JLSleather

Okay, then I must be REALLY cheap. Saw someone with an Etsy shop, selling "card wallets", which was a couple pieces of scrap (like 3.5" x 4 1/2" ish) with big old holes and some rope thread ran through it. Total investment MAYBE $1, selling a bunch of em for around $50 each. Now, I didn't pay for it, and I didn't sell it. Puts it squarely in the none-of-my-business category officially. Sometimes, though, I wonder just how quickly a fool and his money are parted ......... Oh, I "could" make those, but I prefer to just give the pieces to the local boy scouts and they handle those!

Putting in perspective, more than one machine seems expensive, until you get the bill for building the addition onto you shop! Jus' thinkin' out loud here ...

I was wondering about that too. According to the Taurus site, that 7-shot has a 1.53" width, which would put the cylinder size larger than the K-frame, almost big as the L's. Now I'm lost .....

Yeah, the leather was that bad. Downright spongey -- I wasn't even going to waste time tooling it. Like trying to leave a permanent impression in a marshmallow. I sewed an avenger style holster right quick, gonna try a color. It's what .. like 2/3 of a foot, so if it don't work, so what! Outside of the bend in the holster was almost black (darker than I thought that dye would even go) and the rest MUCH lighter.. just a band of dark down the fold about 3" wide. Thought as a 'last ditch' effort, I'd dye it solid black. Same results .. part of the leather sucked the dye right in, some wouldn't. Took the lighter 6/7, gonna try maybe two layers. On a 50" strap, I could stretch it an inch without trying all that hard. Pathetic. I did find a piece of the 3/4 to work as a LINING for a 'jeans' belt. The rest, I decided I didn't need the headache. Already out the money, no point in also being out the peace of mind. One other experienced holster maker didn't care for it either (same supplier, different batch). Oh, well.. now I know. Oh, and Fiebing's browns have always had a reddish tint. If you don't like the reddish, go with the chocolate instead of the dark brown. Here's a couple belts I did WAY back, just for this display reason. Both dyed the same way, top one with "brown" and bottom with "chocolate".

That's what I was thinking .. "357" covers a dozen models.

That the leather you got from New York? I had the same issue. Finally took that leather and threw it out. If I would have known, I could have just tore up a couple $100 bills and saved myself some time and aggravation.

There are bigger guns, but that blackhawk is likely a bit tough to 'conceal'. I got a fella up this way, showed me his Super Redhawk - wants a shoulder holster for it. Barrel should be right about mid-thigh Oh, maybe it helps to show your wife how you SAVED $35 (ish) by not needing the dummy gun? No?

Not sure about the 'old' version Red, but I have that 'dummy' they're talking about. Cylinder is 1.700" (ish), and the holster resulting from it fits the NM pretty sweet. No idea how that relates to the old one ...

Belly is by far the stretchy-est part of the hide. For a wallet, you don't really need strength. Only consideration, maybe, do the splitting before you cut the parts out, so you don't stretch the parts out of shape in the splitter.

I often 're-work' a pattern. There will be some difference in the thickness of leathers, even two pieces cut from the same hide can vary. The "extra" stitch line -- I don't think it's a problem. But, is it usually on the 'high end' like that? Because in that area, you might consider half the thickness of the trigger guard, rather that the thickness of the slide. With the Glock, you're looking at what .. maybe .400" difference? So half that is .200". So, is your stitch line "off" by about 3/16"? If so, that could be one issue.

The Stohlman books got widespread - at least in part - due to the wide reach of Tandy marketing. While it's Al and Ann on the by-line, these books were sold through (and by) Tandy. You can't read too far on this site without realizing that while not everybody LIKES Tandy, most everyone has HEARD of them. Then, part of it is just who beat who to the 'punch'. I mean, I bought 'Art of Hand Sewing' in the 1980's. There are certainly other books - and these days videos, too - about hand stitching. I don't purchase any of them, because 1) I know how to stitch, and 2) I'm not a collector of these books. No offense to the author of the other book, I'm simply not paying to have someone tell me what I already know. I suspect there are others who think the same ........ OH .. not to take anything away from Mr & Mrs. Stohlman, I think their work is STUNNING and INSPIRING

