JLSleather

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 .

Yeah, that's pretty bad. I've seen some HO that was better than other HO, but ... wow. They'd get that back. And if they wanted to keep a customer (like EVER again), they'd pay the shipping to return it, too. I like W/C myself, but I do use HO as well. HO has never sent me a piece with all of that going on. Ever. Sadly, it's getting worse trying to mail-order anything. Especially where they have a walk-in retail. You not only have unskilled, unlearned, or un-concerned store workers, but add the fact that people walking in have likely picked through the best looking leather, and you're getting .. uhhh. .what's left. Perhaps. Oh, and don't forget that there are people who will send you poop - and tell you they're willing to return it for a different piece. If you return it, they're okay... but likely are hoping that some of the time, someone just doesn't know better and keeps it. The guy who recommended buying a cobra leather machine felt bad too, but I finally convinced him it wasn't his fault.

Now individually on Ebay - so we can delete this

We've all got "that" drawer!

The top of that holster folds back, just like you were going to stitch it down. Instead of stitching it, you can attach a strap (basically same as the one for the hammer loop). The idea is to allow you to put the holster on or off without unbuckling your belt. I've never been fond of them - right at the top tends to wrinkle and get ugly quick from the ":convenient" flexing, plus they don't hold to the belt as well as if you had just stitched it down (though you could aid that by adding a leather block inside the folded area).

Okay, fair enough. Sometimes, no answer IS an answer

Really? Where's yer shop? Where's yer home? There's a few of us from around here now. Far as "the market" - I'm not gonna actually MAKE them things.. I'll leave that to folks more - uh - sensitive. I'm just talking about cutting them out and selling the BLANKS, and somebody ELSE can braid the things!

Oh, well then you should let us know if it fits this ... http://www.jlsleather.com/sdm_downloads/magazine-pouch-single-stack-9-pancake/

What mag? 45? 380? ....

You can actually see a pretty good view of one of the punches made for this over at http://www.usacuttingdie.com/die-examples.html I personally don't care for 'em, but I thought somebody might have a GOOD reason for them. TIP: Because "some guy in a goofy hat told me" is NOT a GOOD reason. Even if you heard it from the CAT in the HAT .. still don't count. I mean a LEGITIMATE reason

I don't use the waterstain thing. Or any stain thing. But I agree that the stitchin' looks "tight"...

I thought these were outlawed back in '87! Guess I'll have a die made to punch 'em out.. flood cutesy with 'em. Whatcha think... good way to use up scraps? Otta be worth .. what ... $2.50 each? $3.50?

Tha's one vote for customer perception / friction. Thanks! Anybody else?

What is your reason for curved belt slots on holsters? Somebody tell me the advantage gained by a curved slot. I've asked people who use them, and even some people who MAKE the punches -- so far nothing rational or relevant. ANYbody have a LEGITIMATE purpose?

I change the needle more than needed, probably. They're $1/apiece, so Watch for the hole in the back to start blowing out more, and swap it out. Keep in mind that on this site, you're talking to people who sharpen disposable razor blades (not me, but some) so FWIW... For a buck apiece, needles just aren't my top priority. And I stitch continuous whenever possible. If you look at the design for a minute, I'm sure you'll see a way. If nothing else, stitch around back to the start hole, and then step over (sideways) and continue. There is always a way ...

Maybe the question should be... is that 50% by WEIGHT, or 50% by VOLUME?

I don't recommend boiling leather in anything. I suppose it depends on how hard you'd like it to end up... somewhere between 'firm' and 'crispy'. I form leather with warm (almost hot) water. No temp guage, just if i can't stick my hand in it it's too hot. With good leather, a holster will harden to where you don't need the gun.. just whoop an attacker with the holster