JLSleather

Right. And for holsters 'n' sheathes, belly stretches too much. But,... any tooled / stamped project... belly stretches too much. Belly 'could' be used for small pocket articles which don't receive much if any strain, or for glued-in linings, or for door mats in winter time

There is no such thing as a "good" belly. There ya go.

I don't think location within the U.S. has much to do with shipping costs. I ship here 'n' there, and a few hundred miles one way or another doesn't affect much. Ship to TX, NY, CA.. all about the same cost. In fact, that SAME package to Minneapolis - which is just up the road -- costs the same as the package to San Antonio My wife used to get sucked into all that "hype".. What? Gas is 10¢ off at Walmart? Here... I'll drive across town, burn up $3.00 worth of gas, to get over there and save $2.00 on a fill-up (20 gal times 10¢)! IN the end, hopefully people are balancing "cost" (price PLUS shipping) with quality. FREE shipping on belly leather is of no interest to me. I don't even know why people would bother with buying "B" grade leather, when teh "A" grade is only $5 more (per side). For perspective, a dog collar guy is making what... safely 70 collars from a side? So.. 70 divided into $5 makes the cost difference about 7¢ ....

Exactly what Ive got going on here, ChriJ. Two charges went through, and when I called the card company, that gal said they caught it and shut it off - but there were a lot more right behind it. In teh end, the amount will be put back on my card. But, the price of 2x4's just went up at Home Depot, where they will add the price of fraud protection right into the price of what they sell. So bottom line, we're all paying for this type of thing ...

That IS the sales pitch here. To some extent it makes sense. I mean, if the price ISN"T more, then basically you're asking someone else to pay for leather, cut out the part you don't want, and sell you the just the part you want and keep the less wonderful part themself. Not strange, I generally find that those who ask others to do that, seem unwilling to do it themselves. I'm not getting the whole thing about pricing a strap by the square foot. If you just need one or two straps, then it's a bit of a waste to buy a side of leather. And it actually IS more difficult to find a 48" long piece with no markings than it is to get a piece 12" wide, so you might expect a higher per foot cost. So, if you buy a side, and really just need a few straps ... what do you do with the rest? I don't really see much people buying sides to get the couple straps they need, then offering a good price to the next guy on the couple straps THEY need, etc.... But back to the original question --no, I dont know of a "better" supplier. A belt for a 40" waist at 1 1/2" wide "should" cost -- by your calculation -- about $5. But I don't know where you would find that.

The guy's work is very nice - no question. I'm just not giving credit for THIS "tidbit", since it's not his. Years back, I 'figured out' that my work would still be good to finish up on later if i take the tracing film I transferred the design with, and just leave it on the unfinished portion. Now, this is no great "revelation"... anybody coulda figured that out. But either way, it would be silly to then say "Hey, Jeff had a great idea!" .. when fact is people did that before I ever picked up a piece of leather. In the end .... no matter

Exactly my point max... not sure why we are praising some great wisdom for something which has been done for decades

6" BARREL... don't know if he cares if it's flat or not.. I aint never talked to the guy that got the gun. the guy used some of my patterns asked me for one, and I aint got one, and a buddy who sometimes has em aint got one too. Basically, if ya git him a pattern, and he don't like it, well --- his issue

Yeah, in the end she DID call the "sheriff". But the guy that showed up was the PREVIOUS sheriff, whose niece I was 'smoochin' at the time! He walks in, says "this the guy right here?" and when I turned around he says "Hey.. .I know that boy!" Actually, I thought my answer was purdy quick-... but Alex done gone ruined that.. I never thought o the free lunch over at the jail !

Anybody got a pattern for a pancake style holster? S/W 29 Got an email from a guy needing one... but I don't have one and my buddy aint got one, too ... so... Wayne may have already asked this around here. Anybody help him out?

