ChuckBurrows

Brad - been using them for some years, only difference is I use just one one my index finger and that gives me plenty of grip - tried on both and found it didn't make a lot of difference - any harder to pull than that and I use pliers. Great thing is they seem to last a long time especially if you spin them around and use a different are to pull with.....

Since you are making holsters (per your sig) - call them and order one of the following: 1) one of their new (to them) 8/10 oz tooling double shoulders 2) an 8/10 oz back (more expensive but VERY clean thus less waste) 3) an 8/10 oz tooling side - they currently have them on sale for $90.00 flat rate Hope this helps.........

To use walnut, hazelnut, pecan, etc. hulls bring to a boil in water (distilled is often recommended to eliminate any chemical reactions with iron, etc) and simmer for a couple of hours - I mix about equal parts of nut hulls and water. Turn off and let set over night. Reboil and let simmer. Let set over night again and then strain off the liquid - make sure and squeeze out as much of the liquid left in the hulls. Dry and save the hulls and re-use them 3-4 times.... Simmer the liquid uncovered until it turns the consistency of thin honey. Store in the freezer or add some alcohol or vinegar to keep from molding (the vinegar will also act as a mordant to help set the dye) - if does get moldy just skim it off and add some more alcohol - about 1/8 cup to a quart and a half usually works. The fresh green hulls work best but even the dried hulls, ground up will yield a dye. Cooked in an iron pot will also act as a mordant for most most nut hulls, but it will usually turn the color more of a gray brown. I use an old ceramic lined crock pot when I don't want the iron mix. Coffee - dark roast brewed strong makes a nice brown of varying shades. Instant is fine and less of a mess........ Logwood - available from several sources makes a brown to almost black dye. Various barks, sawdusts (Osage orange and rosewood for instance), and sumac berries will all make nice dyes when. Check out natural dye sites for more info how-to and then experiment (with mixes and soak times) and don't forget about mixing items to get the color you want.........Some spices will work - saffron, annato, and paprika have all been used for dying leather. Just remember none of the natural dyes will work like the commercial ones - they usually give different look altogether.....but that tain't a bad thing IMO.....It's a fun journey that just keeps on giving.....also remember oil (neatsfoot, extra virgin olive oil, tallow, etc.) and the sun can be your friends, especially in conjuntion with the dyes.....

Ed - if that doesn't work out check out Michael Mara at http://www.radharcknives.com/Woods.htm He's got fancy scales for $5-20.00 listed on his site and would bet if you called him he could cut whatever size you want and in plainer pieces for a better price that that Ebay piece - he's a good guy - tell him I sent you. He's got other exotic hardwoods (purplewood and goncalo alves for instance) that will work as well or better.....(I hate working with CC - makes me itch something awful) Chuck

try this - I grind/file the lower edge to a 45° angle then polish smooth - here's a pic..

This might help - I grind/file the lower edge to a 45° angle then polish smooth - here's a pic:

One of the easiest and most authentic patterns is the side fold aka side seam moccasin - here's one pattern: http://www.womenofthefurtrade.com/wst_page11.html

For a heavy duty cutting surface that is pretty self-healing try a rubber horse stall mat - I use the flat backside.......they run under $50.00 fora 4' x 6" x 1/2" or 3/4"

Will and I (along with others) discussed this on another forum and FWIW - I do something similar only I use a couple of three layers of 8/10 oz glued together and stab into the EDGE of the leather - it's a good use for soft, flanky leather like belly. The nice thing about the leather is it's sort of self healing... Also there's actually quite a number of us "pros" that still do all of our sewing by hand - most are makers of historical gear some of which can be "period correctly" machine sewn using linen thread (post 1850's gear for instance and with machines built for linen), but earlier gear must be hand sewn for that particular customer base anyway. Once you get the method down it's not all that time consuming except when compared to machine sewn gear....

That large it's most likely a sailmaker's needle.....

hope this is OK - 12 pages worth of discussion on the subject - http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php...ic,21507.0.html Main thing is takes hours or days rather than minutes.......good strong dark coffee also works and so does pecan shells...... works on veg/bark tan and chrome tan.... the two pouches are CT buffalo and elk hide..... a veg tan holster......... NOTE: all pieces have been aged........

Another option - pad the inlay with closed cell foam - then skive the edge of the chap hide (actually I'd recommend upholstery hide) and don't turn it, just butt it up against the edge of the raised inlay like I did on this sheath..

I agree with the folding under but would also suggest skiving it 3/4" to 1" before turning for less bulk

Not only will the tea help with the reaction to turning it dark, but so will the baking soda bath - it's not just for neutralization. In fact plain leather dipped long enough in the baking soda and water mix will turn dark, dark brown to almost black - less time less dark. The baking soda and water does dry/stiffen the leather so oil application is required. FWIW - I add oil (Lexol, Neatsfoot, or EVOO dependent on the look I want) while still damp but close to dry......

