TwinOaks

Moving this over to sewing machines...

Welcome to Leatherworker.net! We're always glad to meet new members, so pull up a chair to the tooling bench and sit a spell. Coffee should be fresh, restrooms are down the hall to the left, BYO if you want a snack, and DON'T eat the donuts.

There's a tutorial on how to post pics in the Computer Help section, just scroll down on the main forum page and you should see it. If the leather is stiff, it's probably veg tanned. The difference between the two is the tanning process and the properties imparted to the leather. The result is veg tanned can be moistened and tooled or molded, chrome tanned- not so much. Yes, you can use the leather you have for a case, but it will probably need to be wet molded (or at least very moist) for your project. The 'saddle leather' you see on cases is veg tanned leather that's hot stuffed with tallows and waxes to make it more resistant to the elements. There's also some leather called "latigo" that is used in some tack applications, but it wouldn't be as good to use. And yes, there are several cue case makers on here, though the one that posts the most about the subject is John Barton. You can do a search (top right of the screen) to find his posts.

Some drum dyed leather can be tooled just fine....as long as it's veg tan. If it's very soft/supple, there's a good chance you have chrome tanned leather which is typically NOT toolable. Can you get a pic of the leather to post here? Resize to 600x800 and post it as an attachment. That way we can see what you have to work with and give more accurate advice.

Any of the good dyes- Angelus, Fiebings, etc. will be color fast, but the issue is what you do after applying color. You'll need to buff the leather VERY well to remove all unabsorbed dye particles. Once that's done, the sealer is what's going to be what prevents rub-off. I've had good success with Resolene or Katsass' homemade version using Mop-n-Glo. Spray it on in misting coats, and let it dry between coats.

For you stitch lines around the gun, figure 1/2 the thickness of the gun + the thickness of the leather = distance from the gun for the stitch line. After that, it's molding and stretching the leather. Try to keep the the stitch lines a consistent distance from the outline of the gun. Other than that, the pattern looks fine...maybe move the rear belt slot out a little more to help pull the holster closer, or lose a bit of the 'wing' that's just hanging out in the back.

You don't have to submerge the leather, per se. I made a big batch in an old 2 gallon pickle jar and I use a 1 inch paint brush to apply it. I apply "enough" to make the leather black. With the baking soda- a rinse is all you need. You don't want to change the pH of the leather (which should be slightly acidic). The bubbles you saw were probably a result of the alkaline solution reacting with the acidic 'roon. Depending on the age of the brew, you may still see them. As the brew 'matures', you'll reach a point at which all the acid has basically been used up- it can't 'eat' anymore metal at that point. If the bubbles look like they're coming out of the leather (instead of a reaction on the surface) it's probably just a case of air escaping from the leather. Apply oil or conditioner after the leather has dried in LIGHT coats, with drying/settling between coats. With wet forming, you don't want to over oil the leather or it will lose it's rigidity.

Thanks Jim for clarifying that, hopefully that will ease any concerns. You might try contacting some of our suppliers directly as they not only can provide the machinery, but also the support for the machines as well as the consumables - thread, snaps, rivets, buckles, and most importantly LEATHER!! Some of our suppliers/vendors also sell used machinery, and may be able to put together a "production shop package" for you.

IF IF IF you need to actually sharpen it, consider getting some cordage a little larger than the hole and pulling it through backwards. You can load up the cordage with rouge and basically strop the inside of it. When sharpening, be very careful to avoid developing a burr on the edge- it's a VERY fine bit of metal that can fold over and cause a blunt edge. Avoid it by sharpening into the blade, not away from it.

The best results you'll get with resolene is to spray it on. There's several threads here covering it, but basically, give it a light misting from an airbrush, let it dry, buff, and add another light coat. Let dry, then start buffing. Once you've done the two coats, a very light coat of neutral shoe polish will help the 'tacky' feel of the resolene. Or you can just give it a day or two to dry and start using it. The tack feel goes away pretty quickly with use and the results are very good. I have a leatherman case I made 3 years ago that gets worn daily, and the only damage to the finish is where it's rubbed on the fiberglass bucket on my work truck....and even that damage cleans up pretty well.

I've tried, but my wife told me 'no'. She said she's not at all interested in "abstract art". I told her it's "floral". She said, "uh-huh." I think I displayed some wisdom by not bringing it back up.

Hello and thanks for turning to Leatherworker.net to post your inquiries. I don't think it will be adverse to your business plan to share a little more information, other than a screen name on an international forum, or an email addy for gmail. We, as a group, are pretty protective of our own and there's been more than a few scams that have been halted due to the diligence of our members. I think that some additional information would be appropriate to ease possible respondent's concerns. If you're looking at starting a manufacturing facility and are looking for machinery, that kinda indicates that you have a location, a business license, and a target market, already.

I got this one: http://www.harborfreight.com/airbrush-kit-47791.html and have just about worn it out after 2 years. The problem is with the little hose, not the rest of it. I've found it to be perfect for spraying finishes, as it has a total of only 3 removable parts when you need to disassemble it for cleaning. There is an occasional build up of dried finish at the tip, but it's so easy to clean that I've never considered it an issue. I also have a Badger (#? ) that I used twice before I had to completely disassemble for cleaning out the dried gunk.......and promptly gave up trying to get it back together. ( I think I disassembled a step or two TOO far.)

http://www.hardwareelf.com/elf/index.jsp Basically the same stuff as OTB....IIRC, they are affiliated but ....elf doesn't require you to be a member to order from them.

