JLSleather

Where did you get the dimensions for the printer?

People do NOT bring me firearms. If you are approaching me with a weapon, I absolutely should KNOW you.

I know, I know.. everybody hates getting a good deal --- good stuff for a little money. Sorry, time to pack (dragged it out long as I could, actually).. so I gotta have either some room or another truck This leather is Hermann Oak "A" or "B", and some Wickett/Craig "standard" (A) NEXT FEW DAYS ONLY (prices include US shipping) Belt strips, "plain" → mostly 1 1/4 and 1 1/2" wide... $45 for 3 of em includes US shipping Belt strips, embossed → mostly 1 1/4 and 1 1/2" wide... $45 for 3 of em includes US shipping "Pile" of mag pouch "blanks" → to make 8 single pouches -- predyed, mostly black ...$50 gitsem all "Dummy" guns → Duncan's Springfield XD (4"), Ring's Springfield XD subcompact, and Ring's Glock 43 ... $100 shipped More when the camera battery is charged!

Been a while since I hand stitched a belt. "Back when" it took me a couple hours... but I was used to doing it frequently, and could about stitch in my sleep This would of course be dependent on the number of stitches per inch (I like 5 to 7 based on leather thickness, but some people make 11 spi look real nice!). I always say I don't care if it's hand stitched or machine stitched, long as it's well stitched! If done properly, either will be fine. These days, hand sewing is largely for small items -- which are sometimes easier to just sew by hand rather than change the machine setup -- or larger items- which may not fit in the machine so well. I would find it difficult to do it for the prices you mention. Grade A Hermann Oak would run about $25 (two layers), plus the thread, glue, dye, finish, etc... So even without 'sandwiching' anything between layers that doesn't leave much room for pay. That I suppose would depend on pricing and the value of a "dollar" where you are. "They" say time is money... but then notice how much of it they spend on 'social' poo-dia sites, forums, their phones. But the TIME involved in a project is never the question for me. Someone wanting to bill me "by the hour" is wasting his time and mine -- say the price for the item, and then I buy it or not. There are some projects which I would want hand sewn, and some projects where hand sewing might be a better idea than the machine they have available. But a belt isn't one of those times - doesn't matter, it's not getting that kind of stress. In those cases, I don't pay more for hand stitching. Same as if I agree to meet people somewhere, we all meet together. The guy who walked, and the guy who brought that ugly truck, and the guy in that shiny new sport scar all get the same "deal". Long as they meet, doesn't matter how they got there. Oh, almost forgot -- back when the boys at the gym wanted weight lifting belts, some tooling or maybe just a name on it. Double layer and stitched. So I gave em a price for 10 (or was it 12) belts. They wanted 'em hand sewn, so I told them I'd punch holes and give them thread so THEY could sew them. Suddenly, they decided sewn in a machine would be just fine Those belts still holding up 10+ years later.

I was gonna suggest just putting an oak dowel (available in about any hardware store or craft store) in teh chuck of the drill press and shaping with a file (surprising how easy that is when you turn the drill press on). But for $22 and free shipping, maybe just order these already done. Course, there's sometimes a downside to ordering stuff.. I gotta find out why those blue guns somehow went to CA .... when they should have been here today.

I got a basic version (including the proper stitch line, which is really all a guy needs to make about any style holster) for both the shield 9 and the shield 45 (not the same, but similar). Maybe I should be putting out a folder with all these?

Yeah, basically "TR" means some of all grades. And HO does mark them -- there's a "A" or a "B" in the corner of each one when it arrives from the tannery. This doesn't mean someone else doesn't mark them as well. I haven't had any issues with ordering from HO. They send a mix of "A" and "B" -- tell em you want their best, and you'll get about 80% "A" and 20% "B" hides. Even the B's are quite clean and firm. I have ordered from a number of places, all claiming to be selling HO "A" and "B" grades, and none of it has been anywhere near as nice as the stuff from the tannery. And some was quite bad... nothing like what the tannery sends. Since I wasn't there to see who was doing what... can't really say WHY,... but order from the tannery is always the way to go.

That aint that big.. not sure why it wouldn't upload, unless it shrank to send... Simple and clean-- I like it

That's just too cute

I aint seein' it. Check the address. jls_jeff@frontier.com

iF it wont let you message it to me, you can email it to jls_jeff@frontier.com and I'll reduce it.

That must be a B I G picture .

I actually thought it might be easier to find the other way around.. find the printer file, and then 'convert' to cad.

Yep, exactly what I was referring to -- in green. Thanks for the reply

Okay, I got confused. Using your pic, if you mark the "stitch line", and then dye / glue to that (shaded area), then what holds the shape of the holster inside the stitch line, between the line and the gun? Or is you glue line different than the stitch line?

My standard response when someone asks about sewing machines... best if you have someone in your area offering service / sales if you are not familiar with machines. Never a bad idea to see it work / test drive it. If you don't have someone in reasonable distance, call Bob. He has new and used machines, and can likely handle all your questions.

The stain works purdy good. Wipe on with a soft cloth, wipe off... wah lah I don't use a lot of it (old dog, old tricks?) but I've got good results with the mahogany, black, and walnut. It's quite thick...not warm jelly and not cold syrup, but somewheres in there Very consistent colors. Honestly, ya know whata fella otta do... I really like the look of leather done with WOOD stain. Check out some of the holsters (and other projects) on here by fgabesz... the coloring itself is an art... very nicely done.

Some of you have noticed I am not currently using the Cutesy shop. That actually felt pretty good-- and I don't know that I'll go back to using it Something about being in the middle of acres of useless 'cutesy' junk just never sat well from here. Anyhoo.... Patterns are still available on the site, and more will be added time to time. For now, though.. since im all up in teh tax crap anyway.. maybe some o you boys been payin' for these otta git an 'extra'. Hey -- anybody makin' holsters for the .45 shield .. ?

Nah... wrong guy. I tried to buy a couple Landis stitchers when that place closed -- offered 'em $5k just for the machines. Short version is, the guy became ill and his nephew and daughters basically robbed the guy... I don't think he saw much of the money, and I don't think those machines went to someone who could use 'em. I mean real stitchers.. staple a guy to the floor if'n he aint watchin'. Not this piece of cobra I'm making work out of shear determination

Glue is good 'n'' firm, but not as "permanent" as thread. You likely could wear a belt "glued only" for a good long while without problems, but honestly when I hear "N-frame" I'm thinking stitch Plus, it's good to agree with Josh ↑ rawt cheer Good tip on teh saddle shop / hirin' it done, too. The last one in these parts closed a couple years ago, so I hadn't thought of that.

I assumed it was a typing error and the guy meant $250 ... not $25 At $250, still a good deal!

A grade HO. I'm assuming that something got IN the leather.. not sure what or when. No discoloration prior to use.

Yeah, I was thinking more along the lines of some type of oil in the leather (from thumb?)... but that don't explain the different color on teh "flaps"

Okay, what happened? Guy sent me this, and I don't know whatz the deal here. After dye only After forming

Well, yeah... it's purdy straight. I generally start taking leather off teh OTHER side (along the spine) so put my own straight edge on it. I guess I always thought of that cut they do at HO as just removing the belly. I aint like somebody just put on a blindfold and slashed it "somewhere around here".. Here's one of 'em.. the left side is the belly side.. it's THEIR cut.