MADMAX22

Well had a misunderstanding with the last one I made (my fault) so redid the rifle sling a little different. Basically wanted to depict the actual deer that was taken so got the antlers and such to match. Looks better in person then the photos I took. Really need to set up a light box. Critiques and what not appreciated.

Great looking stuff, love that revolver and you did a great job of complimenting it.

Thats interesting. I would say if the glue is ripping the face of the leather off then its doing its job. I think I have had a little different experience with handstitching. Ive tried to take apart things I have made before with just 2 backstitches (dont use one on the start since the string is attached from the loop you start with) and ended up just cutting the thread with a razor blade. I use barbours 6 cord and a rosing bees wax mix to wax the thread with. Just curious but why would you back stitch at the beginning, if your doing a saddle stitch it starts as a loop so there is no where that the thread can come loose.

Good looking stuff, really like that effect you get with your coloring.

I gave up on the pre waxed stuff for my hand stitching. The barbours comes unwaxed and I would basically do it the old school style, thin the edges which is really easy once you get a hang of it. Just a razor straight across the thread at the end. Then I would wax it myself. Its so much easier to get a nice thinner coat of wax on it that way. Then twist the ends up and they make a nice very tapered end to thread the needles with. I am pretty sure I use the "0" hanress needles with this method. Would have to double check on that. The wax I use which I made one batch of a long while ago is pretty much equal parts of bees wax and rosin with some neets foot oil (maybe a couple tables spoons for a roughly 3 cup batch). This stuff is amazing for hand stitching. The rosin mix gribs really nice both for your fingers and the stitch itself. Once your stitching is pulled tight its there to last. It sounds kind of like a pain in the butt, however once you make the stuff up and get use to waxing the thread it really goes very quickly and painlessly.

Interesting idea as far as the colors go. One thing with the thread I dont think it should break at all. I know my borbours 6cord I cant hardly break it unless it has been cut down to one or two threads. If I was getting the linen thread I would definetly get borbours if you can. Other then that maybe check also that you are waxing the thread before you start stitching. It will keep it from getting frayed and such.

You can get the clear lac now, saddle lac is not the same, saddle lac is not worth its price IMHO

Looking great Dave, always really like that applique lacing. The design came out really clean. Should look killer once its all done (heck it looks killer now).

Depends on the style of purse, its size, how light or heavy you want it to be and such. I think on average you can use around 5oz leather. Its a good starting point atleast. You can do the body in thicker leather if you want and the gussets in a thinner leather. If its a smaller purse with heavy tooling I would use a heavier leather like 7 or even 8oz. If its a big purse though that can get heavy so stick with the lighter weight leather.

I wouldnt say linen is outdated by any means. Ive never been able to break my 6cord barbours thread by hand. Granted you need a good wax/rosin mix to hand stitch with it IMHO. All of my projects that I hand stitched from several years ago with it are still going strong.

So I got a 32oz bottle of feibings antique paste with my order. Got the light brown stuff. Thing is I opened it up and made sure it was stirred up and all and it is definitely a olive drab color. Kind of like the army green olive drab. Its a cool color and all but not light brown. Any ideas. Gonna call and see about getting it replaced monday but was wondering if anyone else had scene this before.

Sometimes you can get away with having the bottom of the gusset (bottom of the bag area) wider then taper it up as you go. Now that I think about it cant remember if this helps with the corners or not. I need to do a wider array of leather work because I keep forgetting what helped me in the past lol.

Oh wanted to add if you pick one of these up, after running it for a while make sure to check on the reverse lever there is a screw in the back that can come loose a little bit, you can start to feel it a little in the lever when it starts getting loose and your reverse stitches stop lining up with the forward ones. Just something to check for those that have these.

I picked up a CB4500 from Neals saddlery about 8 months ago I think. Was shipped painlessly, it took a few days to come in to his shop then they went thru it and got it all setup and adjusted. I unpacked it, put it together, oiled it and started sewing. Ofcourse I had a few questions and he spent some time on the phone with me getting me thru the few questions that I had. Bob's videos on utube helped with the rest. I even talked to Steve a couple of times and he is a really great guy as well. Do I regret getting the CB instead of a cobra, not at all. If I did it again would I change who I got it from, to answer that the only reason I would go with cobra is because I live in WA and they ship out of CA. Either way no matter who you get it from either three of these guys will spend the time on the phone with you to make sure it is running great. Oh and to mention these guys are all in good standings with one another and even if you didnt buy from one or the other I am sure would still end up helping you out if you had questions. As far as a price difference I didnt really notice much of one. When I got mine I think the CB was a little cheaper but all in all its about the same.

Depending on where you get it if it has been in a retail environment the chances of the leather getting something on it is likely. Ive only had this issue with tandy and waterhouse vegtan. I had a cheaper side from tandy a long time ago that looked like it had been sprayed with something. There were spots all over that wouldnt take it.

That is one great way to do it. There are a few threads on here that are similar to what you describe. Another way is to cut the gusset to a diminishing shape instead of one size thru out. This can help. Also when you start stitching, unless you know the exact size and shape of the gusset I would get the bottom and corners glued up and stitched then work your way out to the ends. The way Dbusaro describes is a great way also if not using a form.

This thread is about 4 years old. Steve has not been on since Jan of this year. May try a PM or something.

When you are done using them and clean them you have to form them before you set them off to dry. Leaving them missformed and dirty will get what you have.

I dont do alot of holsters but ones I do with reinforcements I will burnish the 3 sides or however many there are then stitch it on. The last edge you want to burnish when attached to the holster otherwise you wont get a nice neat edge. It will be a double edge or wont look right.

Thanks Hidepounder, anyone have any ideas where I can improve the tooling aspect of the sling or maybe the coloring. I am open to suggestions on where to improve my work. Personally I can think of a few things like working on the shape of the acorns and the antlers a little.

Good looking stuff all of them. I really like that snap system you have there.

Thanks a bunch guys. All interesting points. This is for my own firearm as I dont sell holsters. Well trade one or two for a thing here and there to buddies at work. I think for my own though Ill have to experiment a little but more then likely will be doing one with the trigger covered.

The cheapest best leather you can get vegtan wise is usually wickett and craig specials. The price you get those sides for you would pay around $6 or more from anyone else. Any place that is not a tanner is going to mark up the price by a certain amount. Depends on who it is could be upward of a dollar a foot if not more. My personal choice for vegtan would probably be herman oak but buying in lots like that is to pricey for me but I still use enough that buying at the prices you find decent hides of HO else where does not justify getting it there. I know that even the special grade wickett and craig will be some darn nice leather and its relatively cheap for the quality you get. Thats just my thoughts on this subject. As far as lining leather and such Ill use springfeild or waterhouse leather. For the harness leather and such Ill use wickett and craig unless I have the cash to go to HO.

I am gonna make a holster for my 1911 GI model and am wondering what the consensus is on weather or not to cover the trigger fully. I have scene many modern holsters that do it both ways and many adaptations of old west holsters for the 1911 that do it both ways. Just wondering if it is based on whether or not you carry with the hammer back or decocked. Is it just a personally preference maybe. Thanks for any input.

Just finished the body for this one. Its a special order for a guy. Hope he likes it. What do you guys think, any pointers appreciated. The pictures are kind of crummy and its also easier to reduce the size on these things sideways since there so long and narrow.