Oh, wait.. EVEN FUNNIER .... Used to be a casey's store up the road.. lttle town i go through sometimes (used to date a gal down there). Went in one night.. basically my butt was tired of being on that bike, but only an hour from home so didn't want to motel it. So I stopped in for coffee / sandwich on the go. For those who don't know Caseys, think BP or Kum 'n' Go. Gas and snaks.... So I put $3 gas in the bike, got a snak. I owe her like just under $8. But I didn't even think about cash. Only got about $3. I got a card, but their card reader is down. I got a checkbook, but they won't take my check.. cuz I aint from here. Oh, waitl... I got $100 bill inside my jacket pocket, just for this .. case I don't want to be stranded with nothing if I ever dump the bike or lose the wallet (or both). ANd then the "kicker'... she WON"T TAKE the $100. Says it's after 9:00 pm and she can't take anything over $20's. WHAT @#$!@#!@#!$#!! So I tell her look, I'll pay you with this $100. Nope. Okay, well then I'll write you a check, but I'll go home, come back in the morning with the cash, and BUY BACK my check. Nope. So somebody comes in, says there's a truck stop about 10 minutes over with a machine where you can get cash... which sounds like a plan. NOPE.. Gal says if you try to leave without paying... "Im gonna call the sheriff". So I said.. THAS A GOOD IDEA... TELL HIM bring change for $100!!!!!! Never went back to that store (though I admit that I did 'smooch' that girl down that way again after that )

WOMEN.. that's the real problem Just remembered that one back when... Sometimes I was out of town for a couple days. People don't want out of town checks, and sometimes wasn't right at a machine or terminal, so I usually had at least a little cash. Schemin' witch had been in my wallet... took the last $30-something dollars. Didn't bother to tell me. Now, she was ALLOWED to get in my wallet. And I didn't mind if she needed money and 'helped herself'. But you'd think if you took ALL the money, you might mention that.. .. hey, you're going 150 miles out today, might get some cash when you stop somewhere.... Or better yet... just use the card and get your own cash out. Nope, not a word. So I'm at the store... in the line... THEN find out I have no money. Keep in mind, this was back when we didn't have a ATM every other street corner.... Red haired, blue eyed thing about 5'7" and 135.... SNIKEYS she was cute (prolly sttill is). But only one girl cute enough she gets to do that... and that would be MOM ....

Yeah, it happens. I'm actually impressed that this is the first time for me. My card emails me any time the card is used, so I knew about it within a couple of hours (earlier if I had checked email earlier). When I called the card company, they already knew and had 'shut off' my card. Gal said two charges "got through" but there were far more that would have gone if they hadn't caught it early. I'll get all my money back... just gonna take a week (ish). ______________________ On the funnier side of credit cards.... years back, I walked into Walmart for a new fishin' license and a soda pop (or some such). Two boys got a table set up inside the door, offering a Walmart card to shoppers. So I said.. don't walmart take Visa? Cuz if they take Visa, WHY would I need a Walmart card? And the one kid says. it's free.. no annual fee, blahblah you get a discount on gas you buy at walmart (I think like 10¢ off) you get a free 2-liter o soda just for applying plus we get $30 for signing you up Fair enough.. this kid is honest.. i lke that. So I tell him.. you fill it out, when I'm done shopping I'll sign it, you git yer $30. And that's how it went. Couple weeks, I get a Walmart card. ONly got a $750 limit, but that's mroe than I'm gonna spend at Walmart anyway, right? Stuck in my wallet and forgotten. MONTHS go by, and I'm in line at Walmart with $38 worth of stuff. Waiting in line, it occurs to me ---hey.. i got a walmart card! Which was quickly declined So she says must be over the limit.. Uh.. don't think so.. never used. And she's trying to get me out of the way, cuz people are lniing up. So she tries again, and says well if it's a new card, maybe it isn't activated yet. Gota call that number on the card. WHICH i think is a good idea, and I did. Right there in the line. With people stacking up. Turned the speaker on the phone, and everybody can clearly hear the thing say you're total lmit is $750... your total available credit is $750.... so I HADDA ask... it's a new card, activated, with the entire limit available. Do you NOT TAKE Walmart cards AT WALMART? Then I borrowed the scissor she had right there for clothing tags, cut the card in half, and later mailed both pieces to wherever....

