JLSleather

I stitch the pockets. Using 42 or 69 thread, and a little thought, you can actually make the thread part of the design. The pockets are made with taffeta. For this one, the leather is 1 1/2 oz kidskin.

LESS industry would be a good idea actually. Species driven to extinction polar ice disappearing (seriously, this is not a 'test') millions of acres of woodland "cleared" (destroyed) to make more ethanol fuel streams and rivers often cant sustain fish, and some of which can hold fish that can't be safely eaten in any quantity the New Zealand "they" now reports that the air quailty is so poor that cycling to work is no longer a health benefit and all for what...so some genius can carry the latest phone... and use it to sell you some more things you don't need ...

If I remember rightly, ... HO is about $1.45 more for backs than for sides. As a rule, sides are 25 feet and backs are 18-19 feet, so the side costs about $25 more than the backs. So, if you have use for the belly leather, then sides would work. I personally don't have much use for bellies, so might as well save teh $25 - ordering 10 backs is a difference of $250 for leather it would take me a while to find use for. At any rate, backs at HO (A-grade) will generally run about $185 each (as of Oct 2016). At W/C, it's similar, though their skirting does cost a bit more than HO. Ordering drum dyed colors is 15¢ more, and backs are "about" $1.50 more per foot. I say about because on their newly revised site I don't see the breakdown any more, and I also don't see it on my last couple of invoices (which state the total square footage, but no mention of price per foot). Sides there have been running 25-26 feet. And as a rule, backs are a bit more money than at HO. Almost without fail, you'll have good solid leather at the spine, firmest in the butt. This makes the bend the best part of the cow hide (you could say, high on teh hog, only it's usually cow). Going "down" the hide toward the belly, the leather gets less firm as you get lower on the hide. Still, if you don't have at least 24" wide of good solid leather, you need a new supplier. HO backs are often 28-30" wide from spine to the cut edge where the belly used to be. The bottom edge is still okay, but not as good as the spine edge. If instead you go from the butt end forward (toward the head), the leather is generally quite good for 60", sometimes more. But about 60", you start running into "shoulder wrinkles", which run vertically (90° to teh spine) toward the belly area. Note that on a double shoulder that some like to use, these wrinkles show "the long way". But this type of wrinkle isn't generally detrimental to the strength of the leather project (yeah- a test of the tensile strength will be a bit different, but minimal for what we do). Unless they're quite prominent, I dont worry about these. Still, for me- this puts the shoulder down to #3 on the Jeff desirability list (behind bends, then backs). Common to see me cutting belts from the bend and holsters from the shoulder (where I can cut around those wrinkles mostly) so the belt and holster are from teh same hide. But further up is the neck which, I admit, I often just cut off and pitch before i get any further. Even on great leather, the neck is generally not. Bellies I can sometimes use in the lighter weights - say 4/5 or thinner - but I don't order generally them above.

This was my thought, too. Perhaps we just need attention? I'm like the last one to recommend leathermachine.co, most likely, but a guy who has ALL of what you need and is located half an hour from you seems like a no-brainer. And I got like $4 I'd bet that if you place an order for three machines, someone will respond. Customer service should be positively angelic, since i doubt they would want a bad report from someone just up the street from them ...

In the end, and by way of an actual recommendation, Wickett & Craig is in PA. Great leather. It's going to be more money "up front" since you'll need to buy a whole side, but you'll be getting the real stuff, and saving money by not paying multiple shipping charges. Their dyed skirting is quite nice, and their tooling leather forms and dyes well. NOTE that the bellies are inexpensive, and since you mention "bang for the buck" I will add that belly leather is not suitable for projects which need to be firm.

See, now aint that fun?! Red - we done seen yer rigs around here... and I like 'em. Never made one like that, but then I dont sass (much) Still, the word comes to mind when I see your work is 'solid'. LD: Clean lines and consistent color.. what's not ta like?!@#!? And RA - I gotta have my bullets the other way, otherwise I could function in that. Still, 'all croc' woulda been kinda cool ...

That's some true stuff right cheeer ↑ If it was "okay", and now it's not -- I check the needle. Not always the problem,but since it's the easiest "fix", silly not to check it. I know a guy (who shall not be named here ) who fussed and fiddled with tensions and thread for an hour when a new needle would have solved the trouble And the BRAND of thread can make a difference, too. I have some shades of brown in 277 from one place that are just fine running a #24 needle. When I use the brown from another place, also 277, I need to use a #25 needle, since the #24 just has fits (stitch for a while, boooger for a while, etc)...

