c2369zulu

Thanks Benlilly and David8386! Benlilly. I am still new to EBL, but so far I love it. I have not tried stamping much other than my logo, but I hear it will take stamping and tooling. Very rugged and edges really well because of the already impregnated waxes/etc. Cuts nicely too. I want to try some of the Chestnut color next if I can find someone who stocks it. I got this from Springfield Leather and it was some of their last sides. I don't know who they get it from. I believe Sheridan Leather has some..............Rory

Finished up two of these straps this weekend. I want to make a couple more to send back home to family members. I am loving the recently purchased tan 10/12 oz english bridle leather I picked up from Springfield Leather. This stuff is heavy duty! Thanks for looking......Rory

Frank. I just found the thread. Thanks a bunch for taking the time to post this!!................Rory

Wow. This stuff is awesome! I have made several guitar straps already and this stuff cuts/edges/looks great. I dont think I will be able to go back to plain old vegetable tanned leather again except for tooling/stamping (which I don't do often). The EBL I purchased was in the tan color and is 10/12oz. .....................Rory

Thanks Frank. I don't want to hi-jack your thread or expect a tutorial , but do you use a stitching groove as a guideline or scribe a light line? If with a stitching groove, do you set the portion of the tool that is parallel to the groove inside the groove, or on the outer "ledge" of the groove? Thanks..........Rory

Your rigs always impress! Love the half saddle bag! Really makes my "plain" made Will Ghormley set look even more plain . I was not about to try that carving he did on the cover of the pattern set. What is the trick to laying out that "T" shaped border tool? I bought one, but have not used it yet........................Rory

Very nice! Would love to see more photos. What knife?...................Rory

Nice rigs and hat! The snake shoulder holster has a pretty cool effect. Looks like you have put in a few hours of lacing ..........Rory

Outstanding craftsmanship. Great job! For me to get a holster to look that good, I would have to reverse your statement and say I spent 60 hours a week on the holster and part time for the regular job ;-)....................Rory

Thanks Mike. Do you have a photo of a properly set rivet? I may be leaving too much height after clipping the stud and there is just too much to try to mushroom......Rory

Thanks guys. I think I may look into better tools. Maybe a smaller ball peen hammer and a better setter. I generally set the washer tight (which is what leaves a partial setter impression on the surrounding leather because of the tools size). I don't really like the combination setter/dome tool from Tandy. My work surface could also be the problem. I need something more solid. When I first started leatherwork, I actually set several rivets for a project on in-use railroad tracks because I did not have a sturdy work surface ........Rory

Yep, here is that same old topic again . Ok leather professionals, I am still not getting good results with the copper rivet and burr method of riveting. I have read a lot of the previous threads that have mentioned everything from cutting the rivet shaft flush to the same thickness of leather you are riveting, to cutting the stud at 1/8th height and then dome, to cutting the stud at 1/16th height and dome over and I have even read where some use a ball peen to start the mushrooming (which I like). My problem seems to be that either the mushroomed head is mishapen and thin on some edges leaving a sharp edge or part of the stud is mushroomed to one side, and sometimes the mushrooming is good on one side, but the burr somehow rides up on the other half. Other issues include burrs being loose after using setter/setter marks all over leather/setter marks on leather when doming, though mushrooming not yet complete. What am I doing wrong here? I have tried everything. It is pretty frustrating to spend a lot of time on a project only to have a rivet not set properly and have to dig it out and ruin/nearly ruin the leather in that area. I seem to seldom ever get a nice round dome. Attached are a few sketches of some of the issues I am referring to.......Rory Scan_Doc0002.pdf

Great looking rig!!.............Rory

Very nice, I like the design and carving.......Rory

Nice looking holster. I have an FN 45 Tactical too and doubt I would want to conceal that thing. Thats a big heavy firearm! Although having 16 rounds of .45 ACP on ya is nice ..............Rory

Ed. Keep me posted on progress of the shop setup. Do they have any photos of a prototype or past builds you could send me photos of? My email address is c2369zulu@gmail.com, Thanks...........Rory

Very Nice!

Dwight. Thanks for the comments. That is a nice looking rig you made! That is an interesting way to close the pouch. I like the money belts, but don't care for all that stitching so much. I am very particular about not wanting to splice any stitching and my thread always wants to start fraying at the needle eye or somewhere else I don't want it to about halfway through the process. I want to do a suede version at some point. I just started a Scout style cartridge belt, but measured the length wrong. ...............Rory TexasJack, I agree. I have really enjoyed all of the Will Ghormley Patterns I have used..........Rory

Thanks Haystacker!

Hello All. I am interested in purchasing a well constructed/sturdy newer "stitching horse" if anyone has one. I am looking for the type that has the built in seat/stool. I am not looking for a stitching "pony". I am not looking for a fixer upper really, but am willing to take a look if you have a used or antique one that needs basic maintenance/repair. If parts need to be fabricated I am probably not going to be very interested as I am in an apartment and have no shop/tools to repair it. Thanks for looking...........................Rory

Hello All. Just finished this folded money/cartridge belt up this weekend. It is from the Will Ghormley Cartridge Belts Pattern set. It is plain Jane with no frills, but I am happy with it for the most part. I had to re-stamp my maker mark due to a poor job the first time around (forgot to dampen leather and left poor impression), then it was too damp when I hit it again causing the bottom to go too deep, doh! There are a few things I would do different on the next one. I would like to make a suede version, but I assume you can't use the stitching groover properly on suede, right? This one is all 4/5 oz except for the billet and chape which are 9/10 oz premium shoulder. The belt was finished with extra virgin olive oil and put out in the sun for a little tan. It will get darker over time. The buckle is a Cody style clipped corner buckle from Tandy Leather (I love this buckle). I might go back and try to clean the edges up and slick them a little, but it was not that important to me on this one. The El Dorado style holster was made a while back. Criticism welcome. Thanks for looking.........Rory

Thanks Guys. I may try re-stamping, but not sure how this will work now that it is sewn/riveted to the belt. May be too much cushioning, I don't know..............Rory

Hello All. I am working on a western money/cartridge belt for myself and I made a small mistake (see pic). I am leaving the natural color of the leather, so I just used extra virgin olive oil as a finish oil. Well, when I got the oil good and saturated into the billet leather, I thought maybe the oil would create enough "moisture" to leave a burnished makers mark when I stamped the mark on instead of using water. Looking back, I guess the oil does not saturate as much as water would, but anyway I use a medium Al Stohlman Maul and it did not leave too good of an impression. I know you are not supposed to try to re-stamp anything, so should I just leave well enough alone, or would you try to re-stamp anyway? It is for myself, but I still would rather it look right if others look at it, you know?...........Rory

I have only made a few cowboy style holsters for a Ruger Vaquero that have been lined. As Zooker said, I glue the spine first and work my way outward on each side of the spine. I will sometime push either a wooden mallet head or a yellow nylon mallet head into the holster pocket to help curve the inside at the spine.You may have to cut your outside piece slightly larger if using a pattern to make up for the lining adding more thickness, or adjust how far from the edge your stitching line is placed to help make a little more room. Once the inside piece of leather has been curved to shape with the outside piece and the hoolster is completely glued, I trim the excess from edges of the "inner" piece of leather which now because of the curvature, sticks out further than the outer piece...................Rory

Thanks Samalan. I can understand where you are coming from on the buckle sets, but the look very closely resembles the popular Black Hills Gold jewelry in a way. Most of the Men's Black Hills Jewelry I own (rings) have been made with either sterling silver or gold for the main portion of the jewelry and feature a brass and a copper leaf. The combination of the colors seem to work well together. Thanks for looking..........Rory