chiefjason

If the arbor and throat is large enough to tap it and fit a 1/2" drill head in you can chuck a lot of tools into it. The one I have is too small and I'm considering getting a 2 ton and doing it. I use mine for rivets. I have a magnet that holds the portion of the setter you hammer to the arbor. A piece of steel on the base where I put the bottom setter. I've occasionally used it to punch holes if it's late at night and I need to be quite about it.

Small metal rack and either dollar store plastic bins or old boxes cut down. I keep like guns together, i.e. G17, G19, and G26. Also keep any laser molds or accessories in there. Used to keep the sight channel posts in there too. Since I do kydex I keep my extra kydex molds with them. If I pre make any holsters they go there too. I've ended up with so many that I've run out of space and moved my less popular models into a large drawer.

Dying the edges a contrasting color is a lot of work but boy does it make a holster pop! Nice work. I've started dying my edges black on my brown holsters and really like the look.

Summer always slows down for me. People don't buy heading into a vacation if they will not be around to have it delivered. Folks are busier outside. Kids are out of school. Money is going to other things. And the gun ban crisis has subsided. Gun sales are leveling off, and folks are grabbing stuff that the hoarders now realize they need to dump before the really loose more money. And the 2 wonder guns that were hyped up have been kind of duds IMO. Quick flash, then problems and recalls. I nearly bought a G42 and did buy an R51. Luckily the R51 paid for itself early because it sure isn't getting any use now. Locally, my business is based on a few loyal customers. The vast majority of folks around here will spend $5-600 on a gun but no more than $15 on a holster. I'm in good with my LGS and that comes straight from him. And he carries a few of my holsters. He did say he's getting more interest in some of them lately. I've had a bit of a bump recently from the NC gun board I'm a vendor on and some local business. Truth be told, it's kind of a needed break. I was running wide open for a long time. Nearly burned out on it.

I use the shoe drying rack and run it in my dryer on high for 40 minutes. Works great and you can't over heat it.

I hand stitch so chucking my diamond awl in the drill press and using the press to pre punch my holes is a big time saver. Drill press burnishers rock. I've got a pro edge. Not necessarily saving time, but I finally started buying spools of thread from Tippmann and hand stitch with it. Using 346. It saves me some time by not having to buy a bunch of cards. And less waste too.

Here is the small poundo board with setters. I imagine leather would work too. But I got this when I ordered the crystal rivets and I am very happy with how it worked. http://springfieldleather.com/29317/Kit%2CCrystal-Rivet-Setter/

They also sell small poundo boards for setting the rivets with crystals in them. Probably work for you too.

For my #3 I use 800 grit wet dry then strop it on a rough side with rouge then a smooth side. If it's really dull I'll start on my fine diamond stone then do the rest. I strop the bottom only, drawing it backwards from how I use it. And I try to follow the contour by rolling my wrist as I draw it back. Mostly, I just strop it though.

Yeah, it comes off easy. I got a Shield blue gun from my LGS as a loaner a good 2-3 months before you could buy them. It was coated and the coating came off easily with heat or pressure. Clean them well.

RED, the 500 is an absolute beast of a gun. I doubt there is anything to do but use the gun or a mold. I've dealt with a lot of guns, but every time I looked at that one I just chuckled. Obscenely large firearm.

Doubleh, I go straight to the diamond awl chucked in the drill press. Works just fine. Although I groove the back afterwards because the awl can move a bit as it passes through the leather.

I lay out the front, punch holes, and freehand the back. I picked up my freehand groover from Springfield leather.

If you can call them I would start there, follow up with an email. I had an advertiser here botch a couple orders. I was getting product they did not even advertise for sale instead of what I ordered, twice, really odd. The last time it happened they spent $130 to overnight the right stuff and let me keep the wrong stuff. Shipping it overnight cost more than what they shipped. I was not nasty on the phone, but I made it very clear that I was really unhappy and on the edge of looking for another supplier. My orders since have been fine. Everybody messes up at some point. That's a big one for sure. But contact them and give them the chance to make it right.

If you are hand setting them they will move on you sometimes. The post might bend before they start to set. Pressing them helps avoid that somewhat. I use a 1 ton arbor press. And make sure the rivets are the right size. Too much sticking out and they will want to bend over and move. Glueing first would be the best start though.

Yes, it can. Wetting and drying anything can make it shrink a bit. If it shrank a lot, something is out of whack. Might be the leather. As for dye, I switched to pro oil dye for my black. I will NEVER go back to any other dye. I dye the holster, then oil it; I don't get splotchy with pro oil dye. I did get splotchy with other dyes.

Red, Might be a difference in the tanning processes, or just differences in hides. Leather being natural and all. I have used the same dealer for over a year now. And I have gotten good, solid, stiffer hides as well as hides that are still nice just a bit softer overall. The side I have now is a bit softer. I dry all of them regardless. Denster, Are you casing your leather or just wetting and molding after adding the alcohol?

I hand stitch them but maybe this will help. Cut the pattern. Stitch on the clip, that's what I use. Wet leather and mold it. Glue it. Then stitch after molding. I don't stitch all the way to the fold, I leave a space there. I usually trim it up as it tends to not be square with the bottom after stitching. Another trick I have taken too is stitching it, then trimming all the edges. If you trim too close, all you have is the glue to hold. I prefer to stitch first so it supports the glue, then trim. And you can go back after stitching with a machine and burnish out the foot tracks. Might need to dampen the leather first. Then rub over it with a rub stick or other smooth surface.

I use the shoe rack in my dryer. Set it for 40 minutes. Works well for me. Don't have to worry about over cooking like in the oven.

I use a diamond Awl chucked into my floor drill press. Pull the handle down and it punches right through. Pretty quick once you get used to it. Might not work with the tools you are using now. But changing tools might get you more of what you want.

I prefer to have the skill of developing my own rather than using someone else's. And if you look around enough that info is out there. And in reality, once you figure it out it transfers easily to other guns. And the way I do mine makes it even simpler. I guess the way I do it would likely drive a lot of folks nuts. But it works for me.

Since it was a Glock holster, I would say you are correct. And look at the names. I'm surprised they did not name Glock in there. 3 out of 4 names in the suit I recognize. In the end, do the best work you can. But stupid people will avoid responsibility by any means possible. Draw fast, shoot straight, holster slow. Try it one handed while fighting someone off of you. That's what I suggest to most folks that carry unchambered. Most SD shootings are close and fast. There not much of a chance you will actually need a gun in SD. But if you do, my guess is there is a good chance at least one hand is occupied when you need it. But to each their own. Just food for thought.

Thanks. I hand mold as well. I have not made up my mind on presses, but I'm getting good results without one so I'm sticking with it for now.

My point is, there is a lot of conjecture that folks can point to this case and that case to prove. But are there a lot of lawsuits against holster makers? That would not be conjecture, it would be a number. I know there have been a few, but not sure how many. I don't plan on looking deeply into the McD's case but my understanding is that it's not as simple as a cup of hot coffee, like everything it's a bit more complicated than one hot cup of joe one time. And on waivers, they are pretty much worth the paper they are printed on. I put some info with my holsters. But at the end of the day it's just a piece of paper. Anybody can sue any time.

I usually start by skiving the worst of it off and tidy it up by sanding it. For the most part though, I try to avoid using it. But like you, I use it on my personal stuff sometimes.