LederRudi

Thanks for the compliment, Josh!

Thanks for your comment and your advice, Red! I'll keep it in mind.

Thank you for the nice comments, gentlemen! I’m glad you liked the holster! The next one will be (even) better, since… …I’ve learned in the meantime about the benefits of the use of jeweler’s rouge and – look at that – the swivel knife doesn’t have to catch every half inch! …I’ll be using a smaller edge beveler in order to prevent the edge slicker from producing a T-shaped edge profile. …I’ll be using a paddle-shaped modelling tool instead of wool daubers for the application of edge paint. …I have some ideas about producing a smoother flow of the stemwork (3 concentric circles for smoother ins and outs and more consistent thickness). The next holster however will have to wait because my wife has already started to frown upon my holstermaking and has already made it clear that she favors handbags.

I dabbled in making my own design and this is what I came up with. I made several mistakes but the overall Impression of the holster isn't half bad. I opted for the natural look: UV-tan and oil, nothing else. One of the mistakes: I think now that the edges painted with brown edge kote are contradictory to this look. Critique and comments as always welcome.

Grat Piece of work! Turned out a lot nicer than my version of the HoG-rig! I'm jealous!

Nice crisp basket weave!

The work of a pro! Very tasteful - color, shape, tooling, tooling limited to the gusset, everything. Especially I like how the gusset and the upper part, that contains the zip, form a unit! (Probably an amateur's dumb question:) Everything sewn from the outside, I guess?

I agree. I wouldn't even dream of accomplishing something comparable, but ... isn't the sequence of the Sheridan circles somewhat unbalanced?

Thanks, Bob. My wife instantly took the bag into operation. The only thing she complains about is the lack of inner compartments.

Thank you all for your kind words! Explanatory remarks: - "Burla" should have been "Furla". I'm trying currently to learn some Spanish, so I got my wires crossed: "Burla" means the fun one makes of so./sth. - "Groundhog Day": I recently saw the movie of the same title for the umpteenth time (Bill Murray living one and the same day again and again and memorizing the habits and proclivities of Andie McDowell bit by bit).

My wife used to overload her old Burla and therefore broke the handle. She wasn`t too happy with the repair because I'd used two shiny rivets. So "NO RIVETS!" I memorized for a new start on a new Groudhog Day and made a new bag - without any rivets, everything sewn by hand. I had some issues though sewing that flexible motorcycle stuff I used, but - main thing - she is pleased with the outcome. I liked the idea of folding a rectangle into a zipped bag, but I think that I will cut off the corners one of these Groundhog Days in order to leave space for a sewn in handle which would allow me to do without the metal rings and without folding the (already longitudinally) folded handle. In the foreground there is some stuff I experimented with recently: fivestrand bracelets (insppired by a recent discussion here on LWnet) and several cuff items. The crossed closure straps could also be worn parralel which makes for two different wrist sizes. Thanks to Richard Black`s Youtube Video I finally learned to close the double Loop stitching around an object properly. Critique, advice and admiration always welcome!

I couldn't decipher the quote at first - a very appropriate formulation. Together with the asymmetrical geometric pattern the quote seems to drift through the rectangular frame like the fog in a haunted forest which probably is the dwelling of the nightmarish figure on the front side. Again, I like the whole concept. I just wouldn't read in such a book after 5:00 PM (just kidding; with my newly acquired 1860 Army under the pillow I'd read through the witching hour )

Wow, that was fast! A very elegant set! I llike how you created maximum effect with a minimum of tools!

Looks like one of those rare magic books that swallow you up once you start leafing through it in the attic and will hold you captive until you manage to kiss the princess or shove the old witch into the oven! Very well done, I like it a lot!

Thank you for the info, Dwight!

Does anybody have experience with drum dyed veg tan leather? And would the person willing to respond tell me wether the dying affects the tooling qualities or not?

That's exactly what I'd like to build for my 1860 Army! I hope it will turn out as nice and clean as yours! If the leather's not veg tan, how did you convince it to take the impressions of your tools? Back when I worked on my very first project which was a cowboy rig for my little son, I tried to hammer some impressions into what had to be black dyed chrome tan... I have seen drum dyed tooling leather advertised on the net (Zack White leather). Maybe that's the kind of stuff you made your rig of? But even if so, the dying process seems to affect the tooling qualities of the leather since you mentioned that you prefer natural cowhide. I like the idea of working with pre dyed leather and avoiding the risk of getting a blotchy coloring. In Terms of angled basketweave: I've only recently made my first steps on that field after an extensive research on LW-net which yielded valuable Information. The method I prefer now is the following: - Measure the length of the "feet" of your basketweave stamp. Let*s say that's four millimeters each. - Draw a line two millimeters (about half of the measured length) north of the middle of your belt strap. - Put the lower left and the upper right foot directly below the line and make tthe Impression. One could simply draw a middle line and put the lower left foot below it and the upper right foot above it, but I found that difficult to control visually. (All that nitpicking might not make a hell of a difference since the groove the dividers leaves in the moist leather is easily one millilmeter wide. So this procedure is as much about the peace of the craftsman's mind as about precision.) - Complete the row putting the lower left foot of the tool into the already made impression of the upper right foot. - add further rows.

Same here. great Holster! I also acquired recently an italían copy of the 1860 at an auction "per un pugno di dollari" and will have to replace the oily rag it rests in by adequate bedding. I'm thinking more Slim Jim than Mexican Loop and of either modifying one of Will Ghormleys patterns or using Brazos Jack's Slim Jim or CW patterns posted here on LWNet (in the Holster section). I'd also like to put the typical old fashioned decoration (included in Brazos Jacks`s pattern) on such a Holster that actually looks more like Art Deco than southwestern/mexican/andalusian floral decoration.

As always: a very nice lacing job. I like the two tone finish of that croc print. It's a pity that on this side of the pond we are dependent on whatever Tandy UK supplies.

Nice bag, nice gun! If there is such a thing like an aesthetic firearm then the 1860 Army is! Can't wait for looking at pics of the rig!

Super clean, super crisp stamping! Great pattern!

Halitech and Wicked Welts thank you for responding. After wearing the pouch some on my hip I can see (or rather: feel) what you mean. When I switch over to mass-production (= making sheaths for a friend and my son) I'll definitely put more effort into planning. I was caught off guard so to speak by the fact that this kind of molding actually works (although most of the pressure is where yo don't need it: on top). Then I somewhat rushed the assembly simply folding over the overlap. Letting the tool stick out of the sheath (like the grip of the Duke's highriding sixgun) seemed to be a good idea at the time. Retention seems to be good so far. I've baked the leather and it's pretty stiff. I'd like to get by without a flap. Moreover I am toying now with the bold idea of wearing the sheath horizontally with the front piece sewn to a kind of tube which would demand a great deal (too much?) of the retention.

Not exactly a piece of art, but I'll wear it on my belt. I put the LM in a spindle press, the moist leather and a stack of foam pieces on top which i'd cut out of a camping mat, and applied pressure. After that I had to work it a bit with some tool handles. Came out well enough for my taste. Folded it over, glued and sewed. The sewing is a bit "hoodry voodry" - I know. Comments and hints as always most welcome.

Probably a dumb question: What would the final finisch be after applying an acrylic sealant? Leather balm? Doesn't the sealant prevent it from being absorbed?

I wish I could achieve something like this belt! I intend to shamelessly crib the dragon-idea although the outcome probably won't be comparable to your work. Is it your own design?