woodandsteel

I'm scheduled to start his in about a week and a half, so it sounds like I'd need it before you're done. The last few times I've ordered blue guns, they take nearly two weeks to show up, so I probably need to just go ahead and order one.

The Pull-The-Dot snaps are Government Black, which is more of a matte black. It's not glossy.

I have an order for a Sigma holster, and am dragging my feet on buying a blue gun for it. I'm not sure how many requests for this I'll get, and I could really use to spend that money on leather. Anyone have a used one they want to sell?

I use Paragear.com for black Pull-the-Dot snaps. They have a $25 minimum, but that's less than most sources. http://www.paragear.com/templates/base_template.asp?group=241#S7870 Zack White Leather has black Chicago screws: http://zackwhite.com/xcart/home.php?cat=1230

As long as the full size has the 4 inch barrel and not the 5 inch, it will fit the same.

The customer is the owner of a local range and gun store, so I was really dreading the thought of telling him I messed up his gun, but was prepared to deal with it. He wanted just a basic slide holster and mag holder, and only requested that it not be molded too tight. It was only the second time I've attempted a slide holster and double mag pouch, and truthfully I'm not totally pleased with the result. But I'm my own worst critic. The belt slots turned out a bit too wide (I need a proper belt slot punch) , I botched the molding, and I just don't really like the mag holder design. (Sigh)

Wow...Why didn't I think of that? This turns out to be correct! (WHEW!) I disassembled the gun and found this: The gun is an FNP-45 Tactical. It's a less common package with a threaded barrel and tall sights, to clear a suppressor. Because of those features, hardly anyone makes a holster for it. It's a big gun with very big mags!

I tried oiling it with some CLP, but the matte blacking is gone, and there's shiny metal exposed. I'm not positive I did it, but I don't remember it being there before (The gun looks brand new) and it corresponds to where the tape was on either side of my sight dowel. So I'm pretty sure it's my fault. It's a sickening feeling. This is on top of the fact that I already made a few goofs on the holster and mag holder that I've been working late nights to finish. (ugh... I need a sewing machine!)

That's what i figured. I was just curious if maybe the holster was horsehide, or you used a press. I like your holster molding... it looks like the tool you use has a larger radius than what i"m using, and results in some nice soft contours.

Here's a picture of some Southern style, buttermilk biscuits. Wonderfully soft, but more dense than a croissant or loaf of bread.. Mostly eaten for breakfast, with jelly, honey or butter, or covered in a thick, white gravy made with flour and sausage. They are also traditionally served as a side with fried chicken as a lunch or dinner meal.

That looks really great! Well done! I have a few questions, I'd love to ask: Is that hand or machine stitched? What tools did you use a press to mold the holster (a press? by hand?) What finish did you use? The holster looks slightly darker and glossier than the belt (looks great...not a critique!). Was it a different leather or finish, or was it a result of the molding process? Your work looks terrific, and I'd love to learn how you do it.

I think i may have screwed up a customer's gun with the blue painter's tape i use to attach a wooden dowel for the sight channel. When i was done, it looks like the tape removed some parkerizing or matte bluing from the ejection port. Ahs anyone else experienced this? Would electrical tape be better?

I don't have any to trade, but could use that one if you're interested in selling it.

Looks good! I like the strap on it. I just got an order for a S&W .500 and was thinking of using a hammer strap with the snap on the front like that. My only concern might be with the snap ring attachment piece breaking over time.

Just be sure someone isn't already using the name you want (use Google). As for logo design... if you don't have the abilities to do it yourself, find a good graphic designer and talk to them. But be warned, good design work costs good money. But a logo is important, and a poorly designed, amateurish logo is worse than none at all. A cheaper alternative is to just use the standard oval design until you can afford a good design.

I recently used gum trag, followed by resolene for a rough-out holster.

Looks great! What type of finish did you put on it?

Darn! I need to get some of these, and I just ordered a blue gun from you. any chance of getting the orders shipped together?

Yeah, I was concerned about that as well, but I knew the customer wears an undershirt next to his skin, so I figured it would be ok.

Wow! I really love the tooling you did, especially the scroll work. What kind of dye did you use, and how did you dye the cordovan and brown and keep the colors separate? What did you use for the padding between layers? What do you finish it with, to prevent color bleed?

I finished this holster for a customer this week, and was really pleased with how it turned out, so I wanted to show it off! I did several things with this holster that I haven't done before, like hiding the T-nuts between the pieces of leather, adding a reinforcement piece on the back, and making a rough-side-out holster. I used my burnisher that I got from Spinner, and it's giving me better edges than i was getting by hand, and MUCH faster! Other notes: I used 6-7oz veg tan leather The reinforcement panels and strap were dyed with Fiebings Light Brown oil dye, edges were dyed with Fiebings Dark Brown oil dye. I saddle stitched it with some 4oz Nyltex thread. It looked dark brown on the spool, but looks black on the holster. It may just be old, but I found it almost impossible to separate the strands to thin it out at the ends to thread the needles. Other than that, I liked using it. After stitching (but before molding), I sanded the edges, then used an edger and burnished with a rosewood burnisher on a drill press. I wet-molded it and boned it by hand and with a bone folder. After that I baked it in a convection oven at about 140F for 30-40 minutes. After molding, I applied dye with a Q-tip and let it dry, then wet the edge and rubbed it with Fiebings glycerin bar soap, then burnished with canvas wrapped around a dowel rod in a drill press, then rubbed the edges with parrafin wax, then burnished again with the canvas wrapped dowel rod. I applied gum traganth to the outside and inside with a sponge paintbrush, and slicked the outside by hand with a plastic bag. After it was nearly dried (I was rushed!) I coated the outside and straps with 50/50 Resolene and water. I'd like to express thanks to Spinner for the burnisher, and to ABC3 for the leather, Gum traganth and Nyltex, which he graciously sold me and let me come by his shop and shoot the bull. I think he said the Leather was from Zack White.

Thanks for posting the detailed pictures! I've been thinking of making a holster like this.

Shoot it?

Looks good! How difficult is that ranger belt to feed through belt loops? How successful are gunshows for you? Any tips/advice?

I prefer the finished look of a dyed interior on a holster, so I dye both sides of my leather before gluing and stitching. I use Gum Trag to smooth the inside.