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tbird911

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Posts posted by tbird911

  1. Posted · Report reply

    Tbird,

    Since I built a flat backed holster, I only molded the front piece. I used 8 oz veg tanned leather. The leather itself must have been real high quality, because it molded very well. I basically ran it under hot water until it was soaked, let it dry until it became cool to the touch, then began to mold. I stuck the pistol on a towel on a counter and put the leather over the top of it. I used several different things to mold...the rounded end of a ratchet, screwdriver, etc. I just started with the higher parts such as the grooves in the cylinder, the space between the cylinder and barrel, and the grooves in the barrel. After they were good and molded, I moved down to the other parts such as the trigger guard and the outline of the pistol. I let it dry on the counter overnight with the pistol still in the molded piece with two heavy weights on the leather where the clips attach to keep them from curling upward. Then I sewed the two pieces of leather, slightly wet down the molded piece and did some more finishing molding with the pistol in the holster. I let it dry again with the pistol in the holster.

    Nothing fancy I guess, but I did get the leather from a custom leather worker here in town and I really think the quality of the leather had a lot to do with how well it molded.

    Thanks for the feedback-- that kind of info is exactly what I was looking for . . .

  2. Posted · Report reply

    I tried the vacume bags with shop vack and it worked fairly well. But, I did get harbor freight $125 hydralic press and it is perfect (with some stout rubber pads).

    There was a post here how to make a really good vacume table. Search should find it if it was after the crash.

    Regis

    Can you give me more info on the harbor freight press-- and you think that works better than the vacuum?

  3. Posted · Report reply

    HI All

    I have completed my first "pancake" style holster and will post some pics soon . . .but I need some input . . .

    I am looking for info on using a vacuum system (homemade, foodsaver etc.) to mold holsters to a gun. I have hand molded my first and while the results have worked out well, I want to get the kind of molding like I see on some of the professionally made leather holsters. Some of these are so exact in the molding that you can see serrations on the slide and even the ejector port of an automatic or the flutes on a revolver. Surely some of you guys are doing this . . . share your knowledge with a new guy.

    Thanks-- Tbird

  4. Posted · Edited by tbird911 · Report reply

    Hey man,

    Great holster. I have an SP101 myself and just bought a holster and made one myself. I wet molded the holster that I made and hand boned it, but it's not near as well formed as yours... I have seen others with similar results. ewould you mind sharing the specifics on how you are getting that done? I'm assuming vacuum mold or something--?!!?

    Thanks in advance

    Tbird

  5. Posted · Report reply

    Hi All,

    Brand new guy here. I know alot of you guys have fancy ways to do things, I haven't seen this mentioned yet. When looking for a good way to pull the needle through layers of leather, it's hard for me to grip. I know plenty of people that use everything from pliers to special tools. I drill everything with a 1/16" drill bit and while I'm saddle stitching (I do everything saddle stich), I have surgical gloves on. It keeps oils and fingerprints off the surface, keeps dye off my hands and it gives a very positive/agreesive grip on the needles. I have found that I am able to stitch using my hands only (no pliers or tools to pull the needles through) and a small square of elather to help in the event I need to push a needle through from the back side. In addition a $30.00 table mounted vice can double as a stitiching pony in alot of situations-- el cheapo.

    Tbird

  6. Posted · Report reply

    Hi All,

    I just started playing around with leather a couple of months ago and just completed this first sheath for my spyderco. Heres the specs:

    *4-5 oz leather

    *boned / molded for my spyderco

    *dangle design with bel loop

    *hand tooled

    *hand grooved/stitched (double saddle stitched)

    I had a blast making it and learned alot by trial and error. Any advice or input welcome and appreciated -- Tbird

    spyderco002.jpg011640x480.jpg014640x480.jpg012640x480.jpg010640x480.jpg008640x480.jpg013640x480.jpg

  7. Posted · Edited by tbird911 · Report reply

    :welcome: TBIRD... Did you say "Stitch free?" It looks like stitching around the base? Nice holster and very nice finish...

    Yep-- the design was for a pocket holster-- I wanted to use this as an experiment to see how to make a patter, color the leather etc.

    I really want to make a nice pancake holster for a Ruger SP101-- anyone have any patterns or links to share ?

    I'll post more stuff soon-- I'm really just getting started in all of this.

    ps. not stiching- just kinda made it look like that.

    Tbird

  9. Posted · Report reply

    Hey Guys,

    New guy chiming in with a couple of questions.

    I just started working with leather (got my basic set from Tandy :( ) a couple of weeks ago. I want to learn how to make holsters and belts . . . but I love the wallets in this post. Is there a quality sewing machine that would let me do wallets and up to 9-10oz leather for holsters that won't put me in the poor house? Ant suggestions on used or secondhand machines? Are there any places that have pattern or "how to build" info on wallets similar to the ones in here? Thanks in advance.

    Tbird911

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