JLSleather

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water..... I have seen the "same size" thread from different manufacturers which were NOT the same size. I mean, 227 from Co.A and 277 from CoB were NOT the same size... VISIBLY different, no micrometer needed.

I use a rawhide mallet - and yeah, it deforms over time due to the impact. This is GOOD, as it means the damage isn't in teh TOOL. THE MOST important thing to learn in tooling is proper moisture in the leather. Too dry, no good impression. To wet, mushy impressions.

Many of them from 30, 40, 50 years ago still available. I remember when some of these were new releases. https://tandyleather.com/blogs/leathercraft-library/tagged/pattern-pak

Overall don't look so bad, though I'd want the stitching closer to the gun and the sewing holes maybe a size smaller.

i WON'T be shopping with RJF. A few years back, Robert and I decided to check this out. He ordered a couple different cuts, and I ordered a couple other than what he ordered. NONE of it was acceptable. Lesson learned. There was another one, too.. same approach, same results. American.. something something ..?

@Thescandall I'm guessin' this guy isn't getttin' what yer sayin'

You got a good start! And a new holster! Yer already aware ya got some learnin's 'n' practicin's ta do, so yer good ta go. Looks like you fixina be jus fine No doubt at your age you have the benefit of knowing some things that these younguns can't seem to grasp as yet ... like $23 for a cheap little light is INSANE, especially when harbor freight has little magnetic LED thingies 2 for $5....

Nope, it aint. Course, ya gotta keep the kitty off of it, but otherwise it'll keep 'til ya use it 10 backs shipped up here ends up running around $18-1900 ... for 180 feet of leather and no bellies. So, right at $10/foot for the best leather you can get, and the best hides of the best leather. I have ordered from a number of "retailers" selling Hermann Oak leather. They all claim they're just reselling what H.O. already graded, but with one exception (Goliger Leather) they all seem to think the customer won't know if they send a "C" or "D" grade, even though the order was for an "A" or "B". I had one place send me a side of 5/6 I could literally stretch line a fitness band. Now, granted... 5/6 isn't that heavy, but stilll.... I mean I could cut a 1.5" wide strap, and grab each end, and pull it out about 4-5 inches! And they charge 30% more than H.O. charges for the GOOD STUFF. So, yeah - if you're going to do leather every 7th Saturday, don't worry about it. If you're serious about making quality goods - either for yourself or for sale - call Hermann Oak

Yup. And, DARE I say, I'll be the jerk. Again. WHERE did this leather come from? WHO supplied this "$300 worth" of leather? Cuz I have REPEATEDLY seen some retailers selling a pile of cat pee and CALLING IT "$300 worth of leather". It should have been thrown away from the start, or used as floor mats somewhere, and the only reason it wasn't pitched out is because the "retailer" was able to find somebody who DIDN"T KNOW ANY BETTER to sell it to. TIP: MANY of the retailers you find HERE are here BECAUSE there are so many NEW GUYS ... (you may have heard "fish in a barrel"). But, of course, NOT ALL of them are hustlers. Not to detract too far from the subject, but I'll add that -- of those you meet around here, THESE have performed ... I have never bought ANYTHING from Hermann Oak (St. Louis, MO) that I wasn't pleased with. Yes, the NECK of the leather is generally not my favorite of any cow, but ALL the other leather I've got there was fantastic leather, less that 1 sq foot on the tip. Cheryl and Carlos at Goliger Leather (CA) stock and resell Hermann Oak leather, for those who don't buy H.O.'s minimum 10-side order. The A grade REALLY IS H.O. A grade, service is friendly and quick. I have had a piece of WIckett-Craig leather I wasn't happy with, by the vast majority of their leather has been STELLAR. And by way of honorable mention, though it's not leather, EVERYTHING I ever bought from Bob Kovar / Toledo Industrial was EXACTLY what I thought I was getting, shipped quickly and at reasonable cost, with the utmost concern for what I was trying to accomplish (thanks AGAIN, Bob). Oh, and Texas Custom Dies has done pretty well EVERYBODY ELSE I have shopped with here has been .... disappointing. Some even got multiple opportunities to keep a customer and couldn't (or wouldn't) do it. I haven't mentioned them here, since that isn't this thread, but there are a good many. In Springfield... In Atlanta...