You'll get a LOT of different answers to what the "minimum" distance to the belt loop is. I've seen holsters with about 1/2" between the stitch line on the gun and the slot. It 'can' be done, as most of the pressure should be downwards (not backwards) but I prefer more like 3/4" of "meat" in there. Too close and you have usability issues, too far and you create concealment issues (smaller is better where possible). I'm not seeing how this distance would be responsible for a gun leaning out, though. Some guns with big 'spaces' where you describe may lean out, but it would be due to something other than that. Like, belt loops TOO LOW on the rig would probably be the first thing. Also, a belt loop that is TOO WIDE for the belt used may allow some movement. Basically, I think if your loops are above the balancing point of the gun and close to the belt size, the spacing shouldn't cause a 'lean'. In fact, that's rather the dual loops on these style holsters .. tends to suck it IN, not out (if high enough). Just got done 'scratchin m' head' over another design the other day. Good to make a guy think sometimes, I imagine, but ... Lady has a 1911 (which is pretty narrow already) and wants to use a steel belt clip, a thumb break snap/strap, and forward slant, and carving design with initials at the top. So, how to fit all that in without the strap covering initials - and the snap not interfering with the clip, and the clip not preventing the snap closing, etc. Some of these are pretty straight forward, this one not so much.

Nope. Never held on to one myself, but lookin around it looks like the 327 LARGE FRAME revolver is closer to the 686 size than the 642.

Dotted line is stitchin'. When stitching, I start on the top right side of the stiffener, lower of the two rows (where it's not attached, that's the "start") Go 'round the slot, 'round the stiffener, then 'round the slot again (hence the double stitch) and end below and to the right of the slot. Do not cut, mark, or even 'stew' on the two circles with the "6" between them. This is only so you can measure the pattern (if this distance is 6", then you printed the right size). The other dimensions don't make no difference neither. Just so a fella can see at a glance how much cow he's fixinta need ...

Yikes! Sorry... Password is glock17 (no caps, no punctuation). Since I didn't add that, I should maybe also clue in some other info .. right back

I'm perhaps not RJF's best 'witness', so perhaps someone else can help with that. When you mentioned Tandy's "wallet guts" splits, I thought you were talking about that "mission grain" stuff. I have used it a couple of times as glued-in lining for a notebook (it was for a school-age kid, so something that WIPES OFF ).

The re-designed Glock 17 avenger style holster. Weekend project?

You don't list a location. Anyway, certainly Springfield (SLC) is pretty good at cutting you a small(ish) piece - you don't need to buy the cow Price-wise, I don't think there are any 'breaks'. Hermann Oak leather is usually pretty good quality for carving and forming. Most of my carved wallets are from Tandy's "Royal Meadow" 3/4 oz. I don't buy much else there, but at about $8/ft it carves nicely and I like the pale color (the lightest HO is 3 shades darker than this stuff). You're right about the pic spits - not great. Still, it does get used, and most of those "kits" include that same stuff. Not much strain on wallet guts, so if you're lacing edges it might be okay. Doesn't burnish, though, so stitched edges would look rough.

And brass. And stainless steel.

If you aren't sure what it is, I'd just send it back. For the money a guy pays for HO, shouldn'a outta be no 'streaks'.

Thanks, folks. Just my OCD catchin' upta me again. Just for folks who didn't already know, the Colts are just BARELY larger than the Smith L-frames (not sure why, but sometimes folks act like that's some kind of dramatic trade secret). So, I don't have a Trooper, but make the holster to fit the python, and the 686 will fit so close nobody will care.

Is that a 'snap-on', as in snap it on your belt without taking off the belt? Suueee weeeett .....

Veggie leather is stored flat, grain side down, stacked according to weight. Stacked together keeps a more consistent moisture and takes less space, grain down prevents scratches / suntans. Chrome leathers are hung over large dowels (think 7' wide towel rack with 5 'levels') suspended from the ceiling. Lets me pick the weight and color I want easily. Scrap.. is just that -- scrap. Short straps go in that drawer in my carving bench for testing colors / setting sewing machine tension / backing hole punches. If the drawer has a good bit in there, or if the pieces we're talking about are smaller than my hand .. trash can. I'm personally too lazy to do it, but i knew a guy back when, hung the veggie leather with a couple of bungies and those little clamps you can get for holding a tarp. Worked, but I don't really wanna keep pulling it up and down ...

I'm always tooling something. This time, just wanted to show 'junior' how these things go together - get the kid in on it. Couple little things I think I'll alter in the pattern. Still, it's a usable rig

Just my opinion, it looks like that's enough holes to weaken it along the stitch line. Maybe just the picture, but doesn't look like much "meat" left between the holes. Perhaps a smaller needle, or if you can't do that, then perhaps just a bit less stitches per inch. Not sure how your machine adjusts - stitches per inch or distance between stitches. Colt -- agreed! Holsters, not too bad. The gunbelt can get to be a chore