JLSleather

IN that other video you posted, it looked like the needle was actually TRAVELING TO THE RIGHT as it comes down. You know -- that OTHER issue.

I don't know about that. I once bought backs, and what I got had bellies still attached (the reason for buying backs = no belly leather). Some genius cut the leather the wrong way. If somebody told me I was getting pieces 6-8" and I got 5-7", prolly not an issue. If I got 3-5", yeah-- that's a return. As to SLC specifically, I didn't take offense wen they stopped "free shipping"... don't blame 'em one bit. But send me what you advertised.

It's the one you're not looking for that gets you. Always. You spend 40 years looking both ways before you cross the street. Then you figure 'hey, I'm used to this.. I don't need to look any more'. That's the one that's the problem Just one reason to get OUT of making holsters. If you look around, I think you'll find that most of the planet wants most things done for them. Many holster makers include some variation of that same speech you linked to (I've seen a few that are nearly a copy of that). I would dare say that the majority don't have even liability insurance, much less any other. Somebody tell me where to get leather, what tools to use, give me instructions, but let me keep the money Not just holster makers, though -- and there's the problem. People buy cars, then want to sue the manufacturer when they wreck it. Walmart charges $3.88 for a $1.29 item, to cover teh cost of paying someone to move signs around that say "caution: wet floor". It should be obvious to all but the very young that a wet tiled floor is slippery -- but it's become necessary to TELL them that in a 'cover yer own butt' world. Seriously, you didn't know that fresh coffee would be hot? And, I personally saw two situations where people deliberately got themselves seriously injured on a construction site so they could collect disability. And I know one guy -- nice enough guy, but always wants work for cash so it doesn't alter his disability payments. Nothing wrong with him -- he just likes getting a check for couch sitting (I tell him I'll gladly hire him for cash soon as I can get that same check). My friend investigates disability and workman's comp claims, and she says "you have no idea" what people will do to get out of working. I could go on about that all day -- but what's the point? Truth is, holsters are the "low end" of leather -- anybody can do it (which is why there are so many). I stopped making holsters for a good while (years), but started again just because my buddy Robert was making them, and we had fun. Now Robert is gone, not so much fun (in fact, it's a bit like a job ). Plus, walleye season before long! So, what to do? I'd sell all this holster making stuff if I could. But i won't be listing it here -- I'd prefer to sell it all in one shot and not to get a bunch of lowball offers. So, maybe just put it in the garage at the house, and don't worry about it? Well, 'til that wench complains she can't get her car in...

Regardless of they're "named" or not, there are a number of "suppliers" jacking up the price of .. oh.. pretty much everything. One of the biggest problems with the country -- we get "incentives" to hire people, then get billed for several types of insurance (liability, work comp, unemployment to name a few), taxes, overhead, operating costs... and then expect someone ELSE to pay for it In the end, they'll keep doing it as long as people keep paying it. It's smoke 'n' mirrors. My buddy bought a brand new truck for himself -- pulled up just to show off to me. Nice truck, but not enough to impress me. He says he's a contractor, and you have to "look professional". I told him when I see the con-man-tractor pull up in a shiny truck, I don't see "professional", I see a guy who likes shiny trucks and thinks I should pay for it! It isn't him doing the work anyway -- and I think the money should go to the guy doing the work. Personally, I cut out the middle man nearly every chance I get. ALL of that above could have been bypassed by ordering from Hermann Oak. I have ordered from other suppliers, and I may again down the road. But as a rule, I like to pay the guy who makes the product I need.

Looks pretty good!

Tha's just the baby. Seen his mother the other day...

Make your back piece of out two layers of 4 oz --- prollem solved

I made the same mistake thinkin' I "need" a 5' brunette. Once I sold that out of here, things started workin' out

Standard cold rolled 1018 or 1020 (mild steel) will be fine. If you're worried about steel contacting the leather, the cutting board will be in there anyway. The bolts are exactly what I recommend to folks -- thanks for adding the pic. For height, not really necessary to get overly critical on the height. As a rule, most dies are made consistent height anyway. Set the bolts to close, thump it, and adjust as needed If teh hole is threaded, and you add a jamb nut, then you can remove the bolt (say, for wet forming) and put it back in teh same position when ready. Likely ohly need 1, but 1 each side don't hurt (just longer to remove and put back). As for creating waste, if you know the die you'll be using, you can cut the leather just slightly larger (which is what I do). Since you save about $3k NOT buying a different clicker, it would take a good bit of volume to come up with that much waste!

Where all the big piles o' leather?@!

