JLSleather

Yup - each his own That's why I recommend seeing Don G's videos... he's a very 'by the numbers' step-by-step guy, so you can see how he does it (and his carving is nice mostly) and you can decide at each "step" if you like what's happening. I personally think that when he gets to the ant-streak step all goes south, but some people like it

I've been saying for YEARS that ant-streak stuff is low-rent crap. Looks like the dirt left behind when puddles dry up after a rain. Some folks have made it look less abhorent than others, but it NEVER looks good. And I've seen it do real damage to otherwise very nice carving. As one example, look up Don Gonzalez. Nice tooling. Seems like a decent fella (though he's a bit heavy on the marketing spiel for me). Then he puts that ant-streak refuse on it, and sometimes even - UGHHHH - acrylic "dye" (translation: PAINT). End result being its still not HIDEOUS, but fact is it looked WAY better BEFORE he pooped that paste on it. I'd show you some carvings I did where I used that paste (same as others, I did it because some said you were "supposed to" use it) but I TOSSED THEM OUT. I tried it maybe a dozen times over the years - never did care for the look. NO WAIT ... I DID ship out a project using that stuff, because one gal wrote a really nice check and SPECIFICALLY ASKED for it. I made a belt to replace an old family heirloom.... and she wanted it done the same way with the same carving. Lemme see kin I find those pics ... Yeah, here's the belts. To be fair the one lying flat is pretty old with significant wear, so maybe not a fair "comparison". You can see the "muddy" look of the ant-streak in the impressions of my new tooling (copied the design from the old belt).\ And here are some projects done WITHOUT ant-streak. The one with the two straps (saddle billets, not belts) is ANOTHER one I was asked to replace. Bottom one I received from a customer, ant-streak long gone. Top is the new and improved - DYED, not 'antiqued'

SHOOT.. that shoulda said 'message THERE'. And there is JLSbydesign - Etsy

Yeah, THAS the one I mean. Here's a quik pik of purdymuch same thing....

You are - as some would say - now spitting the big drops Tha's a nice color yer gittin' there, too. Unless you got skinny fingers, might clear the area under the grip just a little more (I usually aim at about 5/8" between the grip and the leather at the top of the grip area, but give er take). Fer a site channel, I use a wooden dowel just a tad higer than the front site, and then I whittle it down ta nuthin just before the port (so it ramps down to the slide by the front of the port). Here's a couple pics might show ya the site channel thing. HIGHER than the front site, all this "channel" does it keep your front site from becoming a GOUGE to your holster and a BRAKE to your pull. Oh, and I think you'll find you don't want to be too aggressive on molding in the eject port. If you like the LOOK of that, then just mold it deep and then push it back up part of the way. When it hardens good, you'll see what I mean.

Well, ... okay - I like the stitchin', and the clean leather. And the way the muzzle is covered/protected. Thumbs up all that. That said, I like to see the stitch lines come in closer, as that WILL loosen up over time, basically back to the stitching. So, no thumbs up there. Just a tip fer later, when you closer-in the sttich lines, you'll want to create a site channel for the front site to clear easily. Glocks are quite box-y shaped, square corners and sharp turns, so I'm including a pic of a Glock holster might show what I mean with less words. This is a 19, so not exactly same model but basically same gun but shorter. Yer sewing foot pressure is a bit heavy, leaving a footprint from the presser foot. This is easily avoided.. I coverd that in other articles on this site. And I'm not following the idea on the slots - why those angles? Does that make it sit on your belt the way you like it?

I like 'em. Be nice to see how they look 6 years later... prolly got a NICE rich color now.

Oh, I meant take an OWB glock pattern and add either loops or clips. Basically the only difference - loops instead of slots. SOMEWHERE there's a file with instructions how to quickly and easily do that. PROBABLY on the hard drives here too, just have to find it.

you could fairly easily create one from an existing pattern from the intructions I dumped around here somewhere, change an already ready pancake holster pattern into an inny quickly. Not sure .. maybe somebody can tell you how to easily find that (and a G17 is the same gun, on the outside, so a 17 pattern will work)

Uh, no. And I'd need a buddy help me carry alll those

the IWB fits a Bond Arms Bullpup (formerly called boberg XR9-S) The black one is a pocket holster for a G30 (if I remmber right now) and the tan and the purple are for a Sig 238

I like it Decorative, but not over done.

