Nooj

That looks great, Terry. I've been thinking about doing a flapped holster, for when I'm out in the woods galavanting and such. You may have just inspired me :-) Thanks for sharing! Keep up the good work. Nooj

Beautiful holsters! How do you get such clean lines in your molding, if you don't mind me asking? I like the dual strap idea- I may actually use that on my next personal holster. I see you used t-nuts; what size screw fits through the middle of the snap? Great job on those! Nooj

A friend at work wanted a sheath for a knife he's had since he was a little boy; he's in his late 50's now. So, I wanted to make him something nice. I did a lot of wedging on the welting and belt loop area, that I've never done before, and tried something different with the retention strap. It works... There are a bunch of lil things I'd 'fix' if I made the same one again though, lol. And I had this cheap old flask laying around so I made a wrap for it. This is 5/6 oz "Royal Meadow" side that I just got from Tandy, and it's also the first time I've used leather this thin. The amount of stretch kinda threw it out of whack... I may have trimmed this from the belly, can't remember. Plus, I got it crooked when I glued it on, and ripped a stitch hole while sewing the back. Pay no mind to my lack of carving skill- that circle kicked my butt. The big N in the circle is something I've used as my "Nooj" symbol for years. Maybe I should get a makers stamp of it. Just thought I'd share :-) Thanks for looking! Nooj

My wife has a set of Master brand brushes (which are a house brand of one of the big airbrush websites) and a Paasche. I've used both a few times spraying dye and resolene. I think it's much easier to get an even coat of resolene using the airbrush once you've got the hang of it. That being said- it takes almost NOTHING to clog or cause spray consistancy issues with the airbrushes I've used. You really have to take it apart and clean it thoroughly after using any kind of product that tends to gum (like resolene). I sprayed a bottle of airbrush cleaner, or alcohol through it after using pro oil dye and it seemed to be sufficient- but the resolene required a little more effort. The master brand brushes seem like good quality, and I think they're a bit cheaper than the bigger named ones. Just my two cents :-) Nooj

I think that's a nice looking piece, JC. I have a friend who wanted something similar, and I had considered some kind of filigree work to doll it up. I'm a habiscus fan- so I like what you've done there :-) Though I've bought a lacing book and lace, I haven't been confident enough to try that yet. I believe you're right about using a piece of leather behind the suede, then the cut out piece on top. It would protect whatever background you use in the filigree, and also add a little more stiffness to the whole thing. Great job- keep up the good work. Nooj

Man- both of those are gorgeous. I'd run into stuff if I wore that, cuz I'd be looking at it on my hip as I walked. Nooj

I don't think I've heard of an auto knife opener sheath... When you draw the knife from the sheath does it come open? Or is it just a sheath for an auto opening knife? I think it looks pretty good. Like you said- this is the prototype, so I'm sure the next one will be even better. Maybe leave a little more on that bottom left corner so that you can have those edges even. I tend to cut my leather just a tad larger than should be- that way, once i have everything bonded or stitched, I can sand all the outer edges flush with each other. I'd like to see that incorporated into a belt buckle, so be sure to post that if you do it :-) Nooj

Hey, thanks for all the complements yall! I don't get notifications when someone comments on my thread- so I've just now seen the comments. Sorry for the delay! BigK- It was a bit of trial and error getting the shape right. I use either a thin folder or cardboard from a case of beer/soda and traced out the pistol as close to actual size as I could get. I wanted the top of the holster to follow the curve on that grip, so I had to draw the grips inside my outline. I started with just the single side of the pattern (left side), and after I got the shape close to what I wanted, cut it out and trace it onto a new piece of cardboard- flip it and trace the right side. Then I have the whole fold-over pattern. I hope that made sense, lol. If not, I can try to put some pics with captions to explain what I meant. The reinforcment piece/ belt slot was drawn up based on the main pattern... I just kinda winged it- not much of a technique. Big O- I stitched it before molding. I poked through my pattern to get the endpoints and the bend of the curves, then kept tracing out the stitchline lightly with a stylus until I felt it matched the trigger guard just right :-) Took lots of smoothing and retracing to get it right, and it was a tight fit when I went to mold! Thanks again for looking everyone, and for the kind words. Nooj

When I think of "sweat shield" I think of a thin layer of plastic (or other impermiable substance) sewn/glued between a liner and the holster leather. The liner being soft and cozy against the skin. Some holster maker(s) I've seen do just that, to attempt to prevent sweat soak through the leather to the firearm. I can see it working to some degree, especially if the holster is sealed well to begin with (but if it's sealed well enough... why use the plastic?). A slide guard, or whatever you choose to call it, in my opinion is there to keep gun parts from fighting with your body parts. I made the mistake of having a huge one that interrupted my grasp and draw on my first holster. However, I think that they can be kept to a minimum and still achieve some protective comfort while still allowing a competent grasp and draw of the firearm. I guess the terms can be synonymous. But that's my take on it. I've made 'em with and without. Nooj

I know what you mean, BigK. My projects are few and far between, and I swore I'd start keeping notes so that I wouldn't forget a tip or trick that I picked up from the last project. I made a hatchet cover for my pa-in-law recently, too. I chose to go with a fully opening one as well, for ease of removal/ re-holstering. It's similar to yours, I just omitted the bottom snap. I posted pics somewhere... don't remember which section. Anyways- I think your cover looks nice. I like the lacing- something I haven't attempted yet. And I'm sure he'll be proud of it, and glad to have a sharp hatchet, lol. Keep up the good work, Nooj

