Warren

I just finished this Mexican Loop holster today. That's a Ruger Single Six convertable in the holster for you gun afficianados. The gun belongs to my brother. Now I just have to make the cartridge belt to go with it. At least the holster and belt aren't his Christmas present. If they were I would be in trouble since I won't have the belt finished in time, LOL. Oh well, back to the grindstone.

Having the right tools will always make a huge difference in the quality of work that can be produced. After that it's just a matter of practicing until your technique catches up and you've mastered all your present tools. Then you need more or better tools so you can do more things or better work. Then the race starts all over again! So welcome to the never ending cycle and enjoy yourself!

WOW! Truly beautiful work. The quality work of your work shows without a doubt.

Thanks for the info. I will try to find a copy here in town.

Love the design! Should look great on the bike when your finished!

Sure Kani. I found it on the web, so I guess it's fair game. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner but I've been at the station for 48 hours straight.

Hey Kevin, let me put it to you like this. I really kinda hope he doesn't cause then it will go in my pocket! LOL just kidding, I know he's gonna love it. Thanks again.

Welcome from a fellow Texan!

Welcome and cool mocs!

Welcome and glad to have you!

Johanna, just so you know he will make you something if you ask. I just received the wallet that I asked him to make for my son. I left a post about it in the leatherwork conversation section.

Hey I wanted to let everyone onthe forum know what a great guy Kevin is. I had him make a wallet for my son as a Christmas gift. It was very affordably priced, well designed and the workmanship is outstanding. This guy is a true artist/craftsman. I highly recommend him and his work to anyone interested.

Welcome and I love the horn bags! Post more pictures, as we all love to look at what everyone does!

I am in the process of making a .22 cartridge belt right now and the only thing to say is,"WHAT A PAIN". I had previously done so loops for .38 cartridges on a chest holster that I posted on the forum. They were hard to do and I only made 6 loops. I'm putting 25 on a belt for my son. It's a nightmare! As for what Go2Tex said about the zigzag stitch, I don't know about it wearing out (seems like it would to me too) but it's done with a machine. Since I don't have a machine I can't do it that way. I tried to cut slots but didn't like the way it looked and it didn't hold the .22 shells very tightly. I was afraid of the loops stretching or some of them being empty and the strap moving. Then you lose cartridges so whats the point of a cartridge belt? So I am just sewing them on by hand. Maybe it'll be finished by Christmas, I hope.

Very nice! Wish my wife would carry something like that, I would happily attempt it.

I had a leather working kit as a kid but never got the hang of it. The kit is long since gone. Last year while recovering from back surgery I was going crazy from boredom. Having always been active sitting around not doing anything was driving me crazy. I had some guys that I worked with at the fire dept. who had done some leather repairs for me. I would watch them and think "Hey I can do that". So one day I went to the leather shop by my house and looked around. I had in mind to make a holster I had seen in a magazine. The article told you how to make the holster and I was bound and determined to try. I bought the supplies and a hand stitching kit and went home. I made some key fobs, phone holsters,etc. and worked on learning how to do stuff. I found this forum a couple of months ago and the rest is history. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences!

From the bottom of my heart, Thank You!

I have only one thing to say, WOW! I don't do carving so I can't critique it, but as far as your construction and stitching go I can't see any flaws. Keep it up!

As a lifetime gun owner I can't imagine (and don't want to) a place where I can't. Not only so I can hunt and protect my family and myself from predators, but also so I can if the need arises defy my government or defend my country. The 2nd amendment does not guarantee the right to have arms so we can hunt and target shoot and defend ourselves from crime. It's there to allow us the citizens of the United States the power to defy our government when they do something we deem to be wrong. It allows us to set our government back on the path we deem correct and non-tyrannical. It also allows us the means to defend that same said country in times of need. The militia spoken about in the second amendment isn't the National Guard, it's the people. The people of this country have the power and the responsibility of defending our country and ourselves in times of need. It is not and never has been the government s responsibility to to defend her citizens or provide for their wants needs or desires. Too many people think the government is there to take care of them, when in truth it is the other way around. We as citizens have a responsibility to rake care of our government, by being involved in our government (i.e. voting lobbying etc.) and even being in armed rebellion against it if necessary. In the USA it is every good citizens responsibility to not only be willing but able to fulfill this obligation and the only way to do that is to be armed. This is my stance. Anyone in this country has the right to disagree with me because the people of this country have fought and died for that right and they did it with guns. A person who is armed is a citizen, a person who is not armed is a subject and a person who is disarmed is a slave. I'm not sure who said this but I whole heartedly agree with it.

Sorry, it took me a while to find this among all my bookmarks. Go to www.sodhoppers.com and look at their "goop". It may do what your wanting.

Very, very nice work! It's worth every bit of $150.00. I posted a shoulder rig here on the forum with only the holster lined and If I had been selling it I would have charged at least that for it. As it was the agreement I had with a friend was he would pay for the materials. Hey he's a friend and I wanted the chance to do the holster. Then he comes by to get it while I'm at work and my wife says he can just have it, no charge! She gripes at how much I spend on my "hobby" then turns down money when it's offered and she had nothing to do with it. Go figure! Anyway I loved the border-stamp on the holster and I know all about hand-stitching so keep it up and post more pictures. The only thing better than doing work is seeing everyone elses.

Very nice Matt. I hope I can do as well someday.

Have you guys ever heard of some stuff called URAD? I bought some at the National Cowboy Symposium here in Lubbock back in September. It was selling like hotcakes there. The lady who was selling it demoed it on the boots I was wearing. These were my work boots that I wear for my side job which is a lawn maintenance business. It pulled dirt out of the leather like saddle soap and left a nice shine when it dried which only took a few minutes. She told me she uses it on all of her saddles and tack. I found it on the web later by googleing Urad leather cleaner. It's kinda pricey at around $20 a jar but worth it in my opinion. Warren

I understand what your saying, but another way to look at it is that you did do it by hand. It won't ever look like machine stitching and thats not a bad thing. You do the best you can at the time your doing it and go from there. Unless the customer complains you live with it, learn from your hiccups and try to do better next time. I don't practice sewing as I don't have time. All the practice I get is sewing on projects as I do them. Some come out better than others, but I've never been ashamed of any of them.I would have gladly paid good money for any of the 3 items you posted. Keep up the good work! Warren

Hey you can't buy something like that at any price! It's a one-of-a-kind, there will never be another one like it. So be proud!