JoelR

I haven't done anyhing with them yet. There is a bottom stop on them. I was planning on marking the line where the leather met the zipper before removing them and then transfering that line new the new zipper so they lined up properly. I have narrow feet and ankles so if I add too much play the boots will be loose. Not sure why he won't do zippers.

Thanks all for the replies. The original zippers are marked 'Talon'. The boots are made by Double-H. I was looking into YKK zippers but had no clue what size to get. So, #10 it is. Hand sewing is going to be a bear as there are 3 rows of stitches. Tried giving the work to my local cobbler, but he won't do zippers.

Can anyone tell me where to get zippers of sufficient strength for motorcycle boots? The ones on my boots are about shot. The boots are army-style full leather and the zippers are heavier than I have ever seen in local fabric shops.

I have found the key to using the punch and chisel method is to first cut a line down the center of the opening with the chisel to create a relief. Makes the final cuts more precise.

I have used the lo-fi verson in the past with my old Blackberry. No need to with my new Droid X. Tapatalk just makes it easier to organize and view forums on mobile devices that are supported.

Thanks Lobo. Incidently, I do use Johnsons on the pig skin lined holsters that are a little tough to draw from. Haven't tried bag kote.

Any thoughts to making this forum Tapatalk active for easier mobile access? I believe the plugin is free. Don't know if it is compatable with whatever software you are using though.

I've read topics in the past that mention in passing what some do to the interior of ther holsters to make the leather more finished. Some simply burnish with gum tragacanth while others mention sanding to get a suede-like feel. In the past I have taken the long-cut by lining with pig skin but this causes more work and can grip the firearm a little too much. So, how do you work the flesh-side of your holsters to prevent the unfinished leather look? Please be as specific as possible with your techniques if you would as I have tried both of the above mentioned processes with little to no satisfactory results.

When I first started making hosters about a year and a half ago, I had the same concerns with leather price. Once I bit-the-bullet and started buying better quality leather, I have not looked back. I won't touch a Tandy hide any more. The last side I purchased was directly from Wickett and Craig and was marked as a grade C on their overstock list. I think it cost me $80 + shipping. Two small flaws on the entire skin that will need worked around.

Here is a picture of the knife

The goal is to provide a descrete, EDC sheath that matches the rest of the gear used by the individual. My concern with the blade design is that there is no rounded edge to lead the blade into the sheath. A good mental image for the tip configuration is that of the heavy-duty blades used in razor knives (about the same profile and design). The handle is wide enough to create a stop so as not to bottom-out, but the act of inserting the blade would have to be done very carefully so as not to run the blade through the back-side of the sheath into the side of the wearer. The blade currently has a kyndex sheath but the user does not like it - big, bulky, screams Tactical Knife/Armed. I had thought of molding a kyndex sleave and building the leather around it, but was curious about the practicallity of using rawhide. I just don't know how well the rawhide would hold up over time and if it would wear the metal any more/less than kyndex. I'll try to post a picture of the knife tonight.

A member of my IDPA group that I have made holsters for in the past has asked for a leather sheath for a defensive knife he would like to start carrying. It is a Janich/Snody Ronin Spiderco VG10. The issue I am having with it is that the point is very defined (straight edge with the back at a 45 degree angle the edge) and I just know is going to want to punch through any leather holster I make. I was thinking of a rawhide lining. Thoughts/suggestions?

A little late in the reply, but wanted to thank everyone for their input. The belt ended up being the child's favorite Christmas gift and gave me the confidence to create a smooth belt for my daughter (also 4 years old), a sharkskin belt for my daughter, a gun belt for myself and the child's father is getting a gun belt for his birthday. I really wish I had read that most recommend sticking with short sections of thread instead of trying to complete the entire belt in a single piece of thread. 4 hours of stitching is no fun...

