TonyV

The tooling in itself has stiffened the leather by the compression from stamping. Alcohol will dry it out a bit adding to the stiffness, so will dying (it contains alcohol). Use NFO or mink oil to condition it before dying. It will loosen up a little on its own over time and with use. Don't overdo the oil. Any oil or conditioner will darken the leather a little bit. It looks darker right after application then lightens some. That's all in the nature of leather and you will learn to work with it.

Ouch! I feel for ya, bro.

I can see how the front arch of the saddle might be used as a handhold by a passenger, while the horse is being led by someone else, a workaround for someone that doesnt know how to ride a horse.

Ballistol is my go-to CLP for all my guns. Its relatively high pH counters the acidity of rust quite well. I see no need to use NFO on the inside of my holsters aside from the initial conditioning in construction. Yes, I use a light application of NFO before assembly to condition the leather, but that's all. I have never encountered any issues of corrosion or rust, nor dry leather inside the holster. Incidentally, I grit my teeth any time someone recommends using suede to line holsters. I don't want the fuzzies getting into the works of my handguns. Some claim the suede helps in retention. I disagree. The fuzzies soon wear away, some of it into your gun. Chrome tanned suede is corrosive. Best to line the holster with veg tan and use wet molding and/or physical retainers like a strap, flap or chicago screws to secure the gun.

They both look real nice. Piping can be tough to do, and you did it well. 👍 My biggest critique is that you put the seam of the rolled collar on the inside. I think that could probably be an irritant to the dog. IMO the seam should be on the outside. MIght be easier to sew that way too.

It looks like you're piercing your thread with the needles. This causes tangles and it's a common problem for beginners. Run the left needle through the hole then pull the thread back toward yourself so that your right-hand needle has room to go through the hole without piercing the thread. When the RH needle is about halfway through, tug on the left thread to test whether it's pierced or not. If the RH needle moves with the tug, it's easy to fix now. Study a couple vids on how to saddle stitch by. J.H. Leather on youtube and you'll see what I'm trying to explain. Watch a couple times, practice on scrap and before you know it, you'll have a decent stitch. Once you have the knack, you will only get better. Until your arthritis takes over 🙄

There will (should) be gun oil on the firearm. Gun oils vary between slightly base to slightly acid. The slight difference in pH between leather and gun oil will be negligible. There really is no need to oil the inside of the holster, as some of the gun oil will transfer to the leather. Protecting the gun is the higher priority here and guns should NOT be stored in the holster when not in use. Normal application of NFO during your work process is adequate. It is the new owner's responsibility to keep the holster cleaned and conditioned and the gun oiled.

Lovely work!👍

Beautiful work! It took me 2 attempts to succeed making a pair of infant moccasins for my great grandson for Christmas. Simple ain't always easy!

Good information Bruce. I knew size numbers varied by mfr, but didn't know where was a method behind their madness.

Yes to books. Be careful of the Youtube vids. Some are experts with valuable skills to share and well-presented lessons, others not so much. Amazon tool kits made of chinesium? Some of those tools work out ok, some don't. You will end up with a box full of tools that ain't worth the postage and/or unnecessary to your chosen path in the craft. A mere few that serve well enough. Better to buy what you need when you need it, and be willing to spend for better quality tools that you know you want and need. So many paths to take down the leather trail! Tooling, carving, plain. and artsy. Saddles, chaps, tack and harness. Clothing shoes, boots, purses and bags. Belts, wallets, holsters, sheaths. Furniture, wall art. Braiding and whips. 'Adult' items and kink. Choose somethin simple to start with. A belt, a wallet, something like that. I suspect that most of us started with a kit from Tandy or a craft store. Start with the most basic tools. You need a cutting surface like a plastic cutting board. A very sharp knife, a Stanley utility knife works very well and an awl. stiitching or lacing needles if needed, PVA glue or contact adhesive as needed. Build a couple simple projects first, then move on to the more complicated stamping and carving. Buy tools as needed.

On thin leather I use water or tokenol and a piece of canvas or denim. You can hold the leather edge right close to the edge of your bench to help keep it from flapping around too much. Those thin edges really don't need much slicking, and edge paint is too much hassle IMO. To make paint shine it takes sanding between coats.

In the upper right corner of your post there are 3 horizontal dots, which is the dropdown menu. Click it. The EDIT option is there.

We're always our own worst critics. Welcome back to the obsession. Your work looks great.

A light application of NFO the day before dying helps restore moisture to the leather, which helps the leather to take the dye. When the dye is dry, buff it with a clean rag before applying top coat.