malabar

How did this turn out? Any good lessons learned? tk

That's lovely. And the coloring is so consistent it looks like it came that way from the tannery. Can you explain your procedure for dyeing? many thanks tk

Folks, how does one gain access to the adult area? I certify that I am, indeed, an adult, having been born in 1959. many thanks Tom Kehoe Malabar Gunleather Name: Malabar UserName: malabar IP Address: 70.119.200.62 Email Address: tkehoe@cfl.rr.com

Someone asked about the screws. I use 6-32 stainless steel screws in mine. They're obscenely expensive from the local hardware store. But I discovered that I could get them in bulk for Daytona Nut and Bolt, a local supplier, for about 6 cents apiece, if I bought them 100 at a time. Same thing with t-nuts -- they're 25-40 cents each at the local hardware store. Daytona didn't stock them, but they special ordered them for me. I had to buy 1,000 -- but the cost was only $47 or 4.7 cents each. tk

I'm down in Palm Bay, below Melbourne on the East Coast. tk

Here's another vote for the Cobra Class 4. Great machine, easy to set up, excellent support from steve. If your shoulder is a problem you might want to have some help on hand to unpack it. tk

That looks like a good approach to me. I've attached a photo showing the cutaway on on of my "tactical" IWBs for comparison, and it has a similar deep. arc. Since you want your thumb on the safety, and the you want the safety covered, I don't see a way around from having to put your thumb on top of the leather. I think the critical issue is keeping the base of the thumb unhindered -- and that curve might really help. I noticed that you're using a single attachment point for your straps. I have assumed that with a single attachment point the flexing straps would put torque on the screw and loosen it over time. Does this not happen? Do you loctite the screw of something similar? A single attachment point gives a fair bit more design freedom..... tk

Yeah, that's a really good point. I agree that you want the thumb safety covered on a .45. The guys I was crafting my tactical IWBs for shoot Glocks and SIGs. And in all fairness, It's a choice I give to my customers -- the fuller sweatguard tends to be more comfortable, while the smaller one allows for a better grip. And you can still manage a proper "thumbs high" grip with the larger sweatguard -- you just have to get in the habit of putting your thumb down the back of the guard -- and most folks seem to find that awkward. That seems like the only solution, though, for 1911 shooters who use the thumbs high grip. tk

Just curious: It appears as though you are using a single attachment point. Do you have any trouble with the screws loosening as the straps move? tk

Your workmanship is lovely as always. I'm still really new to this, but my side-strap IWB is my most popular holster. And mine have been constantly evolving based on issues with proper grip, especially for this who have adopted the modern "thumbs high" style of shooting. Most shooters are not that particular about their grip (which is one reason why they do not shoot consistently well), but this is a serious issue for the more advanced ones. The grip you show in the photos would not be considered "proper" by the high-speed, low-drag crowd. This is the grip I'm talking about.... http://www.personaldefensenetwork.com/articles/handguns/maximizing-the-combat-grip/ It appears to me from your photos that there is not enough clearance between your knuckles and the left strap attachment point. If your fingers wrap just a little tighter, the knuckles will scrape the leather there. That will become more pronounced for clients with fat fingers. Also. the relief on the sweatshield could be an issue for some shooters. Your photo shows your thumb down along the lower edge of the sweatguard. A shooter using the thumbs "high grip" will want that thumb to be about a half inch higher, up along the frame. Not meaning to be critical, just some of the issues I've dealt with ion this design. And again, I love your work! tk

I have a client who's a very serious tactical shooter. He's former special forces, and teaches for some prestigious outfits. I had been working with him on a version of our sidestrap IWB that would meet his particular needs. I gave it to him the other night and got a big thumbs up. And then with a grin, he said "Here's what I want next..." He would like an OWB holster that combines features from three of my other models. He wants the general fit and feel of my IWB, complete with the steel band in the mouth; the high-ride of our pancake holsters, and the snap-on, snap-off feature of our Avenger-style. This is my first prototype. It's made of 7/8 cowhide, and blackened with vinegaroon. Generally, I'm pretty pleased. The gun "snaps" into place nicely and is held securely. It allows a proper grip and a good presentation. Two things I want to change -- better coverage of the triggerguard, and add some extra material to the right-hand side (I had trouble stitching up the side around the band). And for my client, I'll have to reduce the size of the body shield/sweatguard/whatever-you-call-it. He uses a really high grip and needs extra clearance for his thumb. I'd also like to see if I can get it to ride just a touch higher, to make it more concealable. Thoughts? tk

Check out the buckleguy online. I think you'll find what you want on this page: http://www.buckleguy.com/rings-and-loops/ tk

what are pull-through snaps? tk

Makes sense. It's a pretty finish and real durable. I wore a Milt Sparks VMII daily for three years in the Florida heat, and 90% of the finish is still intact. tk

But what about the glossy finish used by Milt Sparks and others? It's not thick, but it is glossy, and does NOT look like plastic. Is it NeatLac? tk

Lesser quality hides can be pretty inconsistent. I've worked with a lot of bargain leather that had a very inconsistent surface. Looked fine until it was cased. My use of "open grain" is not very precise. What I'm trying to say is that one part of the surface of the leather can be much more absorbent than an adjacent area. tk

I've made a coup[e dozen holsters and several belts using the same batch of vinegaroon I made at the end of August. The results can sometimes be inconsistent. There seem to be several issues involved: -- The tanning of the side of leather: The more tannin left in the leather, the blacker it gets. -- The condition of the grain of the leather. The more "open" the grain, the more easily it absorbs the vinegaroon. -- And surface coating will prevent the vinegaroon from soaking in. -- The iron can sometimes precipitate out of the solution. Stir it up good and see what happens. Try brushing the leather with a solution of black tea before applying the vinegaroon. tk

I've used the Blackwater guns for molding. They are very nice. Wish they had more models available. tk

Good point. One of the students in our last Personal Protection Outside the Home class used a PPK. Big hands, little gun. It was messy, to say the least. tk

There are several guns in the series. The first was called the PP, for Polizeipistole, The second was a compact version called the PPK, or Polizeipistole Kriminel. As Andrewsky said, the PPK/S was a special model for export to the US. And there were other models in the series, including the PPK/E, the PPK/L, TPH and the PP Super. tk

BTW: I'll have to try out that paddle... tk

That stingray holster is gorgeous. How do you stitch it? Do the nodules in the skin create any special problems? tk

Let's see, at six stitches per inch, and a stroke per stitch, that's about 1,596 cranks on the handle -- assuming none of them is a ranger belt. Man, just thinking about that hurts MY shoulders <g> tk

Actually, the CW9 is the economy version of the P9. But it is .1 inch longer overall, so I'm not sure if it would fit in a holster molded for the P9. A call to Kahr might be in order. tk

I can think of a couple of reasons you might want to go the inside-the-belt route. Some folks find iWB uncomfortable. And IWB requires some extra room in your waistband. And it will be tighter to your body than OWB. Do you get a lot of demand for this style? How easy is reholstering? tk