Ray, that may need to be a separate category, and the A,B,C method above be used for raw materials.....or rather: CLASS 1, category A: New material- you should have receipts for all of it. Cat. B: Used material- remnants, scraps, and small pieces of leather. Cat. C: Consumables - your thread, dye, finishes etc. Class 2: Finshished goods. Class 3: trash - which needs to be accounted for in some manner. Most large retail companies have a "claims dept" that sort that out.

Welcome to Leatherworker.net, and welcome back to your addiction hobby- it's missed you! Don't worry, there's plenty of inspiration on this site for you.....now, get some soap and get back to braiding!

After looking at the second pic of FD, I don't think it's leather. I'd guess it's neoprene, heat molded on a press. BUT...you can still make YOURS out of leather.

It'd take some time, but you could look at the average price of the tools @ Tandy x the number of tools, and work out a "used" price.

To avoid a LOT of typing, I'll ask you to type "leather corset" in the search box at the top right hand corner. There are several threads that happen to cover a good bit of you molding/patterning questions. You mention 6-10 oz leather......that's a pretty big difference. Each "ounce" of leather is 1/64th of an inch, so 10/64th = 5/32 inch. For wet formed leather, that is pretty thick. For reference a lot of us holster/sheath makers use 8oz leather for things that will be carried on the belt. 5-6oz for in the waistband concealed holsters. 16 oz (1/4 inch) for gun belts. It can get pretty stiff at those thicknesses, and I'm not sure you'd want to form something that thick for your bust due to ...ummm....chaffing. One thing you definitely want to do is PM Johanna and tell her you want access to the 'adult' section. We don't have porn, but we do have leather corsets, etc., in there, and this project of yours appears to be along the same lines...in fact, some of the search results I mentioned above are in the 'adult' section. For getting your pattern, perhaps the easiest way to do it is duct tape (wrap in saran wrap first). You can pretty much build the outfit, then cut it off and make cuts/darts as needed to flatten the pattern.

Scroll down to the "gun holsters......" forum and have a look around. We've got some talented and generous makers on this site who help teach folks how to build their own holster.

My edges used to look like that!!! First off, be sure you're gluing the leather right to the edge with a good contact cement. This bonds the leather AT the edge. You may want to cut the pattern a little bit large so you can have the right size after you sand the edge. Once you've got the pieces glued together, sand until you have an even edge. You can use a drywall sanding sponge for this, and it works well.....or just a piece of sand paper; your call. It doesn't have to be perfect, just even. You need to remove the outside corners from the joined pieces. You can either do that while your sanding, or use an edge beveler (which is faster, neater, and more consistent). Now, moisten the edge and start rubbing down the edge. This is called slicking, and the purpose is to lay down all the little fibers that want to jump up and make the edge look bad. I use a piece of cocobola that I cut a groove in, and just go back and forth, very rapidly. When you hear a slight 'clicking' noise, that means that you are starting to get a burnish on it, and it should have a nice shiny appearance to it...keep moving down the edge until you've got everything done. Once you've got most of the little fibers laid down, start using canvas or denim. I wipe the fabric across an open can of saddle soap to just barely pick up some saddle soap. Then start rubbing the edge. Go fast and use as much pressure as you can. You are now burnishing. You'll want to rub fast enough that the fabric gets uncomfortably hot....then switch to another spot on the cloth. Keep this up until you get a consistent edge, all the way around. The saddle soap is to lubricate the edge so you can glide over it and build up heat instead of pulling up the fibers you just slicked down. Slick with a tool, then burnish with fabric. When you get your edge, you'll want to put a finish coat on it- you can use the wax for that. If you want to make the edge black, you'll need to dye it when you've completed the sanding and bevelling, then touch up the edge color before the final top coat. Go back through Bob Park's tutorial and substitute "rub until your arm hurts" for any step that he mentions a machine.

Aluminum foil mask. It'll take the shape of your face and stay that way until you flatten it. Use an over sized sheet and you can pretty much make a 'mold' of your face. Then draw out the shape you want and cut it out. There's your base template. Molding the snout and ears will have to be taken into account, and you may want to make them out of additional pieces of leather that are glued in place. Skive the edges down to a 'feathered edge' (meaning really thin) and use a good quality contact cement....maybe a few hidden stitches with a curved needle for additional strength. Wet mold all parts, airbrush on your color, then seal with an acrylic, on both sides. You might also consider lining it with fabric to avoid chaffing from the leather. Don't forget your strap/head band mounting points when you do the layout. Option 2: Skip the pattern step. Get a large enough piece of leather, case it, and mold directly to your face. The leather will be quite pliable, but you'll need to keep it in place a while to ensure that the molding takes. Option 3: Go to a beauty supply shop and get a mannequin head that's close to your size, mold on it.

Pressure, friction, and either gum tragacanth or tan kote. Use water first to moisten (not wet) the flesh side and start slicking it down with a smooth tool. If it's especially stringy, you might need to sand it first. Once you've got it laying down pretty flat, add the gum trag. or tan kote, and continue until it's smooth. If you get good leather with a clean back (flesh side) you won't have much to do other than sealing the leather.

As far as tapering the leather, measure a distance from the end on the flesh side, and carry the mark around the side. Turn the leather on the side and mark a diagonal from the line at the top to the bottom corner. That's your skiving line. Now, take a razor, lay the leather on a cutting surface, and slice off what you don't want. If you have a long enough knife, you can lay the two ends side by side (don't forget to flip one of them) and make your cut that way. Sand if needed, apply contact cement per directions and stick it together. I'd highly recommend adding some stitches to the joint as well. An alternative that may work better is to cut a disk of leather an put on a sanding disk attachment. One of our members reports that as being very effective, as well as easy to do.

Something you might look at if you're comparing machines is to see what (on comparable models) comes with it....in a word, accessories. By looking at the total package, not just the machine, you'll find the best deal.