Rayban

Seems we can't wake up the sleeping alligator.

Me too!!

That's too pretty to wear IWB....

Great looking work Troop! You use wooden forms to make your mag pouches?

I would like to address your questions based on my limited experience with horse hide. Horse seems to be more dense...tighter, if you will....than cow. I wouldn't say it's harder to work with, but different. It doesn't mold as easily, not does it carve and stamp as easily as cow. It certainly does not dye the same as cow.....horse ends up being kinda splotchy.....I have much smoother results with cow. Should you try it? For sure......the butts that Springfield sells for $10 is a great deal and enough leather there to do several projects....then YOU can determine if horse is for you.

Very nice work, I like this holster a lot. Question, I'm planning on making myself a field rig for a semi-auto of mine, and it will basically be a WB design such as yours. What is the purpose of the left and right tabs I see in your design. I have seen them before on other holsters, and I get how they are constructed around the belt, but I haven't figured out why. Thanks Rg

I'm working on one now, very same situation. I'll post a pic tomorrow on your thread if you don't mind. While you won't be able to get "lock down" type retention in the trigger guard, I believe you can still get some, then some at the extraction port..........Plus, I believe that proper fit alone will give "adequate retention" on a pancake. As my customer says, "my jumping over fences, and crawling on the ground days are over"........we both agree that a good fitting holster will do the job.

Congrats on your new machine, you'll love it....it will CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!....well, that's a bit of a stretch, but you'll enjoy it.... And happiness is help 10 minutes down the road...have fun!!

Nice going on your purchase of the CB 3500...and that's a beautiful rig. How wide is the leather strap you used on the belt please.? And what did you use for a liner? And while we're at it....the stitching looks a bit finer than I am getting, please share your needle/thread sizes too........thanks!! Rg

After a few years of hand stitching all my work with waxed thread bought at Tandy, I tried a project using the size 277 thread that I normally run on my machine. It took some getting used to for me. The nylon thread was very flimsy and kept pulling out of the eyelet of the needles.....let's just say it was very slow going. I believe that for using nylon thread, a smaller awl blade and needles are necessary too. But the end result was fine. For handstitching, I'll be using waxed thread whenever possible, just my preference.

If it didn't have some "character marks" on it, it wouldn't look hand made.....

The belts look great, love em! Looks like the edges could use a little more rubbing, but I'm being nit picky now.......thanks for sharing.

Good job on the belt....not a good idea to try to stitch with one long length anyway as the thread starts getting kinda frayed going through them holes so many times. I hand stitched a belt once.....just once. Again, it looks real nice. Rg

Looks like good solid gear...nice workmanship. It's fun playing "dress-up" with your guns when you can make your own holsters, yes?

I recently bought the CB 3500 from Bob. I'm quite the stitching machine novice myself, but we're getting along very well, and I gain more comfort and confidence with it every day. I remember the 4500 sitting next to it, and passed on it because I didn't think I could get it in my car.......seriously, I just don't need an arm that long.....the 3500 fits me just fine. From what I understand, the CB 4500 and the Cobra Class 4 are basically the same machine, but again, I'm a novice, so what do I know? Good luck.......hook em Horns!!

I see a fine looking piece, excellent forming. My only question is how do you like the fit? It looks like it may be kinda high off the belt line. I was wondering it would work better if you attached the upper snap assembly to the holster with a t-nut, then snap to it. It would lower the pouch into your waist band more. But that's a matter of preference I guess. Otherwise, I say it's a really good job.

Geez...I wonder which brand Art favors ???

I just wanted to show this one off....again. Bruce gifted it to me over two years ago, and I immediately started carrying it daily...I don't leave the house without it. I'm still amazed that the tooling and stamping is as crisp as the day it arrived. Thanks once again Bruce!!

leverguy....I'm not one of them pros you referred to but I just got a new machine, Cowboy 3500, that can make easy work of those projects you mentioned. While it is made in China, I believe Wiz would concur with me that it is a fine machine. And at $1700 I don't think you can get a better buy for a new machine.

You're on the right track.....but Uncle Al (that's how I affectionately refer to Al Stohlman) shows that you should add a folded-over welt between the two panels of leather being sewn together. I know it's in one of the books I have by him....I'll have to do a little research and get back to ya. Rg

I wondered the same thing......must be the meds....

Great looking rig, a real piece of art!!

Tough act to follow...... Here's something I started using this winter because leather does not dry very fast when it's 55 degrees in the shop.... A small space heater/blower (Lowe's, $12), and a box.......the warm air swirling around the piece drys it in short order and the result is a pretty hard/stiff leather piece. I've been very happy with it.

That's kinda cool...the stitching along the top of the barrel forms a nice front sight channel.

I realize this is an older post....but here ya go.. http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/product_info.php?cPath=41_56&products_id=2089