buzzkiller

Thanks Denster. I'm trying to figure out exactly how the elastic is sewn in there. I can't find an angle that shows if the elastic is sewn between two leathers, folded back in a slot or whats going on there. I even watched the movie again last night on demand to see how it looked across the back. It appears the strap going across the right shoulder is a nylon type fabric strap and it appears the strap on the business side of things is a while leather strap. I haven't had very good luck trying to "dye" or paint leather white. I don't know if some type of upholstery leather was used for this or what. Any suggestions?

So I open my big mouth and mention how I would like to try making a shoulder rig. A buddy steps up and wants my first one...by his specs. Basically, he wants my version of Steve McQueen's holster from Bullit. From what I can tell is its an old safariland upside down carry rig for a model 19 or something like it. I have no idea how to even measure someone for a shoulder rig much less make something as out of the ordinary as this rig. If anyone can point me in the right direction on building shoulder rigs, patterns, measuring charts, etc... I would appreciate any information. If anyone has happened to build one of these, I would love any pointers. One thing right off the top of my head is that elastic stitched in along the top edge of the holster?

This will probably make me sound silly but touching on what was mentioned earlier about the hammering surface, be sure the section of table you are using is very solid. I typically use 8-9 oz scraps over granite. Early on when I had extremely limited resources (now I just have very limited resources) I had padding beneath the granite as not to scratch the tabletop I was having to use. I was using the hammer, hammer, curse, hammer, curse even more method. I moved my granite/ 8-9 ounce leather set up to a true work bench and hammering over a section where the leg was directly beneath the work, slots became so much easier to make. Looking back, I believe the padding beneath the granite and the flimsy area of the table I was striking absorbed too much force which also lead to the tool walking on me a bit. Like Dirtclod and Jason mentioned, a dead blow hammer http://www.harborfreight.com/2-lb-neon-orange-dead-blow-hammer-41797.html, http://www.harborfreight.com/2-1-2-half-lb-neon-orange-dead-blow-hammer-41798.html makes a world of difference. As elementary as it may sound, make sure your punch is sharp. I hear rumor of an overzealous young man (actually not so young) driving his punch through a project, a leather scrap and into a piece of granite and dulling his punch and chipping his granite... just a rumor mind you. For another example, if you go to Particle (Eric's) video on holster making around the 3:13 time frame he shows how he makes belt slots . Sorry for this jumble of words but windows 8 wont allow me to hit enter to make a new paragraph on this forum.

I have been kicking around the idea of going flat back with an IWB, is the retention effected any or are you able to get enough of the trigger guard molded in?

Looked really good until I got to the close up picture. Then it look unbelievably good! Nice detail!

I am probably the biggest fan of "Particle" from this forum's holster building on the planet. It just takes one look at a holster to recognize his style. With that being said, Eric's way of designing, pattern making and building in his tutorials are a big influence on this novice leatherworker. Certainly not comparing it to Particle's work, just wanted to give some prop's. Here is my first pancake holster.

I spoke to every vendor selling pistols at the gun show this past weekend in Marietta Ga., just north of Atlanta. They said it's hit or miss with people setting up on the circuit. There were no vendors selling leather at that show but they said sometimes there may be as many as five. There was one guy selling a "one size fits all" contraption that looked more like a "one size fits none" cloth and polymer thingamajig. I did make some inroads with one of the local gun shops who was set up. I went by their shop today and got a sheath order and hopefully a little word of mouth advertising.

Thanks for the input guys. In light of what happened with the machine yesterday I contacted the dealer I purchased it from. I spoke with the owner who agreed the machine was just not going to be heavy duty enough for what I was needing. He immediately offered to apply my purchase price to a juki 441/comparable con sew or a full refund. I had prepared for the worst but they didn't hesitate on helping me (even though my lack of research was a major contribution to the problem). Since the machine wasn't a special order they didn't ask for a restocking fee that is so common these days. Throughout the day I have done more research here on the forums, private messages and some calls. I opted for a refund and called Jim at Tippman to pick his brain. Later in the day I called back and ordered a Boss. I'm usually pretty quick to point out bad service, I only think its fair to mention good experiences. The folks at Cutting/Sewing Room Equipment in Atlanta were very professional and accommodating with my issue. If I am ever looking for a upholstery machine or the like, I will contact them without hesitation.

Sorry, not sure why I didn't put the model on here. It's a Kingmax 1541s. I took several configurations of leather and ran it on the machine. I started with two layers of 7-8 glued together and it handled it then with 3 layers glued. For the 3 layers it took a little hand assist but went through it as well. This was with the 69 thread. Just had one of those "you have to be kidding me" moments. While adjusting the settings on the motor and practicing on some scrap, it appears the screw holding the needle in worked its way out and the needled got pinned under the foot and bent at nearly a right angle. Needless to say, it was a booger getting it out. Apparently the screw went flying and I have been crawling around on the floor looking for it with no success.

After a couple years dancing around it I got a hold of a machine. The person I purchased it from didn't have a whole lot of knowledge about holster/sheath making. With the purchase he set the machine up, got the tensions adjusted in and rocking and rolling. The thread spool he threw in is T70 69. With my limited (none) knowledge of thread weights, these numbers may as well be the doomsday launch codes to a nuclear arsenal. It just appears the thread is a whole lot "thinner" than what I am used to seeing on holsters. I didn't expect it to be as thick as what I use for hand stitching but it is really thin. Does this sound like the correct weight thread to be using on hip holsters, IWB and knife sheathes?