Uhhhh... tha's what I said.

You are correct... that leather is never going to burnish. Again... don't be swayed by the BS put out by most "leather supply" stores (and many who post here, who are often simply repeating what someone said without any real knowledge of their own). I've seen $1 needle nose pliers in teh "leather supply" stores.. they called 'em "lacing pliers" and priced at $6. The difference between the one at the auto part store and the leather supply store? About half a mile. Otherwise identical. small needle nose pliers - lacing, sewing, other wing divider - scribes guide lines and marks stitch spacing utility knife - straight cuts (I use this one http://www.harborfreight.com/folding-lock-back-utility-knife-62156.html ) x-acto knife (i LOVE that #11) -- curves and corner cuts straight edge (I have one that was "supposed to" be for drywall, 6' long, aluminum doesn't stain the leather, works great) small square - 12" or so for the smaller cuts http://www.harborfreight.com/8-in-x-12-in-carpenters-square-69363.html Harbor Freight is about everywhere, and they have all the above. Honesly, for those small projects, I like the see-through triangle templates at HobbyLobby... got a ruler right on there and you can see the leather under it ('tween us,.. that's where i get the x--acto too). If you're making these little wallets, see my cutesy site. You can get these "bits" for less than a small fortune without buying the cow, as they say. I'm not a leather "supplier", nor do I intend to be. These are there for exactly this situation. Good quality Hermann Oak leather, just what a guy needs, reasonably priced. I do this because it helps leather crafters. If someone was to see the listings, and "undercut" my price by offering the same thing at lower cost, that's EVEN BETTER for leathercrafters, and I applaud it! https://www.etsy.com/shop/JLSleather?ref=hdr_shop_menu&section_id=19129422 Most of the patterns I think are on web site for free, so if you find leather you like to use, feel free to download the pattern any time you like!

First order from SCL about 6 or was it 7 years ago. Pathetic. But everybody here said "give em a chance ..blahblah". Second and third order... not much better than the first, though they "got me" for less money. I remember one confused fella was on this site, going on about how great their customer service was... .he only ordered threee times and they messed up EVERY order,,... and i finally said.. 'they messed up every order you ever made, and you're HAPPY about it ?#!!@#@!!" But then, I think "customer service" means giving you what you paid for, in the time i agreed to , at the price i agreed to. I'm frankly APPALLED at that "everybody makes mistakes" crap. I've had the cows over at cutesy tell me too -- hey, when you "get big" mistakes happen and sometimes you dont' have time to catch it.. blahblah". So, then -- WHY doesn't it say at the top of your site (with all your other "pitches". that we have a lot of customers and may make a mistake, but we'll fix it even if it sets you back a month". Never seem to see that. So I dint' order there much at all for quite a while. Snaps or screws, a bottle of dye.. etc. Occasionally I'd get a side of leather, but without going through my receipts I'd say about half was unacceptable and got returned to them. They DID always "accept" the return -- but seriously, my credit card company would not have given them a choice and they know that. In the end, I prefer to just order where I can get what I need WITHOUT doing it twice. NOW HAVING SAID THAT ↑ →→→♠♠→→→ I din't have a complaint when they stopped "offering" free shipping. They don't owe me free shipping, and anything they shipped without charging me was a benefit... not something I was "entitled to". The piece of leather i bought was overpriced,and not great looking quality. But i knew that ahead of time, and agreed to that price. The leather itself, while not stunning and clean, was also not bad enough to return. End result, I certainly paid more for that piece than I would have at Hermann Oak, but I wanted ONE piece of that weight, and they had one, so ... And the last couple of orders (I did use them a couple times this year) were actually an IMPROVEMENT in the service from "before". My orders were filled with the right items, in reasonable time, at teh price agreed to. And that's all I ask of anybody I order anything from!

