JLSleather

That IS purdy. Did you block dye the black?

I"m gonna guess that he did enough 'trial and error' (in his words, 'reams of paper') that he didn't want to share his labor with EVERYONE But with that Glock, I'd say that 'extra' that he added to the front panel was in the 2" - 2 1/2" range. No time for the long version this morning. Keep in mind, one of the benefits of a pancake holster that has some of the "shape" in the back.. is less exposure to the outside. It's the same thickness either way, .. .1 piece leather, 1 pistol, then another piece of leather. But all the form out one side tends to leave a more pronounced "lump" on a guy's hip. I get folks who want every detail of the gun showing in the leather. Other guy ask me if I can spell "conceal", since he DOESN'T want it to show ... I don't know nuthin' bout no sheet metal, but if you have someone near you experienced with leather, don't hurt ta pick a fella's brain. But if you like the idea of "flat" (ish) back, you might try multiple layers of leather. Like, say yer gonna use 9 oz leather for your rig. Then you might make that front piece out of 9 oz BUT make the back piece from two pieces of 4.5 oz laminated together. Tends to be more rigid, all else equal. You'd get a bit of 'shape' in the back, but the majority of it will go to the outside (if there's enough leather to allow it). Oh, and yes --- trial and error is a teacher. If we learn from our mistakes, then the guy who knows the most is the guy who made the most mistakes.

Okay, not so many votes, but looks like about 3 otta 4 rather see the markings on just one side.

Funny ..I just watched a good bit of that video - though i've watched it before. At half way through, he already has a better looking holster than much of the stuff you see sold. I'd just rough guess it's because he's interested in making a holster, which is not the same as interested in making a video about a holster ...

I don't recommend videos usually. First thing out of some folks, "buy a book", "check utube".. blahhlahblah. There are thousands of other [supposedly] holster making videos "out there", but the vast majority of them - free or paid - are a complete waste of time and generally filled with marketing crap. This guy is a bit gabby, my opinion, but he DOES show what you're talking about. Stitched together (including a lining) and THEN formed ...

Agreed. People love to say 'buy here', but truth is the US is largely lazy. They've done nothing for so long, that many think if they actually DO something they should be paid a mint. The labor charge is higher -- not because it's better - because people think they deserve it. I see it all the time -- people have no intention of working. If they get fired , which is rare, they'll just apply for welfare and / or unemployment. Handmade means NOTHING if the product made isn't BETTER than it would be some other way. And I don't mean somebody TELL me or try to CONVINCE me it's better. I mean I can SEE it's BETTER.

HO at the tannery is $2 / foot less than that . "A" grade 7/8 is $7.25 / foot. And that's the price WE would get - I'd guess they're getting a better price than I am.

That's the good thing about belts -- no matter HOW bad you mistake it.. fella's never out more'n $10

Wait .. what? Didn't you just say that sewing OTHER than by machines isn't scaled? And, I would disagree that people should be "educated" as to why one is better than the others. As the saying goes.. if you can't TELL the difference, then why PAY the difference?!

When I bend a belt over like that, I just put a little pressure on each side -- finger and a thumb - and them add water to the grain side with my index finger on teh other hand. Slow, steady pressure centered on the slot (if there is one) and just "wipe" a wet finger across the face. Oh, and I use a rawhide mallet -- Garland 11 oz.

Yeah, cute maybe. I wouldn't go so far as ta say 'awesome'. Jason - how you see to cut out those little ostrich panels Customer always usually right. That seems like a little gun considerin' that belt fits a size 49 ...

No video required

Thanks, fellas -- customer picked the colors on this one. Maybe he got a Gibson guitar to match?

Thanks, Jon. You have mail.. look up there ↑

Here we are, little over a year later, and I could basically copy n paste my response from last year. I ordered ONE back at SLC recently -- was runnin' low on 7/8. Without going through all of the details about it, they got the opportunity to take that back (more than a little sad). I guess that's business these days... send whatever we got laying there, and the people who don't know the difference will be okay with it. Not to pick on 'em TOO much, the gals certainly have been pleasant, and the one time I ever talked to Kevin (another quality issue) he certainly recognized the problem and addressed it. But, still can't recommend them for buying leather. Too bad, too, cuz not EVERY piece I got from them was bad, and I was willing to pay a little more to NOT have to stock 20 or 25 sides on an HO order. I just dont have the time OR the patience to be on the phone all the time ordering or returning leather, and i certainly don't have time to waste a week getting and returnin a bit of cow. END RESULT of all of this... I'm gun shy. People can tell me about wonderful service they've had here, or there.. but sometimes what some think is wonderful is in fact the best they have seen YET. Some folks - I think - aren't lying about it. they just honestly don't know the GOOD leather from something else. So, before I buy somewhere I don't already, I wanna SEE it ....

Plus, whatsa "full double panel"?

Surely there's one guy "out there" makin em like ya done said. I could git er done, but I got like 5 other designs to do ... Jon from AR gonna start pitchin rocks up this way if I don't finish that Ruger shortly ...

That 'idea' was presented in several books back in the 70's, in case you ever decide you want a diagram of what they're doing. I mention it here because even though it was presented in at least three books that i know of, none of them gave a length or a percentage of "loss". Here's one of those books, still available .. https://www.leathercraftlibrary.com/p-1727-ideas-for-leather-projects-vol-1-1923.aspx .

If you saw the 3-piece set in the holster section, but are more of a glock person, then this is more yer speed maybe. Even more simpler than the Sig, this set for a glock 22 ...

Ya got learnin's and ya got makin's. Just not that much to it really. Them folks go on about how 'terrible many steps' to make a holster MAY be -- ughhh.. sensitive. Sig Sauer P938 pancake holster with matched pancake mag pouch and lined belt.

Is that 9 oz leather? Looks a bit thin from here .

FWIW --- I'm going to dissent there. I ordered there before. Once.

I've had a few in the "needs improvement" bin myself. Well, that may be too fancy - I just call it trash can.

Put a piece of paper over the spot where you dont want glue. If you're just trying to glue somewhere in the middle, and don't need to see the UNglued part, then a sheet stolen outta yer printer will do. If you would like to be able to see the unglued section, then wax paper is the ticket. Yeah, like the stuff Mom had for putting cookies out the oven (don't tell Mom I got it). Oh, and if yer talking about the quart thing with the brush in the lid, then yeah, what Chief said! Hobby Lobby girl sends me little "utility" brushes, good n long, only about 3/4 or 1" wide, and like 6 fera dollah...

Agreed. You can't "know" how much it will draw, though you do a few you'll get an idea. This is going to be influenced by how tightly you pull the individual loops, the width of your strands, and the thickness of the leather. Without getting long-winded about it, pulling the left side strip over on a 2" wide piece TRAVELS FURTHER than doing the same thing on a 1" wide project. Thus, you "lose" more leather, though yer doin' the same thing. The people I've seen doing these (they were making belts like this was BIG in the 70's) would figure about how far the braided section should go, add about 15% to that, and cut the section strips LEAVING the ends long (and uncut). Do the twisting (not willing to call this "braiding" and offend the braiding community here, who have a category of art this type of thing doesn't even begin to address) on the twisty part, THEN cut the piece to length. You might experiment with this a bit, in the width and thickness of leather you'll be using. Take a SHORT guess, and do the twisitn'. If you don't like it, back out the braid, cut longer, and do it again. Still not long enough? Well, now you KNOW, and if it's boogered by now, you kin pitch it and be out.. like 38¢...