Josh, That looks amazing. I don't know much of anything about making sheaths but I have bought a few and I have seen much lesser work for $100 in my area. I have one question that will probably show just how little I know about sheath making. I'm pretty sure I know what Kevin meant when he mentioned it being the back and wrestling the sheath body through. My question is, what secures the body of the sheath itself from sliding up or down behind the loops. I apologize if this ends up being a silly question. I also apologize that I cant seem to figure out how to make a new paragraph in this text box anymore as the enter button doesn't seem to do anything. Anyway... Thanks, Dan

Thanks Dwight, I am a Veteran and I had not considered the point you made about letting people know that. I appreciate you sharing the outcome of your work on the survey. I have never attended a show to look for leather since I started making my own a while back. I think I will check out the next couple of shows in the Atlanta area to see what looks to be appealing from a customer perspective as well. I have starting sketching out some magazine holders, I don't do any belts yet. Being in the poor house i'm still stitching everything by hand and a long straight stitch line like a belt might be a little out of my level right now. Again, I appreciate all the information.

Thanks for the input. Certainly don't want to miss out on that kind of sell. Steel, I worked K9 in North Georgia several years back. And Square was exactly what I was thinking. Thanks!

A question popped in my head while brainstorming. Do you folks think it would be worthwhile to be set up to accept credit cards or am I throwing the cart way out in front of the horse? I have been seeing a lot of the attachments you can use on iphones/pads to accept cards and thought it might make transactions a little easier or should I stick with cash deals only?

I really appreciate the input Treed. Right now I am just going to build up stock in some of the more popular pistols that I either have or have molds for. 1911's, a couple of variations of sig's and Glocks, S&W J frame and M&P. Can you think of a model I should try to find a mold for other than these?

I am still new to making holsters and still figuring a lot of things with the help of the forums, a few messages back and forth and many of the videos made by members of the site. I thank you kind folks for that. I would still be making Tandy key rings if not for you all. The reason for my post is that I have been making and giving away most of the holsters I have been practicing on to friends who are avid shooters. The only thing I ask of them is to put them through the ringer and tell me what I can improve functionally, structurally and cosmetically. The holsters have gotten to a point where my friends are telling me that they are sound enough to be sold. I’m sure many are being kind in their critiques but I feel like I am ready to give it a serious run. I am considering setting up at gun shows and seeing how I fare. I felt like this was a good place to hopefully sell some of my work to and recoup some of the money spent making them. I feel like it’s just as important for strangers to hopefully point out what they do or don’t like about what I am doing with the holsters. Do any of you folks have any advice on setting up at a gun show? Is it worthwhile? Are there any pitfalls I should avoid? I know much of the success will ultimately be on the quality of the work and I hope to get off on the right foot. I appreciate any input you folks have to offer.

A few holsters I have made over the past couple weeks. I have a long way to go and it seems like every one I make I find a new way of doing something. I have just been trying to make a little of everything for practice. Some are my spins on some of the great holster makers and designs out there, some are just plain foolishness such as the purse holster with the floral fabric inlay. The rough side out holster on the wide flap is my spin on the popular hybrid/minotaur holsters, I just made mine without the kydex. I've been a fan of Will Ghormley's rig for the "Hand of God" in 3:10 to Yuma so I thought I would try to use some cowboy holster influence on a modern pistol holster. The black widow...well, that's just me being silly.

Twin covered just about anything that could be touched on. I would just add the possible option of a slight forward cant to open up some space between the grip and belt loop. Those style pistols are tricky for me, that thin chamber and grip angle present special problems. If you lower loops too much, it becomes a bit too much "high ride" , if you cant it forward very much it seems exaggerated by the length of the barrel. I would love to see the finished product.

From time to time I will give a "prototype" to one of my friends in law enforcement to put through the gauntlet. With them, I know where the holster is and I know they will give me feedback on it. I also know they are willing to truly test it for design, retention and durability. Some of them come back to me looking like they were drug behind a car and still functional. I say all that to say, I wouldn't offer up a free holster to someone you don't know and expect much of a return. In my experience the majority of people I run into at gun stores are more likely to buy the nylon, one size fits all rig than a quality custom. Don't think this guy just hanging out at gun stores is going to be a worthwhile marketing platform.

Since I started working with leather I have started noticing details in holsters than I have in the past. From time to time I will find custom holsters with molding work that simply looks "too good" to be hand molded. Is it fairly common among custom holster builders to use a press or some other device for molding? If so is it done at the same stage of the build and what device is used. Personally, hand molding is my favorite part of the process but I would like to have an idea of others methods and preferences. Thanks, Dan

Very nice work. What weight leather did you use and did you use metal/plastic inserts for the reinforcement tabs?

I have been working on my own version of that HF1 style holster for a while and tweak my pattern every time I start building. If this is only your third holster, your ahead of the curve. Well, ahead of where I was on my third anyway. I can't add anything more than what's already been said. Katsass preaches stitching all the time.... and he is right. Not just practicing but practicing to make every stitch perfect. The Stohlman book and reading the "grumpy old man's" feedback on folks work sure encouraged me to get it right.

Mathias Thulman would be proud.

If this is your first, I can't wait to see the next one. That is a really nice piece of work. I made my first sheath a few weeks ago and I understand what goes in to one like that. I am really impressed with your work.

Some law enforcement agencies require a "positive retention " on holsters. This can be a thumb break or tension screw. It was explained to me that it "doesn't even needing to be a good retention, just has to be there." to fit their policy. I agree, they are useless.