Mike Craw

Hey Stef! The above referenced books are excellent, and I use them for reference when I get stuck on an operation. For the money, and it's pricey, the best DVD for a beginner (in my opinion) is Jeremiah Watt's collection of DVDs. He builds an outstanding saddle and explains every step from the position that the viewer knows nothing about the process. Dale Harwood is (one of) the greatest living saddle makers, and he also has a set of DVD's out. His are fantastic and it's like an opportunity to set around in his shop and watch him build a saddle. That said, he assumes some knowledge on the part of the viewer and does not explain all of his process in any where near the detail that Jeremiah Watt does. These are my opionions and are worth every penny you paid for them. I have both sets and treasure the information I have gotten from both, but if I was just starting out, I'd be much better served with Jeremiah Watt's. I don't know either gentleman personally and have no stake in their operations. Just my advice to your request as I understood it. Hope this helps. Mike

Hey Nokiddin! I second Bruce on Bob Park's book. I have had the Gardner and Fay book for several years, but I was always missing something when I tried to draw patterns. Bob's book cleard up stuff I didn't even realize that I didn't understand. He has a great series on sizing circles and placing them in the layout. It's an outstanding resource. Mike

I'd say for a first attempt, this is outstanding!! When doing thumb break holsters, I generally use the flat post half of the snap in the inside of the strap and then Barge or contact cement some light weight split or chamois over the post so that it doesn't scratch or react with the pistol. Really nice job! Mike

What an excellent first project! I'd show you photos of my first project more than thirty years ago, but they didn't have cameras back then, and I threw it away anyhow. I didn't know much about tooling, but I was positive it didn't look right!! It's good that you are willing to try challenging stuff starting out, because the bigger your steps the farther you'll go in this art/hobby/business or whatever you decide it will be for you. I'm sure your brother will be thrilled. Merry Christmas. Mike

Hey Chapelstone! I don't know how far West you want to go, but there's one called Hides to Art in Asheville. Mike

Guys, If you are intending to do much Sheridan style work and are looking for a step-by-step guidance on the sizing of your pattern, determining the flow, and using fill-ins.then you can't do any better than a book by Bob Park, a member on this forum. Bob has written tutorials for us on casing and edging that are pinned on this site. His book is called "Creating Western Floral Designs." Bob can be reached by sending him a PM from the forum, by email at hiidepounder@cox.net, or by calling him at (602) 999-3099. I have struggled for years with pattern drawing, and this book cleared up every question I ever thought of about it. I should mention that I am not affiliated in any way with Bob except for having corresponded with him on this forum. I'm just a completely satisfied customer. Hope you take the time to get this book, and that it helps you as much as it has me. Mike

Hey Don! I don't know if you're a subscriber to Leather Crafters and Saddler's Journal, but in the May/June issue Bob Klenda did an article on making a saddle bag purse. Bob's a Master Saddle Maker, Stohlman Award winner, and past president of the Colorado Saddle Makers Association. The bag is made exactly the way regular duty saddle bags are made, and the article discusses casing and folding the leather to form the gusset. That should give you some insight into at least one way to do it. Hope this helps, Mike

Nor is the Government purchase process! Mike

Hey George! If I had to guess, I'd say your Blue Gun shrank, not your thumb break. I had a 1911 Blue Gun that seemed really slender through the slide. I checked it against my Springfield 1911 and it was 1/10" narrower. I thought maybe Springfield had beefed up their version for durability, so I hauled out my Dad's WWII Colt, and by golly, the Blue Gun was 1/10" smaller than that one too! Just a thought. Mike

Outstanding Mike! How does the lining leather stand up to the blade over time? Is the lining veg tanned also? Really nice work. Mike

Hey Lobo! I think you obviously thought long and hard before you carefully worded your reply. It was a lot classier than mine would have been!! One grumpy old guy already responded, and as an equally grumpy old cop I second his thoughts. After almost 40 years of carrying a firearm in the line of duty, and 30 years of making leather gear for my own use and the use of those guys and gals who chose my stuff to carry when they went in harm's way, I find myself shaking my head at some of what passes for conventional wisdom these days. It seems like some folks are spending all their time dreaming up gadgets and gun writers haven't seen one yet that they didn't absolutely love and think you ought to buy! When semi-autos first came on the scene, one "old" firearms instructor I worked with (even older than I was) used to tell the youngsters who showed up at the range with them, "Well, I guess if you can't hit anything with the first six, ten or twelve is probably a good idea..." Obviously, as firepower bacame a greater issue, the transition was inevitable, but things are getting a little crazy. I'm sure your customer can't understand how you could turn down such a reasonable request, since he seem to think he can carry a 1911 with a search light INSIDE the waistband without looking like he's smuggling grapefruit! I think you crafted a very professional and straightforward response, and you absolutely should save it for future use, because I'm sure you will need it again. Mike

