JLSleather

I actually did mine from the other end, as they say, right from the start. I do leather - and then cross out the things I don't make. One example.. cigarette cases. There have been MILLIONS of them sold (probably more like billions, but who has those numbers anyway). I've had people ask for them for years. But I don't smoke. And if you smoke, that's your business -- but you can't do it at my house. So, I simply don't have any foot in the door to that. I don't mind doing notebooks and such. But for a while there, the coast guard boys had me making 'charge books". No problem there, but it looked like I could end up making JUST those, which I don't want to do. Now, far as a 'money making' thing, it might be worth it to get OTHER people making those with my label, but it would require people I could trust to do it right, which isn't possible. So these days, I may hire something done (I have some dies made by others, etc.) but I do not (and will not) have any employees. That alone auto limits me to what I can PERSONALLY get done in a day... Oh, and I have NEVER built a saddle from the ground up. I have replaced some saddle parts where a guy asked for that, but there simply wasn't the demand in my area when I started, and nowdays many people have no objection to saddle parts that are clicked, machine embossed, and assembled -- and honestly there are people doing that too cheaply for me to even jump in.

Yeah, I have one of those 20-ton HF things. I like the space usage, actually -- 3 square feet of floor space is better than losing ANY counter / bench space. No, you don't need 20 tons, but at one point the 20 ton was $50 LESS than the 12-ton, so ....

Tip: Vegetable tanned "splits" are "suede". The definition: The term comes from the French "gants de Suède", which literally means "gloves from Sweden".[1] Suede leather is made from the underside of the skin, primarily lamb, although goat, calf and deer are commonly used. Splits from thick hides of cow and deer are also sueded, but, due to

Yeah, I'm the dissenter (again). I think better to one-side the design, and make a left and a right. But then, I think the 42 is too big for a pocket gun anyway, so .... And I really don't like ANY holster closed at the bottom. Partially closed I could live with, but if it's closed, then anything that GETS in there will STAY in there.

So, your first request was for left handed with screws?

Welcome fellas. For reasons too long to put up here, the site was having some issues with the storefront over there. Weird, but not to worry. Free patterns still right where they were, and the "paid" versions still over at cutesy. More coming shortly.. actually getting a bit of breathing room coming ...

The issue is not the finish of the leather, but the tannage. "Suede" is merely the surface condition. The grain has been removed. In fact, if you take [ what people around here call ] vegetable tanned leather, and flip it over, viola... suede. But not chrome tanned. I personally don't care to use suede leathers, but I have done it. Again, if you make an unlined holster, then the inside IS "sueded" (though not actually buffed so it's 'nappy'). Long as it's vegetable tanned leather, you could use it to beef up the thickness of the leather, to firm up the holster (two thinner layers are firmer than one layer of same thickness), or perhaps to have the inside and the outside of the holster a different color. PLUS, Andrews was talking about and showing a glock POLYMER pistol, not blued steel. With today's finishes and materials, the "writings" about "suede" are less relevant than they were in previous years.

I like a #11 x-acto blade. Quick cutting, perpendicular cuts (no angled edges), cheap (50¢), and no sharpening (pitch it and replace it every 5th or 6th strap).

Angelus makes a little "pen" for those narrow areas (two sizes). For anything above about 6 oz leather, a wool dauber (comes with 4 oz bottles of dye, or you can buy them separately) works well as anything. If you're ordering from Springfield leather anyway, they carry them there http://springfieldleather.com/36993/Pen%2CDyeliner%2CBroad-Tip/ But as you see, they mark them up quite a bit https://www.turtlefeathers.net/shop/dye-liner-broad/ https://www.turtlefeathers.net/shop/dye-liner-fine/

You'll likely want some variation in that I don't have a 'problem' with kydex, but that one-size-fits-all thing just doesn't work anywhere. No need to have a different one for every model of firearm, but one or two does NOT work for all. Do a search on Ebay and you'll see what I mean. Or perhaps someone will chime in from there and show you (there are MANY ebay users here). Oh, and my only issue is I personally hate those cheap metal clips ....

Sadly, no -- nothing to recommend. I've ordered punches from 4 different places in teh past couple years, and ALL of them came needing sharpened. I was a tool maker forever, so I know HOW to sharpen, I just don't think I should HAVE to on a NEW tool. A guy I know (who knows leather) said he got his at Weaver, and he likes those. Now, I haven't used those, but that guy DOES know leather, so FWIW ...