I found one - but thanks for the offer.. 'preciate ya!

I buy "A" grade hides from HO and "standard" grade at Wickett & Craig - the best available at each place. The price difference between "A" and "B" is pennies per foot, so the "top of the line" costs only $10 more per side (40¢ per foot x 25 feet). I dont' see the point of less quality leather just to save $10 A big point is, teh HO leather dyes quite well. I've seen some leather from Tandy that looked fine, and even tooled fairly well, UNTIL you tried to dye it - then the difference became obvious.

Glad you like the leather (I rather knew you would). We'll look for the pics of the finished goodies

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I think there is an element -- anywhere you go -- of a desire to sell more. If it's VERY difficult to purchase and keep stocked, people would shop somewhere else. But if it's a BIT difficult, people may buy MORE to avoid running out short term. Translation: there may be a marketing aspect to the delay ... (the reverse approach would be what you might find some retail outlets, "yes, we have it in stock and will ship it today -- for about 40% markup")

Without a picture I'm guessing only. Sounds like your needle isn't in correctly, or you have thread wrapped around the needle. I would cut the thread off back at the spool, re-thread the machine from the start. Pull the bobbin, make sure it's running the thread from the bottom of the spool (when you look at it in place and pull the thread, teh bobbin should turn counter-clockwise) verify that the needle 'scarf' is facing to the right, and the 'slot' on the needle is then to the left verify that the thread passes through the needle from left to right Once all that is in place, make sure you are holding some light tension on BOTH top and bottom threads when you start (3-4 stitches is enough). Not to confuse the issue, but just so you know--- the foot pressure (screw on top left) can affect skipped stitches too...

Just saw this. All I got 'round here from W/C is some drum dyed black and drum dyed chestnut.. both in about 7.5-8 0z. At teh moment, I'm scrambin' for boxes... ran out of the big ones for sides, and apparently can't buy them within 50 miles!

Nope... came that way. W/C drum dyed skirting in 'chestnut'.

REALLY? Is there nobody stocking teh blue gun for this .45 ? I mean.. STILL?

I think it's a good plan, in the future, to offer things for sale -- just list it on ebay. I thought it made sense here, since this is where I try to offer some assistance. But honestly, some of the "offers" I've received were.. well -- I would be embarrassed to make that kind of offer myself. Prob'ly my own fault.. I must have said or done something that implied I was desparate (?). No matter - not gonna kill me to pack it and put it on the truck. Matt -- gotta git down to get more boxes to ship yours, which i'm doing shortly

2 points I think are the biggest -- leather is too wet, obviously, and it appears your knife could be sharper. Those two things are really "rookie" mistakes, and make worlds of difference in your work. Sharpen teh swivel knife, and don't be in such a hurry to dig in.. let it dry MORE...

Thanks for bringing this back up for me. Been purdy durn busy with the stuff to make, stuff to send, stuff to move, and stuff to remodel (kitchen cosmetics). Maybe I'll have time to check that later today, in case this guy makes my point for me and saves me some time!

Personally, I would not cancel a W/C order to get a weaver order. Ever. Regardless of the wait.

You "could" do that with a machine, but you'd want to angle the project. With a needle coming straight down on a project which is horizontal (level), teh needle itself would mar the top portion, even if the foot didn't (since the needle would be 'in line' with the hole). You were able to hand stitch your project by bringing the needle in at an angle to the back piece other than 90 degrees. Tilt the table, and a machine will do that.

Oh, 11- 12 give 'er take. 5 feet x 2-foot-something..so, 5 x 24" = 10 feet, and 5 x 30" = 12.5 feet. These are somewhere between, mostly...

I don't believe that stitching loops is the "weaker" method. ANY time you put holes in something, you take away some strength. And bigger holes equals more loss of strength. And slots equals bigger holes. It's true that stitching through the LOOP leather will detract from the strength of it, as opposed to NOT stitching them. But the loops take very little strain throughout their life, and certainly doesn't justify cutting slots or slits in teh main body of the belt. I might have dyed the inside of the holster (at least where it shows) but overall I like it.

I aint been asked about a holster for the 629 .. and then three of them in the last couple ;months. Guess i better gitta dummy for that one ..

I don't put too much weight behind a name - even less than I already did. I have a craftool punch that works great, osborne punches I can't believe I paid money for, and weaver punches which are a 'meh" kind of average. Bad idea to get in the habit of saying "this is good cuz it's from so-n-so".