plinkercases

Good luck finding 44 but here is a link to Tandy that has pre slotted and snapped blanks up to 42; https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/natural-cowhide-leather-belt-blanks?sSearch=natural cowhide leather belt blanks or craftsman which perhaps mean better leather up to 40 https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/craftsman-belt-blanks?sSearch=craftsman belt blanks look forward to seeing what you come up with. Have fun with your project.

Thanks for the end of week chuckle.

yup good points all round.. not sure what's wrong with having a stripper in the shop though... just to have an extra set of hands to hold down the leather when needed.

Actually I don't think this is exactly really what JLS suggested. If I got his suggestion right. The arc radius is not equal to the width of the belt but is a segment of a much larger arc from three larger cycles centered outside the pattern Think Venn diagram where three larger circles over lap. JLS I am having a tool and die friend make a template just like that (not a die) for just than and from the buckle end. "English-ish" point and round as well. If you are getting a die made why not get the holes as well or is that so you can place them yourself to length once the belt is tooled and stretched a bit? And as for the partial arc punch set I have that sitting in my shopping cart and glad to here that for 10 bucks they are worth it. I just got paid so I can check them out tomorrow

Also looks like this shape perhaps? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuleaux_triangle

Just saw these in the latest Tandy flyer and think they are new. https://www.tandyleather.com/en/search/?sSearch=strap end template

Agreed post a picture and we may be able to help.

Another good piece of work. I have used RH patterns for LH holsters and been caught by the controls such as mag releases and safety's so I always have to pause and think/walk the pattern through and make sure I am still clear of the controls when flipping. And yes I often am working on LH and stop with a panic....

I always moisten the piece evenly not just where the tooling stamping is. And since you are using oil based is would make sense that the moisture content at different areas would take the oil differently.

I did rig one up like Stohlman's and not even sure where I stashed it... haven had to make around for a while but am planning to make a new back pack for myself... I would love to see this rig you saw. Any pictures?

I use the method in the Stohlman book and it works very well. I had to make my own rein rounder out of oak rather than buy a metal one but once you get the sewing done the rounding can be accomplished in an manner of inventive ways following the spirit of the process.

weird but wonderful as usual.

I have done that where I get a spec wrong and redo it and send both to them for the price of one... And got return business so not all a loss.

I could find some more tiles and make them by hand and sell them on etsy...... or make a video on how to make them and sell them on etsy... but a hand made video.... But seriously if I do find more round edged glass tile a bet they would cost less than 40 bucks USD a pop!

I just double checked mine and it is actually a glass tile.. so rather than going to a glassier try a tile place. I mounted mine in a wood handle but isn't really necessary. I think I will now keep my eyes open in the goodwill places for a glass lid too.

Good caution on the Gum... they should sell it as a blocker. Thanks for the reminder too about the glass.. I work fro a consulting firm and often raid the samples library for stuff and found 3x5 glass samples with rounded edges and they are great for shaping and smoothing/burnishing. I am sure you may be able to pick them up at a glass and mirror place. Tandy's is goofy expensive.

all three volumes have great examples in them and even if we don't have those kinds of cameras or radios etc. anymore the techniques can be used for all kinds of applications. I got the PDF versions and refer to them often.

Go to Tandy on line and buy the Art of Making Leather Cases by Stohlman - Volume One actually has a scope cover set like this and how to make it. Lots of tips and illustrations. And its like sewing a toe plug and you need to imagine the awl following a radii from the centre so you stabbing inwards along imaginary spokes of a wheel. Spacing on the cap cover is smaller than the sleeve edge. But you may have know that. Just a thought.

Hey Boriqua can I see the back side of the stitching? Does it also zig zag? maybe because I am only playing around with single layer but I cant see the back stich on mine doing zig zag.... seem to always run straight even while the front is zigin and zagin nicely..

So now my question is who used what pricking irons? and from where? I am not going to Tandy for these unless folk shave had resounding success. What I combination of stitch pacing and number of pricks seem to cover most needs? I do a lot of curved stitch lines......

I believe I am seeing the light. Thanks guys.

I will definitely be looking at my method and result. I am not that old a dog that I cant learn or see the value in new tricks. I seen some of NA's videos but not this one I don't think and will certainly give it a look (again?), Do you have a picture of a holster main seam with the un-grooved and traditional looking SS on it? I do a lot of non-pancake holsters and am curious just how the zig zig stich looks along an edge. I am making in e now with purely decorative stitching on the holster body and may go un-grooved or OS.... I may have just been converted! Thanks for all your input.

Martyn that is a good description in words and graphically. I can see that if I adjust my awl angle 45 deg clockwise it is then as far as possible is slanted the same direction as the pricking irons. Then if I cross the right side thread over the left as I always have I will get the look you in the photo.. and I just realized that I need to reverse the cross over on the back so when bring the needed form the back it needs to cross over the thread coming from the right. The I will get the slant on both sides. I think your image of the stitches using the pricking iron will away shave slant then my using the diamond tip awl and keeping the diamond faces parallel to the stitch line. The awl is a more open parallelogram than the prick tips. The propose of the angles/sides/faces in the opening in the leather is still the same as it understand it which is to keep the stiches from pulling through. the Stohlman dwgs make this clear and I agree with why the awl is to be oriented as indicated. I don't subscribe the theory that Stohlman only said to use the groover and overstitch because Tandy was paying him to move tools.... he and Anne placed more hand stitches on more heavy use projects than I ever will in 2 lifetimes and if the method was truly as weak as some say Stohlman saddles would not be around any more. Perhaps on thinner leather projects with finer stitching the groove should replaced with a line and I do that for sure but I would throw the whole set of tools out with the bath water. That being said.......My next decision of course is the whole groove and over stitch conundrum. To be honest all my stitching for the last few years has run with no angle on the front and the angle on back overstitched out. I have always been presenting in line stiches and I am not adverse to the look. My experiment was to see the first state of the stitch just after placement not indicative of my end product. As an awl user versus pricking irons and making each hole as I go the back groove line gives me a target to keep the hole at 90 degrees to the leather (which can be accomplished by a light scribe line as well..) and the overstitch from gives me my spacing. I imagine I can find a compromise where I still groove (front and line back) and use the over stich to lightly mark my holes, adjust the awl angle, be aware of reversing the cast on the back side and I will get a degree of stitch angle on the from and the back..... it is a different head space for sure.... I have always hammered the stitches and over stitched them front and back and am producing good, uniform stitch appearance back by the end of the process. Just not slanted. All in all (or awl in awl) I think I will stick with the hand awl, and experiment with the other variables such as scribed lines and perhaps a light run with the overstitch wheel for spacing then NOT run over the stitches again... still flatten them though. One thing that my current process of grooving and overstitching on damp edges is that even when died I can see the pathway clearly and the dimples actually help guide the awl into the right spacing. Place by feel as much by sight usually. Good there is not right or wrong just that we each progress on our chosen path to a result we are pleased with. Thanks for the enlightenment here and I have some new ideas to try out.

Yup burnishing is the approach. if water dampening isn't getting it done try that gum tragacanth and a wood dowel, or even a fat sharpie. I usually do some flesh side burnishing when dying and it is wet with dye. However some times depending on the quality of the hide it can only get so good.... especially if the flesh side I fibrous and loose.

That's an interesting approach putting the clip on the outside.