste like the belt section of a side. Then proceeds to magically repeat that statement in a couple different ways. The bend is cut out of a side, so why would a side be less expensive or lower quality if they're graded the same?

Oh, wanted to add override of the gun for this who don't know what it looks like.

Well this build was interesting. I had a client meet up and request a "cowboy" style drop holster for a Chiappa Rhino 60DS. Ya the revolver with the barrel in the wrong location. So it started with a phone call. The client explained to me that he had gone into a custom leather shop in town to have the work done, but they don't do holsters. Ok, sounds normal right? But... He wasn't just looking for the holster, but for a compete western rig. *Me in my head: Ya I make that too. But I didn't say anything about it. I just sent him a picture of one of my favorite rigs I've made. I decided to just roll with it. Got him a quote ready and met up in town to pick up the handgun. I asked if he wanted any tooling or stamping and he said he preferred it to be plain. I then offered to double stitch to give it a more robust look and he was all in for that. *Me in my head: I'm still confused at why I'm making a holster for a belt that doesn't exist, from a shop that doesn't pick up the phone or return calls. A day later I tried to lock down a dye color with the client. He said leave it unfinished and I'll have the (other) shop dye and match everything. I them informed him that it we went this route, the stitching will take on any dye they use. That it would be better to come up with a plan between all 3 of us (the shop, client and myself). He insisted an keeping it unfinished. So I rolled with it. *Me in my head still confused. At this point, I'm not making holster for the client anymore. I have no problems with client expectations. They're always happy with what I make. I'm making this holster for my competition knowing full well there will be seasoned eyes on every single stitch, snap setting, blemish etc... So I just roll with it. So now my work sits in a shop, one light coat of oil after wet forming, creme colored stitching and no finish to protect that clean natural leather from dirty or oily hands. It is what it is, just roll with it. All that matters is my client is very happy with how the holster came out. He'll send me some pics of the finished work when the other shop gets his belt done. Just roll with it lol

Well, I haven't necessarily been busy with orders, but I'm plugging away. This winter we got hot with a very heavy wind storm that knocked trees down across the entire state. I went 118 hours without power at the home, no worries about my shop, it's all off grid. With that December storm came a lot of cleanup, that I'm still working on. Several trees came down or were hung up on the property. With my back fused, I can't get as much done at a time as I once did so it's taken awhile. I've also been focusing more on building my brand on Instagram. I first started making short videos, but my memory got eaten up pretty fast. Then put in the time for editing only to have to start all over just before exporting. It drains me mentally, and takes way more time than I expected. My videos have turned into reels of the process through photos and description authorized an occasional hyperlapse. Meanwhile I have made a couple things, and have some orders on the bench to work on. I've got a couple dog collars to make, a cartridge belt, and possibly a new 1911 holster design. First though, a custom bison recoil pad and sleeve for a sharps style bp rifle. This is the 8th or 9th recoil pad and sleeve I've made for this client. I use a high density foam, cut and shape to fit the cresent shoulder mount. Yes I'm calling it a mount because of the brass kicking you're butt. I glue that to veg tan so it'll hold the shape well. The client likes the traditional look so I use sinew thread with a classic x stitch. It's then laces up with a strip of the same bison leather for a tight fit that won't slip. I'll post the latest holster on a new topic. It's got a strange story to go along with it.

Merry Christmas to you and yours, and everyone here.

Thanks chuck. I'm happy, the client is even happier. It's a win

The frame completes it.

Mclark Thanks. Yes the knot is for the hammer spur strap. I don't have a picture of the back and the pattern is from "the hand of God" pack, (3:10 to yuma) but modified a little to fit a regular belt instead of a gun fighter belt. It's stitched instead of folding over and into a "Mexican style" loop. My client has no desire to have a full rig, he just wanted the holster. So I trimmed some of the extra bulk off to make it more comfortable on a standard belt.

Wow. Thanks for all the advice here. I still have to process everything I just read, but I've got and ideas of what to do from everyone.

Have you tried Tandy's website under recourses? They have a lot of their patterns available for free download. Along with so many other things.

I know I'm way behind on this because I'm stubborn and have been opposed to social media since the days of MySpace. I do use YouTube as a learning source (how I learned this craft) and some entertainment of course. The local market is a little stale right now and highly dependent on tourists. Tourist season is pretty much wrapped up and all the snow birds are flocking south for the winter (FL, AZ, TX). I've come to realize that I am missing out on free advertising to 2 (IG) to 2.5 (YT) billion people. I really have no clue what to do or how to present my work on platforms such as Instagram. Ican make short videos on the process like I see everyone else doing, but what would stand out? Does anyone have any tips, tricks or techniques to build an IG page that would attract more business? What kind of posts or reels work best for leathercraft? And the algorithm? My IG page @doublekcustomleather I've been signed up to LinkedIn forever it seems, and have grown a decent sized network. So I decided to start writing weekly posts with images to hopefully promote my brand. I can't seem to keep them short and engaging. Although I did get more interest from my second post. These two, and maybe YouTube are all I would consider using. My problem is I really don't know how to engage these platforms, or how to utilize the algorithm for selling custom leather products. There are plenty of YouTube videos on business, selling and building a following on IG, but it's all premade products. I am a made to order business and don't have an inventory of products. I'm just hoping some of y'all might have some advise to share See.... I'm long winded.

Fancy rims on a pinto, with a banging stereo system! Haha Nice work.

Doesn't bother me at all. The line art for the holster is in my previous post in showoff. I put a watermark on it, but not to where it distorts the image. Respect for asking. Thanks Thank you everyone. I appreciate the kind words, it helps keep me motivated to create more.

On it's way to California.

This is a follow up to my previous post explaining how I drew the pattern for this carving. And a few other things. I did add a toe plug on this to help retain its shape for years. My client specifically said, "I would like you to have artistic freedom on this, and I would like to be surprised" direct quote. I chose the bighorn because of their resilience and strength. They live a rugged lifestyle that represents the wild west. I chose the desert bighorn because it's headed to CA and they're one of two native species too the state. Hermann oak holster tan 9/10 from weaver. Feibings pro dye light brown Feibings antique finish dark brown, with no resist to darken the leather a bit for a more medium brown Feibings leather balm atom wax finish Ritza tiger thread 1.0 cream saddle stitched Tokenol edge burnish Weaver's Water Buffalo lining, and hammer spur strap (for strand round braid)

I literally just put the final coat of leather balm on it. I'll take some pictures tomorrow before it gets shipped out so I can get em posted. Ya, I'm pretty happy with this one. The bighorn sheep is one of those animals. They're big, bold, strong animals that seem to demand respect with just a side eyed glance. They way they survive defines what rugged really means.

Get some deglazer. But I don't think anything will work. It's not really a residue issue but a slight pulling of the grain. If you can't find anything that works, and this would be my last choice. You could sand the whole face with fine sandpaper, 600-1000grit, very lightly. Then take some tokenol and burnish the surface smooth. I've never had any success remove the tape marks, but I've never had them right in the middle of the piece either. Good luck, and let us know if anything worked.

Thanks guys. I'm just about done with it, but had to put things in hold so I could get things done at home before this show storm showed up. It's killing pretty sweet though.