Josh Ashman

Very nice and clean. I'd be happy to own or have built any of it! Best regards, Josh

Very nice Jack, great job!

Tom, I haven't built on a tree with a "built in" ground seat, however I have had a few production saddles with Ralide trees and to be honest they felt to wide and low in the front. It's been my experience that you get used to what you ride in but if it were me I'd sit on the tree for a while and if it seemed OK move on "as is". If it feels wide and low up front then build it up a little. If it feels too narrow up front you could probably build it out a little too, just whatever makes it feel about right to sit in. I've never done it but if you did decide to built the ground seat up a little it should be as easy as roughening up the Ralide with a wire wheel then contact cementing your leather in place. Keep it even, symmetrical and skived to feather on the edges and it'll probably turn out fine. Good luck, Josh

I guess another way of saying this would be - rivet the band then fold the holster to create the belt loop. You are correct that it would be impossible to fold the holster over to make the belt loop then rivet the loop. Good Luck, Josh

The rivets just go through the back of the belt loop as noted by Red Cent and J Hays. Just rivet the band in place then give the holster a quick dunk and fold it through the band. Once it's folded into place stuff your shooter in place and fuss with until you're happy with it. If you have anvil you can use the horn to set the rivets on so you don't mash the band while peening the rivets. If you don't have an anvil , or the horn isn't suited to set rivets put down a thick piece of scrap leather under the band and use the widest steel plate you have as a backer. Good luck, Josh

Very nice!

Thank you all so much for the kind words! Tom, they called it 10oz and they are both from the same hide but the holster is more like 8oz. The holster was cut from the top of the hide just back from the neck and the main pelt piece came from the other end of the back. Not sure why it dropped off so light up by th eneck but it didn't really hurt anything. Best regard, Josh

Thanks Don and LederRudi! I always figured I couldn't carve either and just started a few years ago. I picked up the Stohlman book Tech Tips (or something like that) and just started practicing on personal stuff and scraps and although I have gotten better I'm still pretty green. Keep at it and you'll both be better than me in no time! Best regards, Josh

Nice job, they all look great! Josh

Thanks Eaglestroker & Matt!

Absolutely stunning! Thank you for sharing!

Thanks Benlilly and Camano!

Here are a few recent projects. The first is for a Ruger Single Six, then a Ruger Bearcat and a KaBar sheath. This is basically 10 oz HO except for the bullet loops, which are 4/5. The dyes are an assortment of Fiebings products. Thanks for looking, Josh

Bob, I don't know if this helps or not but whenever I'm making a new pattern I'll make a lot of lines as I search for the right curve. Then once I start to see something I like I clean up the stray marks with an eraser. Sometimes I'll have 1/4" wide pencil marks before I clean them up and narrow them down. I also use the standard curve templates, i.e. coffee cup, coffee can lid, spray paint can lid etc... Good luck, Josh

Bob, The easiest thing to do is to fold a piece of paper in half then unfold it. Take your unloaded pistol and place it upside down with the front and rear sight centered on the fold line on the paper. Roll the pistol onto its side (doesn't really matter which side, just try to keep the barrel "square" with the fold line). Trace the outline of the pistol then set it aside. Make a series of reference points 3/4" or so away from the outline of the pistol. Connect these reference dots and you have outside of your holster pattern, also called the main seam on this type of holster. Add any exaggeration you like in the main seam then cut it out. fold the paper back on it's pre-folded centerline and mark the other side and cut it out. From there you can call one side the "front" and draw a pleasing cut at the top front. Make a wing on the "back that will fold over to create the belt loop. That is basically the process described in Al Stohman's book "How to Make Holsters" and it works famously. If you have much of an interest in building holsters you should own this little book. Good luck with your project, Josh

Another option would be to make your own "tap off". I just recently heard about them and gave it a try on some mirror image carved straps and it worked very well. Basically just carve the a mirrored outline of the pattern you want a template of in a heavy piece of scrap, dry it with some heat to harden the leather then put a cot of sealer on it. To use it just set it carved side down on your cased leather and tap the backside with a smooth faced hammer. Good luck, Josh

Very nice Lobo, thanks for sharing!

Nice job on the sheaths Dave! That is a rowdy looking piece of deer antler for the handle on the one! Best regards, Josh

Thanks Joel!

I don't notice a smell with Resolene and yes plain old Mop and Glo from the cleaning isle of your local general store. It works great cut 50/50 with water. Diluting Resolene with water makes it work better in my opinion also. I haven't used Wyosheen but I've heard good things about it from those who have. Good luck, Josh

Great job Lobo! Thanks for sharing and setting a high bar for the rest of us. Best regards, Josh

Charles, You're getting some great advice and I pretty much agree with everything Mike, Grampa Joel and Camano Ridge have already offered you. I'll throw in a few thoughts of mine regarding dyeing and finishing as food for thought. You can get some very nice color in your projects without dying at all. Consider putting several light coats of neatsfoot oil on your work with a few hours of sunshine between each coat. If you do this and have your leather cased right when you stamp/carve it you'll have darker impressions and a nice golden brown color. You also won't have any fumes or dye bleeding onto your thread. Put a seal coat of Resolene or Mop & Glo cut 50/50 with water on it to protect it or you can also put on a coat of Aussie Wax or Sno-Seal on it and put it back in the sun to let the grease soak in. The wax/grease finish isn't as durable as an acrylic finish and it'll soften the leather but for a western type holster or range type holster that may not be an issue, it could even be desirable. If you're making a concealed carry affair I'd stick to the acrylic. This is an example of how this finish process can look. This has several coats of oil (I forget how many but probably 3 or so) about two total days in the sun and Aussie wax for a bit of a sealer. The blacked edges and marks were made by dunking the rig in a barrel of water and rubbing around the wet leather with rusty horseshoes (wet, black slimy rusty, not dry rusty). Another "natural" option is vinagroon if you're going for black. I personally haven't used this but there are some excellent and informative threads on the subject if you look around for them. Good luck and have fun, Josh

Thanks HiPowered, the stamp is a Craftool X511 that I've had for quite a while. It's stamped USA so that might help date it a little bit. Tandy still has them in their catalog and they range from $6 to $10 dollars depending on whether you're in their special club. Best regards, Josh

Thanks Bobby, considering the life span of a well made holster you're even more right! I'll stop being a chicken and try new and better things!

Thank you all for the kind words and fine suggestions! LederRudi, your observation about the snap shield or whatever you want to call it is spot on. After it was done I had wished I'd done it a little different myself. Bobby, sound advise as always. I was about ready to install a stud when I opted for the snap. I have a few studs in my hardware bin but I haven't ever put one on. I was thinking about setting it with a domed spot setter with a piece of chap leather between the tool and the top of the stud. Do you think that would work? how do you set them? Doubts about how to set the stud are most of why I went with the snap, there is no question the stud would have looked and worked better. That said, I have had decent luck with my snaps, I have a fair amount of holsters, multi tool cases, phone cases, etc that have been in regular use for years by folks who tend to use things hard and only a few have ever came back for a new snap. Thanks again for looking! Josh