gregintenn

I found some 6"x6"x6" boxes at Staples on sale for $0.50 each a while back. Don't bother looking, because I got em all. Now, if I could find a sale on bubble wrap.

That's where mine came from as well, Lobo. Can't beat it for the price.

I like it! I am admiring your leather work as well. I assume that is a left hand pocket holster for the P3AT? Oh...and I've never seen a leather guitar pick holder. Those would make really neat gifts.

The glue sure holds everything in place and makes stitching easier. I don't know how much strenght it adds, but I imagine the stitching alone is plenty strong in most cases.

There's going to be a seam. Have you ever seen a holster where that seem wasn't visible?

Box and bubble wrap is how I do it. You can count on close to $5 per holster for postage and shipping supplies.

Shoe polish and saddle soap are NOT the same. There is no color or dye in neutral shoe polish. As for the Resolene, I rubit in with a damp sponge, and it's dry with no tackiness in a matter of minutes. I imagine you applied it too thick.

They are wood boxes covered with leather and lined with felt. You'd be limited only by your imagination. Once you make one, you'll understand why they're expensive.

After the Resolene, I buff it with a shoe brush, then apply some neutral shoe polish and buff again. That looks quite good for a first try.

I rub it on with a damp sponge. Works great. The spray can works pretty good as long as you don't overdo it or get too close. If it is applied too thick, it will crack and turn a gold color when dry. I prefer acrylic Resolene.

Great answers. Take a few nice holsters to make an attractive display and a deck of business cards and brochures. There's something about the feeling of having a holster made especially for you that does not happen when buying a production piece.

I'll go first. Katsass has one of my favorites so far. I'm sure there are some more interesting ones out there as well.

Yes sir. I am in Northern Middle Tennessee. Lafayette to be exact. As for designing patterns, I read this somewhere and forget who to attribute the idea to, but here it goes. In the middle of a file folder or poster board, lay your belt on it and trace it. Next, lay your gun on the belt you drew, just how you'd lik it to sit in the finished holster. After that, you simply draw the holster around these two features. This may be how you do it already, but it really helped me.

This is the one I ordered from Brenda.

I was actually remarking on the originality and usefulness of your holster. That's more what I'm looking for rather than flawless execution. After all, aren't most holsters pretty much conceal carry anyway? It isn't like you go around showing them off. They hold a gun at the ready. It appears yours would do that well.

If you've got kids around, poster board works good for patterns just as the above mentioned file folders. Used ones are o.k. as well. I have a pretty good stack of them over in the corner of my workbench. If you get into carvng. I've had some luck using wax paper as transfer paper too.

No. I hold the leather at the edge of my work bench with my drawn pattern hanging off the edge. I hold the loose edge with one hand while I hold the exacto knife in the other, straight up and down, and with a gentle up and down motion, I cut along the lines of the pattern. It doesn't have to be perfect. After I glue the holster, I trim the edges with the same knife, and then sand them. It may be unconventional, but it works for me. I can't wrap my mind around how to use one of those round knives without wasting a lot of leather. For belt slots, I cut the ends with a 3/16" hole punch. Then I draw lines from hole to hole, front and back, where the slot goes, and cut along the lines with the exacto knife. It is actually the only knife I use. I have even cut belt blanks out of double shoulders with it.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1297963&cp=2568450.2629220.1259386 I actually have this kit. The one with the grooved plastic handle seems easier to hold on to than the slimmer metal handles.

That's it! That one even has my favorite blade shape for cutting leather.

Try a hobby knife. The small, ultra sharp blade cuts easily, and is much easier to maneuver than a razor utility knife.

http://www.lasergiftcreations.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=165 I ordered mine here and couldn't be happier. I think it was thirty something bucks! They made exactly what I asked for and I had it in less than a week.

Looking good!

How do you all go about determining a price for an item? I am thinking avbout pricing these holsters for $35 and the mag holders for $20. Does that seem fair to you? They are for a small semi auto; a Ruger LCP to be exact. I price my larger holsters at $40, but it seems these should be a bit cheaper as they are smaller.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=19338

Lobo, Again, I can't say enough about how much I like that holster. Of all of your work I've seen, that has to be my personal favorite. I have a question for you. I've never lined a holster, and I was wondering how much extra work that entailed and how much extra you charged for the lining.