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Anytime Billy! Come on down. Thanks. I'll be down in Georgia for a bike trip middle next month (least that's where we plan on...sure as shootin we'll end up in Tennessee, instead...plans? we don't need no stinkin plans...lol), but that's about as close to FL as I'll get for a long time. I would have liked to know the old man, i'll bet he had some leather tales.

Great stuff, inspiring, as always. Although I have to wonder how spoiled the dog is that gets that collar...lol.

This bag is on it's way to Canada. Guy called and said he wanted the rustic look. A quick trip to Zack Whites, and I got this leather. Tim called it "Charlie Horse". It's a pull-up leather, it changes colors at bends, etc. I've got some other plans for this stuff. I like it. I threw a small pouch on snaps inside. Brass buckles outside. SS bridle buckles inside.

Hundred years old, and they still make the exact buckles for bridles and such, ...cool I'ld hand stitch them on to good bridle leather, the same way they've done it since those were brand new.

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I have seen advertised those kinds of belts with a reinforced layered section on the strong side alone. Probably ABS or webbing The rest of the belt is normal. It's just a thin double layered and stitched belt used as a "dress belt" to carry. They are only 1.25". I have not seen a 1" type. Personally, I wouldn't think they would work all that well, because the strong side might be good but the rest of the belt would give easy, but I've never tried one, so I can't be sure.

Welcome Mike!!! Lot's to see here. We can't wait to see the stuff you make...INCLUDING THE GUITARS!!

I had mixed feelings about answering this request. But I will anyways, and somewhat seriously, I guess. I did look at your website, and can see a passion for what you hope to create. I also see that you are willing to hire professionals to help move in the right direction. The past year, I have worked with several individuals and companies wanting prototype work done. All good people, but not seeming to grasp all that is entailed in such work. I have invested a great deal of my time in developing patterns from such things as old photographs, or crude drawings. Some have decided not to follow up their ideas, based on the samples I have provided, either because of my interpretive vision, or it not living up to their vision on the first go round. Some continue to work with me. But for a few, time spent has not equaled pay. That's the nature of a small craftsman's business. He is willing to invest his own time towards maybes. Those that have thriving shops, with employees tend to not want to give up time towards "possible" ventures. They have enough on their benches. As in all this work, there are difficulties. First off, however, there is the communication gap. Email is the least effective method of transferring a vision into a final product. Phone calls can often work out some details, but in the end, after discussions, and mailing back and forth samples and prototypes, there are still problems to work on. Someone has to be in it for the long haul to make it work. The last up and coming fashion bag designer I read about, invested over $100,000 between prototyping designs and launching their product. That included computer design work, tannery choices, and live testing. It did not include marketing expenses. They reached out to CAD developers, craftsmen, and pattern makers to get exactly what they had envisioned. To reach the higher end market intended, I think that is a bare minimum. Anything else is pure luck, like a viral video catching on. A craftsman can help develop a product, most often at less cost than assembling a team of professionals, but not without hours of trials and errors. The person who wants their vision to be real has to be willing to accept that, and be able to finance the work through the discouragements, and until a satisfactory conclusion. Manufacturing on a large scale would probably require more than most on this board would be capable of. A few dozen, or even a hundred with some months of time, sure, but 1000 next week, not likely. Large scale operations require large scale capabilities, and investment. All that being said, I'm here in my one man shop up in NC, feel free to contact me.

There's a fine line between expanding when you WANT to, and expanding when you NEED to. There is a great deal of expenses to maintain a larger facility or retail store. And when, what was once extra cash is now the rent, it hurts more than you planned on. The only person making money at that point is the landlord. I want to expand everyday! But I'm holding back. I'll work on the floor cutting sides, until there's two of me having to do that....

The standard for "sunbathing", is a coat of neatsfoot, and rub to a slight polish when dry. It will darken the leather more than a product called Lexol, which will also work. The products you mentioned are all top coats that put a protective finish on the final product after your sun tan. They all work to different degrees, and different shines. By experimentation, You will have to determine yourself which one will fit your planned looks.

I will Pm you later tonite. I am at the range right now.

