katsass

I think I was just playing around and grabbed some scrap.....it looks like fairly heavy stuff, maybe 9oz. It probably doesn't need to be that heavy. Mike

Well jayjay, here's the one I did. It sits horizontally on the belt, and if you have a do-lap (you know, a tummy that do lap over your belt) it can be spooky.But .... it's fun to play with. The blade actually closes only as far as the upper rivet will allow, and make sure that the leather covers the tip that is pointing upwards. Mike

Well, I dunk my stuff in the 'roon, saturate well, then dunk in a mild bath of baking soda and water for a minute or so. Follow that with a rinse in clear water . The odor seems to be gone in a couple of days. Mike

Good morning Mack. Much as 50 Years does, so I do. I have always found it necessary to wax and often re-wax any thread I use when stitching. Maybe it is that both of us have some years on you (Ferg has a couple on me...but not many) and we expect to do things in a more leisurely manner, but waxing and re-waxing thread just seems to come with the territory when stitching leather. Mike

I agree with you Rick, on the thumb break. I really do not like the newer 'security' levels of holsters. Just too damned many things to do while trying to get your shooter out. Took a BUNCH of practice everytime we got a 'new and improved' version. Mike

Rick, IIRC, the 'Judge', by old John Bianchi, among others, was actually made somewhat later in time than the true 'clamshell', and were called 'Breakfront' holsters. They had a few problems in that (as you noted) it took a bit of effort to shove the weapon out the front and through the heavy spring tension. The second problem occurred when you finally got the shooter out. By virtue of the force required to push the gun through the spring, inertia kept it going, and you invariably ended up with you pop gun pointing towards the stars! There was also a cross draw version that utilized the same strong spring, but that you had to pull the shooter through, rather than shove it. Neither were great holsters. Not too surprisingly, they resulted in a number of UD's (Unintentional discharges ......I don't believe in the "accidental" type) The true 'clamshell' holster was a two piece rig, hinged along the back side (the side where the trigger guard is) and also loaded with a strong coil spring. To draw your weapon, you gripped the gun as normal, but then you inserted your trigger finger into the trigger guard, (right on top of the trigger!) and pushed a concealed button. This released a latch in the front side of the holster and the spring loaded half (total front side) of the holster popped open, dumping the shooter in your mitt.......hopefully.(Open, they resembled an open ....you got it...clam shell) An accidental bump and often your pricey shooter hit the black-top. Mike

FWIW, I do things a bit differently. I bond a lighter piece of veg tanned (3/4 oz) to a heavier piece (6/7 oz), with their flesh sides together prior to cutting my actual pattern. That way I end up with holsters which have a smooth inside and outside. Basically lined. I do not do much (if any) tooling or carving anymore. When finished, I feel that my holsters are more firm and retain their firmness better than a single layer holster of equivalent weight ....ie. about 9 oz. Said another way, all of my holsters are lined with veg tanned leather. I do stress to my customers (a does Lobo) proper care of the leather AND the handgun. IMHO there is nothing you can do about honest holster wear. If you carry a handgun as a normal part of your profession or as a daily self protection piece, there WILL be wear. If your leather is to be there just to show off the fact that your are carrying, or as an accoutrement to a parade costume, well, I just make very few of those type. I may have made four or five in the last ten years, and at least three have been more an experiment than anything else. Only two were built for sale and both of those in the last two months ...and posted on this forum.......BUT, under it all, they are still solid working holsters. Enough from the grumpy old man. Mike

Rayban, earlier it also happened to me. I don't know if it's my work or just the mark ...but my customers seem to want it. Mike

Shooter, to me my mark means my quality, guarantee, and my pride in my work. If it ain't there .... it ain't mine. Back or front doesn't matter to me .... mine are mostly on the back ........ but it's ALWAYS there. I have had early customer's kids have me build their first holster, and the first thing they do is look for the 'Kat Sass'. I have had customers that I had totally forgotten about have me build them something new, then look for my logo and state that the earlier one is better because the Kat was hand done and is more 'original', and are kind of sorry that the hand drawn logo has gone the way of 'progress', but they want that logo. Just my two cents. Mike P.S. Hope this makes sense, I'm about half shot and it's late.

Nice looking rig, well done. Looks like you're a southpaw. Mike

A unique design, well executed. You done good. Mike

redhat..........VERY nicely done! The narrow design is great, and the overall is executed perfectly. Mike

OK Rayban ...... here is the one going to the local chapter of the "Friend's of the NRA" for their annual auction. A lot more 'fancy' than most of my stuff, but the same holster anyhoo. The more current version has a retention strap across the front of the hammer. This one is more historically correct, as most believe that the original had the thong ..... from somewhere between 1915 and 1920.or so. No one knows where that first one went. Mike P.S. I think an old Model-19 blue steel shooter would look better in this one, rather than my old M-64. But I do believe that they are one of the fastest wheelgun holsters made .....with either the thong or a humb break.

Good morning Eaglestroker, that little J-frame holster is good. I generally don't care for a squared off toe on a holster, but for the new style Airweight I think it worked really well. A good looking little rig and I also like the wide belt loop. It provides a lot of stability. Mike

Good morning cj, from the grumpy one. The only comment re: the inlay is that a well burnished 'window' sets off your inlay to a better degree. The workmanship in it is fine and it's a good looking little holster. Mike

Well Lobo, I like it. You did good. I have a thing for well done inlay ....... and I like snakeskin, however here in CA. one must be very careful about just WHAT snakeskin is used in any commercial endeavor. Any form of, or relation to, a Western Diamondback rattler is verboten ....... even if from another state. The DFG can get REAL excited about such things. We can't use Python, even from FLA. and even though those folks are trying their damnedest to get rid of them as an invasive species. Sometimes I can't figure them out. You are correct, sharp corners are difficult to finish. Mike

Thanks for the compliment Dave, and also many thanks for the assistance. Mike

Just the opposite .............. 5 parts alcohol to 1 part dye. Mike

I have to agree with you as to some of the older designs. I personally believe that the Threeperson style (with a thong or thumb break) was/is one of the fastest wheelgun holsters made. A solid, simple design from which many good holsters were/are derived. Mike

Another classic extremely well done! As to the old clamshelL......I have seen more than one of those open up unexpectedly. One in particular dumped a beautiful 4" Colt Python onto the blacktop. I actually carried one for a short time. The CA. Highway Patrol actually issued them at one time, I believe. Mike

Very nicely done ...... a real classic. Mike

Denatured alcohol is the solvent used in Fiebings and Angelus dyes. Tandy's dyes are water based and the alcohol CAN NOT be used with them ...... just water. For the other spirit based dyes, you can get denatured alcohol at Lowe's, Home Depot, OSH, or most any hardware store. Mike

Dwight, thanks for the compliment. I've had this idea knocking around in my mind for a while and figured that being (basically) a simple Threeperson style holster, it would be the more simple one to put together. It wasn't. We'll see how well it goes over at the 'Friends' fund raiser. Mike

Frankly, I don't use much of anything from Tandy anymore. Back in the '60s they were not too bad, but since the 'new' Tandy started up, they seem to be a different outfit. I use nothing but Angelus, or Fiebings dyes ......... thinned at least 5 to 1 with denatured alcohol. Mike