JLSleather

Yeah, I like 'em, but i din't invent 'em.. Stohlman books show that like that since about 1950-something

I'm with Ron -- tools are the maker's problem. I have no trouble telling someone I'll have to wait for a mold - if I dont have that one -- or giving them the option to have their holster made somewhere else (and yes - I have recommended people who I thought they should contact). If buying a mold gun for one job isn't "worth it" too you.. then don't do it. I have told people 'thanks, can't help ya', and I have been known to make a holster for the price of the dummy, with the understanding that it will back up the time frame some. And if it isn't "worth it" to them, fair enough.. no harm done. But I do think it's a matter of professionalism. How many times do you go back to a guy who never has the mold he needs? I wouldn't trust my vehicle to someone who needs to use money to buy a wrench. I wouldn't have work done on houses by people who have to go buy hammers and compressors first. I almost assume that someone who 'saves' the cost of a mold gun has also 'saved' the cost of liability insurance, legal structure, or tax professionals. For the guy selling a holster or two outta the garage, maybe fine -- but not the path for the serious professional.

I found some in teh fabric dept at hobby lobby, actually. Not sure what it's called, since I don't use it often. In fact, I wouldn't have found it at all except we have a friend who works there. Works good, though.. including the stitching part.

Actually, those "circles" belong there... they're part of the design. Anybody who is / was in the service knows how well that boat floats (like, not at all) when you alter insignia ... He has it correct -- 13 stars, 13 stripes, and those "circles" ... I would have beveled outside the rows of circles, but not eliminate them.

Exactly. I actually do it the other way -- I build customers by NOT doing "anything" they ask for. People know that I make useable, useful goods -- not "fluff" and marketing poo. I don't make cigar/cigarette cases. No leather masks. Recently turned down requests for shoulder holsters / rigs (havent made those for years). No ddsm / lgbqrf items. And I have never made a belt with steel or kydex "liners". And I have my reasons for all of that. Certainly has cost me some 'jobs" (like the ones I turned down for starters), but in the end.. people generally respond 'that Jeff guy don't mess around... right the first time ..." And I'm just one guy, without all that 'social madia" so don't say it can't be done (I have a fakebook basically just so nobody else can start one and say they're me ).

I use a transparent straight edge to get the parallel lines. Lots of straight lines in that design. But how much detail you put in will depend on the size of the carving. This one is on a full size charge book.

Yeah, the dividers / compass thing would drive me nuts purdy durn quick, I'm guessin'.

Thanks, Rohn. That first one is an old Stohlman design .. STILL gets requested sometimes. That one went to a young fella ropin' cows down in San Antonio ... I charge in the $60-ish range for "plain" and stitched, because that's about what I would pay. But for that, you get leather with no "boogers" -- that's no scratches, wrinkles, inconsistencies... And I'll emboss 'em for not much more.. simple and looks nice. Danny got this one at $60. W/C double layer, INSANELY clean leather (no marks at all), double stitched, his own buckle. And then to git ta stampin', depends on the complexity of the design. Simple basketweave.... few bucks. Some of the other "geo" stamps take quite a bit longer, so there's that. And even tooling, there's a "range".. in those three belts above, the first one takes CONSIDERABLY longer than the third one. So, I price by what they want. And buckles are included UNLESS requested without (the two belts on the outside, both those boys had their own buckle they wanted to use). I assume that you want a buckle much like the one in the middle pic, but I dont charge for it if you don't want it. STILL, kinda cool that I've had people from all over send me their buckle to make a belt for it - not everybody gets trusted with family heirlooms or rodeo award buckles And I'll do sets, simple enough (long as it aint set of 100 ). This one went to a feller and his boys... bit of a price break, since I can use the same piece of leather, same dye, stain, finish, thread, etc. (no changing thread colors, no testing dye shades, etc...) All that makes a fancy speech, but truth is I'm not toolin' belts this week (or next) due to the move...

Well, there's the problem... my version of PS is before they used the whole name.. like I'm using Phot

Doesn't work on my old version.. what PS is it used with?

At least $8. These were slightly more than that.

Sorry -- everybody replying they were familiar with the stamp, so I thought you all knew Tandy sells a "grid" template. You could do it with a divider, if you got time to spare https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/geometric-stamping-grid-craftaid-1-4-3-8-1-2

Maybe a piece o cow already embossed with a basket design?

Thanks I quickly got tired of articles, blogs, pootube videos, .... all saying "how to .. this" or "this-that tutorial", or something to that effect. Then you click on it, and you get a sketch, or you get a "time lapse" video with some music that has nothing to do with the video, or maybe you get some guy going on about "i aint no professional, and I know it's been done a bazillion times, but ... I'll do this anyway!".

the dog ... thinks yer takin' his spot!

If I woulda been thinkin', I'da set the stitch spacing the same as the circle spacing.... and wooohooo...

Sometimes have to lift your left leg and lean into the curve

Hey, no kiddin'.. thassa lot more stampin than it looks like!

On thinner leathers, I crease the stitch line and pull it down tight -- no 'groove'.

Fixed.. not sure what happened there, but thanks!

Minimum first purchase is $1500, so -- 40 guns. Is there currently demand for that many? Or, so 30 - since if I think for a minute I'm sure I could come up with 10 I could use purdy quickly. After teh first buy, then I (or anybody) can get guns at $39 and only need buy one (though, what's the point of just one?). But if it helps, I'd get over teh shipping charges (me to you) just to get the first buy out of the way. Advantage is, next time you need one or two, it's $40-42 plus shipping. Either way, fellas... let me know if you have use for 30 of 'em , maybe between 5-6 guys.. and I'll order 'em together.

"Capital gains" in this context is a generic term meaning income. But then, upset about not getting taxed [yet] wasn't intended to be accurate or literal either

Or perhaps just plain "hussliing"? One of our houses --- we listed for sale, and within hours the pics were on Craigslist as a home for rent.. $700 per month plus $700 deposit. People take money from trusting "renters". When these people show up to move in, those who took their money are nowhere to be found. I contacted craigslist (had to figure out how to do that) and let them know that I don't know whose ad that is, but I own that house and can assure you it is not available for rent. I would imagine these people are doing something similar. Doesn't matter if they can or they can't carve that (which is lookin' purdy durn good, by the way) since they have no intention of actually producing the goods. Oh, the reverse is sometimes true, too. You've heard that a copyright or trademark is only good to the extent it is enforced. Well, some apparently think that if you 'enforce" your work that is your copyright. I met a kid, got a letter from one 'maker' on here.. to please stop using "his" design. Every project I've ever seen from this "maker" was quite basic construction (looked a bit like maybe done by a blacksmith?) with light brown in the middle and dark brown around the edges (you know, like children would do ). Kid was a bit upset about it, though, so I told him long as you ain't using that guy's logo.. have at it.

OH NO!!! Did I accidentally, let it slip into January before accepting offers on our houses? Rats and double drat... I'm purdy upset about not paying taxes on the capital gains until NEXT year. Well, wait -- no, I ain't ...

I guess I could do something like that if there's enough interest. I dont mind bein' the gofer Besides, I could use a few more around here, too.