Oh, cool .. so people ARE using them Any interest for new ones? I got sumfer these and others I could git round to makin digital ...

I had some folks asking lately for leather patterns fer holsters... so I have 'dun up' patterns for the S/W Shield 380 EZ in an 'avenger' and a double mag carrier for Glock 17, 19, 22, 23. Printed to PDF and available shortly in the Cutesy store. Message here if interested.

BOTH dies sharp and ready to use. $100 for BOTH +$15 priority shipping (in US).

ALSO... couple of clicker dies laying here, need to get put to use. One cuts a 4x4 square for drink coasters (or whatever else it might suit) The other has a dual use as well - cuts the ends of gun slings and belt loops for IWB holsters. I'll get a pic of that shortly ...

Note the hello kitty computer speakers not included

These are STILL HERE?@! ALL TEN dummy guns for $200 plus shipping (which I think is about $15... did priority box go up again or no)?

look purdy goody, but you maya mista spot (?)

New phone .. this thing got a camera nicer than my old camera So, gotta find a tripod er sumthin fer it, then I think i'll try add one more holster pattern with a video on howta make it? Sig 238 pocket holster maybe ... That's not a question, but idiots these days say everything like it was a question, and i figgered wuz my turn to be that idiot

Cupple things I DONT like here, personal preference which I'd tell ya about if'n ya wuz ta ask, but bottom line thats a nice lookin' set and i don't mind it one bit

I got a 6' aluminum "ruler" and a 24"x16" "carpenter square" from Menards... in the drywall section. Cheap, straight, 72" long, and doesn't corrode or mark the leather. Worked well for years now. As for how to divy up the hide, this is what i generally do for the type of projects you're on about. Measure over from the right side (the back or spine) at each end so you have a line roughly parallel to the spine and cut off the belly. This belly leather is useless for straps, but often is fine for lining belts or straps. Then measure about 60" from the butt end and cut off the neck square to the belly cut you made. Then just lay your straight edge on the side where shown in your picture and cut the straight line. This will leave you with a rectangle of good solid leather for straps, usually about 60" x 24" (you can go wider by cutting less of the belly off, but again the lower you go the softer the leather). This rectangle is your leather for belts, straps. Figure about 10" longer than the "size" for belts, so this lets you cut belts for people up to size 50 (which is MOST people) without a lot of waste. *Cutting straps from the full length of the hide will leave you with a bunch of short (18-24") pieces not that convenient. (NOTE that a guy making guitar straps might be able to use some these shorts for 2-piece straps, just add a buckle). The SHOULDER (the part above the 60" cut off) is good for holsters, knife sheaths, and other small projects that require firm leather. And again the belly leather is often acceptable for strap LINING or for small projects not requiring strength (like wallets, not carved, for example).

too bulky and heavy for me - kaint maneuver well as I'd like. And I actually used one for doing LARGE areas and had one COME OFF... just dropped on the floor due to the weight of the glass and dye... BIG mess everywhere. Guess that's why Paasche makes a SCREW ON version

Yup. Too much emphasis on the "artwork" and not nearly enough on emphasizing the BUSINESS. Used to be a fiver.com thing (or something like that)... seriously people would COMPETE for your business at things like this logo stuff... FOR $5! Just to get some recognition, I suppose, but I talked to people a few years back who had entire web sites made (well) for a handful of dollars ... OH, OH .. good space for a "plug" for somebody... DO order with Bob at Toledo Ind Sewing. When I ordered thread, Bob called to make sure what he had was what I wanted, and when I had a sewing issue, Bob recommended a plan on what to get AND WHY, and when I ordered just a bit, Bob contacted to remind me that what I USUALLY order would fit in the same box, thus same shipping cost, instead of ordering that other thing in a couple weeks and paying $12-15 in shipping I could have avoided (but he didn't ASSUME that and just do it without telling me)