SooperJake

There are two true matt finishes that can be sprayed, that I know of. However, I used them for years on woodturnings...Nothing tried on leather to date. This one is truly invisible, unless you coat it a half dozen times or more, at least on sandblasted ash. I used to spray 10-15 layers. I'll dig some up and try it on leather Krylon Fixatif- link http://www.krylon.com/products/fine_art_fixatif This one has a bit more sheen after a few coats - http://www.krylon.com/products/matte_finish/ I assume these to be similar to what is offered in an acrylic spray finish for leather, but I am inclined to look for and use something flexible, as opposed to hardening finishes. It would seem to me that any hard coat finish would eventually crack, particularly on a belt, or any surface that is bent or flexed. I am intrigued by katsass' mop & glo finish, though. Just bought some. Jake

What did you learn as a result of this testing, Shooter? Jake

This website that first got me to want to try making a holster http://www.shanewhit...r/holsters/tut/, the guy wears surgical gloves to add traction so you can easily pull the needle through without pliers.It looks like he is wearing latex. I was using needle nose at first, but the rough jaws really chew up the needles. I don't have a smooth pair, but will probably get some to have on hand. Back to the gloves: having been a woodworker for years, I have tons of nitrile gloves, and that is what I use, which adds amazing stickiness to pulling the needles through. Plus, I have decent hand strength still. I'm pretty happy with the stitching I got this last time. I think the thread color doesn't show enough contrast, but looking close it is tight, with no gaps at the holes and each stitch looks pretty straight. One or two stitches have a little angle to them, but overall , front and back look clean. Another 10,000 stitches and I'll be a hand sewing grumpy old man, too, and that will be the cat's ass! Jake p.s. There is no reason on Earth an awl should cost $100 dollars.

I need to get a good camera but here is a shot of my second practice piece from today. Jake

What a difference~~Smaller needle, smaller thread, 6spi and a shorter, duller awl. Of course it has twice as many stitches so it takes me twice as long..... There's a difference because of the leather, too. I'm using a heavier, better quality piece. The grain is much tighter and the edges much smoother than my original practice pieces. How much pressure do you use when overstitching the completed thread line? Jake

Are two snaps per side required in this design or for extra security? Jake

Is that for a pocket or for the belt? A pancake belt holster for a pipe would be a novel idea ( do they exist already?) ..don't forget the FBI forward cant, and a magazine pouch for extra backy and lighter for the other side....hm...

I've learned a lot in just a few short weeks...read read read the forums. Also, particle's videos on youtube are informative. http://www.youtube.com/user/particlerealities Listen to these guys around here as many of them have been making holsters longer than I have been alive. ...anyway.... Once you get a little information and are a little more dangerous, start making stuff. It may turn out awesome, or it may look like crap. Either way you will learn what to do and what not to do. Or, you'll figure out what questions to ask here. The trick, I think, is to begin. I found the forum after I started, and bought some tools and such that I didn't need, or were the wrong things to work with. Looks like you are money ahead already, if you came here first. And then you' ll be hooked, I'll wager. Jake

Thanks to all for the comments. At first glance it looked like it might work, but I yield to your expertise. Hijacking my own' thread', (ironic on a sewing question), I keep reading on the forums about a 441 clone...WTH is a 441 clone? Jake

"Carved in leather, I am.. Hm..." coOL! Jake

K-Man- I was curious if anyone went, if they had a booth or just visited, that sort of thing. I used to do woodworking trade shows, years ago, and other than exposure, it really wasn't worth it from a sales perspective. Not very profitable. Booth fees along with other misc. fees, hire extra help, haul a couple hundred thousand dollars worth of tools to an expo center..on and on. Lucky to break even some years. I suppose this is all orders on paper, but still, it is HUGE as I understand it. All the major holster makers there? Jake

Nice ! Guns for holsters bartering...where do we sign up? Jake

..but....where's the Pickelhaube??

I have SPELLCHICK, but she's never around when I need her! Nice work.

