katsass

I'm sooooo sorry.........I just can't touch this one without being banned by the moderators. Mike

Pleasr disregard my previous request. I just posted it myself. Mike Name: katsass UserName: katsass IP Address: 98.119.182.170 Email Address: katsass50@hotmail.com

Griz. I like it!! Actually I like them both! Somewhere I have seen (someone on here I think) advertised, a gizmo that pops into the hole in the back side of the snap that is teflon which protects the knife, gun etc. from touching the steel of the snap. Mabe a search of the hardware section might help..........or someone else knows?? Great work! Mike

Back in February my grandson called me and told me that he wanted to do a leather project. A few days later he showed up and said that his project was a holster for a Rossi .38 wheel gun. I grabbed a file folder and had him trace the outline of the gun, and we started from there. He decided on a modified Threeperson's type holster......with the trigger guard covered, so I did a little scribbling, erasing, and more scribbling, and ended up with a pattern that met his requirements and was to his liking. He cut out the pattern, transferred it to leather and cut the leather. I shot the dye in the way he wanted. From there on I showed him what needed to be done for each step.......and away he went. He listened well and worked carefully (he even included my maker's mark). The final product is shown here. Unknown to me he posted it on this forum in the "Show-Off" section back then, but I'm proud enough of his work to show it again here. Mike

Thank all of you for the kind comments. This actually was the second shot at this particular holster, the first ending in the 'doggy chew' bin. I started, as I usually do, by cutting and cementing two layers if light leather together to form the 7-8 oz pieces I wanted. Soon on it became apparent that my 'normal' way of doing things would not work while still maintaining the compact size I desired. This is made from 6-7 oz leather and some head scratching, so as to allow some of the stitching to do double duty while still appearing to be 'proper' and not some kind of botched afterthought. The customer was happy with it when he saw it in the construction stage, but will have to wait a week or so until I get out of the hospital and recoup a bit from surgery. Thanks again to all. Mike

Here is my version of LOBO'S design. It was created with the knowledge and permission of Ray Cory, owner of Lobo Gun Leather. His design is (in my opinion) a vast improvement over the standard pancake style holster. I specifically requested permission to utilize his creation for this rig for the little SIG 232. I hope that I have done justice to his design and generosity. Mike

Could you do me a little favor please? My grandson (Bignick) made his first post showing a holster he made, back on the 19th of Feb. I just found the post! I assisted him in this project but he did all of the work. I'd like to ask you to resurrect this post and move it to the "Gun Holsters, Rifle Slings and Knife Sheaths" section for me? I think he would get a few more comments which would tickle his ego a bit. Thanks in advance. Mike (katsass) Name: katsass (Mike Friesen) UserName: katsass IP Address: 98.119.182.170 Email Address: katsass50@hotmail.com

George: from the grumpy old man.......here's a pic of a rig I did for a Colt DA wheel gun back in about 1978. The pic isn't too good because it is a digital taken of a 35mm print. I drew the design for it but have no idea where in the world that pattern may be. Maybe this helps a little? Mike

As always Dave, Beautiful work!! Mike

From the grumpy old man: Big O has said it as succinctly as it can be said. Just two pieces of leather in mirror image, a little artistic endeavor, cement, then stitching, and off you go. Mike

From the grumpy old man: almost all of my holsters are made from two layers of veg tanned cow hide (usually shoulder leather), these, bonded flesh sides together. Although not technically a lining, the result is the same. Mike

Well, from a grumpy old man. In my experience, it doesn't seem to matter which way you go. I generally used to allow the blue dye to dry overnight, ensuring that the piece was pretty uniformly covered. I'd then hit the piece with my black dye, again ensuring a uniform application. Allow the piece to dry completely and buff. I used an airbrush to apply my dye. I no longer use much black dye, I use vinegaroon now for my holsters, etc. that are to be black. It removes the 'rub-off' usually experienced with black dyed pieces. Mike

