TwinOaks

I love my Tippmann, but I gotta agree w/ Greenwood. There's a LOT to be said for holding a project with both hands and sewing instead of "hold...pull half way....position....hold...reposition...hold...stitch". Do I regret the purchase of my Boss? Not a bit. I use it as my portable machine (really, it's the only one I have), and set up at the store I sell through. And, you'll not likely be able to take a powered machine to a show with you. But....being able to set the needle once and just start sewing....oh, sweetness. I'm saving up (still) for a Cobra 4, and will keep the Boss. There's some things that it just does better, IMO. Other things, like long runs.....get a motor. If you do decide on the Boss, definitely get at least one additional foot...I like the center foot, but YMMV. Also get the edge guide. I don't have it yet but could have used it on many projects. I also use the stirrup plate, but for sheathes and such, it's not such a big deal. If you like big thread, look at using 346 thread top and bottom with a 250 needle. If you use one size smaller on the bottom, use a 230 needle, and a cordless drill because you'll be winding bobbins pretty frequently. Also, spend some time on here reading about the issues that folks have had with them. One of the better ones for diagnosing stitching issues is by Particle, and titled "let's see the back sides.....", talking about the back side stitches of projects. There's a lot of really useful info in that thread on what to look for and how to adjust things. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=22058&st=15, thank you Denster and Dwight.

Welcome to Leatherworker.net, Deraj. You have definitely come to the right place to find answers for your questions. The leather you need for stamping designs is called vegetable tanned (veg-tan) and is the only one suitable for stamping due to the tanning process- some pretty detailed chemistry involved in the explanation, but it's all here on this forum if you'd like to read about it. Anyway, that's the kind you will need for stamping a design. However, it is not always 'really thick', and is available in much smaller pieces than full hides. Most suppliers have a number of set of numbers in the description of the leather like 5-6oz, or 5/6oz.. This denotes the thickness. You can convert the numbers into 64ths of an inch. For example: 8oz leather is 8/64ths of an inch thick.....or 1/8th. This done all the way down to 2-3 oz leather, which means it's 1/32-1/16th inch thick. That's pretty thin for stamping, and you'd have to be really careful to not punch through it.. You will still need to moisten it to form it. Other leather you'll probably be using is called chap leather (chrome tanned) and is much more flexible, but doesn't take stamping well. For the size issues you're concerned about, call Springfield Leather (see ad banner at top of page) and talk to someone. Tell them what you want to do and let them help you select some leather. They also will CUT leather into sizes you want, so you won't end up with a whole hide.

Welcome to Leatherworker.net! Feel free to ask all the questions you want, we'll gladly help you in your new addiction.

Fifth, not a good idea. Be aware that hack saw blades and bundle bands from the lumber yard will rust quickly. It is not a good idea for the holster to have a piece of rusting metal between the layers. The steel used in them is also NOT treated to a spring temper, which means that if it gets mashed, it will likely keep that shape.

Very nice promotional video, and a fantastic job of the image 'burst' with the music. If you could get somebody to front the money for a superbowl spot, you'd have your ROI in a month.

Just ....Wow.

First off, make sure that you're putting a full stroke in both directions. Pull and push the arm to the stops, never a partial stroke. Second, make sure your needle is in the right position- it sounds like the needle might be hitting the thread. Also, take out the hook and look for any burrs. If the needle ever hit the hook, it could have raised a slight burr that effects the thread. I know this from experience. Also, something that Frank mentioned to me when I bought his machine is to pull a bit of slack from the spool every 4th or 5th stitch. That makes sure the primary and secondary tensioners are providing the tension, and that it hasn't gained additional tension trying to pull from the spool.

If you will read the tutorial by Bob Park (Hidepounder) you'll see that there is a step in which he dyes the edge. It's an aesthetics thing. Some darkening of the leather is normal when burnishing.

This post has been viewed quite a number of times, but not visited by the OP. According to his profile, he was active today. Either he has found the maker of his wallet, or has lost interest.

Jay, that's done by wet molding- Case the leather, insert SAFE weapon (or dummy gun), then start pressing the leather against it until you have molded the leather to where you want it. Or....if you happen to have a vacuum food saver, you put the SAFE weapon in the holster, put the holster in the bag, pull a vacuum, then chase out the lines with fingers, the handles of tools, etc......while it's in the bag. Open bag, remove weapon, hang to dry.

That's really very nice. Can we see the back side so we can see how you did the belt loop?

Hi and welcome to Leatherworker.net. We're glad you found our little corner of the internet. There's lots of members, both amateurs and professionals, who'll be happy to help with any questions you might have. Ask away, and enjoy one of the friendliest sites on the 'net. We love pictures here, so post some when you can. Don't worry if you think the won't 'measure up' to some of the other work here, everyone here was a novice at some point.

Pre letter/number means better quality because they're made out of metal, not the chrome coated junk being used these days. I have some of the older crafttools, from about 40 years ago, and the new ones (same pattern) don't even compare. Top of the line for stamps is probably Barry King- all made from stainless steel. I think Gomph-Hackbarth still has a set for about $100 that's received good reviews...if you want a set.

That's what the graphics editing programs are for.......

Okay folks, let's please keep this about the leather. Safety issues, design concepts, etc. is part and parcel, but let's avoid discussions about what "might" happen. If you'd like to discuss the particulars of a firearm, or what's good/bad about it please keep it in the PMs. Most people are rather opinionated on the subject and that can lead to heated arguments....which have no place here. The proper place for discussions about a firearm platform is in one of the many gun forums.

Glad to know you both came out okay, Tim, and thanks for sharing the nature of your blessing. Take care., M

I'm a little late getting to this post, but I guess I've made up for it by meeting you in person! But anyway....welcome to the best site on the internet!

I'm NOT advocating stealing someone's design, but if you go over to Cobra Steve's website (leathermachineco.com) and look at the 'strut your stuff' section, there's a great example of this style holster....with a thumb break. It's in the pictures by Texas Leather Company.

Pegs work very well, allowing nearly instant ID of which one you need. Suze is on the right track with the bag idea....I prefer the 'top load' page protectors for three ring binders. Do try for something to keep them from getting bumped around on each other. While they are only dummy guns (and pretty durable) they can be dented/dinged/etc.

We have a thread on it here....somewhere.....I'll see if I can find it in a few minutes. In general, for indoor pictures, you need to use a light box . You can build one from cheap PVC and wrap it with a white sheet. The idea is to give you a good diffused light, so there are no shiny spots on the project. nor shadows created by a direct light source. A darker backdrop will do well to emphasize the item. Though you don't have a graphics program, you can get them for free. Irfanview is a good program that will do most common editing that you'll need. GIMP is another one that will do just about everything (including multi-layer compositions), but has a bit more learning curve. ETA: Here's one of the forum topics on this....http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=2260. Go down to post #3 for pictures.

The purse, stock wrap w/ shell loops, and large sheath in my gallery were all done on my Boss. I transport it weekly to the shop where I turn out work, so the light weight is a great bonus.

Looks pretty good from what I can see in the pics, and the 'little things' only come with practice. The biggest thing I see is that the holster comes up a little high on the trigger guard. When you have the gun in the holster, you should be able to get a full firing grip on the weapon. If you don't, you'll end up having to adjust your grip after the draw or have a poor firing grip. This is an inconvenience in practice sessions or at the range, but could be catastrophic if you ever needed to draw for protection.