rdb

This is my standard solo bag, with a twist. Customer wanted to match his Ostrich Corbin seat, and the grey bike, but I told him Corbin doesn't use real Ostrich. At $350 for the real bird skin, embossed cow from Zack's was good enough, and less than an exotic leather finish price. To do away with the normal burnished raw edges, I added piping. The whole bag is still a little raw (ie straps), but it still came out good enough, I think.

It'll be fine. It will be a beloved possession, I'm sure. I love the flamey/feather coat, it has nice flow.

I don't belive it will work. The buffing head has to be soft enough to form a groove to the shape of the edge, and be slow enough to not burn. On some production runs, I use a 4" polishing/buffing head in my small drill press. One for brown, one for black, one for neutral. I apply wax to the head, and press the edge into it. It forms a groove nicely into the buffing head, and slicks up fine for me. There is a machine designed specifically for mechanical burnishing. I don't remember off hand, but someone will. He has posted here at LW. Do a search for edge burnishing, it should come up.

Thanx Lawdog. As with the other advice, I'll take your suggestions seriously and incorporate into the next design. I did do a little redesign on the first one, and to keep LW the way I like to think of it, I'll show the new design here. This one has a shortened sweat tab, and curved to not obstruct the grip, more room for fingers to grasp the firearm. Putting the holster on, it seemed to be just the right cant for sitting/driving, but the larger flap side (rear of crossdraw position) seems high over the belt line. If anyone wants to jump in with suggestions, please do. We can all claim this pattern if it does get finalized. We'll call it the "LW Crossdraw". If it never gets off the ground, we wont call it anything ...lol

Thanks everyone. I've started to redesign already based on your suggestions, appreciate them. Mike, You may be right on the cant, but it looks like I can get a bit more out of it, so I will try. I think when I'm done, I'll post right in this Topic, and keep it all together. If nothing else we may see an evolution of a design ( or complete flop...lol)

Zack's definitely sells them. If not in the catalog or web site, just call them.

This is a hard one. There's lots of skulls, dragons, and flying eyes. I think the Asian Koi Fish idea was brilliant. Coming up with something different, that takes frontal lobes! Sometimes it can be as simple as looking out the window, or you could spend days on the internet looking for that one thing that strikes your fancy. If I were to do one today, I think I might look up some old woodprint engravings of Tradesman (i.e. blacksmith, cooper, etc). Anything iron or wheel related should look good on an "iron horse"

You get the "Coolest Project of the Month" Award!!!!!!, and a coupla "well dones".

Thanks Denster! I'll take your suggestions into the next design up, for sure.

They look Aces! Gotto love those liners. Makes me want to get me some. It takes way to much time to make all those pockets by hand, and not nearly as purdy.

Looking good! Should last nearly forever! Glutton? Downright rolling in the slop! My hats off to anyone handsewing a belt. Hey, let's square up the keepers max.

Trying to work out a decent pancake design, that's mine, and works. I haven't tried on it on my body yet, so can't tell you yet how it feels and rides. In the back of my head I had crossdraw in mind. Might not be enough cant, dunno yet. Pardon the sloppy work, but was going for form on this one. Still don't have a press to do the molding/boning. Obviously, I need one... Used my Glock 22c. 8oz veg/277 thread/dipped in dye/harness dressing/sno-proof Critique away, I've already done my share of it, too...lol, but any pro holster makers out there, I'll take any and all suggestions for design improvement. PS: The belt is 10/11 bridle with 4oz veg liner.

Thanx guys! Max, I've actually used this coloring effect many times, especially with the vinegaroon. It just gives a completely different look than all the other black biker things. It lets you know there is leather under there. I made the piping, Luke, just folded over some thin black leather, no string or rope, but I didn't glue the middle of it, so when folded the natural roll of the bend looks like there's a round insert....cheap and easy. Unrelated bike stuff: I've already switched out the stock shocks for shorter ones, so it sits a bit lower, but I'm not chopping the frame on this one. If I ever see some dollars again, I'll probably build more of a chopper/bobber thing. There's actually plenty of torque in this old '88 883, and I can keep up right fine with my bros on Big Twins. I want the extra boost for emergencies, plus...I want to leave a few of them in the dust, just to see their jaws drop....lol