Hi Cleveland- I remember a thread about this topic some time ago. There are companies that have products specifically for making molds, etc. with silicone and other resins. Websites like Smooth-on and Alumilite have kits and how-to videos for different products and mold making techniques. I considered doing the same thing. There are two concerns I have about making a dummy gun though- first is keeping the mold making goo out of the small cracks and crevices of the gun (like around the cylinder of a revolver, or where the trigger enters the frame); Which I guess could be resolved by wrapping or vacuum sealing the firearm in thin plastic, or using clay to fill in the cracks (which would require a thorough cleaning afterwards to get all the clay out). Secondly, choosing the right product to make the dummy gun- based on shrinkage rates after they cure, hardness, colorfastness, and resistance to any chemicals or dyes they may be exposed to. That would probably be easy to solve by emailing or calling the company and telling them what you're trying to do. I'm sure they could make a suggestion for the right stuff to use. You can check out some of the videos on the websites I linked. They may help give you a better idea or tips on how to go about making your dummies. Good luck- Nooj

Beautiful work, man. Looks perfect to me! Nooj

I agree that dying with wet leather will cause it to be uneven. On my first holster I airbrushed it nicely- then tried to resolene it too soon (like, the same day), and it really mottled and striped up the dye. So, make sure the leather is dry before dying, and the dye has had time to cure before sealing... And start a secret account to fund your leather habits so the wife can't fuss ;-) Nooj

I was just looking at the Rhino yesterday. It's an eye catcher, alright. That holster is quite an eye catcher as well! Great job on the molding. Excellent work all around. Nooj

Thanks for the complements and comments y'all. I appreciate your input. Nooj

Looking good, Doug. I like the overall shape and your stitching layout. The color looks kinda like my first holster. What dye and sealer did you use? Nooj

I know what you mean, Shooter. I think the groove does add some aesthetics to it. I'm not sure why I never use it... I guess it's a pet peeve of mine to have a stitch groove without stitching in it, lol. I may do that on my next holster just to see if I like it better that way. Thanks for the input :-) Nooj

I started this holster back in 2010, but due to working 7 days a week and then a motorcycle wreck, it was on hold for a while. I airbrushed the dye months ago, and the black around the edges faded out so I decided to respray it. I must've had some wax or something in a couple places because there are some light spots that just wouldn't accept the dye. It was much more even the first time I dyed it :-/ It's all hand stitched- I used tandy's "waxed braided nylon cord" on the reinforcement piece, and brown 277 bonded nylon around the trigger side. That braided cord is a beast to stitch with! Keep the pliers handy. Anyways- just wanted to share. Feel free to tell me what I did wrong or can improve :-) Thanks for looking! Nooj *The first pic is when I had airbrushed it the first time. You can see how different the final product looked, after respraying it.

I can't recall seeing on of those before. It's interesting- just don't be eating greasy chicken before you have to fire it off; With the small handle, and large firepower, you probably need all the grip you can get! I like how you contoured the holster and formed the belt slots. Looks great, Mike. What did you use to make the scales? Nooj

Thanks for the critique and complements, leatherneck. I agree with the belt slots needing to be a bit thinner. Being double layered, I wasn't sure how much pass through space there would be with a smaller hole (especially if I make a stiffer, thicker belt to wear it on), so I may have oversized them a bit too much. That's definitely something I'll keep in mind on my next project. I actually did glue all the way out to the edge on this one, then sanded, and burnished. There always seems to be tiny glue boogers that are visible though... maybe it's the glue I'm using, or just me. Anyways, thanks for your approval on my edges. The holster does feel slightly top heavy- but I think that's partially because of my inadequate belt. The fit is quite tight, so I'm confident I could stand on my head and the pistol would stay in place. Whether or not that will be true after it's well broken in is a different story! We'll see. Thanks again for your input- it all helps to tweek and improve my designs and workmanship, and that's what I'm looking for. Semper Fi, Nooj

Hi there- Thank you for sharing a brief look into your personal leather journey; I especially enjoyed the photo. I hope you find lots of joy in sharing the passion you have for leatherwork with your family. See ya around! Nooj

Here's a little project I've been slowly completing (and I mean sloooooowly). I glued the front and back pieces together, and tore them apart, and glued them back together THREE times during the construction... Finally got it right, or close enough anyways. It's all hand stitched with white 277 bonded nylon and my homemade awl. My carving skills are not so great; choppy knife lines, and uneven bevelling. It rides about where I wanted it to, but I need a better belt than the one pictured (too thin and floppy). What do yall think? How are my edges looking? I sanded, used my new cocobolo burnisher (from 3mutts), and used bees wax. I don't like how you can still see a division line where it is glued- which is common on my work, it's not just because I had to pull this one apart a few times. Thanks for looking! Nooj

I used the same snaps on a ax sheath recently. I must've bent 5 of the caps, trying to set them. Can you get to the strap on your holster to un snap it fairly well? I have to do a lot of figuring out on all of my projects, so you aren't alone, lol. The holster I'm about to finish I glued up, tore apart, and re-glued three times before I finally had it how I wanted. Nooj

I wish my attempts at distinctive work looked as good as your not-so-much "in the way of distinctive" work. Great looking holster. Nooj

I like that. Very cool. It it were me painting it (assuming I wouldn't screw it up... which I most likely would) I'd leave the skin area natural, red gloves, white shirt, and blue shorts, dirty blond/ streaky brunette look on the hair, and medium brown background (or whatever color would go with the bike). That's just me though... Nice job on the carving- I hope you update with some pics once you decide on your color scheme. Nooj