JLSleather

Anybody else seen a downslide in the quality of drum dyed skirting? I called 'em about the last batch, though I didn't send it back. So this time they discounted it just a bit, I guess for that. But, these hides are better, but still not the quality i'm used to seeing from W/C. Guess I'm going to go back to using just H.O. for a while.

Yep, that's where I was at with it too.

True. I'm just considering the 'wisdom' in 5 of us all having the same 'dummy' sitting on a shelf somewhere, because we found it helpful to have. Once.

3/4" plates ? Uhh. okay That'll do 'er! As for level sanded (?) I didn't worry about that. I used cold rolled steel, which is pretty durn close to flat.. all you need. The press bed will "float" any irregularity (long as your die is parallel top and bottom, and the cutting board under the leather will 'cure' the last few thousandths of an inch. You may need to machine a flat surface if your steel has been out collecting rust all summer, or if it has been warped by flame cutting.

50 years got a good idea. I have screw jacks (some might call 'em machinist jacks) to set the working height. If you're cutting / clicking, not so critical with a hand operated press (you'll feel it go through). But using teh air (or hydro) it's good to know where to stop. Also with embossing dies or stamps... good to be able to press them all to the same depth. Imagine a set of embossed coasters where some impressions are deeper than others. The jacks are easily adjustable, and makes them all teh same depth. This doesnt' require "fancy"... two 1/2" or 5/8" bolts and 4 nuts will do 'er ..

I've done it, and there ARE a few boys you kin trust. I like the dummy guns myself. Always somebody wanting to bring me a gun, but truth is if I see somebody coming up the sidewalk with a gun it's not gonna go well These dummies you kin stick in a priority mail box and have it about anywhere in the US in a few days. I got one now, guy wants a holster PATTERN made up, for a gun I've never dealt with before. Now, I could just have him buy the dummy gun and send it, since I assume that if he wants a pattern - then he probably has use for the gun! And there IS a blue gun for that model. Makes more sense, HE buy that Rings gun, send it to me, and I return it with the pattern (which I have done in the past). I have also charged more than that to COMMISSION pattern making for others. I get the dummy gun, and the right to make that holster, but the PATTERN is theirs - I don't sell or share it with anyone else (you may have seen my Boberg examples). Them dummy guns things is only $50, so we're not talking about life-altering, mortgage the shop type money. Still, $50, $50, $50.... you guys know the routine

I got the same one Red -- works great. Ya might wanna pick up a couple of 3/8" steel plates to use with it... I cut mine 8" x 18". And you can spend $100 for 'fancy' cutting boards, but that kitchen thingie at Walmart works very well (total investment about $10).

I got a few a while back.... had to try them out. Actually, I found them too thick, and they didn't have a particularly quality feel. Now, I didn't order one of everything, but I wouldn't order any more of the 6-pocket or 4-pocket card versions I tried out. If you've ever seen tandy's "mission grain" pig, it's basically that same texture, but considerably thicker. My opinion, TOO thick for a wallet. I've made a lot of my own over time, but I was actually hoping they were going to be able to handle that FOR me. Perhaps down the road ...

I have most of the guns I think I need. Occasionally, someone wants a holster for a gun I don't have a dummy for. I sometimes just let it go, if it's not one I think I would use more than a couple of times. But I've wondered before if a "swap meet" type thing was possible around here. As in people who are interested could actually swap guns (dummy guns) for a week (ish). Now that I've written it out, I suppose that would require more personal integrity that what is commonly found these days. Oh, well.. guess I'll go buy a couple more that I'll use maybe twice

Had m' buddy draw out that kidney belt idea on his fancy 'sunday go-ta meetin" toys. Certainly much cleaner than my chicken scrathin's http://www.jlsleather.com/diy/other-diy/

YIKES.... tha's a LOT o' backgroundin'! Lookin good.

HEY.. don't that machine have a little round bobbin case with the bottom tension right on the case? If I remember, you can pick up bobbin cases for CHEAP ($5?). Guy could keep one for 138 thread, one for 92, one for 69... never mess with the tension. When you swap thread size, just use the case for that size, and WAH LAH....

Bigger hole, or smaller thread. Can you UPsize the needle one size (or maybe that's tops for that machine?) Worst case, use the 23 needle and reduce thread size (like a 92). Pulls up in the hole a little easier... Oh, wait... I'm assuming that you ALREADY tried reducing the bottom tension (?).

For a holster that thick, it might be just as easy to hand stitch that one. Put a #25 or #27 needle in a drill press if you find that easier than using an awl. A change from 5/8" down to 1/4" is quite a bit. ALways sketchin' sumthin'... so I'll put this graphic thought here for the next guy comes 'round.... not that you 'n' me need it

Dave 8-9 leather is plenty to tool in ... the belt in that pic is tooled in 7/8 ounce, and the borders are good n straight. Tooling with the leather still too wet is probably the most common mistake made by leather folks (my own guess just from talkin with foks). As a rule, all tooling is done BEFORE assembling anything. There are a few exceptions, but that's another day. You'll need a pattern of some sort if you want to make them match. Doesn't need to be laser precision, but a general idea. You're the knife guy, so I'm not gonna even try to tell you the shape you want You can 'test-fit" a piece of leather using rubber cement. If you're careful about where you put the cement, you'll be able to trim teh leather the way you like it, and still pull it back apart. Then you can use that piece to cut the shape of the other piece. From there, simple matter of doing any tooling you want on there, and assembling as you normally would.

No worries ... glad ya kin use 'em! Anybody hadno trouble followin that weight belt / kidney belt layout?

What leather are you using? If the sheath is made of leather 6 oz or thicker (I assume that it is) then you don't need to 'back' the leather to tool it. I tool the snot outta belts all the time.. no "backing". If your leather is "smooshy", then you're either using low-grade leather, or tooling too wet, or both.

You talking about holding the buckle on? I like line 16 snaps (sometimes called "segma" snaps). You see line 24 snaps, but those are quite bulky (doesn't let the billet end lay flat) and lately folks on about chicago screws - which work but are a bit of a pain in the backside just to change a buckle!

Longer. Front AND back.

Bit 0' time this morning, got a few more of these uploaded in pdf form. I think they're easier to organize that way (instead of two different files for each). Download all ya want.. we'll make more! http://www.jlsleather.com/diy/other-diy/

Camera charged, but it's worse than I thought... the pattern I thought might not be 'quite' right.. is actually for the charter arms BULLDOG .44!! Oops...

When I ship belts, I remove the buckles as well. Wrap the buckle in a bit of bubble wrap (buckle wrap?) and put it inside the curve of the belt. As a rule, shippers aren't as careful with your creations as you are!

I don't have it any more, but when I used one of those, ... just one hole in one end of the ram. deliberately made too big, to fit the largest tool shank... then the smaller ones were sleeved as needed with aluminum.... thus one hole fits all tools.

Nice idea and layout. I mighta put a thong (or some other kind of tie down) on teh bottom. Otherwise, I LIKE it.

WHICH 357? Fella in the guns n holsters section looking fer a pattern fer a SP101.