Red Bear Haraldsson

Hey Hawk, that is a mighty fine sheath. Is there another slot on the back side, like an avenger holster, or does it just have the one belt slot?

Substitute cuss words for patience until you build up enough patience to go all the way around the project. Nigel Armitage has some good videos on saddlestitching, on youtube, he's loads of help.

Agreed, much much appreciated. I'll have to pick up a bar as well.

Excellent! Good to know, good to know. I'm a fair hand with an iron (6 months in a Navy ship's laundry). Fun, fun, fun, FUN! Mike! Post pictures when you're done, let's see your good work!

Is there any real difference or preference between the bar of soap and the can of soap? I have the can of yellow saddle soap and use an old t-shirt rag wrapped around Tandy's multi-size wood slicker and it works 'fairly well' but I still haven't made an edge and been happy over it. I usually end up with a "Well, I guess it's all right." kind of feeling.

Hey Colt, glad you replied this post. Been meaning to ask you, how do you keep the fabric from wrinkling up when you fold the folio over? Just a good gluing and ironing?

Redgold, If it is tool order that you are looking for, check the carving section of the forum, there is a section on floral and Sheridan carving. There is a step-by-step post pinned there, should be loads of help: http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/41-floral-carving-step-by-step/ Couple of carvers here have youtube channels, look for Ian Atkinson (Leodis Leather) and Nigel Armitage (Armitage Leather). Both have great video channels and each has numerous posts here on the forum. Searching... searching on this forum is best done through an outside search engine. Go to whichever site you like best and put in your search parameters and add 'site:leatherworker.net' to the end and it will search the forum much faster and easier than the forum's search engine. As MisterSmith said, expect to make mistakes, lots of them. I have yet to make anything that didn't start as 'Prototype'

I like it! Holsters look good! I've been meaning to get Ghormley's 1911 pack, but I've been needing that tab idea. Such a simple fix!

Well, you wouldn't want to put them on a narrow table because they might fall, so you get a wider table to accommodate them (and your work, naturally), but now you cannot reach the tools on the back wall... so they need to bend over to get and then hand you your tools. That has to increase productivity, because you have a helper! Sounds like a win to me...

I will point out that Mike is talking about the dye process AFTER the forming process because that is when/where it should happen...

I use a 1-ton arbor press from Northern Tool with my maker's mark. But my mark and my snap setters are all hand tools so using the press is a little futzy. Easier than setting them by hand with a mallet, but still takes adjusting to.

Found this for anyone who cares... http://www.armynavysales.com/products/5-pack-of-military-belt-hook-hangers/

Stumbled across this post a few months ago... Stumbled across this link yesterday... http://www.armynavysales.com/products/5-pack-of-military-belt-hook-hangers/ Enjoy, for whatever it is worth. Red Bear

I'm with the wife on this one. Heck of a job on the basketweave though. I cannot do it without the camouflage border tool. I always have one or two impressions outside the area (was never much with crayons and lines, either).

Best tutorial I had found of it is here in this forum... http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/9940-kk-tutorial/ Gorgeous wallet, he uses the same technique, but I did not see if the named it in the post.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/18101-finishing-edges/ Welcome to the madhouse! Use your search engine of choice and add 'leatherworker.com' to the search criteria: https://www.google.com/search?q=finishing+edges+AND+leatherworker&rlz=1C1EODB_enUS568US573&oq=finishing+edges+AND+leatherworker&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60.1927j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 It is one of the pinned posts in the How Do I Do That? section. Download Bob's file. It lists all the ingredients and the steps to make edges shine!

My my my, how purdy! The Cheyenne pack is the next holster set I want to get. I want that line drawing something fierce.

Good responses all, but I actually have the opposite problem. I'm in an apartment and everything is carpeted. With the bench that I have, I have way too much bounce and shock absorption to set anything any kind of decent. The only place I have that is solid enough to set things like snaps, rivets, and grommets is the kitchen floor. So, I am on hands and knees, trying to hold everything straight, and get a good whack with the mallet. I bought my arbor press to put grommets in the crying towels we made for our annual (Cowboy Action Shooting) this year. Even with holding the hand tool in the press and using the arbor to push the hand tool down into the setter gives me better results than sitting on the floor in the kitchen. The bonus is that I do not irritate the neighbors with a lot of banging around. Also must say though, I do not do anything in a production-style setting. Everything is a one-off so every step has all its own set up and take down. This is best for me as I can concentrate on each step of the process as I need to. As Michelle said, your mileage may vary.

Is the line drawing that you carved in the pattern pack? Very nice job, by the way!

Ooooh! I like that idea! That satchel came out really sharp, too! I'm gonna run home and try that.

I cannot see that picture real good, but if it is the knot on the left in this picture: http://nebula.wsimg.com/obj/NjQyNDAxNDNFRDJDQ0IwMTQxRTY6ZDlmZjc3NWVmNTMyYmZjZTVmMmEyNzE4MmUxYWUwNDE6Ojo6OjA= ...then it is a blood knot, and just about any search engine with 'how to,' 'blood knot,' and 'slotted concho' should bring you a plethora of sites to look at. We all have our favorites, I'm sure you'll find one that works for you. Welcome to the family and good luck with your project!!

First holster and you went for a Mexican Loop? My hat is off to you, sir. My first scratch built was a simple wrap around with a triangular belt loop that (I discovered after making) would tilt all over the place. I could set any cant from vertical to about 45 degrees (barrel pointed behind me). The only way to make it sit still was to tighten my belt down on it. Carried it for years, but it wasn't near pretty.

Found a link for it, http://jcturner.co.nz/the-braider-journal/

I admit, half the reason I come here is to listen to people talk. Lots of good instruction, mixed well with a lot of good laughs.

Ah, I see what you did there. Much obliged.