Hey Chief! Send him a PM. He's on this site as hidepounder. I can't tell you how much his book has cleared up questions and removed my hesitation about drawing my own patterns. Mike

If you are "visual learner" and would prefer video instruction, you can do no better than Jeremiah Watt's DVD series on tooling. They're pricey but still less than airfare and lodging for personal instruction. They cover every aspect of tooling from leather preparation through final finishing. The technical work on the video is first rate and allows you to see close-ups of the tools as they make their impressions. The DVD's are on Watt's website, ranch2arena.com. Oh, and I have no connection to Jeremiah Watt or his business. I am also a huge fan of Bob Park's layout design book. He does a fantastic job of simplifying the hardes part of this art (for me anyway) disigning your own patterns. Hope this helps. Mike

Hey Eagle! Since you're asking for suggestions, I'll throw out my process for you to consider. If I were attempting this style of holster, I'd cut my pattern out of heavy paper or light weight cardboard (shirt backer from the dry cleaners) and once I had it drawn, I would cut out only the actual holster. Leave all the other pattern material until you had the paper wrapped around the gun and scotch taped. That way you have all that other pattern material to play with and fold around the gunbelt until you get the angle you want. It ain't brain surgery, or I wouldn't have thought of it!! Good luck, and have fun. Mike

I agree with Michael that for a first attempt it looks outstanding. That said, on the next one, that sweat shield needs to be altered. The only reason to carry concealed, either personally or professionally, is to be able to respond instantly. If you are making holsters for yourself to do that, or for others who do, you don't want to sacrifice grip access for anything. Anybody who could execute that level of work on the first try (even with the high-priced assistant) will have no trouble changing the design of the sweat shield so that your hand touches nothing but grip and still rides all day. Keep up the good work! Mike

It's my understanding that the chemicals in the leather build up a microscopic crust on the edge that causes the drag. Stropping removes that crust and just exposes the sharp blade again. Mike

Hey Sugar Lady! When I hand sew saddle skirts through the sheeps wool, I loop my thread over a nail or cuphook and grab a hunk of brown paper bag from the grocery store or that my leather comes wrapped in. I fold it so that one double thickness passes between the two threads and the other parts pass over the outside of the threads. What ever you do, make sure you have brown paper between your hand and the threads. Hold the ends of the thread in your other hand and pull them tight from the nail. Run that brown paper up and down the thread as fast and hard as you can. You will feel a fair amount of heat through the paper, that that's what's pulling the excess wax off the outside of the thread and is driving the rest of it into the thread. It's called burnishing, and you will find that you won't be pulling any more wool through your stitch holes. Stop every so often to change the paper against the thread and to make sure it hasn't cut through the paper. Your hands will be sore enough after hand stitching without burnishing with bare skin!! Hope this helps. Mike

See there, I knew somebody would have some photos to post! I didn't know it would be Bruce, but I knew somebody would jump in and help. Mike

Hey 'Shooter! They make a thing called a Bissonette (sp?) edger exactly for that. The time is sharply curved back and the cutting edge is formed by drilling a hole into the curve and beveling the edge of the hole on one side to a razor's edge. They will cut on the push or pull strokes. Barry King, Jeremiah Watt, and a few others make them. Hope this helps Mike P.S. If I had thought ahead or knew how to really operate this machine without losing everything I already typed, I'd have copied a photo of one and posted it here. Maybe some other computerizin' member will post one for you.

Hey Anne, The horn is pointed, and there are a whole range of shapes that top a wood post horn. A couple of big factory tree makers offer wood post horns, but folks like Watt, Harwood, Butler, and those of that quality level either have tree makers or, as in the case of Harwood and Watt, make their own. Hope this helps. Mike

David, Fantastic as usual! I am always amazed. Mike

I shudder to think how many cows have given up their hides, which I then wasted trying to teach myself this art! The only good news is that you learn from each one, even if only to recognize a hopless case sooner in the process Keep at it! Mike

I'm on St. Simons Island on the Atlantic coast roughly half way between Jacksonville and Savannah. The only other leatherworker I know down this way is Carlos Lopez who runs the Rancho No Tengo saddle shop in Kingsland just North of the Florida line off I-95. He's in his 70's and doesn't do "on-line" so I don't expect that he will check in on the Forum. Mike

Don't know whether it was a previous update or a new computer, but it's been a long time since I saw a border around the photos and could toggle between them. I had to back arrow to the post and click on the next photo. Now the borders are back and clicking on the right or left side of the photo moves me to the next or the previous photo. Thank you for restoring that feature!! Mike

You might try giving Lonnie Height a call at Gomph-Hackbarth at (520) 642-3891. He may still make them, and if not, I bet he knows how! Mike