George B

Hi All, Long story short. Customer in SC wants a rig for his S&W model 25 N frame with 4 inch barrel, .45 LC' S&W Mountain Gun. Looked all over the internet yesterday and made a few calls, no dummies in the N frame. Any advice? My brother in AZ has the stainless, and as a last resort I can talk hin through the measurements and have him make a holster tracing and stick it in the mail. But, I like to either have the pistol or the dummy to wet and shape. I try not to make one size fits most holsters. Any ideas anyone? Tried Duncan's as well, but they never seem to get back to me. Is there another blue gun out there that will work for this frame? All I can find is the J and K frames. Thanks, George

Hello ferg, I oil every night when I'm done and the shop is cleaned up, quick check and blow out the shuttle area. Once a month is the big one. I didn't have this trouble before, always layed down nice backstitching. Everything is the same on the machine as before. I'm wondering if the oil in the thread can dry out. I have an oil pot I can try to see if that helps. Yes, I hold my stitches tight up to about 6 to 10 stitches and when I backstitch or overstitch I check the tightness of the first stitch.

Hey All, I've been using an Artisan toro-4000 for about 2 years now, haven't had too many problems, just had to learn the machine and make some adjustments. Maintenance is done at least once a month, cleaning' tightening and oiling. In the last couple of days it has started cutting the thread on backstitches or when I stitch over to lock the thread. I have had to take out stitching on belts and holsters way too many times due to the thread cutting at the finish. Changed the needle 3 times, same result. Cleaned, oiled and checked all the settings, still cutting thread. I use a 794 size 200 needle, 277 thread above and 207 below and have even tried new thread, same results. What am I missing? Do I need to adjust my tension differently than I have in the past? Any advice I can try would be appreciated. Thanks, George

Hi All, just a heads up for all those looking to use Botach.copm for their bluegun purchases. Ordered online the 6th of this mont. Charged my card on the 7th of this month. Had to ask about tracking info 2 days ago. Got tracking info. My blueguns will not even ship until the 15th of this month! Talk about slow delivery. Next time I'll straight to rings again. What a frigging hassle. Almost tempted to cancel the order. Botach does not have good shipping time, my fault I shouls have asked first. But it will definitely be my last order from them.

I've used W&C, HO, Seigel, Tandy and a couple of other venders. The only ones I have had a problem with are the W&C. Normally near the belly, but not always. I did 9 oz. with the same results as you, after having the hide split down. I have had better luck with the overstock sales at W&C then with regular stock. I definitely need a better supplier. George

Hello All, Is it me? Or do others out there find the quality of the cowhide sides dropping quickly? Last 3 sides of W&C had a lot of soft, fuzzy spots, unuseable. holes and deep cuts on the flesh side, unusable. Huge drop in weight, and either too soft to skive and split or the grain is too hard, unusale, etc., etc. Had them split a side of black for belts and holsters thinking maybe it was my ability, same problems. I normally order sides in the colors I am going to work with but have been thinking of investing in some air tools for dyeing. I cannot afford to buy HO, but I have tried a couple of import hides and found both to be lacking for the cost. For saddles I will continue to use the Seigel Calif double tan, but I can no longer afford to take this much waste leather to the dump each week. Sorry for the rant, yesterday I used the W&C 10-12oz. russet skirting leather, ended up cutting multiple parts for the same 2 projects. Looked good to start with but the leather ended up having small soft spots I could not see or feel until it came time to skive. I'll be lucky to get 2 belts and holsters out of this hide. Anyone else out there having similar problems? Anyone out there had the same problems and found a new tannery? Thanks, Frustrated George (formally known as Curious George)

Foster, I use a premium wood glue to adhere the fork cover, seat, horn wrap, horn cap, cantle back, cheyene rolls, and gullet cover. It allows more time to correct any alignment and shape them. Other slow drying adhesives are also used, everybody has a favorite. Pretty much everything else, I use Barge Cement.

I would agree with all comments so far, walk away from this one. With just the repairs to the seat it would put you up into the price range for a much better used saddle. The pic of the screw with the finish washer shows an additional pressure mark, probably the seat has been removed recently to either check the problem or an attemp to repair a problem. And yes, the seat looks out of square, I am wondering if the tree has been broken and then badly repaired. Try some auctions in your area, you wouldn't believe the good deals on good used saddles.

Hello All, since I started making leather holsters and gun leather items it has been a whirlwind. Daughter and grandchildren have moved to the East Coast and me and Grandma are stuck here in the sticks of Tennessee, alone. I have family in the Phoenix area and they have located a couple of bank owned houses that are super-cheap indeed. Airfare is a litlle more to fly to visit the kids but everything else is about the same as where I live now. Question is, can I make a better living in the Phoenix area? I understand that just because of the population difference, (whole county in TN. is 15k people compared to the millions in Phoenix) I will get my share, but, is it a better market for quality saddles and gun leather? I would assume so, but the Corps taught me better. So here I am asking those of you from the area, how is it? Thanks

Gettin orders for knife sheaths and carry cases for pocket knives. Buck knife Sharp knife Sharp knife sheath edge

I just got mine last week, must be cheaper here in tn. Online it was the same price. The hole was just large enough to accept the tool I cut down in length, 1/4 inch I think. Measure the diqameter of the tool you are going to use. Hope this helps, George Oops! I forgot, you may be lookinf at the 1 ton press, it was 44.99 I bought the 1/2 ton model.

