MedusaOblongata

I lay the leather flat, use a ruler to mark where the holes should be (2 holes per stud). I make the marks with bright colored gel pens (ink comes off afterwards by rubbing with a wet finger). Then use a sharpened 1/8" flathead screwdriver to make slits for the prongs. Then you bend the prongs in as far as you can using another flathead screwdriver or needlenose pliers.

Badass Hat! I love it.

But their requests are reasonable, and are met by many belts. The plastic (I don't know what kind of plastics work best) lining inside a gunbelt stiffens the belt so that the belt won't roll over, or sag, where a heavy gun is hung from it. Unlined or flexible belts will not only sag at the point of the weight, but will also have to be tightened uncomfortably in order to hold up that weight. A properly stiffened gunbelt can be worn more loosely and comfortably, and still support the weight of a heavy gun and spare mags. My pants weigh about 11 lbs loaded the way I wear them. An unreinforced belt would have to be worn very tightly in order to stay up. My inexpensive, plastic reinforced gunbelt (5.11 brand leather with plastic stiffener inside, $40 at LGS) holds my pants, gun, and gear up just fine, and it doesn't sag where my holster attaches to it.

I love the design. If you put more holes in the holster, the customer would be able to adjust it for ride height and cant.

That's ######ing impressive.

There are no mistakes, only last minute design changes. Have you tried sandpaper?

How, exactly, do you use the foodsaver in the making of the holster?

No one?

I've successfully used similar rivets. I've found that without the setter, the top of the rivet comes out looking very ugly. But I've been able to get them to stick using the setter. Other than hitting them pretty hard, I usually hit each rivet twice, then flip it over (since the two parts of the setter are not identical) and hit it twice more. Then I try to pull it apart. Once in a while, one will come apart, but if it doesn't come apart right then, it won't come apart later either. If you're just making one or two bags, by all means go with the more expensive and stronger chicago screws. If you're making a lot of them, then it'll have to be rivets. Has anyone else found a difference hitting a rivet more than once?

I have a pair of leather gloves that's a little bit too big. Is there a way to shrink them a little bit?

Good looking holsters. I like the design. I found these clips to be more comfortable: http://www.comp-tac.com/product_info.php?products_id=79

Could have stocked up.

I love the unique style. Keep it up.

If you really don't want to hit your fingers with the hammer, hold the stamp with a pair of pliers or, even better, vice grips. Then if the hammer misses, you still won't hit your fingers. Works with nails, should work as well with a stamp.

If your Dremel's burning your leather, then your bits are dull, or filled. Sharp, clean bits will grind or cut leather, but won't burn it. I've used expensive scissors and rotary cutters, and they work pretty well, but what I usually use is the Benchmade that's in my pocket. A sharp enough knife will cut through anything easily and smoothly, and will give you the control you need. As said above, boxcutters and exacto knives, when brand new, are way too dull. If you don't want to bother with knife sharpening (though you'll have to eventually), go with a scalpel like this: http://www.indigo.com/tools/gphtools/3-sca...n=22340 Replace the blades as necessary. Cuts leather very smoothly, and the handle is designed for precise control (after all, look at what they were designed for).

If a combination of acetone and sandpaper won't do it, try leaving it as is, if not for this particular project, then for the next. If this leather looks different than all other leathers, make something unique out of the hide's unique look. How hard would it be to reproduce that exact Rorschach on a different piece of leather? You've got something special there. Make the most of it.

With almost no experience sewing anything more complicated than a button, I wanted about 15 patches sewn onto my Jacket, and couldn't find anyone local who could both sew and speak English, so I found a way to do it myself. I used the flimsiest knockoff dollar store wannabe Scotch type double stick tape to first position the patches. Then, when I had each one where I wanted it, I traced it with a Fisher Space Pen, then removed the patch and the tape. I wiped down the spot on the Jacket with acetone. Then painted that spot on the Jacket, and the back of the patch, with contact cement. I didn't bother waiting for it to dry, since it sticks the same anyway. I did, however, apply at least 25 psi, with a rolling pin, to each patch (that's what the directions on the bottle of contact cement said to do). I let it dry long enough to smoke a cigarette. Then I sewed the patch on, using 16-20# Kevlar thread. The location of the stitch had to vary based on the type of patch, since some don't have borders, and some had been cut smaller prior to application. The leather (especially with the patches) was too thick to really push a needle through, even with a thimble, so I used needle nose pliers to pull the needle through on each side of each stitch. Took frigging forever (the whole Jacket took months). Then I removed the outline from the Fisher Space Pen by licking my finger, and rubbing the ink mark until it vanished. I did sew through the lining, but what that did to the lining is nothing at all compared to what the spikes did to the lining! That was a few years ago, the Jacket has seen some rough days, and the thread has been worn away in a couple of spots, but those patches are on there good, and I don't think they'll ever come off. Oh, and the broken bone you see on the back has subsequently been replaced. (I must have done a good job, because this Jacket has gotten me into clubs for free, has gotten me laid, and has helped me sell other leather related items)

So the purpose of the second piece of leather inside is only to move the zipper that much further away from the outside, visible part of the pocket? Is that right?