troop

i order my leather already dyed, but when i have to dye something to match my russett, i use the feibings light brown pro oil dye...it is the exact same color match. Tony

very nice Big O!! what are they finished with? Tony

i had the same issue for a long time. i bought the weaver edgers and they work like a charm on those tight turns. Tony

i always try to spilt the trigger guard with the belt line. the further down you make the belt line, the higher the holster will ride. the problem however is that the less of the trigger guard you have behind the belt the more your holster will lean out away from your body thereby protruding outward through your clothing. the ideal way to make it for what you may be looking for is a horizontal or semi horizontal just outside the center of your back. it'll be stable and stay close to your body while riding high (at the belt line level.) hope this helps. i'm sure others have some ideas as well. Tony

looks to me to maybe be eco flo bison brown. i used it once and it is almost black but you can see the brown in it.

winter is coming and i was wondering if a heat lamp in the garage is an effecient way to heat (dry) holsters after wet forming. wife is not going to let me use the oven warmer in the house. in the summer i use the inside of my old truck and heat not only my holsters but also my saddlelac before appying. if not a heat lamp, does anyone use other tried and true methods in the workshop to heat (dry) their hoslters? Tony

thanks for the info on the thumb stiffeners Noah. i called them and am going to order some, but how do you get to their paypal site to make the order? Tony

nice Noah, how much are the tabs and do they have a minumun order? Tony

thank you very much Reaper. i wish i could figure how to make the pics smaller. they are so big you have to pan all over to see them all. Tony

well after putting off doing one out of fear, a coworker got me an order for three from one customer. so i had to bite the bullet and do it. glad i did now. this is one of the three that i did. all for different guns. this one is for a 1911, the others were a black one for a beretta 92 and a russett one for a glock. the other two got delivered before i got pics. this one will be delivered tommorrow. got to give thanks to JBIRD for the idea of airbrushing. still not up to his standard but im working on it. Tony

depends on your preference. i started out handstitching but then bought a machine because i had so much to do that i couldn't keep up. and with both, practice makes perfect. when i finally got my handstitching down nicely i went to a machine. my stitching looked terrible when i first started using the machine i thought about going back to hand sewing. kept practicing on scrap and pretty soon it looked way better than hand sewing. in the end i would recommend a machine, Tony

i use 4/5 oz for my iwb holsters with the the flesh side out and find that they are more than adequate. Tony

don't know if HO will do it, but i use W/C and they sell single backs (sides without bellies) and they come really nice with very little waste. Tony

i actually tried to contact that jrmsclips company and no one gets back to you.......does anyone know if they're still in business? Tony

have a question regarding the darkening of my holster after casing. i am using W/C holstered sides in russet. i dye it with feibings pro oil dark brown. sometimes i will airbrush the edges in black. afer it dries the color looks great. after assembling the holster i case it for about 10 seconds to a minute. wet mold it (with clean hands and tools) the problem is as it starts to dry, sometimes it will start to look burnt and blotchy, not returning to anywhere close to the color it was before casing. i will redo another holster from the same hide in the same way and it will come out perfect. any ideas of what is happening and if it can be prevented would be awsome. thanks Tony

i try to put it middle between the front of the trigger guard and the barrel. i have done them on open top holsters now and then for 1911s. all it does is pinch the leather as it loosens....of course after time when it is screwed all the way down you've stretched the leather out...but the customers get what they want they are actually useless, i have found if you are using heavier leather such as 8/10 oz. Tony

been using W/C and love it. when i order sides just for holsters they press it nice and tight for me. comes to me looking like glass. i'd reccommend it. Tony

Amen to that Big River

first Particle let me say that i love your work. you have a great eye for making a holster look really nice. when i first started making holsters a year ago i did an antique prior to casing. and it did wash most of it off. once it was dry i antiqued it again and it came out kinda cheesy looking. i was however able to use a very small rag and only get the stain where i wanted it without getting it on the threads. i really wasn't very happy with how it came out, but i try to keep in mind i was using cheap single shoulder Tandy leather, and i think it was about the second or third holster i did. i know you are using H.O. and are doing really good work. your outcome may be different, and it could come out looking really nice. you might try applying the stain with a very small paint brush after it is all dried and molded letting the small amounts darken the areas you apply it to as it dries. however you do it, if you're not satisfied i would tell the customer that it just isn't going to work out like he wants it. i would hate to see you make a lesser product in trying to satisfy a customer. i too have had to tell people that sometimes things just can't be done well enough for my standards when they request something out of the ordinary. but i will always try it. good luck, and keep up the good work. Tony

for the stitch line around the gun, i make it half of width of the gun plus a 1/16th of an inch. will make it about 1/16th of an inch less than half in front of the trigger guard. works good for me. i use 8-10 oz W/C.

i use 346 on the top and 277 in the bobbin. Tony

Monica, lawyer or not, you're one heck of holster maker. Tony

thanks Rob, how do you apply it? Tony

will give it a try, thanks Frank Tony

i apply the bag kote with a slightly damp sponge. but i do multiple coats. would a saddle soap work as a cleaner? and at what point would i apply it? Tony