Davm

Thanks. I've been trying to pick up some details on "Being a Cowboy" and there really isn't that much information. Until I read about the roping and cutting saddles I thought the only issue was the slope on back of the horse matching the saddle you got for it. I've been told a mule is built different and needs a different saddle. I've only rode a mule once. It was sort of a jarring ride but I wanted to adjust the stirrups and the guy said to leave them alone so that didn't help. It seemed the mule I rode was not as ornery as I had worried about. I like horses better. To me, building a saddle has to be the ultimate of the leather worker's craft. Stirrups: it looks like there may be different ways to attach them. I thought there was an adjustable band running over the top of the saddle but it looks like there may be sort style of fender to which the stirrup is affixed.

I recently got a catalog on tack and they have roping saddles, cutting saddles, etc. What's the difference?

That's my thinking, buckles on the inside will catch on each other. The reason I asked is most leathers have a wide, decorative half and on the style with the buckle on this wide part- the wide part ends up on the outside of the boot- where you can see it. On the other style the wide part is on the inside of the boot- if that makes sense. What part of Wyoming? I still have land west of Douglas. Family from Lusk, Laramie. Evanston. Now I live in Florida. Much warmer, not so windy.

One style has the tongue part of the larger half and the buckle is on a short, smaller half. The other has the buckle attached to the larger half with the larger half having 2 slots through which the tongue (part of the smaller half) is threaded. For those that have tried both styles- which do you prefer? Is the buckle always on the outside of the boot regardless of style? Thanks.

Great work. I'm just getting started and I'm having some issues on beveling curved lines, especially tight curls. I have a large square beveler which is fine if I am on an outside curve but on inside curves I need something smaller (I think) I have been tilting the stamp and it works okay but was wondering what stamps you use for your work? On the muleshoe, I think I've got that, tilt on subsequent marks to have a smaller size. I've seen some bevelers for sale that instead on a straight up and down side are V shaped. Not sure where they would be used.

Well laugh :) if you must but this belt, it is the tapered end style, so the section with the bullet loops is about 2" wide and the buckle and tongue area 1 1/2" wide. I have drawn out flowers, leaves, scrolls etc. but there seems to be a lot of background area. The holster, I use rawhide lace which is a different color, then a border (stamped) and it is a double loop, so there are loops over the pouch area. In short, there is a lot going on so if the flowers, etc. aren't perfect, you can "sort of" get away with it. Besides you have a large area for the pattern. But on a belt, everything has to be stretched out in a long skinny line and I just don't like what I've come up with, I've redrawn a lot and I practice on scraps. I've searched the net and actually a lot of the carved belts in my opinion don't really look that good. BUT I'll go on going on. This is the best hobby I've ever undertaken, love it.

Post a photo of the belt if possible. I'm working on a similar project and finished a double loop holster for a 4 3/4" gun. One fortunate thing, the loops cover some of the carving, so... between the loops and the border my "so-so" carving ended up looking better than I thought. The carving on the belt, that has been actually more difficult, I'm trying to come up with a pattern and have taken a little from various things I've seen and so far I am practicing sections on scrap pieces of leather. I have a problem with scrolls. The Tandy book has you use a camouflage stamp around the perimeter and you can get things "out of round" and then the background stamp sort of blends in- in any event re-thinking the pattern all the time. But having fun.

Thanks. I already discovered that the temper of leather for a swivel knife is different than for the stamping I've done so I guess a lot of this is putting in the time. I am actually keeping notes of what I have done that looks okay or nor okay. Some of it is by pure accident, I'll look at something I've done and if it looks pretty good- I'll immediately write down what I just did so I don't forget how I did it. In any event, I'm having a lot of fun which is the whole thing if you are a newbie/hobbyist. One thing I've noticed is at first I had no idea what I was doing. Now I look at other examples of good carving and I can tell more what is being done and why it looks better. So...a certain amount of careful studying is worthwhile. I'll bet most newbies such as myself "overdo it". Too much stamping, decorative cuts, etc. in a haphazard manner when a careful analysis and making less marks but well made and well placed marks is at least one key. I'm learning that good carving considers a flow and that is very important.