For applying I use my fingers or the smallest of the cheap foam brushes - load the brush and then squeeze most out...

With respect - if you're using Gum Trag like water for burnishing the edges there is a better way - it took me a while to figure that out.. Gum trag is a naturally occurring mucilage aka vegetable glue which comes from a plant grown in several places in the mideast not just Afghanistan. The way I found best to use it is to apply a coat or two and LET IT DRY between coats. Smooth the edges with 600-800 grit wet or dry sandpaper while dry (finer grit papers such as 800+ are available at most auto parts stores). Apply another coat or two (how many coats depends on how "porous" the edge is), again letting them dry in between. Sand again and this time use a bit of the gum trag on the paper. Once dry burnish with a rub stick or coarse cloth. Repeat as needed. Maybe sounds like a lot of work but it isn't really. The advantage is the gum trag will "glue" the fibers together unlike water and with the often looser fibered leathers we often get today this can be a great aid. Once dry I apply a seal coat and or wax. If dying the leather do this all after dying - hope this helps........

1) The light areas may be just nothing more than residual wax that's dried - try using a using a stiff bristle brush to clean it out of the grooves before using any chemicals...a scrub brush or finger nail brush from the local store will do fine 2) Deglazer per the MSDS is a mix of acetic acid and alcohol - denatured alcohol will work just fine as will rubbing alcohol about 95% of the time and is less noxious........

Not necessarily - remember vinegaroon IS NOT A DYE - it is a chemical reagent and works be reacting with the tannins in the leather. If the oil was going to affect it much then even on new jobs the oils in that leather would have an effect. BTW - you can increase the effect of the vinegaroon by first wetting down the leather with a strong black tea bath - black tea is high in tannins..... I would be cautious with vinegaroon or any dye for that matter on older leather as they all have a drying effect and that can be detrimental to older dryed leather...I would do test first on a spot generally hidden from view......

Aging Leather - an article from The leathercrafters & Saddler's Journal by one of the best - http://www.wrtcleather.com/1-ckd/tutorials...eather-zurl.jpg

As noted oil first not last - the oil will oxidize and increase the darkness. To speed things up make a sun box - a box with at least glass in the face and top - use tin foil to line the rest - I like to hang my piece whenever possible so the sun hits all sides. This will direct and intensify the sunlight. I live at 6500' above sea level in the SW high desert and we get LOTS of sunshine and even in winter it's VERY intense, but I still use a sun box to speed things....

With respect the original buckle is not a garrison buckle but a California Clip corner buckle, which was the most widely used gunbelt buckle during the 1870-90's - one source is here - http://www.hansons.net/servlet/Detail?no=58 (these are good solid brass - not cast pot metal which is then brass plated) The original is 1.5" and was nickle plated brass - you can see some of the plating along the edges.

Looks good and as a friend says if you can't fix it feature it! You can recolor those snaps to a nice dark blue - got to most any gun shop and get some Birchwood Caseys Super BLue (not the Perma blue) - clean off all oil from the snaps and apply with a small brush, re-do if necessary then oil.

It is perfectly safe - at least as safe leather and steel can be - I've used it for over 35 years on holsters and knife sheaths........no problems except for stupid peopl and unfortunately you can't fix stupid - one form of stupid being storing a gun/knife in weather wet leather.

One question re: the smell - are you sealing your bottles tight or letting them "breath"? If you are not letting them breath (i.e. cracking the lid enought for the mix to off gas) then the odor will linger much longer - once my mix has dissolved all of the iron there is little smell when I open the bottle.....

here's one source - Grand River Trading Co www.kylecarrollart.com Be aware walnut color will generally run more to a greyish brown rather than a true brown For brown you can also use logwood crystals or something I've been experimenting with - just dunk the plain leather in a bath of baking soda and water - depending on time immersed, strength of mix, and the leather I've gotten from a nice tan to a dark almost black brown. Like the vinegaroon it will "harden/stiffen" the leather (aniline dyes do to..) so the piece must be well re-conditioned. So far for me it's tough to control though so I suggest using a test piece of the same leather and counting down the time. When using the vinegaroon I: dunk, let set until all the liquid is absorbed, dunk again, let set, then rinse off (distilled water is best since no extra chemicals), dunk in baking soda and water mix, rinse again with water, wipe off excess moisture and then add a coat of conditioner (I generally use Lexol or Non-Greasy Neatsfoot depending on the look/need/end use). Let half dry and condition again while damp. For a finish coat I may use Bag Kote or Montana Pitchblend again dependent on look/need. The tough outer surface is IMO from the leather "tightening" up due to the chemical reaction and the loss of conditioner. Be sure and re-condition otherwise crackling of the surface can happen.