I haven't posted too much lately, been too busy not making any money. I have a lot in the pipeline, but developing patterns, producing samples for potential commercial accounts, and setting up new equipment has slowed the sales work down. But I did manage to make up some two layer gunbelts yesterday. These are my current retail line, not custom. I supply these to a few ranges, and shops. I thought they looked pretty good, this morning, so I took a few pics. They are 9/10 oz bridle leather with 4 oz veg tan liner. Brass buckles with nickel finish. Finished with Atom Wax, and Sno-Proof. White 207 nylon in the bobbin, matching 277 color on top stitch. Thanks fer the looking, hope everyone's having the best day ever.

. I stand most of the day. My main workbench is high. I stand there to cut and assemble. I stand at my Artisan 3000, and the Adler patcher, and I sit at the Singer 31-15 (not used very often). Hope to get my cobra 17 soon, that will be a sit downer, I'll look forward to that for breaks during the day.

Nice little space to start off with, beats the kitchen table like a lot of us started on...lol Now get rid of that picture on the wall, throw up some shelving for dyes and such, a place for the hand tools to hang from for easy grab...spot lighting and a cup holder to get spills away from all the nice work you'll produce there!

ShortBBL, I've been known to make a belt or two. As to your original question, being able to make 6-8 double layer gunbelts in a day...Yes, that is a reasonable goal, especially with a few production type methods. You can cut all the blanks at one time, skive and slot all, etc. A way to look at things is to figure how long each step actually takes you. Cutting the blank, skiving the end, slots and screw holes, edge beveling, edge creasing, ink and burnishing, making the loop, dyeing if necessary, finishing, gluing, sewing by machine, final buckle install. If you are set up properly, none of these steps take longer than 5 minutes, and most under that. 2-3 plain belts in an hour, yes again. A basket stamped belt with sewn liner, yes again. I can easily see how some carved, and laced, or buckstitched belts can go on for days. The originality of the design, the intricacies of the carving, the style of lacing, or even hand stitching. Some might work up faster, some need a bit more time and love.

There's a big difference between part timer, and full time holster maker. Neither one has the ideal situation. Personally, I'm just stating off in the larger holster world, with eons of learning to do. It used to be one thing to make a custom holster every once in awhile, another to make production runs for samples at gun shops, or large requests. I've spent the past few months building a few patterns that might work on the retail level, a few that seem to do well, and then there are the possibles. With so many types of weapons, and the cost of blue/duncan guns, it will take a long time for me to catch up. Every where I look online, the custom makers are putting up signs on their web page shutting down all new orders, or putting off deliverys for weeks, if not months. Supply and demand, simple! But a business model that takes all this into account is imperative! There are some basic standards, I would think, that you may be able to make up a stockpile of, in a few styles, such as pancake, avenger, belt slide. You know your customer base best. They might include a few Glock 17-22, Beretta 92fs, jframe. I wouldn't go too crazy, as noted above, the one thing for sure is that if you have it in stock, the customer wants something else. The old shop keepers motto is, "If one person asks for something, tell them you may have it in the future. If a second person asks, tell them you'll have it next time they're in. If a third customer asks, you better have it."

I have several sets of that type letter, both brass, and steel. I got them some 40 yrs back. Sometime last year I looked up pricing for new sets...BE Very glad you don't have to buy them nowadays. They are hard to line up very any series of letters/nos. But they are excellent for small initialing, or stamping run numbers or date markings on things, or even 1.2.3 of a series of things.

Jeez, they look great, Josh!! I remember when....lol

I think that was qualifies as a "Humdinger"! Tell us a little about the construction and dyework. Does the compass point/cross have any specific meaning?

You, again, Doc!... Thanks! I did use white thread, and then dyed. Sometimes I like the contrast, without having to change out thread. My machine is especially acting up lately, so I really don't want to change things up, including the thread...lol

Thanx Houlihan! I either got them from Ohio Travel bag, or Zack Whites...can't remember. Don't get old if you can help it....

Thanx Doc! Still a little rusty at it,still. but it'll do for a sample Hope your PC is alright, if I can help just PM.