Here is a press-style snap setter I made from a $13 Harbor Freight Watch Case Press. Total time invested was about 1 hour. Drilled out the upper ram to 1/4" to accommodate a standard snap setter rod (cut to length) and drilled a blind hole into the anvil with a #7 drill bit to hold it on the base. Had to put a different handle on it (not shown) as the original was not strong enough to handle the force needed to set a snap really firmly. Simply used some 1"x1/8" aluminum bar stock I had laying around.

I have all but completed my first holster using an exotic overlay. The overlay is the brown freshwater shark being sold by Ostrich Market. It's been a learning experience - The burnishing has been the hardest part of the whole process. I still have to cut the belt slots and burnish the edges and am trying to figure out what to use, if anything, to seal the outside of the holster. I assume the leather is top-grain and I know the accent color can be removed with Alcohol. So, what is a good choice in finishes? I have Fiebrings Acrylic Resoleen, Fiebrings Tan Kote, and Fiebrings Leather Balm on hand but am not adverse to picking up something that would work out better. All input is welcome. Thanks!

Tandy now sells Osborne Hefts and a few types of Awls as separate items. The awls I have gotten are sharp but do need polished. Hefts are either the standard push-in or ones with a brass chuck. The awls are not made of the best metal either - they will bend. For the limited work I do (A holster about every 2 weeks with odds-and-ends thrown it to keep it interesting) they work fine.

Looks good. Check out the fresh-water shark that ostrich market has (they refer to it as smooth shark). I have 5 holsters requested with it - all from the same person... I'm thinking of making a belt for my daughter with it as well. Nothing wrong with a 4-year-old having a $100+ belt, right?

I do the same as particle but I skive the leather to a finer taper, keep the channel narrower and deeply groove the stitching groove. Probably better to keep it wide though for certain guns to prevent breaking the site off in the event of a quick and awkward draw (think 1911 with a narrow pinned sight). Personally, I prefer the look and I think it adds that extra bit of detail but I have had people request the molded channel because they prefer that look. Once you do a couple, it adds minimal time to the overall project. I size the 'rails' based on the width of the slide so that very little if any of the 'rail' rolls over when molding.

This is also demonstrated in 'The Art of Hand Sewing Leather' on page 28.

Thanks MadMax. Just ordered up 50 yards of classic in red. Now to order a braiding book to see what type of braid to use between the stingray and the base. We'll see how it goes.

I'm working on my first motorcycle piece - a fender bib with a stingray insert. I'd like to lace the outer edge and the inlay but the lace I have been practicing with is much bulkier than I would like - Tandy latigo 1/8". So, what is my best option: find a way ro skive the lace or purchace the thickness I want in latigo and cut my own? My initial experimentation with 3oz pigskin was more along the lines of the look I was going for.

I have the same problem with 9/10 single layer and the standard backs that come with DOT pull the dot snaps. I've compressed the leather in the past by casing it, putting the snap base in place and using a wooden thread spool to hammer the leather just flat enough to get the snap in place.

I'm currently making a holster for a Kimber 4". Controls are much different from my bone stock Colt: extended ambi safety, extended slide release, extended beaver-tail. May be add-ons, probably, not sure. I've only made a few holsters to this point, but as I see that most of the guns I've worked on have special configurations, I've reluctantly decided to always ask for the gun for the molding work. Can't go wrong that way. In fact, had a guy show me the fit of a plastic holster with a Glock blue gun vs the actual Glock and the blue gun fell out of the holster when turned upside down but held the real gun securly. Again, can't go wrong with the real thing.

Any specs on the slide dimmensions? My wife has an FNP-9M which I'm sure has a thinner slide than the 45. They are not necessarily unique, just not as popular as others. Very good shooting guns BTW but hard to get parts for...

+1 for Ostrich Market. Henry was great to work with. Took the time to find out what I was producing, my level of expertise and hand picked a hide that he felt I would be happy with. Got the skin and he hit the mark on every level. Smooth shark in chestnut brown - what a gorgeous hide. I almost feel bad cutting it up!