JLSleather

Probably people who want to sell on Ebay

What's going on over there at EBay? Just saw I got an email a while back (but never opened) .... my "final notice' that I can't sell on Ebay because I didn't give them my banking information ?@!%$! Uh... I don't sell on Ebay, and even if I did I wouldn't give them my bank info I buy machine sewing needles over there, and ocassionally the odd thingie. I guess I'm a "seller" from the few hard drives I sold on there years back.... but ....

Not sure I'm following the order of events here (like which line you used on the trailing edge of the gun) but I like where yer goin with it Why not extend the "panel" as well as the front piece? Each his own, jus' wonderin'.... what I mean is ... that would be pretty close to what I have with this type :

So you MOVED the front stitch line? Looks pretty good, just trying to follow what you said. That IS the angle I was talking about, too. I was wondering if you took the panel ( and I think 6 oz is perfectly fine for that) through the curve. Each his own, but I like to see the panel come around the gun as well. SHOOOOT... I better get back to work!

Surprised nobody commented here yet. This one raised some questions for me (which is a good thing). Got a pic from the other side, leading edge? Wondering about the sewn-on panel and how you formed that. So you made an inch into a TENTH of an inch? Me too. Not sure about the texture you have there, how you got that. But overall I like the look you got there. The different color of the front panel makes the change in texture work, actually, and you have stitch lines that aren't 1/4", 3/8", or more from the firearm like some calling themselves holster makers. Looks comfortable

And THAT is how you "grow skills" - you have answered your own question. When you have no desire to improve, you won't. Good news on the other hand, desire is really all that is required for improvement. Now, "improvement" means different things to different people. Sadly, for the craft, "good enough to get somebody to buy it" is about all most are interested in. So some do mediocre or even poor work, and as long as there's a market that's enough for them - the SALE was what they were after, not the skill, and change only happens when that no longer sells. MANY today throw something together with little or no regard at all for the goods, hoping to sell you "the emperor's clothing" - crap with a pretty story attached (and often long-winded useless videos linked). So, buyer beware - if somebody is willing to pay $50 and up to have somebody fold a piece of leather over, sew it, and call it a "wallet"... then the punishment fits the crime. But somebody that says "how do I improve ... " gets my attention. I can't show you a pic of my first goods, because pics weren't digital back then. Sufficient to say they were BADLY done. I started tooling belts. I like tooled belts, and I figured that would be the best practice since it was tooling a long strap - not a lot of time invested in assembly, layout, etc... so I could concentrate on getting that part right. I bought a stohlman book on belts, the tools that recommended, and some leather. I tooled a belt using a pattern I thought looked nice (though the pic was black n white). YIKES -- pitch that and do it again. I ruined the first 16 or 18 "belts" I made (actually more than that, but point is I ruined the first entire hide about 1 1/2" wide at a time). But I didn't pitch 'em .. when they were badly tooled (and they WERE) I kept them around to use to practice dyeing leather. I fully intended to pitch them when done dyeing, but 50 or 60 inches of practice each seemed a good idea. Then again with applying different finishes. All that said, I was not determined to do BELTS .. and in fact had period there where I spent most of my time making tooled handbags.... just what 'they' were asking for. But by doing the SAME belts - over and over - I wasn't doing BELTS, I was doing LEATHER. Somebody asks me every so often how long it took before I stopped making mistakes. My answer is always the same - I'll let you know when that happens.

I don't think that's what this gentleman is looking for, but I'll send the guy the link.

Looks good! We got 6 younguns (white tails) running around here regularly ... aint but a few blocks from the river, so ... pretty common to find them about 5 am in the park across the street. Been a few years now, but on one trip to catch walleye I found a mother eagle teaching the young ones to catch fish. Put up the fishin' rod and watched em for almost an hour.

On the drive to take a spoiled little girl shopping.... this guy was taking advantage of a squirrel hit by a car in the street. Flew right in front of the car. Managed not to hit him, but he flew just a few feet ahead of the hood of the car for 1/3 of a block or so until I could get pulled over. Dash cam would have made for great video! He sat for this pic from about 15 feet, for a good 15 seconds. Pic is a bad one... through a dirty wind shield, and I meant to hit video, not still shots.... About 17-18" tall (guessing the wing span was crowding 4 foot) this guy lost some color in the windshield (more red than this shows) but he wasn't leaving his meal unless he had to. When he got up, ALL the other birds got out of his way.

Include table? Have a servo motor or clutch? Speed reducer?

That's what these pieces are for .. when you've practiced the stamping, then practice the dye

Definitely makin' progress over there... keep it up! Don's videos are pretty much the only ones I recommend. Great looking designs and clear instructions. THOUSANDS of videos out there these days, but most of them are just repeating what somebody else already did, and it's often the case that "those who can't DO, teach". Don sometimes takes a bit to get to the point, but he ACTUALLY HAS a point (more than most can say) and may be just trying to be sure to convey the idea to others.

Yeah, I think we're talking about the same thing. I checked your site, but couldn't tell from the angle of your pics. I'll give him your web site

That DOES look like the right gun. Well, are your holsters "pancakes" that are just called something else? He don't want a "pancake" (even if it's called a brunette). But if you do a "curved panel" holster, I'd be glad to send him over. Very nice guy, I'd like to see him get the rig he wants (but JLS is NOT looking for another customer). I actually REFUNDED this gent a while back - just couldn't carry the load at the time - but he just wants a nice rig and is willing to buy it. Don't think he needs it yesterday, but I know he's been waiting a bit already ...

there ya go... jump on in, see what you like and what you don't. PROGRESS

As a rule, the butt is the firmest part of the hide (all else equal). But if it's large enough, the double shoulder would make a perfectly good duffel. Unless the duffel bag is quite large, i would think the main consideration would be the look desired. A double shoulder is going to have natural fat wrinkles running in line with the longer measurement, if that matters. With a bit of planning, this can be an advantage ...

If what you can do, is something ANYBODY can do...

Guy wants a curved holster (not a "pancake") for PM40 with CT 437 laser. Right Hand. All black. Asked us to make it. Again. Seems like very decent guy. He was willing to pay what we asked, but I don't set somebody ELSE'S price. That said, I'd probably go on make it but I thought I'd ask if SOMEBODY ELSE wants the "job". Guy is in NY. He likes THIS and wants same style (only smaller, and with a laser).

Remaining 01/09 at lunch ... dummy_guns_0109a.pdf

Message today from a feller wants a holster fer Khar PM40 with CT laser. Nice fella - spoke with him before. He wanted a holster before, we put him off while we did some other things, including locating that laser. Right hand, all black, no exotics. Want I should refer you to him? SHOW US you can make that holster and I'll put you in touch.

Correcting ... dummy_guns_0109.pdf

Definitely fabricated material. I've always abhorred those "t-pocket" things, and your issue is part of why that is. This one was for a long wallet - some might call a "roper". Tooling leather 3/4 oz backing, lined with ... the secret liner stuff ... then this assembly - with 6 cards and an ID slot. Other side had two long cash pockets and one more card slot across from the ID. Whole thing still less than 1/2" thick.

Somebody PIN this, or tweet, or twist, or like, or whatever..... EVIDENCE that you CAN get a straight answer on lw.net