JLSleather

If you put the lines where they go, and use the correct weight of leather, that pattern will not give you a holster 'too small' (I've tested it a few hundred times; ). But it's intended to give you relatively sharp corners... indicative of the Glock "style". So yeah -- stitching after forming could be tough (but possible). By sharp corners, I mean this ...

I've done both - either way is fine.

Oh, yeah - there's that Guess I assumed we all knew ya kaint tool it, like carving leather. You can get it to take a shape, but not like tooling leather.

Nothing to it. Looks great. Only thing is, you can't color it, so get the color you want from teh start!

I've never bought HO bridle, since I've always been happy with W/C. But at W/C, I get "standard" grade. This bucklething calls it "Grade 1", which W/C doesn't use, so not sure just what it is he's selling. I would inquire first.

Do you have a stitch groover, or a creaser? Make an impression on both front and back (once it's trimmed even) and mark your stitches with either the punch or the wheel (I have never liked the punches and don't use them - I have the wheels) right in the groove. Then I suppose aguycould go watch hours and hours of videos, OR you could just stitch while remembering that if you do each stitch the same way, with the same materials and tools, then each stitch will look the same way. Tha's a nice holster design, by the way A bone folder, or wooden tool handle (like the back end of your edger, maybe) will help 'round' the holster without wrinkling.

Glad you like the piece. I think we're getting close now.. purdy sure the wife picked her house today

Thanks -- that's been a popular little holster.

Size of the area and how enclosed will make a difference. Stacked hides don't lose / gain moisture as quickly as separated hides. And what is " a lot of vegtan tooling and shapin" may not be a lot to the next person. Too many variables to be able to set "a number". Air set about 35% - haven't had any problems. I make a point of not having more than 15 hides at a time around here - which is easy enough.. I aint buildin' saddles

And now for something completely different ....

My final comment on the subject, at all. A "minimum" strikes me much like an "annual fee" on a credit card. It's old news, and for every one who charges one, there are 50 places where they do not charge one. I won't pay them, and any "offer" I get that even mentions a "fee" is quickly pitched out. The exception would be the case of a supplier who is the only one who carries what I need, and I don't see that here. $1200 isn't much if you're buying leather for a year, and shouldn't be an issue really IF you're happy with the leather. But I find better leather at a better price elsewhere, so "permission" to purchase there is no favor (and a fee for it is not rational). So- as they say -- "I'm out".

Yeah, the bends are 7/8 HO. Foiks who gonna go on about using 7/8 for belts might go on and rip me, too.. cuz that's what I use (generally lined with 4 oz). I'll see what I got for "halfsies"....

This one is the 80/20 (seam NOT down the middle) shield in 9mm and/or .40. Or maybe 75/25? Hoping to get the shield .45 out soon ...

Between the weaver and the cobra, I'd go with a small drill press and a separate burnisher. You can get the ENTIRE set up for about $100 (ish).

I think that as a rule with revolvers, most guys take a piece of the leather the thickness you'll use, and wrap it around the gun to measure from behind the trigger guard all the way back to that same point. OUTSIDE this point you can put in whatever shape and style you like, but this will give a guy a real good idea how much leather to start with.

If you damp the leather, you can press it in with your thumb (or the handle of an edger, for example) and get a clear line of the edge of the gun. Just enough to show you the outline through the leather (pressure will likely burnish the leather, which is up to you). Only reason to dampen the whole thing is to avoid spots or water marks. Then just stitch a bit back from this line (and parallel to it). If it's already glued up to the gun, then just add the stitch line and trim the back,. If it's not glued inside your stitch line, then cutting the stitch line will allow you to move in AND glue in there. For the type of holster, it might be good to not have it tight fitting, but you have plenty of room there.

I'm got a couple like this... running $150 with me paying shipping in the U.S. No shoulder, no belly.. all bend. 57-60" long. Note that while I do not take "green stamps", i do take "blue guns" You and a buddy wanna split one, no trouble.. just a little extra shipping ... Keep in mind that this is likely to spoil you.. you won't want to go back where you've been shopping leather!

Yeah, IF you can 'get away with it', you got plenty of room there. I'd prolly cut teh stitchin' and restitch closer to the gun. Damp the leather - dont need to dip it, just damp it a bit with a sponge or rag almost wrung out - and do it ALL OVER the whole thing. Then use a bone folder, or spoon, or whatever, to outline the shape under the gun. Since it's a chest holster for "bush whackin", I likely would NOT wet form it. or at least not like "detail" it. Then cut just (barely) inside the stitchin' you got on there, glue about 1/4" in from the seam edge, and re-stitch about 1/8-3/16" from teh edge. Note some folks don't glue, but I do. Each his own, but makes me feel all better

Yep. Not the right shape (on the working end), tough to slide down an already stitched mag carrier (though they work for forming leather over and THEN stitching) and they're a bit pricey for what they are (for a few extra $, you can just buy the actual mag).

Meh... people order leather every day, sight unseen. No pictures - or a 'stock' picture that never changes - and then they get a hide that looks little like the picture at all (been there myself) I don't need any (well, I could use some 7 oz drum dyed black if somebody got a piece ) -- I thought I was helping folks out (which I try to do regularly). So I mention that i have some 3/4, some 4/5, a bit of 6 oz (almost out), and quite a bit of 7/8. IF somebody needs some, and would benefit from purchasing less than a full side at cost, then they would let me know what they need. THEN I would take a picture of the piece and they can approve or not. But I'm not taking a bunch of pictures so 5 out of 10 not in the market for any, and 3 more out of that 10 want it for less than cost, 1 more will decide I'm "desperate" and need to sell it (and thus will take any offer?), and that last one who might actually want a piece could have just asked for a pic of the piece he's needing OR IF everybody already has what they need, then all is good and there's no problem. Simple. In which case, I know that I can go on about what I do and not give too much weight to those posts about how much a guy gotta spend at placeA or placeB ...

I'm not such a fan of the Rings mags myself. The guns are fine as a rule, but I like Duncan's mags... cast in the shape of a loaded mag. As for free shipping, that sounds okay on the surface. But the shipping is in the price. If you're buying 1 or 2, doesn't matter one way or another. But teh more you buy, the more TIMES you're paying the shipping. Still, couple bucks one way or the other,

What a let down... now I find out that personal note I got was just a FORM LETTER Yeah, I was done with that down there anyway. I ordered teh Jeremiah Watt edgers, which were okay but not wonderful (they didn't hold an edge very long). And I ordered a couple sides that would have gone back to them if I had more time at the time. Glad I put my toe in the water instead of jumpin in the water. They're doin' fine on their own -- they don't need me in their way any more

Have you seen the mags for this one? Can't be quite the same as the "old" shield...

For $5, I'd just get the one that's already opened up. Somewhere around here, there's a whole list of places to get these guns.

Yeah, not just videos either. People love to go on (an on) without actually including anything that would actually help the next guy. We used to call that a "small man complex", though that's probably considered discrimination nowadays I don't so much care for the "example" holster, though. Never been big on black thread in brown leather, but more important, teh smooth LACK of texture on the face only makes the wrinkles look even more obvious. The wrinkling under and around the trigger guard - and again at the top of the slide - would be a deal breaker for me.