Yup, when it's yer story, you gitta tell it however ya like

Yup, and that would make a difference fer sher. And that little "block" is a plus any wayz ya cut it. Long as a fella don't git out the truck without undoin it. Getting up would be one of those times most likely to catch it on something in the velcro. When I said "fall", I didn't mean necessarily the holster was going with it. I think there's another way, but was almost hopin' somebody would pipe in with it by now ....

true, but he did say My cat peed on $300 worth

just a note.... there are more, but this is the first batch (also have a shield 9, sig p320,.. not sure what all just yet)

Now THAT is a very clear / concise plan. I don't know if it will work or not, but it's a clear plan that you can take up or not. My only add would be... what do you figure your time is worth? Say you're time is worth $15/hr (which is CHEAP - burger guys get this much). So, how many hours does a guy put in a $300 piece of leather? 5 hours? So you put in $75 to save $300. IF it works. If it doesn't work, then you're out the leather AND 5 hours of your time ... So, decision time.

Can't imagine any circumstance where I'd bother. Pitch the leather. COULD it have been saved? Maybe. But how many hours of time is one piece of cow worth? I mean, if a guy had no real skills with the leather, then odds arent good that the leather gets saved. And if a guy DOES have skills with leather, then probably more beneficial to just concentrate the effort on a fresh piece. WHAT leather is it? Top of the line Hermann Oak? HOW MUCH leather we talking about? $300 is like a side and a half? AND, WHAT are you MAKING with this leather? Might be able to help ease the pain a bit depending on your responses to those questions. But don't let me persuade you- you do you, as they say

Ring's blue guns, 5 in this batch for $150, I'll pay the shipping. S/W Bodyguard (with laser) Sig P226 (railed) 1911 Springfield Micro .45 Colt Commander ( cocked/locked) Keltec 9mm

RIDICULOUS to pay good money for bad leather. The difference between a side of "C" (or worse) leather and A grade is like $20 (im talkng holster leather since that's what you stated you were making). The leather world has become BURIED in retailers with pretty stories about why you should buy their CRAP and thank them for supplying it. Stick to Hermann Oak or Wickett-Craig leather. If you don't want to store / stock 10 or more sides (as H.O. requires), you can and should call Cheryl at Goliger Leather, and she'll sell you individual sides. Very solid, very clean Hermann Oak leather. Costs me a bit more because of shipping from CA, but allows me to get a side or two of a weight I wouldn't ordinarily stock. Just FYI... Hermann Oak FROM Hermann Oak is $7.81 per foot. I buy backs (sides with belly removed) and that's currently $9.26. Not $10...Not $12....Not $15... like you see from some of these "retailers". Anybody selling you a PIECE of $8/ft leather for $12-15 per foot is NOT doing you a favor. Shouldn't be necessary to say that, and yet these days .... http://www.hermannoakleather.com/products-and-pricing/strap How much do you pay for stories? Cuz I can talk ALL DAY LONG if I'm getting paid for it.

Nope. No. That second one is a nice lookin little rig, to be sure. Looks purdy solid, too But, either of those guns, if you hold it out at arms length, then let go of it, does it FALL? Of course it does. Anything does. Even the paper pattern for it does. Everything does. That in mind, looking at the last pic above... (and that's also a nice lookin' belt by the way) ... if that is WORN instead of laying on the weeds, and that velco is "open", WHERE does the holster go? Does it stay upright like that (that's rhetorical and deliberately silly - it DOES NOT stay in that position, except perhaps when brand new and empty).

for what gun?

You CANNOT accidentally "over" wet it. CANNOT be "too" wet. Now, it doesn't need to be DRIPPING and SOAKED, but if it got that way it WONT HURT ANYTHING. Gonna take a bit longer to dry, but no harm done! I've made a lot of holsters and done a lot of tooling, and I can tell you my holsters ARE DEFINITELY WETTER than my tooling leather (except holsters which are tooled). Chuck has posted some nice lookin' rigs, so if he does it a different way is just evidence that theys more'n one way skin a cow. Seriously, I get a big bowl of clean warm water. Drop the holster right in it, completely submerged. Wait. Longer than a few seconds. If you have to potty, now is a good time Or not. Honestly, I probably did "time" it, but would have been so long ago I just go by how it feels now.

that's going to depend on your location 'n' humidity 'n' stuff. Up here in Iowa, I WET a holster, good bit of warm water. mold a holster, do whatever initial shaping, set it off to the side. Maybe in an hour I'll check it, do some further detailing .. and hopefully at that point it's set up enough to pull the gun/mold. then set it in front of a fan (at room temp) and let it sit, usually overnight before I touch it again, though that's because I'm not working, not because the leather isnt' ready.

certainly makes a difference how far back it's worn - further back usually more angle is more natural position for the wrist. but the angle of the holster doesn't change, just the angle of the forearm

that's not a bad start, just wondering about the angle -- that pretty comfortable for you?

no different - just the kydex gets heated and the leather gets wet .. otherwise same animal