JLSleather

I would agree that dual loaders should be in separate sections. If one is removed, the other can 'flop' around in there, or lay flat (making it hard or impossible to grab). Stitch a line between them, or use a divider (I'd stitch).

Well, I was talkin' holsters, not complete rigs! And that's if they aint tooled. Basically, trick is to do nothing else ... so any carved belts ordered cut into that time. New holster design? Then the numbers come down again! As a rule, the process for 'git er done' is a 3-step model... Do nothing else. Drink much coffee. Keep an eye on George,.. that guy mess around 'n' teach ya sumthin' Thanks all the same, though!

Well, much of it IS a generation thing. Everything is disposable. Why spend $400 on a lifetime belt, when you can get 8 pieces of -- something else - for the same money. Just pitch one when it wears out, and you'll always have a "new" one. If you have college kids, or are around them, it's even worse. The new phone, new tablet, new girlfriend, none of it permanent.. it's expected to last long enough until the new one comes out. Well, maybe the girlfriend thing is just me Add to that, "crafts" has come to mean cute but often useless 'trinkets'. People often shop these shows (or attend rodeos, etc) and want to buy 'something'. They don't often care about quality or even that it lasts past next week -- just the fun of 'going to the show' and buying something. BUT... it's at least in part due to "crafters" attitude as well. You watch - like at all - and you'll see 'crafters' who want a maximum price for a minimum of work -- apparently they should get paid for a SPEECH about "hand crafted". I don't mean one or two of them, either. Now, I'm with you.. I like to see a good product at a good price. A piece of poo at a bargain price is no bargain. But if that 'crafter' is making things that are "okay-ish" and wanting premium price, then you can't blame the buyers for going with the "okay-ish" with a reasonable price. As I sometimes say, IF you can't TELL the difference, then why PAY the difference? Take it a step further -- if all of your projects look pretty much the same, then why NOT manufacture them? Can't blame a guy for wanting a better price, or a better product, or both. I've seen leather folded over a couple times, stamped with some "maker mark" stitched and badly colored (it's not called streaked any more these days -- now it's "distressed" or "antiqued") and sold (a LOT) for $50+. Now, if a guy can spit those out of a machine at 10/hour, what's the difference? Buyer is getting the same thing. IF it's not BETTER, then "hand made" is pointless.

Totally useless crap -- I sent that junk back. Used to buy some good stuff on ebay. Now it seems it's more like the stuff they can't sell you to your face ..

Only in the western hemisphere. Otherwise, reverse that.

Back to the original question, though... the answer is no - there is no method of "get the correct measurement" without measuring. It's been tried for a long time, but not done. I've seen people who swear that you "add 2 inches" and others who swear "add 4 inches". Add to what? Can't go by the jeans size, those are all over the place. Different jeans manufacturers make 'em different, and new jeans don't measure the same as old ones of the same type (they stretch and wear thinner). Some are actually proud of coming up with the "idea" of putting more holes in the belt (apparently, a couple more inches hanging out on the end is okay). Jim's chart (referenced above and pinned in the pattern section) simply doesn't work -- too vague. Not that it won't work EVER... throw enough darts at a dartboard, one will hit occasionally. I'm not willing to take it apart, since that guy seems otherwise very knowledgeable. If you read the TEXT under that chart, the instruction portion, it's readily apparent that the way he's measuring WILL work. BUT, he admits that the chart is "based on Pants Size Measurement... which can be hit or miss" (quoting Jim). Plus, the chart assumes that a center bar buckle is "this big" and a shield buckle (or trophy buckle) is 'this big" - -though there are thousands of variations and sizes, and a 4" buckle doesn't give the same size belt as a 2" buckle.

Exactly this. I have been known to send customers (and potential customers) a 'strip' the same thickness as the belt they are wanting. Tell 'em wrap it around, mark where it overlaps with a pen (trace right across the leather), measure from the end to the mark, send me the number, throw away the strip. 3/4" wide trim from putting a straight edge on a side, lined with the normal lining leather. Glued but not stitched - though I have been known to put a couple (or 4) 6-8" rows of stitching side by side so they can see thread colors ... If someone is spending $50-60 for a plain belt, and the belt ends up fitting one hole away from center, might just be okay. Or, at least they know, and they can return it for exchange for one that is one hole over, now that they know. But if they're spending actual money for a belt you're going to have hours in, nice to get that one right the first time!

Never mind. There's George right there ↑ and he says no clicked parts. I saw some of the work, and it looks like he uses the same design on multiple models for the belt loop. Efficient, without looking monotonous

Yeah, somebody sent me a SHAPE (not the tooling design), and I thought it looked both small and familiar. So, a little digging... and the paper they sent me fits that page 18 like a glove. Which, it shouldn't do

Yeah, been there I thought maybe there was something I wasn't seeing! Thanks all the same.

