Jimbob

Just finished a few Western rigs and still working on how to place my tounge and billet... I think I caught the SA fever... Jimbob

I would love to see this pattern/chart... Cant wait till you post it here !! Thanks for sharing... james

super nice work....super clean !!

Nice holster....clean design and well put together...the belt loop will cause problems, it is not wide enough to support that gun being so high and heavy....it will wobble and eventualle lean out....it would need a heck of a stout gunbelt to half way work....try a Avenger style holster design, or make loopspace wider...a fold-over sweat shield will work as a belt loop and can be made fairly wide...always thinking a one piece loop ( part of the actual holster ) will last longer and work better... You done well on the holsters, looks real good...we all just have to remember: If we make a holster, it has to be safe !! In a extreme situation the gun owner has to trust his life to his gear and weapon !! Jimbob

Solid, massiv, bold and antique looking.....well done....good edge work too...cool carving....now go back and make some more !!!!!

As said, I use Barge only and it WILL hold !!

I use 2-3 oz and never had an issue with it !!! Ok, now thats not for an elegant wallstreet wallet, but a nice solid wallet last 20 plus years or so !! I have done many of them and it works well...carving is possible in 2-3 oz but details are more shallow....interiour is made of pig skin lining or thin chrome tan...I use what I have laying around....wet the piece to carve and before it is almost dry...shape it lightly and when finished....fold closed and claped it lightly down in closed position...done !! Jimbob

Nice very solid work....keep it coming, good to see someone to pick up leather work and produce usable items!! Now to the details.....the edges need to be worked on, that makes half of your product !! Lots of info here in this forum....I use Fiebings bar soap, wet the edge and then rub the snot out of them...little wax on it rubbing and done...other people have othere ways....main thing is your eges look slick and smooth! Your sewing is not bad at all...keep practicing, all in all this is real good work !! Ohhh,,,, and any BoBoo....you do as in "he groover got away" > I always take a tool and cut some design over it or with it and claim that it was meant to be there in the first place !!...hahaha..... Rememer its all about fun... Jimbob

A few pics of some rigs...note the tongue is way to far out I think now.....buckle is so-so ok...? Seems there is lots to learn....hahaha... Jimbob

Dwight, thanks so much for your info and help....the pictures made sense and I think I am starting to see what I am doing wrong...but any more info other like to share would be great...Also Jim...thanks for that great offer to provide a pattern to all of us out there....nice move !! As I said,, I am bitten by the Cowboy bug and it seems I am having fun too....haha.. Again, thank you for the info and input....!!! James

Ok, I made a few western rigs...By luck they all fit pretty well...I know how to messure a reular belt and I am aware that a hip measurement is needed for a gun rig belt....My question is: How do you position the billets to the main gun belt....and how much overlap the main gun belt needs...how does all this measure up to be the final right lenght ( hip measurement ) Also where do you position the buckle billet...does it hang over or right where the main gun belt ends...? Seems to be rather simple but I always panic when it comes to get this right on a gun/cartrige belt...?!! Any info would be helpful... I do have this wonderful book called Packing iron....but of course no help on how to measure... thanks Jamesg

makes me wanna cry and throw away all my leather tools.....buhhhaaaaaaaa.......

May I ask where did you find the brass frame for this wonderful bag you made......very beautiful work !!!!!

I bought mine at Ohio luggage company!!

Go onto the Schmetz webpage, they have a huge amount of info on their/any needles !! Any possible question you have can be aswered there !! I use Schmetz needles only on my two ADLER machines and love them...not cheap but best by far !! There is also on THETHREADEXCHANGE webside a nice chart for what needle fits what thread size.....usually 207 and 138 takes same size needle for "normal" material" the number 160 or 2oo is the metric messurement, the number #20 or #22 is Singer code I think....needles for sewing machines are very differently coded and some of them have crazy number codes for different makers and machines....stick with blade like points if you use vegtan leather, if you do fabric or mesh products use round point needles, blade or spear like points come in different configurations to make different sewing patterns....\\ the Schmetz website shows all this in real time pictures !! Hope this helps, always check/feel your needle point for burrs....change needles often and if needed buff them to be reused.... have fun and sew the heck out of your new machine!!! Aloha

Different styles of blades on these needles make different stitch patterns....go and Google for Schmetz needles and you will end up on their webpage,,,,,wonderful info on what needle type does what pattern and what it is used for !!!!

Leatherweld .....white glue.... is used by all shoemakers and works well!! But I use expensive Barge cement and often woodweld..both work well too...just what ever you get used to it and what works for you....they all three permanent glues !

The safety strap on the black one is as said way to close to the snap and in my opinion way to big and long..if you have draw this one fast you are in trouble..your edges need a little work and your stitching is to close to the edge too. on the brown one also the edges and the wet forming could be much deeper and detailed. Make always sure your trigger is well covered for safety reasons! For a first try they came out realy nice...you will see, in a few month after a few more holsters you will be agreeing to all that has been said. Keep it up and show us more work down the road!! Greetings

Oil the gun a bit and then wet form around the gun....mold and bone it....pull out strait, clean gun and leave holster in front of small fan...done !!

Thanks Bill.....just trying to get better with my leather craft.....there is always something new to learn....again thanks for the kind words. James

Sure will....lights are off !!!!!!

Quick wallet....carving came out better then it shows on the picture....improved my belly gun holster with two additional bullet loops...haha....not that you really have time to reloada gun like this.....OK, now I am turning the light out....turn the heat off and throw the keys into the closet...I am done for this year....Am I...hmmmm...??!! Jimbob

Quick seat for a Gent in a hurry....no tooling only cutting...hmmm....Airbrush and some Oxblood Angelus dye.....stays on better then Fiebings....sealed and ready to go before Christmas...seat pan was a crude piece of street sign sheet metal....had to do lots of shaping and bending myself...haha....foam is "first class custom foam" from a Walmart Yoga mat...pssst....dont tell !!3 layers in the back, one in the middle build up again to 2 up front.....shaped with a air grinder wheel. Nothing fancy, so...now we can close shop for this year !!! Jimbob

Customer did not want stiffener at opening of holster for shoulder rig....szzz....customer is always King...haha Straps in 6 oz W&C veg tan....holster and mag pouch is 8 oz HO veg tan leather....sort of Bianchi style....old school, not cross strapped like most harness anker points these days...szzzz the customer gets what he likes...haha. Shop closed for 2013 !!!! Szzzzz.......relaxing now.... Jimbob

Nice seat.....the owner will have tons of blue sores on his inner thights due to that heavy lacing...haha....but seriously, very nice tooling....Nothing is really waterproof your seat, it is after all veg tan leather....Resolene will help it a bit for a while but you need to reaply soon after....but this is the beauty of these seats....they soon will look weathered and used....looking like they been 20 years on these scooters.....the beauty of it all !! So dont worry to much about sealing it....tell ur customer to put on a good coat of Fiebings Aussie cream ever now and then....then ride the heck out of it...!!!