I want to do a conversion on my old sportster, from 883 to 1200. My mechanic of choice is willing to do some trading, so he gets these first off. He wanted lightweight leather so 6/7 and 4/5. Piping on front panel. I vinegarooned with a sponge, cause I didn't have a big enough container to dunk, So instead of pure black, there's leather color showing through, with blues and greys as the light hits it. Top coated with Sno-Proof for a waxy feel. Looks much better in real life, very funky. Didn't use a pattern, just jumped in. Will change the flap a little, and get accurate strap placements, when I work this up on posterboard, for paying customers...lol. Anywho, Thanx fer lookin'.

Another fine job! Good customer care.

Glad you liked it everyone. I've been a steampunk fan a long time, but I'll be damned to know how you make it a paying gig. but it's everywhere...somebody is buying these art pieces. Maybe someday Tom Banwell can give us a good round of information. I suppose you do like all the other niches, just dive in.

99% of the problem you are experiencing is ( I'm willing to wager) that the knife is not sharp enough. Out of the box the Osbornes aren't sharp enough. There's some good threads/tips on this board explaining the whys and wherefores, and even how to sharpen. Dig a little deeper here on the board with some searches, and you'll see. A well sharpened knife will cut through and around any corner, at any point on the blade.

http://www.dyscario.com/design/steampunk-taxidermy-by-lisa-black.html

Of course stamp then sew, sorry for my thought processes...I type faster than I think...lol Call some of the vendors, they have scrap bundles, or pieces left over from their manufacturing. Work out a pattern, then just ask for a piece big enough...say as an example, 8" by 32". 8/9 oz leather is probably heavier than you need for a holster, more like 6/7oz. I'm sure there's a lot of people here who will help out, once you decide to go for it.

There's no way to buy into leathersmithing on the cheap. As a hobby, it's like any other, you'll spend more money every week. I would not want to turn away anybody from taking it up, but there has to more than a desire to save money on products you see. Most foreign made stuff (probably that holster) is made from leather they get before us, and twice as cheap, and from labor paid well below our minimum wages. If they made it here in the US, they buy leather at the pallette price, click everything out on their expensive machinary, and sell so many they can reduce labor cost. Now if you were resourcesful, you could make that holster by hunting for some leather scrap, picking up a couple needles, and some waxed thread, and using the tools given to you. After you made a posterboard pattern, cut it out, sew it by hand, and stamp your designs. Your cost then would only be your labor and thread. But sooner or later, you'll have to invest. There are plenty of vendors here to find leather a bit cheaper (some sell scraps, too), and better than a local Tandy, but you'll have to invest some research time on the Board, here, to see what you might want out of this as a hobby. You can save money AFTER you have invested. Takes money to save money. Most people in leatherworking, just have a deep down desire to make things. Things they can't buy elsewhere, or to make better versions of those things. What do you want to say: "I saved $10.", or "Look what I made." To say both means you spent a lot more money than it actually costs at the store. just my 2 pennies, and I can barely afford them....lol

They look great, Luke! Cool idea, too...I can see a belt with pippin cuts all the way around, then you could place the sheath anywhere you wanted.

Dusty Chap Leathers seems to be moving up to the Big Show. Nice bag!

Luke's absolutely right. A good motor burnish will work fine, but eventually it will "shag" out. I use a great deal of black bridle. Bridle leather in general is a joy to work with. It slicks up easy...actually, too easy for deep penetration of dyes. You always want to burnish before edge dyeing, just so the dye goes on smoothly. When I use the dye, I do a medium burnish. More dye gets sucked in. Then I do a final heavy burnish. I have had Great success using vinegaroon on edges. It has to be a good brew of it, not a weak one, but it works especially good on black bridle. It gets sucked in deep, and doesn't discolor the barrel tanned black of the leather. A light coat of oil over the edge, dry, then run it through a motorized burnisher, and some top finish...it's a thing of beauty.

Thanx Bobby, glad you agree, just so I don't think I'm going crazy...lol Yep Tom, I don't get to play artist often enough, I need a truckload of cowboys to move near me so my carving comes up to snuff...lol

Well done, higgy! Edges look better. That bag would look good with welting. Try that next.