That would depend on the volume of parts you're talking about. I don't own any of those 3, so take it for what it's worth. I wouldn't pay $3000 for anything I have to operate by hand anyway. The Harbor Freight press will let you do the same thing for under $200 (with 2.5x teh force). If the other two are your only other choices, then I'd personally gather a bit more info on the Cowboy model. As for tonnage, you are correct -- the calculation would involve linear cutting length and shear strength of the material. But with leather, even "blanking' dies require very little -pressure, and a clicker "knife" style die vastly reduces it further. So with the small parts you're talking about, I don't think tonnage is a big consideration.

I'm no 'sewing guy', but if'n it was me I'd try the spear point needles (NOT what foks round these parts call 'leather needles'). As always, use the smallest needle you can get away with. But you already GOTsum 'leather needles', so try it out, just with a scrap and no thread. You should be able to tell if it's tearing the fabric.

I think you're fine using the border stamp (or camouflage tool) for a border. IF it's crisp.

WAY too shallow on the impressions. On the other hand, thassa nice lookin' holster design ya got there Seriously, though.. do you have a smaller stamp? Smaller tool will likely "fit" that shape/size better, and will also drive more deeply with the same blow (psi thing).

Not sure -- wondering if the loops aint a bit far out. COULD be that when it breaks in a bit, the holster may be a bit "tippy" due to the narrow sides? Maybe be okay if it's tight up against the belt?

I do need to get round to that one 'fore long. got a fella here bouts with a "baby eagle" .44

Welcome Did you have them made in acrylic, or just heavy paper?

From the video, I'm thinking that the noise (which is more obvious when you slow the video down to 1/4 speed) is from the SPRING contacting teh casting in the low end. "One-siding" the shaft in the busing wouldn't be my first "plan", but .. If the shaft is off by that noticeable amount, a guy might think about an eccentric bushing to allow it to pull back in the right place. Question is, does it look like the needle itself is moving laterally with each stitch?

No offense taken -- just couldn't let you be teh ONLY one tellin' jokes

So the "fix" for a bushing with too much "play" is to "one-side" it in the hole? Okay ...

Oh, sure... play the geography card

I don't have a "storefront" site, either - nor do I want one (or I would have one). I do not take money today for items I may provide in WEEKS or MONTHS. Nor do I pay anyone else WEEKS in advance -- and I mean anyone. NOBODY is 'that' good, and anybody can be replaced (period). There are thousands of places to get a holster, so the idea that I would wait MONTHS for any one guy is ridiculous, even if I didn't make my own. Personally, when I see these lists of "guns I build for", if the one I want isn't on the list, I assume that either 1) they don't know how to make a holster for gunX or 2.) they don't want to make that one. In those cases, having a list actually CAUSED me to shop somewhere else. If you want a list, then have one. Or if you don't want a list, then don't have one But I don't know what is to be gained here by arguing with me - particularly for people who are so very busy...

That's a great point. Drat, why didn't I think of that?!@$#!

I've always done them like this.. not sure which way you call this Reason is because that feels natural to me and allows me the best view of the work while I'm doing it. But I've seen some others (some of them left-handed, which may be an issue) do it the other way very well. My only "thing" about basket weaves ... 1) I don't think it belongs on everything. Some folks basket weave everything. And 2.) I hate it when it "bleeds off" the page, or the work. On mine, when someone talks me into basket stamping something, the impressions run parallel with an edge (or concentric, in teh case of round-ish items).

RIght. And 'pancakes' and 'avengers' and shoulder holsters and chest models and cross-draw... etc. Making a complete list not really even possible, much less 'reasonable'. I say on my site -- it's not practical (or even possible) to list or show every item I've ever made in leather. A year or so ago I made a 'thing' for a girl who plays violin. Tooled piece, goes on her arm somehow like a brace (ish). She's tickled pink. But she didn't find out I made those from any list. Just asked -- and I said okay. But, is that what you want them to do? I mean, SAY I had a CA 9mm. If I find your site, and you don't list it, would you prefer that I don't ask? I'd certainly not like it if someone didn't ask me about a holster because they didn't see it in some list ... Anyway, not sure how we got on "blue guns", since I never mentioned those to begin with. NOW, having said that, I DO think it's worth having a list IF you have items ready to ship out, or close to ready. For those who 'want it now', you certainly need to let them know what you have 'now'. Again, not really talking about having a "mold", though that prolly is the 'deal' with some. I actually HAVE picked up molds I didn't own JUST BECAUSE someone asked (the entire Boberg series was done 'by request'). But that only proves my point..I got the order for those WITHOUT any list - just because people saw that I know leather. My guess would be that they're hoping that by putting "glock 19" on their site (for example) that a search for "glock 19" will show their site. Sort of a little child's SEO approach