Robert, My suggestion is, when marking out your stitch lines, mark out another line inside of that to make a 'frame' around your basket weave. You might pick up a copy of Al Stohlman's book, "How to Make Holsters" (about $12). It gives you an awful lot of good info, and it has a section on how to align and work the basket stamp well. Mike

Chris, If you are planning to make holsters I'd suggest that you get Al Stohlman's book "How to Make Holsters". It pretty well lays out and covers most of your questions. It runs about $12. Most holster makers I know have a beat up old coppy around their place. I bought mine in the early '60s. Mike

FWIW from a grumpy old man. First, I got all my inspiration for inlay work from Dave Cole at DCKnives. He does the best inlay work I know of. I dye all pieces first. For the 'window' surrounding the inlay, I also burnish those inside edges........THEN apply and/or assemble the inlay. Actually I always dye my stuff prior to assembly, with or without an inlay. As to Resolene over the inlay, yes it can be used. I personally use Fiebing's Leather Sheen because I'm not to fond of Resolene. Mike Side note: I don't like Spam!!!

Well Cowgirl, FWIW from a grumpy old man: I'm of the thought that a good, very distinctive logo needs nothing more. Most customers of mine get a new holster and immediately look for the logo, then look at the product. I often get calls and are first asked, "are you the guy that does the katsass stuff?", then proceed to ask for what they want. My logo is my avatar...or vicey-versey. Mike

Fredo, you did good!. Mike

Nice work Jeff, I haven't seen one of those loaders since I carried a couple for the M-19 Smith......way back when. Mike

Very nicely done........unique stamps. Mike

Well jl, I like to shoot two shots of Fiebing's Leather Sheen on my warmed holsters; allowing time to dry between each, then hand rub in some Kiwi neutral polish and buff. Mike

FWIW; I just tape a piece of brass channel stock (obtained from a hobby shop) over the front sight and all the way back to the rear. When wet molding I just work that into the shape as needed. Here is the last one I did (as a practice piece for my own Ruger 'Standard' model). On the exterior, the thing doesn't even show, but inside it does the job just fine. A flap holster is not meant to be a 'fast draw' rig, so as long as the sight doesn't have aything to catch on..........it'll be fine. Mike

Particle, my holsters are made differently that most. I use two layers of leather bonded together, then stitched at all edges. Some think they are lined holsters, however, since I always use a minimum inner layer of 3/4 oz veg tanned instead of the more usual much thinner stuff, they really aren't truly 'lined'. Both of these holsters are made of 3/4 inside and 5/6 oz outer shell. My holsters are dried at around 130/140 degrees in the desert sun..........out here they dry very quickly. This produces a very firm and tight fitting holster (in my opinion much firmer than a single piece of leather of roughly equal weight) after hand molding only, as all of the rigidity is produced in the top (grain) layer of the leather. In my way, I have two grain layers which produce the better rigidity and firmness. Mike

Particle, here's my personal carry holster for my old J framed Smith, and one made for a customer for a Charter Arms Bulldog.....no safety straps. The Smith M-36 has a hammer shroud on the holster because I carry it concealed, the Bulldog holster is for open carry...no hammer shroud. Mike

Just for what it's worth from a grumpy old man. I spent 35 years in law enforcement. I have carried a number of different firearms, and have tried a number of different ways to carry them. I have used paddle holsters, different styles of belt holsters and some shoulder rigs. I even tried an old 'semi-shoulder' rig many years ago. It was a belt mounted, two piece rig that placed the firearm up high, similar in placement to a standard shoulder holster. I still have a nice Hoyte shoulder holster for a K frame S&W. My experience is that shoulder holsters are just not comfortable after 10 or 12 hours (or even less) of wearing them. They have straps all over hell and half of Texas that are supposed to keep the gun close in to the body.....they don't. Getting them on and off is an irritant. The weight of a decent sized firearm hanging on your shoulder will get old pretty quickly. As to concealability, they aren't too good for that either. For comfort for long periods of time, I have found that a good tight-to-the-body belt holster, carried in the 3 to4 o'clock position (for right handers) is the most comfortable and practical. I won't build a shoulder rig for anyone..........they end up an unhappy customer. JMHO Mike