Yes, I thought so, too. Figured I'd dull the back half of the blade I have now and stack on some washers. Mike, I don't see sized 1 needles at Springfield's online, just 0 and 000 I think. Thanks for the tip and comments all! Jake

Have any of you that sell your holsters, gun belts, sheathes and the like ever attended a SHOT show? Jake

What is the overall assessment of the stitching I have in the pictures? Be blunt, please. Jake

Kats, I did that already. Made sure I didn't go through a loop or under or over haphazard. In fact, you just described how I have been stitching. Pulling the back hread toward me, except i back pulled it per Stohlman to halp the second needle slide through without piercing the thread of the first. Both needles above the short loops left, pull up tight. I will get this. Staring at my third picture for another 10 minutes and it occur to me that some of the angling of the stitch is being cause by the fact that the hole is angled. For instance, the stitch is anchored high on one hole, and low on the next hole. The awl and the punch both make a hole that has an angle to the stitching groove. Maybe I don't pull tight enough... None of this makes any sense I am sure, to anyone who has mastered the hand sewing method. Wouldn't a round hole eliminate the angling? Could the problem be because my awl is so damn sharp? I guess I'll put all this to rest until I get proper thread and another awl blade, and start over. Jake

Tandy Part number 1195-00....I assume the 00 suffix = camel gate. and 11210 waxed braided cord ( anchor rope, apparently). Flat sided awl (3318-01)with small diamond awl blade 1 5/8"( 3319-05) ...which I sharpened to a dagger's edge. Can you hear me gritting my teeth? By the way, the awl slips clean through 2 pieces of 8oz leather without any effort. . Gee..I wonder why.. I just ran a practice piece using #1 needles sold at my local hardware store ( huge craft section), using said anchor rope for thread. I get straight line on one side ( backside or awl exit side) and zig zag / angled stitches on the awl entry side. Are you pushing the awl clean through or just enough to break into the groove on the back side? From the drawings it look like Stohlman goes about half way.

Mike, your wisdom is noted, very well. I am not enamored with Tandy, already. I did practice with a small bladed awl, then did my first holster, which didn't come out too good. I thought the punches would clean things up a bit, giving me some consistency. I do have 3 Stohlman books, including holsters and hand stitching, which I was referencing while I worked. Of course, the awl came from Tandy, too, and I spent a couple hours sharpening it, which weakened the blade since so much material had to be removed to get a decent edge on all 4 planes. I bent the tip, which spurred me on to get the punches. Calling Springfield's now. Thanks, Jake

Markush, Crinkling (to me) is the bumpy texture I see running parallel to the stitching. It seems more pronounced when I pull the threads Sooper tight. Picture a Gorilla in a glass shop and you'll get an image of me sewing. My manual dexterity isn't what can be classified as 'graceful' . I am, however, shooting for consistency, be it the stitch sequence or the tension pulled. It seems logical that the tpi has an effect on this too, pinching less leather over a shorter span ? If I understand correctly. The items I am using where suggested by the clerk at Tandy, for the most part, and he admittedly didn't make holsters. Dry leather. Jake

Actually, it may be a combination of all three of the above answers, gentlemen. I'm using the Craftool 4 mm stitching punches, and the spikes on the 2 prong are thicker than the spikes on the 4 prong, by a third at least, increasing the diagonal impression. That, and I think I pried the 4 prong out to the side rather than straight out, in some cases. I know, it is cheating. I bought the punches after my first holster, because the stitching looked so bad. At first I thought it was a clockwise, anticlockwise thing. So, I did a test strip last night which didn't reveal anything, other than that wasn't the problem. But, after thinking real hard about what I did, and staring at a closeup of my photos, I remembered my four prong punch was missing for a time ( left in shirt pocket in laundry the day before) , so I had used the 2 prong to punch the reinforcement piece, and then used it on account of the curvature on the left side. Carefully punched holes in scrap reveal a significant difference in hole size between the two. The thread is a waxed nylon from Tandy (Professional saddle stitching thread coated with pure beeswax. 25 lb. breaking point. 25 yard spool ), and I couldn't tell you what size that is, or what size the needles are that I bought. Thanks for your help! Jake

I am working on my fourth leather project/ holster and I am wondering what I am doing to cause some of my stitches to look zig-zag, while the others look nice and linear. I sewed the reinforcement on first, then sewed the left side, then the right. I was trying to put the needle through on the same side of the other thread every time, and not pull too tight, which I note crinkles up the leather. Back to front then front to back, following the Stohlman book on hand sewing. The right side looks awesome. I don't see anything covering this in the book. Help, please! Jake

There is an old Singer 29-4 for sale fairly local to me for $500. If it is in good working order, and has all the parts ( I don't see the wood table so far, but I could make one) , would it be a good machine for sewing holsters and belts? Thanks for any comments. Jake

Ram, It is a sketch on an index card right now...I'll add a photo when the prototype is made, unless it is something I really think I can patent. Ideally I'd like it to be a piece that anyone could adapt to their current groover. I'm still in the "thinking about it " stage right now. A few more weeks maybe .. Jake