Hey Glen, I bought it at "harbor tools". $27.99 + tax. Make sure all the bolts are tight before you us it, the front plate bolts were very loose on mine. Guess the person in china ran out of juice before mine came down the line. I had to modify it to accept the tool, a simple hole drilled straight up. I will have the other end tapped with threads when I can justify the cost of the dies. For right now it works a heck of alot better than when I used a hammer. Here's a link to one an armor builds using the same press for $120 + shipping http://clang.adkinssoftware.com/tool%20pics/bench%20punch%2001.html Let me know if there are any other questions, George

Thank you all. It;s left handed so when it hangs above the register counter it does not block any of the items on the wall for sale.

Hey All, finifhed the giant rig ordered by a local gunshop. Used antique dye for the first time and kinda like the effect. Measures 84.5" long, 5" wide with the only 4" buckle I could find. Can't figure out how the holster came out redder than the belt. Same side, same oiling, antiquing, etc. took the belt out of the back and the holster out of the belly, maybe that was it. Left handed rig that holds 6 .50 cal. or 12 ga. shotgun shells.

Hey all, buckle is correct, left hand so the holster is not in front of other displays. I also would have liked to have placed loops farther into the middle, but I wanted the name to have the top priority. Thanks on the basket stamping. Not as bad as stamping an entire saddle skirt, but had to stand up to stamp due to the length of belt. Buckle should be here today or tomorrow and then I can finish it up. Holster pic was too large to load so I will put one on of it completed. Thanks!

Was having a total nightmare using line 24 snaps in my holsters, used the handheld tools and could not get it right. Read all the threads I could here on tips. Tried them, still a nightmare...then I started reading about people converting arbor 1/2 ton presses. My friend down the road has a large machine and welding shop so I went out and bought the press, under $30 with tax. He machine a hole just large enough for the line 24 snap setting tool and BINGO! I can now set snaps like a pro! When I need it, we are going to thread the other end for use with dyes. Thanks to everyone that posted!

Completing a gun belt for a local gun dealership. Belt is 5 inches wide and 85 inches long. Used Siegel 14-15 oz. California double tan skirting leather. .50 cal. loops, awaiting the 4 inch wide buckle Had to hand draw all the letters. Background is a lining tool Full dealer name, belt will be supported by a 1 inch by 4 inch plywood backing Holster is oversized with partners initials. Cannot load pic, will load all when completed Will antique, oil then tan-kote and mount.

For those who are searching for how to use the antique dye, this was taken off the website... Using Fiebing's Antique Products Antique products do one common thing, they all color leathercrafter's project while giving a color contrast between the tooled portions and the rest of the project. To achieve the best result when using Antique Finish, here are a few small tips that may help. Prepare the leather ready to accept the Antique Finish by opening up the pores and grain of the leather. This can be done by lightly spraying the leather with water. Cover the whole project with the Antique Finish in a circular motion with a dauber or a sponge. This will help minimize streaking. If one does not want the entire project to be colored by the Antique Finish, one can seal off parts of the project with Resolene. Resolene can also be used to protect previously dyed areas. Without allowing the finish to dry, work it into the cuts and grooves of the project. After approximately 2-5 minutes wipe off the excess with a damp sponge. After waiting for close to a half- hour for the project to dry, buff the article for a semi- gloss shine. One trick that many experienced craftsmen use is to dilute Antique Finish with Tan-Kote. Making a mixture of 20% Tan-Kote to 80% Antique Finish will prevent streaking and make it easier to buff, however the final outcome will have a slightly different look to it.

You can also try greyghost online and call to talk to someone. Different sizes different prices but if I remember right they were very helpful and the graphite one I bought was reasonable.

Hey All, I have a customer who wants a radical extreme crossdraw holster for his Colt SAA. He wants it almost parallel to the belt. Do I stitch the belt loop to the back of the holster? If I do that will the weight of the pistol want to pull out and away from the belt? I've seen some pics here just like he wants but have no idea how to do it. Thanks, George

Thank you very much for your help. I think I finally have it. Because the upper section of the mag is thicker and the bottom narrow, the top pulls in to form to the wider section while the lower is affected less and therefore retains more of it's shape causing the bottom ends to appear wider. Did two more, one was much better and the second turned out almost exactly as I wanted. If anyone else has input, please, let me know your ideas. I will post pics once they dry and are boned. Thanks again and yeppers, real glad I didn't give up. George

This pic of one I just worked on may help. The bottom corners are expanding out and the back is not staying flat. The back is not a problem but the corners are driving me crazy.

Hi Tony, I'm not having a problem with the retention/safety straps. I can't get mine to look anything like the one you posted. The mags end up going angled out at the bottom and in at the top, in general it ends up looking like absolute garbage. Sorry, but I am so frustrated right now that I'll probably go to hell when I die just for the language I am using in my head. Is your mag pouch flat on the back? Or, are you molding and forming to the mags on both sides? Thanks, George

Hey All, I have been trying to make a dual mag pouch for a pair of double-stack magazines and cannot get it. I can make a single with no problem, but I have burned through a bunch of leather and just can't get a dual right. it has to go on the side of a shoulder holster and I will be using a safety strap on each mag to hold in place. Getting the sides has been easy but the bottom, where the feed ends are, I can't figure out how to stitch it so it comes out uniform. What do you do so there is not a bunch of bunched up leather? Any help will be appreciated. George

My first IWB holster with matching mag carrier for a makarov MP-63. Customer wanted the angle and the mag to ride horizontal. Used T-nuts and screws to hold belt loops and snaps, making them changable for different size belts and replacement. Thanks to all who gave advice here.