gregintenn

Larry, I think your holster looks great as well. You wouldn't be able to post a pattern for te floral design on yours would you?

Looks great. I'd be happy with it as well.

I love it! You wouldn't want to share that floral pattern with us would you?

I'm not sure I understand your question, but I cut my patterns from posterboard with regular scissors. I cut the leather with a hobby knife.

I learned a lot from this video on youtube from Tandy, but I'm pretty much a beginner. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QynofyY2fL4

Looks like top shelf quality to me.

Here's a 4". I could probably scan and post my pattern if you'd like it. Just flip it over for right hand.

Thanks. The double stitch, as you probably know, is done with a length of thread with a needle on each end. You are actualy crossing the ends. You go through the bottom side of one hole with one end, and then through the top end of the same hole with the other end. With that same end, you go back up through the bottom side of the next hole, and repeat, repeat, repeat. You can see that this would take a long piece of thread to go very far. When sewing a belt, I'll only use a lenght of thread short enough I can handle it. When I'm about out of thread, I'll stop and get a new length of thread and start sewing with it a couple of stitches back from the thread I ended with. After I pass the old thread, I'll cut the ends nearly flush and push them down into the stitching groove. I used waxed linen thread, and it seems to stay in place this way.

Update on the deer hunting rig: I entered it in our county fair, and despite the misgivings of some of the ladies taking entries, It won first place in the other crafts category, and best in show in all the crafts. I'm pretty stoked, as there were some pretty neat entries.

Deanimator, You seem like a very nice guy, but your avatar absolutely creeps me out!

The holster looks good, but I love the belt. Did you hand stitch it? If so, would you mind disclosing how much you charge for a double layer belt like that?

In the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you that the shoulder is the only part of the hide I've attempted to use. When I first started, I was steered toward the shoulder, it worked, and I've found no reason to try anything else. Other parts could be even better for all I know, but the shoulder has done exactly what I've wanted it to do.

I just got a Tandy ad today. They have, if I remember correctly, single shoulders, 6-8 square feet, in 4-5 and 6-7oz weights for $19.99. A single shoulder contains enough leather for quite a few small holsters. I expect you know this, but I've read that vegetable tanned leather is pretty much the only type leather you can moisten and mold or tool.

Looks good. It appears you have nearly as much thread as leather in that project. You have more patience sewing than do I.

I buy 7/8 ounce double shoulders from Tandy. About twice a year, they have a great sale on them. I assume they are seconds or leftovers. They are about half the normal price. Really good stuff to make holsters with. Some will tell you to buy a better quality leather, but I've found that with a little planning, I can hid the few imperfections I find on them on the backside of holsters, or else cut out as scrap. I end up with quality holsters and very little scrap at a very attractive price. Don't be afriad to dig through the piles of hides, as some are better than others. Another benefit of going to the Tandy store in person is that they've taught me something every time I go in. The dark haired lady that works at the one Nashville is extremely nice and very helpful.

All the edges are burnished.

I thought about that after I had finished it. Oh well, I'll make them larger and round the bottoms next time.

It is a mirroe image of the front. This doesn't seem to print at all. It appears there is a wallet or a folded envelopw in my pocket. It also holds the pistol in place and stays upt when the pistol is drawn.

I thought it turned out kinda cute, so I thought i'd share it with you. So far it seems to work pretty well.

I like 7/8 oz. for most holsters. Once, the store was out of 7/8 oz. and let me have a 9/10 oz. double shoulder for the same price. I used it , but it was really heavy and hard to detail mold. It did make good, durable holsters.

I'm sorry. It is a rifle scabbard. It has a felt lining and is designed to carry a rifle on a horse.

I'd like to meet their leather supplier, because I can't buy the materials for $80. It is felt lined and pretty doggone nice.

" they are actually useless," +1

I use real guns instead of blue guns. I tape a wooden dowel to the top of the barrel. Works great.

It looks nice.