I should have kept mine,too. I could afford both machines, but didn't think I could afford the addition on the shop!

On the other hand, I sold my 206RB-5, figured I'd need the extra space. Big mistake.. always coming across something where i coulda used that thing ONE more time

IS THERE such a thing as a splitter / skiver that WORKS for under $1,000? I swear if I have to sharpen one more thing that was supposedly NEW ....

Can you hear it already? People goin' round sayin' "Jeff said make it inch ana half longer". But that's not quite what i said

Is that flat in the back, or curved a bit? Either way, i'd wanna bring a buddy ta help me carry that thing

Math-a-lize it The theory is, that the OUTside of the jeans and the INSIDE of the belt would be almost the same, yes? So, say you're making a belt for a guy with a 38" waist (I mean, really IS 38, not just he SAYS 38). I'll use 38 cuz that seems to be most of the belts recently. The "issue" comes from measuring the OUTside of the belt, with the INside measurement. If I can side-track just a minute.... think of a pipe. You got a 4" pipe That's OUTside. If your wall thickness is 1/8", then the inside measures 3 3/4" across -- difference is 1/4" (so what, right?). But the measurement AROUND (like a belt) is C=πd. So the outside is 4*π = 12.57 and the inside is 3.75*π = 11.78 for a difference of a little over 3/4". A 3 3/4" is off by 3/4"(ish). Now, double the thickness of the pipe wall leather. The outside still 4", but the inside is 3.5" across, and measurement AROUND is 11", a difference of 1.57". Clearly, the thickness matters. Now, WHY we on about 4" pipes? Go back to that 38" guy. The INside measures 38", that's the number he got measuring around over his jeans. Short story, doing the math --if the belt you're making is 1/4" thick, then around the outside gonna be around 39.5". Marking the belt 38, you'd be short about an inch and a half, and his name in the back will be off by half of that (and half teh buckle length too if you aren't watching). So, 1 1/2" for a 1/4" thick belt. Narrower fellas (and some girls) might go with a thinner belt, and the error is less pronounced -- just so you know it makes a difference. IN THE END, simple enough to test this. Got a piece of that pipe? Or anything else that won't move on you.. soup can..whatever. Measure around the thing, and cut 2 pieces of leather THAT length. Wrap one around the pipe -- $4 says the INSIDE will touch and the outside WON'T. Now, wrap the second layer around the first.... you'll see what I mean quickly enough ...

Anybody ever made that thing on P18? I've had the book for years, and sometimes people ask me to make a specific holster from it -- STILL. But, somebody sent me a "pattern" for a K-frame that is the SPITTIN image of the one on P18, and I really don't see a K-frame goin IN that thing. Anybody?...

Honestly, unless you are going to mass-produce those, I don't know that it's worth teh trouble to sttch 'em. If you just need one or two, just call 'em at SLC and order the Chaylor inserts already done and ready to use There are a couple versions very close to what you show there. http://springfieldleather.com/36988/Interior%2CCheckWallet%2CCF%2CChoc/

The THICKNESS of the belt MATTERS. You can have a customer measure his walmart belt (often about 6-7 oz thickness), which eliminates the issue of the size on the tag on the jeans (I have "34" that I can't wear any more, AND I have "34" that would fall off if not for a belt). But that lined belt, or double thick belt, will NOT measure the same. Put their measurement on a 12 oz belt (8 oz lined with 4 oz) and you WILL be short. The amount varies with the size of the wearer (longer belts will be off by more). Now, munky 1 and munky 2 will tell you "add this much". Munky 3 will say "add more holes". And realistically, off by one hole is probably acceptable on a solid color belt, no ornamentation other than stitching. But put a name on there, or design, or conchos, etc. and the more your measurement is off, the more your designs will be off.

Not seeing how you did the one piece of leather. Loop is separate piece?

I been busy , cept fer a couple o ramblin, mindless (and sometimes pointless) forum posts. But I still say a fella otta be able to form around a 1 3/8" dowel rod.

Thanks, I did find that one back then Wiz (roughly 5 years back). Actually, I think of that whenever I see somebody doing a 45 minute video of stitching a belt Git 'er dun ... No wonder some o' these boys think a leather belt is a $100+ project.. they got 2 hours in stitchin' it!

OOPS.. that should say 92 to 207 thread

Sweet.. Nice color! You got more enery 'n' me, though.. I sew that avenger with no stops in the stitch (around the holster and up the belt slot all one thread).

OH were we including kydex? Well, then HUNDREDS of em. All same thickness, no marks or scratches to cut out or around, no dyeing, no drying, no oiling.... formed in SECONDS...