That stitcher is a beast. Still, all the "holster makin" videos i"ve seen (I use quotes because someone CALLING a video "holster making" doesn't make it so) that guy is the ONLY one that contains any actual information. Sure, I know .. 1000 guys will show you how to trace a pistol on a table. 95% of those will show you a pair of hands cutting some leather (often with a knife they are 'offering' for sale). One other guy, I FF to find that it was 10 minutes into the video by the time he got the leather cut out. How's that go.. you'd think the elephant with the short trunk wouldn't want to draw attention to it! But seriously... if you can't trace the gun and cut the leather, perhaps you shouldn't be playing with sharp knives (much less firearms). Andrews talks kinda 'laid back' style, but actually SAYS something while doing it. We've all seen (and will see again) those geeks who want you to think that if they CHARGE you for the video, then it MUST be better. When the new guy asks, I tell 'em save the money you'd waste on those marketing goobers, and watch this free one. As for the burnishing - no different than tooling. There is a "right' moisture content ...

You said a mouthful. Wait, I admit that I'm not that bright... but are you saying that people are BUYING a reputation?

Fact is, I probably wouldn't have noticed it if you didn't bring it up. I didn't even see anything there that "heated". I think more political than correct

And THERE'S the thing, camano. Most people aren't ignorant enough to think they are getting the gun with the holster, but every so often you'll have one ignorant enough to try to accuse you of false advertising / fraud / deception. Way back when (Feb) - I opened a cutesy shop, since that seemed so popular around here. Right off, some old boy bought a holster pattern. A week or so later, I get a nasty message -- he been watching the mail box for his holster. Maybe he believed it, maybe not, but he was willing to write nasty comments because he was expecting a hand crafted, tooled leather holster for under $10. Etsy removed teh comments, since the picture clearly said "HOLSTER PATTERN" (in red capital letters) and the materials used section said "digital file download". Didn't keep "zippy" from trying, though ....

I don't know Juki. But I think if you do a little research, you'll find that many of the people who speak well of the cobra machines are those who have never used something else. If I was a notch smarter, I would have spent the money on that Adler ...

1" will work if you have something solid under it.

Yeah, any issues in lacing, I wouldn't back it out - just cut the lace to that point. Assuming that you're right handed, I guess you were going DOWN that side, so I would cut from a couple inches past the corner (on teh bottom of the bag) to the point you have there. I don't like splices in the corners. WAIT .. it looks like your lace is cracked PAST that, so I would cut out as much as I needed to get past the cracks.

Yer a better man'n me. After about 20 paces, I woulda been somewhere ordering a replacement! Holster looks purdy good. I'll actually make holsters with the mag release open, and others with it covered. Long as there's nothing in the way gonna push it. I've actually seen where a guy drew a weapon, went to shoot, and teh mag was there, but just low enough (not clicked in) to cause a jam. Sometimes, covered is good.

Oh, got it... you called AFTER they got an email and posted it here. Got it. Now, we still don't know who sent the email, and who's on first.

Okay, I'll bite. If it wasn't Rusty, and Bob knew it wasn't Rusty, and nobody in this thread said Rusty, then WHY would Bob call Rusty? Crap.. this is like a movie that aint that good but ya wanna see the end ....

Man, it got HARSH around here! Email was harsh. Even worse to send one like that and leave it anonymous. I actually wouldn't send something like that, and if I ever sent something even remotely along those lines, I'd sign it But then, I wouldn't 'wonder out loud' about who sent it, either, unless I KNEW ... Wait, back up. I didn't see any names mentioned. In fact, the original stated he was NOT saying. So, ... ???