I rarely buy ANY leather at Tandy. Last couple times I went, I dug through STACKS of leather and didn't find anything I was willing to use. I used to praise and promote their "Royal Meadow" carving leather -- prolly made THOUSANDS of projects with it over the years. Then they discontinued it. I suppose it was a cost decision -- probably takes more money to make that than the other "brands" they sell. Too bad for me - though it may have benefited them to close it out. That stuff carved beautifully, draped just a bit being somewhat less rigid than H.O., and I never got a piece that didn't take dye VERY well.. In fact, that leather is the only stuff I've bought and not ONCE had an issue with -- perhaps, as Dwight mentioned - that's because I went to the store and picked out the ones I wanted. Ahh... the good ole days -- when you only went through 7 hides to find 5 you like .... In carving leather, I like Wickett & Craig, Hermann Oak, and if I could find it again... that tandy "royal meadow" brand. I've made what I think is acceptable projects from all the above. But that's just regarding tooling leather, and you didn't say tooling leather. While there are some leathers more commonly used for some projects, there is no "rule" that must be followed. Bridle leather or harness certainly does better on items which are subjected to hard use or the elements. Garment leather obviously intended for garments (though I've seen some very nice "garment leather" handbags). "Tooling" leather required for tooling (duh) I personally never did get the Horween "thing". I don't find it all that nice looking and don't actually care for the feel of it. But there is that. Beyond that, I've bought a LOT of different weights and colors of leather for various projects over the years. Much of it from suppliers who didn't say where or how it was made - but still worked great.

Minus all the "hype" -- this has been done since comfortably before I used any leather. In the 80's, all the boys were using smooth finished bristol board - available from any art store in sizes from 8x11 to about 24 x 48. And tracing film (the plastic stuff). Lay the bristol (paper) on the marble and apply a coat of rubber cement evenly. Place the leather down on the rubber cement being sure to keep it smooth. Wet the leather with a sponge and cover it with tracing film. With marble under and plastic over, the leather will not dry out. One big benefit of doing it this way -- when you begin carving and find you aren't going to get finished before you have to quit, simply place the film back over the portion of the leather which isn't finished. Shoot... guess I should go write a book now #$!@#!~@!

Yeah. They also know that in these things, they deactivate the card. Meaning I can't use that account until a new card is issued.

DO go to Hobby Lobby. While I wouldn't buy the leather there, they do have some tools you'll be wanting and some templates and liquds which are useful.. and they're LESS expensive than "leather" stores. Not sure why they seem to think all leather people are suckers I've seen a needle nose pliers for sale in Menards (or Home Depot, or Harbor Freight) for $1. That same pair in teh "leather" store ... $4- $8 a pair (same thing). So.. hobby lobby DOES work for dividers, compass, circle and oval templates, straight edge, circle cutter, rotary cutter, straight edge, cutting mat, rubber cement, .... etc. As for the leather, it will depend on what you want to make. If you're planning 37 belts, then Wickett & Craig is a good place to start. If you're thinking a belt, two small like front pocket wallets and a key chain, then maybe someone on the forum who is geographically close can let you have a bit at their cost.

Oh, and the blackhawk and redhawk. Shoot... ya hadda bring this up. Now I'm noticin' just how many revolver holsters I haven't finished patterns fer (even tho I have the 'dummy').

Sometime this morning, my card was used at Kroger and at a Home Depot. In Michigan Apparently, there were multiple other charges pending, but the card issuer caught it and deactivated the card, so I only need reimbursed for the two charges. Nice. They were pretty quick to catch it - even before i did - but just the idea of the thing. Ties up a bit of money until it's fixed, though, so good thing I had pretty much what I needed already. Well, except for tX cust dies, who I guess I'll need to call and tell them not to run that card that isn't valid any more!

AND, I guess i should get the 29 / 629 mold as well.. third request for that in about a month n change...

If ya "do well' with what yer doin, then I wouldn't bother with what that bald guy says He's right ↑ that 686 is a goody. If yer only gittin one, I'd go for the 6" model. More Colt Pythons out there than ya might think, too.

Oh, yeah.. reach in is a bad plan That fella above ya ↑ wouldn't fare so well, neither.. call me back to tell me he really can 'help me'... uhh.. no.