JLSleather

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

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!