jeffroberts

Excellant post and a great job!! I am about to start my first 1/2 seat loop saddle (1880's stock saddle) and I am extremely anxious...Nice tooling and stamping....Stay with it and Merry Christmas in Austria. Jeff

Fabulous work Dave! Maybe the novices are just overwhelmed with the creativity here? I will be starting a dash cover for my '02 Scout this weekend and will post my progress, first try at biker stuff so I may as well learn on my own stuff? Next over the winter will be a seat. Jeff

Thanks for the tips ! I can't seem to figure out how to shrink the pictures??

LOL !! You are correct sir!

I did a double thicknesss welt and a nylon wear block on the top of the lower edge! Thanks! Every little project I try to work on some little thing to inprove on. Jeff

Looks like you got bit just like the rest of us! Really nice job for your first! this is such a great venue for inspiration. Keep up the great work. Jeff

Here is a sheath I finished for my son for his belt saw.

This is the stuff that inspires me !! Gorgeous! Jeff

I am still pluggin away trying to improve my technique! This is my latest try at a holster for my .22 sixshooter. I can't get better without feedback ??

I like it! Stay out of the box !! Jeff

I got into the craft to explore what I can create with my brain and two hands, part of the joy is creating certain hands tools as I need them, learning the swivel knife and the never ending practice of hand stitching ! Bottom line is my shop is quiet and peaceful with a little background of soft classic rock which seems to foster the creative process after watching you guys / gals here foe inspiration. Peace / jeff

I just started doing the flame thing and I like it , keep it up , your stuff is great. I handstitch everything and try to offset my thread color with the colors of my stuff. I urge you to try hand stitching, it's very slow but Oh so rewarding when you tie off that last stitch. Nice work! Jeff

Welcome aboard !! I just finished my first gunbelt as well for an 1860 Army BP. At least I know where i have to aspire to!! Happy New Year, Jeff

The knives are super!! Keep up the good leather work, carving is great and will get better with each new piece!! Jeff

I did a half dozen with carving and brands and decided to get out of the western box and see what happens !!

I just finished my first pair of batwings for me and chinks for the missus, the Tandy pattern w/ Tandy elkhide, tooled tops and belts and they came out great! I'm so hooked! Next project probably batwings like the tv show 'Rawhide' crew wore? The Elk is gorgeous but seems a little too supple? After a lot of trial and error they hang pretty well. quote name='JAM' timestamp='1285772306' post='168846'] Thanks to everyone! This is all very good advice. Since I started this thread a couple of years ago I have learned to do pretty much everything that has been advised here. I've accumulated lots of patterns (buying/borrowing commercial patterns, copying chinks I purchased, trying to copy what I see in photos, etc.) and for shotguns for me I finally cut up a pair of old snug jeans and made a pattern from that... still working on getting the shapes and angles in the belts and top panels just right. And of course doing custom work for patient friends who will come for fittings and sit in the saddle on the saddle tree so I can see how they hang in use (how they fit in the saddle is always different than how they fit standing up). Learning from other folks' custom measuring diagrams has been very educational. A couple of things I haven't tried yet are: (1) Very wide velcro panels to fasten the sides, especially on shotguns, and (2) wide elastic panels between the zipper and back leg of shotguns, all the way down the leg. I haven't been able to find sideways-stretch elastic for this, but there must be something that would work to let the shotguns stay very snug but still bend enough at the knee to make it easier to mount up.

I just put the finishing touches on a stand, out of the Stohlman saddle making series books, solid as a rock (2x6 base) and pretty easy to construct as well! Jeff

Awesome job Bob!! The only glitch to fix is the carving out a few minutes to get US some more pictures!!Jeff

Hi Newfman!! If you still are reading this keep me in mind if you find a western saddle maker in NE! I live in the northeastern Ct area and would love to apprentice/sweep up to learn the hands on as well! Jeff Roberts

Tried a sob holster that caught my eye in a magazine, got to do some wet forming and pattern making and inlaying all in one project ! It turned out to be a blast!

Bravo, Well Done!! My .02, try continuing your groove and stitch pattern around the top outside edge and see what it gives to the next holster ! I did and I really love the finish look I got. Jeff

Believe it or not it was a horse reins that my wife contributed to my leather supply !! Thanks Jeff

First try at a canteen cover after watching the tutorial from timbo! It was a little more more of an adventure than I realized but a blast! You really can't stuff a 2qt canteen into a 1qt leather cover.................