In the end, a fella almost gotta know what a retailer can 'get away with'. Some of 'em will get away with whatever they can. Meaning whatever you don't know about. We've all seen web sites who say "no returns". I probably wouldn't deal with that person to begin with. But if I order something, and I get something else, I WILL return it. Anybody who doesn't think so should maybe talk to their credit card issuer. I'll attempt to be polite about it. But make an issue of it, I'd just call my credit card company. They will require the return of the item(s) I wasn't satisfied with, but they WILL cancel the charge. And another guy says if you don't buy extra shipping insurance, then they won't be responsible for it if your package is lost or damaged. BULL. It is the seller's responsibility to get you what you ordered, in the condition you ordered it. If the package goes missing, you never get it, they can't LEGALLY say 'well, i sent it so not my problem". They are required to provide either the purchase or the money. I lack the time or patience to look up the contract law, but let me NOT get what I ordered, and then you tell me "well, i sent it so that's that", and we'll see what happens to you... I could go on (really). But if you like HO, then the best bet is buy it from HO. Cut out any middle man. I quit that a good while back, due to atmosphere. Basically, if I buy 20 sides, then i have to control the humidity at least somewhat. But the central air is dry enough in there, that unless I'm going to use up about half that leather pretty quick, then I maybe should wall off a section of the shop where I can keep it a bit more humid to store the leather (which, I don't want to do). Next best thing.. get a few buddies who want 5 sides apiece and share an order. If you got other leather people in your area, maybe ship it to one guy, then on Saturday everybody show up and settle up. I talked (and talked) with one company outta MO just TOO many times. I returned hides. I complained. I said "send me the hide you would send me like if you were showing me how much you care to keep my business". I returned more. It wasn't ALL bad leather , or I wouldn't have ordered ever! But more and more and soon I was wondering just how much time I was spending on the phone about returns -- and who needs that. So, I called a while back... like one more time. I was running a bit low on 7/8, and just wanted one hide. I called. They called back. They called back again. I called back to confirm. All over ONE side of leather. Then they sent me the wrong leather. So, there I am.. running out of 7/8 because I just killed a WEEK .... so in the end I just told 'em I'm returning it, and don't bother sending another one. If you do this once or twice, it happens. Ten times... ridiculous and I should have ended it long ago. My mistake, but if you send this type, then expect to lose some business.

I was just pointing out that there is more than one reason you could get bad leather, and more than one reason you could be given bad information. Here or anywhere. One guy is a con man (I think they call that "marketing specialist" now, but still same thing) and will sell anything he can - not his problem. Another guy is sincere enough, but doesn't know a good piece from another. Not his / her fault, but you still get crap. Same thing, ask a question here. You'll get a bunch of responses. Not all will be great. But even then -- one guy is a low-rent scavenger, afraid of sharing his "secrets" with his "competition" (this is for the smallest men -- those "secrets" aren't theirs, someone taught them). And one guy is actually trying to help, just didn't say it as clearly for others as it is to him (he meant well). Not his / her fault, but you still get crap. I think you may have underestimated just how much money these people are dealing with. They are making the kind of money where if they return 1000 of em, and pay the return shipping, it's a hiccup. Not a life changing event. You're talking about HO brand leather ... so doing the math... These people claim they're getting HO that it is 'graded' at the tannery. In other words, when they get it it's already marked "B" grade. Personally, I don't believe that for a second, but that's another issue. I would put money on them buying "tannery run" grade, meaning here's a bunch of skins of different quality, sold at lump price. Why is too long a story for here. BUT, say they DID go "B" grade. You and I can get B grade HO for about $7.50 / ft. I say "about' because I just got an email other day about the surcharge coming down a bit and I haven't done the math on the new price (about 20¢ less per foot). So, HO - $7.50 x 25ft = $187.50 Now, say that someone bought a rail car full of sides (even if they aren't all delivered, like a promise to buy that many over say a month time). What price would that get? $7/ft? $6/ft? Ahh. nevermind. Say they actually paid the same thing you or I would (which, I'll say it-- they don't). Then they sell it for .. uhh.. say like $9.79/ft. They probably even give you a 'fancy' story about how they're giving you the "wholesale' pricing So, other company not HO = $9.79 x 25ft = 244.75 That's a difference of $57.00 PER SIDE. Pay a guy $10/hr to stack it, and some other guy $10/hr to wrap it and put a shipping label on it. Plus lights and heat and property tax on where they store it.. blabblah... they STILL making $50/side. So if they take a return, and "eat" $20 shipping, and DON"T charge a restocking fee, they still MAKING $30 on that hide (and they still have it to sell to someone else who won't return it). Now, mulitply that by THOUSANDS of hides per month .... Right back in post two ...

Welcome -- glad somebody's puttin' tha stuffta use .