sniper

Very good questions...I'll be watching to see what answers you receive.

Until now, my projects have been rather simple, and Tandy products have been O.K. Now, I started looking at my latest project...a belt for Christmas for my son, and I noticed the blanks and keeper were adequate for the project, but still rather thin and flimsy. Are there other suppliers of leather products that offer more substantial choices?

I glued two pieces of wood to a thick paint stirrer stick, and the slot is just right for my belts. I got the center piece a bit crooked, but not enough to matter. I also bought a burnisher that I can use with my drill press, but haven't had a lot of success using it ...any hints?

Thanks, all, especially Dwight! Your video answered most of my questions! Wish everyone on YouTube were as clear and concise as you!

I have two Tandy belt blanks, which I want to make into a sturdy holster belt. I want to stitch it all around the edges. I presume I should glue it first, but when I glue it, should it be curved somehow, so when it is worn, the glue between the layers will not be stressed. Or is Barge Cement or Weldwood Contact Cement flexible enough that it can withstand that sort of stress?

WOW!

Hello; I have a kind of a newbie problem...I recently bought (shame on me!) a couple of belts, because my last three efforts have been..shall we say...less that outstanding! I now have 2 belts, two self-made holsters, and a pair of G.I intermediate cold weather boots for Winter, which appear to be "rough out" finished, appearing sort of like suede, and a knife sheath that am wanting to protect, without changing the color. When I bought one of the belts, I asked the maker how I would take care of it, and was answered; "Use any clear leather dressing." What's that? I researched Amazon, and still have no idea of a product that I can use on all of them. Recommendations, please! I have attached some pixes to give a better idea. You can't see much of the holster behind the revolver, but it is basically the same construction as the middle picture, and the belt shows up pretty good. The toughie is the knife sheath that is Stingray hide laminated to~ 5 oz. leather. Thanx for any help you can give!

After a bit of a hiatus, due to wife's ill health causing a slump in everything, shooting, photography, reloading, and leatherwork, during which I made only one item...a sheath for my new axe, She is better, and I am getting the urge to do something leathery. I have all the materials to make a gunbelt...two layers, edge stitched, and carved...well, actually basetweave stamped. This is a bit more complicated than anything I have attempted so far, and I figure, if anyone can help me, it will be the folks here. Now, my questions... 1. I have some contact cement purchased at my last Tandy store visit. Is this good enough glue to fasten two layers of leather permanently? 2. Gluing the two layers together, is it necessary to put a curve it it, to prevent stretching the glue when I wear it, and possibly having the bond fail sometime during the life of the belt? 3. the belt is 1 1/2 inches wide, and I will put a stitching crease 1/8 in. from each edge. How many rows of the Tandy medium size basketweave stamping can I fit in the left over 1 1/4 inches, if I use the diagonal stamping process? 2?...3? 4. is there something better than blue painter's tape to put on the back of the stamped layer, to keep it from stretching? 5. I will hand stitch the belt, using my set of ChiCom pricking tools for marks to drill the holes with my drill press. I have used 1/16 in. bits, but is there a larger size I should consider using for ease in stitching? Any recommendations will be carefully considered. Thank you!

Like, WOW! man!

Well, guys, I have to agree...but, my empahsis has always been on working knives and utilitarian sheaths...especially for a 12 year old. He weas this one out, and I'll make him a prettier one. Even my personal knife...a Helle #99 blade.( I love the Scandinavian form factor,even modded for contemporary tastes. Desert Ironwood handle with Cocobolo end cap, reconstituted Turquoise and Bone Corian. I didn't have Bloodwood thin enough for the spacers, soooo...vulcanized fiber!. Anyway, the sheath is also somewhat utilitarian: I got a really good deal on a black Stingray hide, and laminated it to 6oz. tooling shoulder. It didn't water form as well as I had hoped, and the perimeter hand stitching! Hoo boy! My fingers were sore for a week! But, I am happy with it for my first (and likely last) attempt with $tingray! Hey, if it was easy everybody could do it!

Not ornate, just utilitarian. A knife and sheath I just completed for my grandson's 12th birthday. He is an avid hunter.

Bob; Thanks much for your clear and understandable explanation! That is one area I have been having a fit with...casing. Seems like it's wet... wait...tap tap tap...spray...wait..., and the burnishing is not what I would like. Soooo.. I'm going to try your method...it couldn't hurt!

Welcome from another Utahn! That is a fine -looking Schmidt-Rubin you have there!

I had a problem with my spring clamps marking the leather when I glued up a project. First, I used pieces of paint stirring sticks between the clamp and the leather. Now, I have a couple of pieces of scrap cut to generally fit knife sheaths or holsters,and I use them. Seems to work just fine so far.

Thanks; If I remember correctly, I modified the .45 pattern from Stohlman's "How to Make Holsters" book to make this one, because I didn't like the other choices.

Thank you both! With the information I can glean from the forums, I look forward to improving my skills.

And a long ton is 2200 lbs. And a click is 1/4 inch at 100 yards, or some smdidgen below 100 meters... KIlograms, kilowatts, kilometers, gigaframmises, shakes...Will it never end???

I prefer real numbers, thank you very much! The only thing I can come up with in metric is 10 kilometers=~6 miles....but only after some mental gymnastics,and if it is an irregular number like 9, or 235...forget it!.

Nice work, and it looks like da Kitty has found a new bed!

The owner of my leather shop says Tandy discontinued the "buy one, get one free" program some time ago. I got about everything I needed before they did, tho. I got one from the latest Skiver, and will wait for the half price sales to pick up the couple may need.

VERY nice! That is one BEAUTIFUL saddle!

Bob; Thanks for the information. It will remove some of the frustration I have experienced in my attempts to case leather properly.

Hey, Boats: Nice job. Never thought of an XD in a Buscadero style holster rig, but it works for me! You did good!

Well, that didn't work so well...I'll try again! Never let anything electronic know you are in a hurry! New guy, here. Sigh of relief that it worked this time. I wish all sites were as easy to post photos on. I've been reinvolved in leatherwork for a little less than a year, I hadn't done anything with it since I got out of the Air Force in 1964. It is both challenging and fun, and I now have waaaay more tools, etc, than I ever thought I would have need of. Fool that I was, I thought the Basic 7 kit would do it! Yeah, right! I look at the marvelous work done by members, and HOLY COW! How do you do that? Pancake style holster for my 357. Herrett Cocobolo grips. Some say my tastes run to. ..can you believe it?..Garish! Not sure what they are talking about. For my Mark II Target, basic plan modded to clear the red dot sight. Again, Cocobolo grips that I made after I decided (about 10 seconds after seeing it for the first time) "I can fix that!" Western style, for my Single Six. My son may receive them for Christmas. I got a really good deal on the faux ivory grips. A knife and sheath I made for my niece's husband. Desert Ironwood handle.