treadhead1952

Hi Travis, Nice combination of the Ruger Single Six Holster and the carving pattern from the .38 Colt Official Police holsters from the "Making Holsters" book by Al Stohlman. You certainly learned from your practice sessions on those Oak Leaves, they turned out great. I also like your dye work adding to the relief of the work overall. Makes me get all itchy fingered wanting to sit down and work on something similar. Jay treadhead1952 Las Vegas, NV

Hi MOA, Since they have as many stores as they do all over the country, it is hard to go wrong to start with them for your first projects. I know that there are a host of excellent tool makers out there and just about everyone will eventually find the ones that suit them best if they stay in the business long enough. If you don't have a copy of it already, Al Stohlman's big book on "How to Make Holsters" for around $10 to $12 is a good bet as well. Not only does it provide you with several actual full sized patterns and decorating suggestions in the photo carve line of things, it is a pretty good primer on how to make patterns for just about any handgun out there on your own and accomplish them if you read it closely enough. And like the Biggundoctor sez, show us some photos of your projects when you get one started. Good luck. Jay treadhead1952 Las Vegas, NV

Hi All, I realize that we have a lot of professionals out there and I am not specifically looking for a critique of my first project, I know that it has a couple of over strikes into the border, my pattern is off just a little on the flap and there are probably a couple of other sins that I have overlooked in my rosy view of this first round after so many years away from the subject. But all in all, I am tickled with it, it will house my personal cell phone for a while and that is the main reason for its' creation. I did take the time to draw an outline of the original leather pattern on some card stock for future reference and use before I did anything else. I will save the pattern as well as the instructions, decorating suggestions sheets and knowledge gained in its' construction. The thin leather provided in the kit, 4 to 5 oz. weight is not overly expensive especially if bought in a full sized half hide. I could build several of them, take them to the swap meet and make a small profit over my spare time. In constructing this one, I glued the leather provided down to a piece of card board from an old shoe box to limit stretching with some contact cement. The contact cement was applied only to the card board side and allowed to dry completely. The leather was then pressed onto it for application of the stamping and dyeing the one side. After I peeled it up from the card and removed the remnants of card board from the back that hung on there, I dyed the opposite side and then finished both with a couple of coats of Eco-Flow Super Sheen. I slicked the edges down a bit and then started construction adding the belt clip first gluing it in with contact cement and then adding the rivet. Folding the two side panels over and gluing them down with some more contact cement first then riveting them in place made for a little more secure attachment than just using rivets. I added the self stick felt piece over the exposed rivets on the inside of the case then added the hook and loop Velcro fastening pad to the flap first making sure to follow directions and place the hook portion of the pad to the flap. Putting my cell phone in place and then removing the cover from the other side of the Velcro fastening pad, I got a nice tight fit that way. So now I have a little project that should sell, something to practice my stamping on as well as an item I can use to transport my personal cell phone in day to day that should last for a while. And here is one shot of it with the cell phone in place. I will probably make the ones for sale up leaving the final cover on the self stick pad of the Velcro Fastening in place until someone purchases it and then with the phone intended to be used in the case, remove that cover to ensure a reasonably tight fitting closure. Jay treadhead1952 Las Vegas, NV

Sounds like a plan to me, I'll keep my eyes open. Jay treadhead1952 Las Vegas, NV

Hi BGDr., While I will admit to haunting the local Tandy store, I don't recall talking to anyone but the two ladies who run the store. On Saturday afternoon I did dash in briefly to snag a Mini Punch set only to find that the kind folks who shipped the five sets to them last Saturday decided to hold the order up until Monday. I found the site here searching on the browser. But it is nice to run into another desert native in the same neck of the woods, or should I say cactus patch. Jay treadhead1952 Las Vegas, NV

Hi tourglide, Check this out, it may point you in the right direction. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=16071 Jay treadhead1952 Las Vegas, NV

Hi MOA, I have made more than a few holsters of various types. My basic tools list would definitely include a C.S. Osborne Stitching Awl, short, incredibly sharp, and four sided so that you can angle it to get the best stitching angles as you work around the various parts of the holster. The handle is also nicely shaped and can be used to burnish edges as well. An adjustable Groover like the one sold by Tandy is also excellent to cut a groove in the edges of your holster project to sink the stitching into to protect it as well as offer a guide to lay out your stitches. While not necessary, if you are having trouble laying out the stitches, a pounce wheel set like Tandy's is also available. It has interchangeable wheels so you can pick out different numbers of holes per inch. It marks the spots to stab with the Awl for your needles to go through. Good Harness Needles to do your stitching with are easily obtained from Tandy as well. If you want a groove on the back side of the project, wait until you stab the holes through the front side of the project before you attempt to lay the second groove. Invariably, if you try to lay out the back side groove then stab the holes, some of them will fall outside the groove and spoil the look of your project. A Stitching Horse to hold your project while you hand sew it is also a nice addition. It frees your hands up, lets you work the needles back and forth through the stitch lines and lets you keep tension on the thread all at the same time. You can either buy one or build one, your choice depending on how handy you are in the shop. Jay treadhead1952 Las Vegas, NV