JLSleather

Why do you see these "lists"? I mean, if you have a "waiting list" of weeks or months, couldn't you just get that gun you don't have and make one by then?!@~#!

I don't bother with acrylic templates. If I need 2 total, or 2 a week, I make a card stock pattern. If I need 2 a day, get a die made.

That's going to depend on how many square feet you're talking about. If your 'notebooks' are 5x7", prolly don't matter. But if your notebooks are 8 1/2 x 11", then just get a back.

Okay, tha's better. Went with the compact model this time, but the fit and style are certainly "tightened up".

I run a burnisher with an O.D. of about an inch, at about 500 rpm. Some of the machinist boys around here will be able to tell you that it's not the RPM, it's teh SURFACE FEET PER MINUTE that matters. Double the diameter of the burnisher, running at the SAME rpm, will result in a burnisher operating at double teh EFFECTIVE speed. Shorter version: A 2" burnisher and a 1" burnisher running the same speed are NOT working the same way.

Folks git way too concerned over this stuff. There are a number of ways to burnish edges. One guy says saddle soap paste - other guys says glycerine bar - next fella says edge kote or similar..... I burnish with water, and occasionally add some wax to the "stubborn' edges. I prefer a rotating tool in a drill press, but each his own. I will say, though, that in the time it would take to watch that entire video, a guy could make a burnisher from a wooden dowel (3/4" to 1" will do it), a file, and some sand paper.

That's exactly what I told them on more than one occasion. 'Look - you could supply ALL my tooling leather. I don't mind PAYING premium as long as I'm GETTING premium.' I thought maybe I'd pay the extra down there to avoid stocking and storage, but I spent enough hours ordering and returning hides that it just wasn't worth the time and trouble. Easier to just call Hermann Oak... couple weeks you got very nice leather, much better price, and about 75% off the shipping charges.

Yeah, I'm just talking about the U.S., since I wouldn't know anything about anywhere else. Copyright law is not "somebody's opinion" or a "feeling" here. Copyright Law in the United States. Copyright law in the U.S. is governed by federal statute, namely the Copyright Act of 1976. The Copyright Act prevents the unauthorized copying of a work of authorship. However, only the copying of the work is prohibited--anyone may copy the ideas contained within a work.... (etc.) I always get a "kick" though, out of those people who make something with Dr Who, Mickey Mouse, or Harley-Davidson, and then accuse others of copying them!

This is - in a nutshell - the essence of copyright law. If you purchase a pattern, or instructions, etc -- you have the right to make goods from that, INCLUDING items for future sale. What is actually protected is the WRITING ITSELF. Keep in mind always... a copyright is only good to the extent that it is enforced. You can send letters all day long to "tell" someone not to use your images (patterns, articles, whatever) but to actually stop them you would need a judgment, which is neither instantaneous or free.

"purdy" is spelt witha Dee !

Nothing to add -- just this is worth repeating

I've never ordered that exact stuff, but as a rule "craftsman" is a nicer word for.. well.. something less nice "Craftsman" isn't a word Hermann Oak uses in their grading -- this is someone else's story. http://www.hermannoakleather.com/about/grading/grading-20140524202323 I use H.O. leather in A and B grades, always been good leather -- consistent thickness, clean surfaces, tight grain, well split, tools and forms great.

Wood stain works quite well. I hadn't done it since I closed teh wood shop (due to space available), but THIS GUY does it very nicely.

Looks like some good practice ta me -- and the shield looks good!

I ordinarily aint big on ostrich, but I gotta admit ya made it work

I've had my third and final issue with Fiebings saddle tan dye. I'm not sure what they're doing different than before, but that saddle tan just doesn't work any more. I used quite a bit of it in the past. One batch, I tried mixing with that alchohol everybody was on about. Got splotchy, ugly results. Pitched the holster it was on, and tried again on a different piece of leather. Got same results second time, so I threw out the dye and got a fresh bottle (it DOES get old, you know). But I got the same results - in different leather -- I tried that next bottle 3 ways - thinned with alcohol, thinned with reducer (fiebings), and straight out the bottle. Tested after glue/sew and tested flat on teh table, and tested hanging on a hook. All tested on A-grade HO, from the same "batch" (order) but not from the same hide. All same results. All of this going on, EVERY other color I used came out just fine - -it was ONLY the saddle tan. So, I'll just use another color,or combination of colors.

That's a good point. I think some people don't realize this, and some people don't want to talk about it. I've seen like .020" difference in two guns which are supposedly "the same".

A simple article about turning your favorite '50/50' pancake into an IWB available now. It's free, but you get 20% off 'til Friday http://www.jlsleather.com/diy/pattern-making/gun-holster-patterns/

Well, yeah-- there's a little more labor involved. Just making the point that the PATTERN is one step away from any 'pancake' pattern you have that you like. No need to purchase another one just for that

Note this is nothing more - or less - than a simple "pancake" holster with loops added over the slots (or sometimes INSTEAD OF slots). Refresh the page (or hit F5) to play the animation

I never use "S" needles, or recommend them, and this is why. Good to see "them" actually state it. While the stitch is "straight", so is teh cut in the leather, and the tighter the stitch, and the closer the spacing, the more likely to fail. Much better to go with the "LL" point needles.

Did you dye it, or did you purchase the drum-dyed skirting? Looks good, by the way

Pin punches are great for replacing shear pins, but not so good on leather You'll want a set of hollow HOLE punches.. much better for leather. I'm not recommending any particular brand, but this one will show you the idea. Something in about a size 6 or 7 should be fine. https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/craftool-round-drive-punches

Good to consider these things, but there are some relatively inexpensive ways to keep from going too far with a press -- guage, limit switch, or even a simple bolt in the right place (much line a cinder block under the car when using a jack ) Finally getting my stuff out of boxes around here.. looks like I'm only missing ONE blue gun ... so see what else isn't here..