Red Cent

Haystacker, hope we don't load you up but that is really good. May I have a copy?

I missed something here. Back to the fraid....uh frayed edges. I lightly edge, sand round, rub on the edges of the holster with a disc of 50% parafin and 50% beeswax. To burnish, I use the John Bianchi way. Circular felt pad on a bolt in a drill press. Load it with same concoction. A Dremel will do it albeit slowly. If you want a hard holster lip, submerge the edge of the holster in hot water. Let it get pretty wet. Use a hair dryer (not really close) to dry. The hotter the water, the hotter the hair dryer, the harder the leather. They made armor this way way back when.

Hey, I missed you and I don't know you. Got a lot of riends buddy.

Learn? You and I both gal. Kinda like chess. You can learn to play in a day but you learn how to play the rest of your life.

I believe you may have to go the water thing. I find that a rough cloth removes the viual spots but spreads the soap. I use a small soft bristle brush and .....wait for it....wait.......water. I burnish with beeswax/parafin and I use the brush and slightly soapy water. The use of a leather cleaner is usually used with a damp rag and that puts you baxck to square one. Hope someone else tells us another way.

I was always told never submit leather to heat for drying. Were they wrong?

Thanks Trevor. I do most of the stuff you mention other than tying off. I have tried the back first and forward but this still leaves a double thread in that stitch and you add another double stitch when you sew the fold and it bothers me. Not that good yet but as I learn from folks like you, I will get there. I have sewn with the saddle stitch and will definitely try it. One would have to tie the knot on one side or the other and firmly pull the knot into the leather, correct. And I suppose one would use the reef/square knot also.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/redcent69/Leather/009_zpsdea639f1.jpg http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/redcent69/Leather/011_zpse49b1b94.jpg If you use a liner, cut holes in the liner and capture the chicgo screw female side. If you do not use a liner, cut a small rectangle of 4-5 ounce or better, puch holes, glue and sew on before you close the holster. Most crossdraws do not use all that leather in the picture as seen in the above picture. You could stop halfway down the backside of the holster or less.

Trevor, sounds like a square knot. The area where the "locking the stitch" occurs is in the welt of a holster. The Bianchi tapes have you sew across the bottom and maybe a couple of stitches up the sides. Then you need to sew all the way around the holster and backflap. When you glue the holster fold and start to stitch, you have another "locking the stitch" at top and bottom. I usually line the holsters and was wondering what is the way to lock the stitch and hide the stitch by hand? Please describe in as much detail as possible. Learnin' doncha know.

Hey, if it doesn't work, I can always use it to paint the shop building . I have an inexpensive single action airbrush. I would have to swear off the Dickel if I tried to use a double action airbrush at this stage. Gonna try to get in some practice time soon.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HAND-HOLLOW-STEEL-HOLE-PUNCH-TOOL-SET-KIT-FOR-GASKET-LEATHER-DIE-CUTTING-CUTTER-/320858047717?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab4a144e5#ht_481wt_1170 Anybody have these or know someone who does?

I make it a little labor intensive. When I set down to do a pattern, I have wrapping paper, u-knife, and duct tape. You can add and subtract "material" until you get it right. Then I transfer the pattern to poster board. Then, of course, to the leather. If everything works out, name the pattern and file. I find cardboard too stiff and difficult to manipulate.

http://www.handtools...products_id=126 You need this. I have the Super skiver and a couple of the others. They cannot do delicate controlled work. With a fresh blade, turn it at a small angle and you can shave to slash.

I know a couple of cowboys that would love to have that hat. That is cool. And the work is good also.

holsters.

Thanks Jeff. I like the holsters. Some day my need for instant gratification will diminish and I will try all the neat tooling. And I like the Smiths. I would guess a M19 and a M15.

Glad the wife is a quilter. And a software guru. And an organizer. Anyway, the product......

Don't follow. Expand please.

I am new to the leather craft scene. I bought a Cobra 4 and finally I have it dialed in. However, I do not like the "two forward, one back" lockstitch routine. It does not look good. Can/will someone describe how to "finish" the begining and end of a line of stitches with a machine? I have watched the saddle stitch and others but I don't see it applied to the situation. Scene: You have an 8-9 ounce outer and a 4-5 ounce liner. You have cut, glued, sanded, and ready to sew. Instead of a forward and back lockstitch lockstitch, can one simply sew the required area and take the "tails" of the threads and, by hand, secure the stitches by hand on each end of the stitch line?

For those of us who are mumbling "What the heck are ........". We have seen them but terms escape us (me).

As stated, holster looks good, except..........................what GrampaJoel said. I made something similar. I turned the back part roughside to the body and lined it with thin suede. The best burnisher, I think, is two circles of 2" pure felt pad screwed together (tight) with a bolt through the center and beeswax. As you burnish, the middle of the felt will crease and leave a brown edge on you leather. Or not.

Heavy?

I believe most spray, dip, or brush on neatsfoot oil. Wipe dry and let it sunbathe for a while. I have used olive oil but it seems to be...well, oily. Ain't never used the others. I assume you want a conditioner.

Josh, is the holster and the mag holder a single 8-9 ounce or so? Everything I have been making is lined plus the 8-9 ounce. Very well put together.

No, not really. Bob said it was a lot of work. Bob made me a custom rig a few years back. After that I met Bob in Las Vegas at the SASS annual convention. Matter of fact, Bob made another holster for me. I argued that it was too brief but, apparently, it sells. http://www.mernickleholsters.com/ca/CA23_23/ca23_23.html SASS rules leaves a lot of room for rigs. Paraphrasing, it says that any holster that reasonably retains the revolver during a match. Actually, the holster is rather easy to make. One of the big benefits is that you provide a sight track by the holster's shape. A small welt in the front would be easy if needed. This makes wet moulding easy.