Colt W Knight

Honestly, depends on the quality of poly head. I made a bunch of mauls, and Nylon 6/6 held up much better than the UHMW plastic and HDPE heads. But I have a Stohlman 2 lbs maul with a UHMW plastic head that I have used to make about 80 GPS tracking collars for cows. It has seen a lot whacks on punches, and while you can see and feel impact marks, it hasn't lost any chunks or cracked.

I use Weaver and Cs. Osborne slot punches. The CS Osbornes are made with chunkier material and a nice big handle, but the weaver master tool punches work better. They came super sharp and have a straight cutting edge. I can't say the same for Cs Osbourne punches. They require work to get them right.

I feel like this step is often overlooked when when using contact cement. If you let that glue set a bit, then really press it together, it isn't going to cause any troubles.

I really like working with Latigo leather, the only draw back is that it bleeds when wet.

What kind of thread are you using? Bonded nylon or polyester?

Mine is 16-17 years old, and you can hardly tell its been used. I have a set of expensive diasharp DMT diamond stones, but to be honest, the Norton is way easier and quicker to use. I use the DMT stones to level frets on guitars.

Mine is HP-C, I believe.

I use 3M super 77 to glue fabric to leather. I spray both sides, stick them together, then iron cloth side using the steam setting.

I use a nice Iwata brush, and spray Fiebings pro oil dye. I fussed with cheap air brushes for a while, and they were always breaking, leaking, clogging, sputtering or something. The iwata just works like it's supposed to. I clean it with an ultrasonic cleaner. I am very happy I invested in an airbrush

Thanks, Sporty. When I build guitars, I call that finish a sunburst.

I had a 1954 model Singer 66, it would sew some light leather, but I never could get it to reliably feed leather. It was hell on wheels for cloth though. Beautiful straight stitch machines

Thanks yall

I have the weaver setter, and the only time I have that problem is when the rivet isn't sitting nice and square on the anvil or I'm not using a good sturdy surface. If you bend that shank, it will get stuck. I only strike my rivet setter once to set the burr, and then give it a few whacks while rotating the tool to peen it over into a nice dome

I wet corners where it bends before I bend mine. Once it's dry, it gets 1 light coat of neatsfoot oil.

A friend of mine calls and says her friends husband is having a birthday and they want me to make a holster for him. Well, I don't really do holsters. I don't have a big enough sewing machine, and I don't hand stitch anymore. First, I asked them what handgun he had because its real easy to say no when I know they have a hand gun I do not have to use as a pattern/wet form. Since he was a Glock guy, I told them I didn't have one to use, so I couldn't make one. Well, a week before his birthday he buys a Kimber 1911, and they called again knowing damn well I have an entire collection of 1911s. First thing I told them was that they should have a real holster guy make it, and they just said no, they want me to make it. I used JLS 1911 pattern, modified it some to suit my needs, and made a holster. It is Wicket and craig 4/5 ounce vegtan with the same leather as a liner. Like I said, I don't have the machine for this work, so all the important seams got double stitched with #138 bonded nylon, and the perimeter is single stitch #138. I dyed it with Fiebings pro oil Mahogany, and airbrushed the edge with fiebings pro oil black. I just printed the flag out from the internet and tooled it, and used 1/4" Tandy letters. I did wet mold it, and harden it in the oven. I am not a big fan of boning out holsters so you can see ever line and crevice, so I just mold it enough for retention and call it good. I did tool it with my handmade bevelers. Here it is with my Colt 1911 before the final clear and baking They were all really happy with it, and here it is finished with its new Kimber

Nope

Another option would be to use copper foil tape as a backer, that way if can shield the electronics from things like 60 cycle hum from electronice devices/fluorescent bulbs.

I've made several, and I have never used any stiffenters or backing. I have put some on with screws and some on with double side tape. I've built a lot of guitars, and I wouldn't want a thick pick guard with a thick backer and leather. If anything, I would just line the back with brown paper sack material or packing tape.

I just got a beautiful WandC double shoulder that was supposed to be 5 ounce, and it's only 3.

My consew 206rb has a Family Sew servo motor and larger pulley - no speed reducer pulley setup and it has plenty of power and will sew very slow.

I trace photos

Making mauls is fun.

I hadon't a really bad problem with this on a bunch of cheap hides. Basically, the alcohol is making an oil slick with oils from the hide. Now, I clean all my leather with saddle soap prior to working with it, and I never had that problem again. It also works after the fact, but I just apply the saddle soap when I am wetting the leather for tooling.

I don't remember the maker, but I saw a special on a London shoe maker who made shoes pretty much like they did 100 years ago. Almost his entire shop was full of lasts that he makes for every person he has ever made a shoe for.

HideHouse, Napa, Ca