RoosterShooter

I've been making holsters for a little while, but want to get into making pouches, bags, etc ... I purchased a couple of sides of Horween Chromexel the other day, and want to give it a whirl. I have two questions. 1) Where can I find templates or patterns for possibles bags, backwoods pouches, etc ...? 2) How do I finish the edges on Oil Tanned leather or Latigo? Thanks

I haven't read all of the comments, but has anyone suggested horse hide? It is very dense! Comparable to cowhide you can get three times the density and 1/3 the weight from horse hide as opposed to cowhide. For example ... I can use a 4-5 oz. horse hide that has the same thickness to density ratio as a 10 - 12 oz. cowhide.

WHat brand and make laser is that? I have all kinds of things I could use that for!

I'm traveling to a semi-local tannery on Monday to pick up a load of leather. One of the deals that I have the opportunity to make with them is this ... follow me here .... I'm buying 20 Vegtan sides, and they will give me a reduced price of $3 per square foot if I will take some of their retan veg. latigo off of their hands. I've seen the retan latigo. It's some really nice stuff, and distresses nicely when you bend it, form it , etc ... However, what would I use this leather for? Could I use it for making possible pouches, small pouches or bags, etc ....? I'm thinking of delving into the pouch market. Should I consider this type of leather as a good option? Thanks

The only places I've ever seen it laid flat or hung is in either retail facilities or the tannery! Every leather shop I have been to has it rolled up with a 'toe tag' that has the description on it. I store mine rolled in 2 to 3 hides of like weight and brand. Of course ... I live in the Ohio Valley so humidity is not a problem here. I have a house-wide dehumidifier / humidifier installed in my home so that the humidity stays between 35 to 45% at all times.

Can you thin Angelus #600 Acrylic Finisher with water to thin it out some? I put it on with a foam brush and it always leaves high spots, regardless of how much or little I put on. If I could thin it out it would migrate and settle a little before drying. Thanks.

Does the DAP work better than Tanner's Bond Contact Cement sold by Tandy and Springfield Leather? I'm running into the same issue using Tanner's Bond Cement. I have to wait at least 2 hours before I can work with the piece. Also ... are you using the 'Standard' DAP contact cement or the 'Gel' form? It will say on the bottle. Thanks.

Here's a pic of the back of a holster that just finished drying this morning. It appears as if the leather is 'tearing' when it pulls the bobbin thread through. I think my Pressure Foot tension is good, because I have minimal marks on the back now. Your thoughts?

Yes. I'll get a pic up in a second. I'm using a 200 round tip needle and 277 thread on needle and bobbin.

I'm with Sark9 on this one. I'm no machine expert, but I use a Size #22 needle and #92 thread on my Singer 211G. That seems like an awfully big needle for standard thread! Could your issue be this simple?

I've had my Boss of a year now, and have it set to where it sews good and consistent stitches, but the back side of the lather looks marred up when I'm done. Plus, I always have to pull the needle thread by hand, due to the tightness of the adjustments, when I am done stitching to cut the threads. Has anyone had a 'Tried and True' method for adjusting the Boss from scratch, so I can take some of the tension off of the needle thread and bobbin? Thanks

OK. Because the S&W N (Model 629 / 44 Mag.) & X (500 Mag & 460 VXR) Frame and the Thompson Center Contender are the #1 pistols that I get requests for shoulder holsters using!

Where can I buy Clicking Dies for straps, shapes, etc ....?

Will Ring's ever make a S&W X Frame mold or even an N Frame mold? I have several customers who ask for the S&W 500 Magnum, and I've had to use my own revolver for molding. Thanks

I agree. I wasn't going to mention this problem until someone else did. I ordered some Horween Chromexel Brown Nut Oil Tanned leather for bags and pouches from Springfield. Low and behold I get my order and it's BROWN and not BROWN NUT. Big difference! The Brown Nut is a distressed look and the Brown is solid Brown. I just got around to opening up my order from them yesterday and noticed this. I don't know what's going on over there! A year or so ago I could place an order and have it ship by the next afternoon. Now I'm lucky to get it shipped 3 days later !!! I've heard several excuses as to why they're shipping slower, but I suspect it's due to downsizing as opposed to the 'massive surge in orders' that they keep telling me that they are getting. I just don't see it. Especially since there are certain items in the leather market that you can't GIVE away. I find it hard to believe that everyone and their brother is ordering from Springfield. Know what I mean? Then ... there is the fact that all of their leather prices have GONE UP since last week! In comparing what I paid last week and the week before .... it's an average of 30 cents a foot!

I usually buy Herman Oak, but have stopped buying it from Springfield Leather. As others have mentioned ... the hides from Springfield Leather are so dry you can actually see dust coming off while cutting under the right light! I don't know if they have such a large supply that it dries out while they're storing it, or maybe they buy the factory 'run offs' , but the hides from Springfield are very dry.

Where can I find a gun mold for a S&W 629 and S&W 500 Mag. mold? I have looked everywhere and I can't find anyone who makes them. For reference ... it would be the Smith & Wesson N Frame and X Frame. Thanks.

I'm looking for a horse hair type buffing wheel like shoe repair establishments use to buff boots, shoes, etc ... Some of them are made of horsehair and are large and fluffy and can be attached to a machine to spin them around at a high RPM. Any ideas on where to find one at a reasonable price? Here is an example of what I'm looking for.

Chief31794 .... Do you have a specific link to the 44" Rifle Sling template? I'm interested, but can't find the template listed on her site or on eBay, Thanks

Are there any retail sources for patterns for outdoor bags, packs, or messenger style bags other than Tandy Leather or Springfield Leather? I keep thumbing through the same old patterns that they've had for awhile, and can't find anything that I like.

Thanks camano ridge. It's an .xml doc so you need Excel to view it. The work around for that is to download "Open Office". It's a free source tool and has a lighter footprint than Microsoft Office.

A double for Bob at Toledo! I got my order today from him, and I am very happy! I contacted him this morning to see when the order might arrive. Much to my surprise it arrived a day earlier than he estimated! I'll definitely keep them in mind for my future purchases.

George B .... I looked up Duncan's Outdoor and came up with a Duncan's OUtdoor Shop in Michigan. They didn't have anything listed on their website.

Thanks for the tip, but I just went over there .... put it in my cart ... and it was 'Sold' by the time I checked out. I need to learn to get sensitive responses via PM. Lurkers are everywhere.

Does anyone know where I can get a 'Fast' replacement for a S&W 686 Blue Gun? The last time I checked Bluegunstore.com was 3-4 weeks out on them, and mine just broke tonight! I am needing to get a new one in here a.s.a.p. as I have customers waiting for holsters that need to go out next weekend. Thanks