TonyV

Horse butt, I'm told, is about the best for holsters. Your strip size limits the size of the holsters you could make, though. That weight would be good for lined holsters.

If you want to stain it black, first stain it blue. The whole thing. Then put black on top of the blue. It will give you a deeper black tone. Find an inconspicuous spot to test it on first. Bonus pint, you get to utilize the spilled ink!

Beautiful dress holsters, worthy of any celebration.

That's much better stitching than any I've done on my machine. Almost makes me want to try to practice with it more, maybe get some decent work out of it.

I've found that adjusting the stitch length is how to use it on thicker leather. Longer stitch length for thick material, short stitch for thin stuff. The stitch control is that little bolt on the underside the arm. A little turn is a fairly big adjustment. I can't sew good straight lines with the patcher, so no good for presentable leather work, but I do use it for repairing various things, from my denim jeans to the dog's seat cover in my truck, a pair of sneakers, etc.. In that regard it has actually paid for itself and its place under the bench. But I have made a few little things, a hatchet sheath, a key fob a knife sheath. They came out ok, just not ready for prime time. I don't believe it is intended for production, only repair. And for that, it works just fine (once you go through the learning curve and tinkering phase). Even my lousy hand stitching is better than the patcher, not because it doesn't sew, but because it is so difficult to control the work piece with one hand while the other hand is cranking the handle. If it were motorized I would have both hands available to manage the work piece and it would perform much better.

I've had to do that (more than) a few times. A 1/8" drill bit in the drill press or hand drill will do it. Using a center punch first will help. I've also had success using a small pair of diagonal cutting pliers, gently worked under the cap until I could get in enough to cut the post.

Yeah, white thread gets dirty fast, so I don't use it except for utility pieces. Usually black or brown on all my work. I have a beautiful Leatherman sheath gifted to me by my daughter and SIL, built by a pro saddle maker. White stitching got grungy looking in a matter of days (I use my tools!).

Nice build! Love the design and especially the finish. Mind your cardiologist. I was there 9 years ago. I wonder if there is some way to integrate cardio training into leathercraft...

If you are installing rivets or snaps on the sheath you will find that some rivets and snaps come with the correct setter, anvil and hole punch. some don't come with them, however, so pay attention while shopping. But a well sewn joint doesn't need rivets, and snaps are not period correct. A frog or button made of leather, bone or antler plus a thong would work well and look great. The first leather project I built about 12 years ago was a Slim Jim holster for my 1858 Remington clone. No metal on the holster at all. I used a plastic computer stylus inserted in my daughter's drawing compass to mark the sewing line, an old dinner fork I sharpened as a pricking iron, my Speedy Stitcher to pierce the holes and I dyed it with espresso coffee and treated it with NFO. I used a single needle to sew, going first one way then back on itself. I used a "stitch rivet" technique that I had seen on an antique holster, which is a set of stitches at each end that goes around back on the main line I wet formed the holster on the pistol. I probably have a bunch of needle cuts in the thread, but it is still holding together and used to this day and will probably outlast me. It definitely looks like an amateur built it, but it doesn't look half bad and it is period correct.

One can always put on more clothing to stay warm when it gets cold but taking off clothes to stay cool when it gets hot could get one tossed into jail! Merry Christmas to all, even to the Grinches.

That bright led light behind you is likely casting the most shadow. Try turning it off and using the 2 desk lamps, perhaps adding another or repositioning the led so it's not shadowing your body.

Limiting yourself to just 1 platform is very limiting indeed. Use multiple platforms. Add in FB, Etsy, etc. Sell at craft fairs and farmers markets. Also, expand your product lines. Limiting yourself to 1 product line is limiting indeed.

Once upon a time, leather tops on desks were a luxury, a status symbol. My dad had a leather-top desk and I don't know what happened to it. That is a sweet desktop! IMO, you should have started with a smoother piece of upholstery leather if you wanted a smooth final product. But, it is what it is, and it is beautiful. Don't bother trying to smooth it out, there is too great a chance of ruining it. Using a blotter pad to write on, as was the common practice in the old timey days, is likely your best choice. Let the leather wear an acquire patina as it will.

Very nice! That's more valuable than my bestest fly rod!

The tooling ain't too dodgy. The camo tool strikes are a tad out of alignment in relation to the basket weave, but otherwise the line looks real straight and it's an interesting pattern. No one will notice the misalignment when you pull out your card to pay for groceries. Let us know how well the neatsfoot oil works over the olive oil. I'd bet a whole dollar it will come out fiine. You don't have to be ashamed of this piece. Just learn from your mistakes and do better next time.

dye it by sections, as previously suggested. By my way of thinking, I might want to try a different color down the road. Dip gets the smoothest result.

They are in Europe Sieck: MÜLLER & KURTH Typ 59 full automatic punching machine for straps or belts, with counting devise for upto 25 punches

I have used very strong espresso coffee to die holsters various shades of brown. I also use vinegaroon for a flat black. fresh vinegaroon works best, but even my 2-year old batch of it works well. I got a yellowish brown on veg tan using green tea, just slightly different than the natural color. I have read of, but never tried, using ammonia to bleach leather. YMMV

I love it

Real nice BBQ rig!

After I borax tan a rattlesnake skin I will soak it in glycerin until pliable.

Aged urine turns to ammonia, which bleaches leather. Time to experiment with making something white?

there you have it.. If yours is higher quality, you certainly have the right to charge a higher price. sell the quality! and learn to streamline your processes to spend less time in production to improve your bottom line. Working in batches can help. If you're making several sets of like items, use patterns to cut them all at the same time. Then move on the next step that they all have in common, etc.

there are a few youtube vids that show sidewalk shoe repairing and sandal making done in Thailand or Pakistan etc. These guys use the machine day in, day out, and know how to use them. You don't see them making purses, jackets or saddles with it, though. Tinkerer's Delight is a true statement. I have a knack with mine now, but I still wouldn't try to get a professional looking stitch on fine leather with it. I use mine to repair things like the doggie seat cover in my pickup, making small canvas articles and such. I even repaired a pair of my own sneakers with mine. The hardest part of using it is keeping the seam straight with one hand while turning the crank with the other. You could add a motorised pulley to it, but I ain't gonna bother. So yeah, even though I have one, I'm still hand stitching my leather projects.

chrome tan is basically upholstery and clothing leather, soft and supple. It's next to impossible to tool it, edge it or burnish it, but it does make nice bags, jackets and even watch straps. veg tan is tooling leather. It's what you want if you need to stamp, carve, edge and burnish your project. It gets more supple with use. A light weight veg makes good watch straps, too.