I'll see if can figure out how. I am sort of behind the times on some computer stuff. Last night I practiced on some scraps and practiced on some scraps using the spoon end of the stylus and I did get a more rounded look. I also tried the bevel, then stamp in certain areas and that was a big improvement. The other thing I did, I was using the swivel knife to make all the cuts- still do that, but then did ALL the camouflage stamping for the whole works, then all the pear shading for the whole thing, etc. Last night I did just one small area until that was what I wanted and then moved over to the next area and that seemed to work better for me. In any event I realize it is okay to think outside the box. I practice a lot on scraps until it is about as good as I can do and then do an actual belt or holster.

Kseidel: I've been studying your work. I think I am overdoing it with too many decorative cuts, too much stamping. Like the girl that puts on too much make up. Probably most beginners do the same thing. Your work has less but looks 100% better. There is a 3d effect on the pear shading. On the darker tones- stamp deeper or burnish the area more or a little of both? Your stems have a rounded, natural effect and mine are flat with beveled edges. My leaves look the same, a flat leaf with pear shading on the inside and then a bevel around the perimeter of the leaf with a flat body. How do you get that rounded effect? Work the area with a stylus? I realize it takes years to develop your level of work. Once again, your work is outstanding?

Thanks on the lifter.

Beautiful work, A-1. Thanks on the beveling. The Tandy book, which I'm starting to l realize was for beginners, has it the other way but it didn't make sense. On pear shading, is it the same? The book had the stamp but if you stamp and then shade, the shade takes out some of the stamp mark. I saw a "you tube" where there was atool to sort of under cut the edge of a flower, etc. to make it stand out more. I think it might have been just for a particular part of a bend, curve, etc.

First, I've asked a lot of questions as a newbie so THANKS everyone for the help, really do appreciate it. You have to carve a few things, look at it, analyze it and ask yourself, "why doesn't this look as good as a lot of the other work I see?" One problem I am having is curved stems or scrolls. A camouflage stamp seems too much of an arc but the Tandy book says to use that stamp and angle it. The veiner seems similar but if used mostly for leaf veins? As a general rule, for a curved stem, how far across do you have the stamp mark and how far across the pear shading? Do you usually stamp the outside of the curve about half way across and pear shade the balance? Maybe every job is its own boss, there are no "rules". Thanks for any comments. Do you have a variety of veiner and camouflage so the tool matches the work? And, as I think about it, if you stamp the outside curve of the stem with a camouflage stamp an then bevel it, right now my beveling seems to be obliterating the camouflage stamp- to a degree.

Thanks- I'm going to buy an angled blade. The "regular" blade, on tight curves I have my eyes right now on the leather trying to follow the scribed lines and really having a problem so I think the angled will help a lot. It will help me follow the scribed line better.

I have a regular, steel swivel knife. I probably have to practice more than I have but small curves seem difficult to make. Is the angled swivel knife blade intended for small curves or something else? The other issue is, the cut needs a certain shape or width. Does the angled blade make this or is the cut subject to closing up? If I get an angled blade, the ceramic costs more but I am wondering how easy it is to sharpen an angled steel blade and keep the bevels okay. The ceramic blade sold by Tandy is steel colored but I am told it is ceramic and I never have to sharpen it, just strop. Comments appreciated.

Actually, a couple of rivets/chicago screws or snaps, dead center- hold the folded over portion together and secure the keeper. I've already got this particular belt done but I don't see much of a negative on snaps, etc.

Thanks- that's what I was talking about- sew in one end and then tuck in the other. The only difference is my keeper is 3/4" wide and so instead of pulling the loops up tight- I left them open so I could manipulate the needles through the holes. Then I pulled them tight. QUESTION- I'm a "newbie" and I bought a fid thinking it was what you use to make holes. I have an awl but it is a scratch awl with a round tip. What I need is what the guy is using in the video- that makes a diamond shaped hole. What is the tool called and the size hole in the video- what size point is best? Thanks.

