chiefjason

It's a hand made holster. There will be some tool marks. Mold before dying. Leather takes to boning better. Case the holster before molding. Wet but not too wet. Too wet does not hold the molding. If the marks bother you, you can usually lightly burnish them out at the end.

Performance center or aftermarket cylinder release? Those things give me fits on my field holster with strap, similar to what you are doing. If they don't tell me the strap is too short to get over the release and to the snap. Slight point of nomenclature. lol Avengers have a single loop on the rear and forward rake. But lots of folks call almost any folded over holster an Avenger. Some care, some don't. I like the color. I have a thing for browns that are not perfectly colored. Mottled is good IMO. Adds character.

8/32 or 6/32 T nut and a matching 1/4" Flat head machine screw. The screw type is very important or it will not set into the socket and it will interfere with the female part of the snap. I use 8/32 for all of mine but 6/32 might be easier to source locally. 3/8" might work if you using thicker leather. You can get it away from the blade entirely if you would like. Widen the bottom of the sheath. Punch holes for the screws. Use the T nut to hold the strap on the back and fasten it through the snap on the front. The wrap the strap around to the front and attach the female snap to it. I make horizontal mag holders that wrap around the holder and belt like that. Made one sheath that way too.

Mop & Glo cut with water about 50/50.

I don't question anymore. I just make their dreams come true.

6.5" holster with an 8 3/8" mold.

Had a couple tire kickers on the ammo loop addition but no takers until this one. Happy with the result. Been selling a ton of this style for big revolvers but this is the first one with ammo loops. This was for a 6.5" barrel in 500. Something different for the folks that don't want the cross draw.

So, I've let a line of holsters I offer slide for a while. Just not enough time to do everything. Now that I'm catching up I decided to do some of them ready to ship. And those I finish with a brush. So I'm just going to use the scrap stuff up on the hybrid backs and leave the leather alone with M&G. That way I can use it up and not have to worry about messing up a leather holster.

OK, I'll come in and make everyone mad. I use a Ken Onion Worksharp with the free hand attachment and leather strops for it. An 18 degree angle seems to do well on the round knives. 20 on the kitchen knives. I hand sharpened for years. But I love this little machine. Most of the best knife makers in the world use belt sanders to build, shape, and sharpen their knives. Works for me.

So, I normally use Mop and glo 50/50 with water. But I've also got some older resolene around and just picked up some more from buying out a small NC leather worker. I know they are very close in make up. Has anyone used them together? I dip my holsters and I was considering adding the resolene in with the M&G and water to just use it up. But if that's a terrible idea I'll figure something else out. I certainly don't want to mess anything up trying to "save money". Thoughts?

Sight? On the top? You don't need anything. Just keep the leather out of the way. If it's a red dot sight you are over thinking this whole process. If it's a laser/light then check ebay for used models.

Looks great. I'm getting ready to start a couple myself.

I make a field holster that is 8 oz leather wrapped over and 4 8 oz layers for a welt. It's almost an inch thick. I sand the welt square on a sanding drum before gluing it up. I use 2 different grits of drums Glue up the holster Trim the holster Sand again on drum edge Wet sand, 400 and 600 Wet burnish Dye Burnish with tokonole Rub edge with a mix of beeswax and paraffin wax to fill in occlusions. Apply finish I'm not going to claim I can get that thick edge glass smooth all the way around. But it does look good. You can also use edge cote but I've had mixed success and prefer the above method. The edge cote does fill in the gaps and even out nice. But it can flake off with use too.

I use both. Groover if I am cutting before dyeing. Creaser if I dye first and don't want to touch it up. And I usually crease the small pieces I use to cover snaps and such.

I'm going with the Colt Python. Cylinder is just a hair wider than the 715. I do no molding on the release side of the cylinder. It's kind of a western style holster with a strap, so no real friction retention at play. But I removed the listing until I can verify this works.

OK, I found this mold a while back. Put it up as a listing on my etsy page. Just sold a holster for it. Now I'm at a loss for where I found it. So I'm coming here to see if anyone has seen one. Called Boise Foundry and no luck. And that's where I thought it was. Checked Holstersmith and Bluegunstore. No luck. My email to Duncan's bounced back as undeliverable. Next option, seems this is close in size to a Colt Python. Any experience with that? It's not a tightly molded holster so close should work. But it does have a security strap so it needs to be real close.

Thanks for the help. Much appreciated. Got the shipping notice.

220, then 2000, then a light water burnish as a start.

Start by getting orders correct. My last 2 were not. You guys have good prices, nice people to deal with, ship quick, but most of my issues are order accuracy or all your website changes. I quit shopping with you because you guys canned my account during a website change. When I went to re register I could not because "that email is being used." Asked to change PW and it would not do that either, so I gave up. Got around the finally getting the account back recently. My last 2 orders have had issues. Your site lists a section where you can buy leather by the side. I ordered a side from that listing. I got 1 sq foot. Apparently ordering a side is not ordering a side unless you request the entire side in the notes? Had to call to get that straightened out. Last order, in the confusion of subbing out 2 8 ox threads because you did not have the 16 oz no one noticed I ordered to Awls as well. I got the subbed out thread but only got one fo the awls I ordered. I will be contacting CS to remedy that one here soon. Everyone is busy, including me. Inaccurate orders are irritating though.

Haha, lasers and lights are different. The most important thing is a clear path OUT of the holster. Even the molds are not all set up for that.

I figure 2 layers of 10 oz would be plenty on the paddle. But Dwight is right. They move around more and don't conceal as well as a pancake, regardless of what you use. And with a leather paddle I would recommend a loop to attach it to the belt. The leather paddle will not grab on the belt/pants like a plastic paddle will. I made one for a Shield. Worked out well. Was pretty comfy. Didn't get any complaints about it. But a pancake is superior in most ways.

Family friend came over to talk to me about a holster. He wanted one just like the holster he bought at Academy, but black with basketweaving. I quoted him $100 IIRC. Which was less than I would regularly quote. He turned the holster over and showed me the $42 price. I turned it over to the Made in Mexico sticker and told him if I had a shop full of kids sewing holsters in Mexico for pennies mine would be $42 too. He bought the holster. And depending on the small alterations I'll sometimes price trying to either turn them away or make sure it's worth the aggravation for me. And either outcome is acceptable to me. You will find out real fast whether they are committed to having those changes made.

I make my own paste that's about the consistency of new shoe polish, or maybe a touch firmer. It's beeswax, parrafin, and neatsfoot oil. Heat it all up, mix it, and cool it. Check consistency. I rub that softer wax on the edges to just fill in the small gaps burnishing does not get. Friction from your finger will work it in. Edge, wet sand (250 and 800), dye, burnish with tokonole, wax, finish.

IMO, and I tell my customers this, it will take a week or so to get the adjustments right to how you want to carry. And that's not part of my job unless there is a big problem. They should be able to remove and replace Chicago Screws on their own. I generally start the holster on myself and adjust it based on what the customer looks like. Let them try it on when they receive it. I''ll tinker with it then, but I'm showing them how to do it and telling them they will want to make adjustments as they wear it. All this is based on a face to face sale. Have you ever worn one of your shoulder holsters? That's where my opinion comes from. It took me the better part of a week to get the holsters set up the way I wanted it. After that I have not touched it in a couple years, other than to oil it once a year on the straps.

I have only done a couple, and find them about a useless as thumb breaks. But T nut, screw, and fuel line cut to length will do it. Placing them in the holster and lining everything up the first time will be enough to break you of wanting to do it again.