Jordan

The way I found that works for me is to do all my layout measuring from the centerline out, remembering to allow for a fold allowance depending on the total thickness of the item ie. 1 or 2 layers and add a quarter inch, works most of the time! So on that case you have 4 layers of leather and 2 layers of harmonicas and 2 fold allowances plus a quarter inch, before centering the design, if that makes any sense at all. Oh...... then you have to figure in a border area. LOL Sometimes it turns out better just doing the whole thing on the fly and living with the results.......I like it and I am sure the harp player will be estatic about it.

Yes the edges still need work, I have been thinking of making my own to ease back into woodworking.

Store is located in Roy on the approximate border with Riverdale

Thanks all, the leather is pretty thin, from the scrap pile at my local tandy probably 1/8th of an inch thick.

They both look very good. If the reinforcing piece was a bit longer you could use the same sewing holes that are in the wing area, it would save some sewing and would help the added piece blend a little better with the holster. Nothing wrong with it just a suggestion, kind of like this one

I used a tandy tool with a tiny ball end, can't remember what it is called but is used to transfer patterns to cased leather, a scribe maybe. Then after the lines were well defined I used a medium point black sharpie. Very tedious to keep the lines straight but a straight edge really helped.

Here are a couple of items I have been working on. I have been in a slump lately and not doing much leather stuff, must be the holiday doldrums. Anywho... the first is a chess / checker board that is 15 & 1/2 " square. Each sq. is 1&3/4" I am still trying to decide what type of base to mount it on, and what type of pieces to get. I will probably go with oak with a drawer to store the pieces. The second is a holster for a Springfield mini compact .45 that I posted last night, still need to cut the belt slots and finish it but like I said....having some trouble with motivation right now.

I suppose I should get back to part of the original question, I used graph paper to make the pattern cutting and taping the various parts until I found a shape I liked that pretty much fit around the pistol leaving the back piece sort of flat. Which makes the front piece much wider in order to wrap around the pistol. Then I unfolded everything and transfered it to card stock. Then transfered it to the leather, cut it out and freehanded the stitching grooves. Edge beveled and sewed it together, wet the entire thing and formed it with the pistol, my hands and a plastic edge creaser. Of course as usual it ended up the wrong width for the XD40 as it is a very thick gun( experimentation is the fun part, frustration it don't fit is not) but as luck would have it I had a bluegun mini compact .45 that did fit so I was able to save the day so to speak. LOL As to the other part of the question, pete if you think it would fit your pistol send me a pm and I will see what I can do.

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Well, I put it together and of course miss measured, It ended up fitting a Mini Compact .45 made by Springfield Armory. It is drying right now, and I have some photos, but my batteries died, so I will post them when they have recharged. Still have a little work to do like cut out the belt slots, burnish, finish dye or oil etc.Here they are.....

The bluegun I have is an XD40 Compact so not sure if it will work

Interesting, I just came up from the basement after working on a pattern for that pistol, Not sure if the bluegun I have is a 9mm or not. If it works out I will post some pictures in a day or so.

Wish I had my dream car 1955 BN2, british racing green and buttersoft tan leather,,,OMG what a beautiful machine, oil leaks and all. I will stick to merican measurements as my brain won't learn metric. Just stubborn and poor at math anyway. If I had grown up elsewhere, I probably would be just as stubborn about using anything but metric.

I dye after boning and it is throughly dry. I don't feel that water temp has much to do with pliability, room temp has worked for me. No best place to start other than to use your hands and fingers to get the general shape then use whatever smooth tool you want to define the features you want. Gently remove the pistol after you are satisfied with the shape etc and let it air dry. I have used a vacuum bag to get the general shape which saves some pain in my hands. There are some that will dip the dry holster in dye let dry and then dip in clear acrylic finish.

Those dang diddlys are always squatting and the tiddlys are always winking......heheheh... Old is a state of mind, started learning about 2-3 yrs ago and at 54 still learning...... mostly to mind my peas and cues

Two options off the top of my head 1. Use an antique gel, which will settle in the tooling and make it darker than the rest. 2. Use a clear resist on the tooling then an all in one tan finish, which will prevent most of the finish from coloring the tooling. I am sure a lot of other options will be written by others. Oh yea, you could just oil it and buff it out. Good luck and be sure to practice on scrap then post a finished photo.

Had to read, thought maybe a henley knofe was a new pastry recipe

The holsters I have made have ended up plenty hard with just wet moulding and an acrylic finish, one I had used a little thinner leather so I added a layer around the throat that keeps it open enough to reholster. Personal preference I guess, I don't plan on driving my pickup over them to test their strength though. Some people express concern that the hardness of leather will not be nice to the pistols finish, but then I see them wearing a kydex one. go figure. As with any product sellers always look for an edge in marketing, I think one should purchase an item that works for them, and try not to get influenced by advertizing too much. (virtually impossible most of the time)

Marketing Hoooey.

Your going to get a little cold without anymore shirts, as the weather is changing here in Utah LOL. Try a local trade school store for a welding apron or a Bar supply for a Keg apron or those dang reproducing worse than rabbits, wal marts for $5.00 long sleeve tee shirts.

That engine will be killer, super detailed drawing and excellent work so far, well done as usual, I would be lucky to get anywhere near that good!, the recipient will be one proud rider.

One way would be to bring the ends out between the two layers tie the knot snip the ends tuck it in with a modeling spoon and tamp the slight bulge with your mallet

Kinda like the old blues masters, they could make an old plywood box and a 2x4 sound like the best guitar ever made!

Very nice work. Big House Daddy sells a book on boot making among lots of other stuff. I have not seen or read it just threw it out there for the info.

I think I have narrowed it down to the size issue. My screen is 1440x900 so the picture expanded past the controls to close it. I finally figured out how to reduce the no squint settings until I could access them with my mouse. Guess it is a trade off between my old eyeballs and the add on software in firefox. LOL, without it my poor eyes can't read the text and all the other font adjustments just don't look right. Funny how it does not happen with other pictures though. Dang this new fangled technology stuff. My dad used to say thank goodness he retired before he had to suffer through learning how to use the things. I do have a few pangs of nostalgia for the prepersonal computer eara ( early 1970's for those who think there have always been computers, ipods, CD's and such) If you wanted one you had to build it with a HeathKit and it pertty much did nothing but turn little lights on and off. We've come along way baby! to paraphrase a popular commercial of the time. Sort of got off subject a little sorry, I do like your stuff and am waiting to see the finished project.