Well, Probably going to do it as I have done. If you don't sew the loop/keeper together before putting it in place, you can leave one end of the loop open and sew quickly along the belt edge. Then tuck the loop/keeper's other end in place and sew that. I still leave loops between the stitches until I have all the thread in place- the loops let me twist and turn the needles through the holes, once that's done then I pull the loops up tight. Looks okay but I admit it is sort of the "hobbyist" way. A curved harness needle might work well. I usually have four holes, so the first two are angled one direction and the last two the other way- if that makes sense. This project of mine, it's a tapered end cartridge belt, for .357 magnum. The wide section is only 2" and the ends 1 1/2" so not much taper. I started out with 2 1/2" for the wide part but the top and bottom seemed to curl so I cut it down. Center bar, clipped corner buckle. 18 loops. These loops I used the "same hole" in and out method. I had not yet tried it. I've done a couple of standard belts with sewn on buckle straps and sewn on tongues and the loops sewn. and two layers thick. I've done another rig, single layer thick where the loops snake in and out of holes at each end of the loop. Right now I am likely the loop ends going out the same hole, a lot less work making the holes and very fast and simply. Time will tell. The holster on this rig is a Mexican double loop. Single layer. It is all for a Model 65 Smith & Wesson with 4" heavy barrel. This particular gun is small and light, no underlug and no adjustable sights. The idea behind this rig was everything as small and light as possible- no heavy gun leather for a big hog leg, etc. Now the proof is in the use, so I'll see how it feels carrying it around while out in the woods, etc. Actually the lightest, easiest gun to carry in the woods is a Govert 45 ACP with a couple of magazine pouches but I am doing this rig because I am carving both holster and belt, my own pattern. The holster came out nice so the belt carving awaits. Having fun.

When I made my first belts I did what you see on commercially made belts, I folded back the buckle area and put the loop in position and then the loop "free floats" in place, held by a top to bottom line of stitching on both sides of the loop- which secured the folded over part of the buckle strap and also holds the loop in position. I read "sewing Leather" by Al Stohlman and he claims this top to bottom stitching weakens the area and he stitching along the top and bottom edge. I tried this twice and both times it is a battle to angle the needles though the loop and belt leather (front and folded over back). Al used short or curved needles or hog bristles, etc. I left "big loops" until I got through the area and then pulled each stitch tight- not the "professinal" way. In any event, how do the rest of you stitch this area and do you use special needles?

Thanks everyone for the help. It has been quite an adventure. I wanted to make a "western" holster with a rawhide lace in wraps around the edge. I used a regular hole spacing wheel to set up the cuts but I made my own lacing awl (?) from a spare wood carving chisel (the cheap kits for $5 with half a dozen carving tools. The rawhide was home made so I ground down the carving tool to a 3/16' width- which matched the rawhide. In any event I was looking at a photo of an old holster and the lace had disappeared in a few areas but the holes were diamond shaped. At the same time I started reading about braiding the edge. AND an order is in for said book, so a lot going on. I subsequently found out that on the old photos, what I thought was rawhide lace was actually a white or natural calfskin.

I wanted to make a diamond shaped holes for lace, I thought that was what a fid was for- I am new at all this. I have some standard punches from Tandy but they all make a slit about 1/8" wide and on some braid type procedures you need to go through the same hole a couple of times. Maybe what I want is a diamond point stitching awl.

Okay, I bought the C S Osborne fid and just received it. The edges are not sharp so I guess I have to hone them. The fid holes I've seen are diamond shaped and this tool has a flat top and bottom and 90 degree sides. Should I hone the tip into a diamond shape? All help appreciated. Thanks.

I have brought up this several times. I've seen photos of holsters from the old west. Yesterday a person that has seen a lot of these holsters told me it is calfskin, not rawhide. I had no idea. In any event I thought I'd pass this on.

Thanks all, I love the stitching horse, maybe I'll make one.

LA: one more question. I see You-Tubes where the edges are honed on sand paper, etc. I assume this is for making a hole but if you use the same tool to loosen or tighten lace as you braid an edge- it seems the crisp edge might cut the lace, so it seems you would need at least two tools, a fid which makes the hole and then another to pull or tighten up the lace. Another question, in the past I've used a vise with several wood boards to hold the leather, but on a holster, or large piece of leather, you would have a lot of leather below the edge- is there a way to clamp a holster edge? Right now I have used C clamps and 1/4 plywood and cut two pieces of plywood in the contour of the holster edge.