Bighearn

Bruce thats a lot of knives. I guess it just comes down to what you feel comfortable with and if you like the final results. I kind of like the roofer blade for now its cheap and makes a nice straight cut. Goes around curves nicely and cuts through 9oz like a hot knife through warm butter. So for now I am going to keep using it. I might try something different for straps (straight edge cuts) and such when I get to that point. Right now I'm just doing stuff for friends and family so if it aint perfect they don't mind.

Thanks I'll do that next time save time and my fingers

You mean just run the groove and not run the stitch? That would look good finished edges but not finished sort of.

Very nice set.

Mind if I ask yall how you cut out your leather? I was using shears and I went down to the local Guns and Leather shop where a kind young man of about 82 years showed me a carpet knife he had equiped with a roofers blade. I tried it "as I roofed for years as a youth" and it was a good deal eaiser than shears. If you get in to big a hurry it goes through pretty quick and you have to watch your line. The trick he said was always pull it to you never push as its to hard to control that way. To my point "I tend to ramble the older I get" any of you doing this or is their an even easier way I've yet to learn?

I just thought it might look better that way no real reason. I wanted to stitch the top too but my fingers did'nt like the idea much so....

I'm trying guys I hope I'm getting better

I look forward to each and every seath you show off. You truly make art work. I have to get a sewing machine my fingers will never be able to produce such fine stitch work. Keep them coming I am a fan of your seaths. Just out of curiosity those knives you are making them for are fine art work as well. Where would a fella go to find such nice knives. The nicest knive I have is a kershaw. Those look far superior in craftsmanship and quality. Are they just for show or do people actually use them I would be scared to mark up such beauitful pieces.

Thank you. I will take that into account with future holsters. I am inviting all and any criticisms I can get. I wont turn down any praises either for that matter. As to the owner of the gun he was extremely pleased (probally because I did it for free just to get one under my belt and because he is my neighbor and best friend). I just wanted to do one using my own idea (in a fashion) and making a pattern from scratch. I think I am heading down a path of no return. $ as well if I give em away.

The rig is very comfortable. The bersa is a light weight pistol and the 3/4" strap at shoulder seems to be more than enough. On that note the original holster that I took ideas from holds my S&W 45 Model 645 and the strap is a little less than a full inch and it is very comfortable even considering the weight of that pistol which is considerable in comparison to modern light weight 45's. Now I carry all of my semi auto's unchambered saftey engaged. Just the way I roll I guess and I am not a police officer or do I need to carry for self defense "at least not yet". With all you said you still did'nt say "or at least I did'nt understand" weather you considered the trigger guard to exposed or not. I really would like to know if it is truly a safety problem I need to address in future builds.

I would think that with a molded holster it would be less safe to push a trigger into a holster in the wrong direction. However I have seen holsters with far more trigger exposed than I have gone with and some with far less. In my humble opinion if you are carrying cocked and locked you’re not very safe to start with. The bersa 380 does have a firing pin safety that if properly engaged is covered by the holster and should be safe from getting disengaged. Just my opinion what do some of the rest of you think? I would like to know if trigger exposure should be or is an issue.

I do not know for sure it was inherited along with the pistol from my father in law. I never knew he had the shoulder holster until after he died so I did not get to ask him. It is aged. That is not an actual picture of the one I have but it is an exact match. The one I have did not fit the S&W 45 that he carried in it and he cut out the trigger guard to make it fit. So it is altered from the original design. It has the US Gov stamp on the back and I searched the Internet and found this photo and went from there.

This is the holster I stole from

are those snaps standard on the shoulder holsters. Not sure about other's but they were on the US Gov. 45 issued I kind of stole some of the design from it

I put together a couple of kit holsters for my Neighbor and he asked if I would make him a shoulder holster for his Bersa 380. Well I could not turn away a challange and headed off for leather and such and I did get the Stohlman how to book. I read the book made a pattern and stole some ideas from my own shoulder holster which is a gov issue. I like the single strap design and the belt loop on the bottom. So with that said let me know what you think. If nothing else my stitching improved a tad bit. I used rivits wherever it would not show or touch the gun. I have not attached the top of the strap yet as I need him to come over and let me measure it for a good fit.

I know that feeling I been broke going on 45 years now. I did buy the pattern pack 6031 and there were no dups.

I just bought it at Tandy Monday. I don't know what patterns you already have but if you want I can list what is in there for you so you can decide. I bought it more for the how to than the patterns. I am finishing up a shoulder holster for a friend and the book was very helpful as this will be my second scratch holster. Not made from a pre formed pattern. I did copy some ideas from the US goverment though. I have an old shoulder holster us gov issue and I really like the one shoulder strap design as opposed to yoke and two shoulder etc. I'll post when I get finished. But let me know if you want the pattern list and I will post it for you.

Looks like a bag for a bike to me I like it.

I have a awl with four different blades but was not sure never have used it. I have a stitching wheel with three different wheels. I think I am going to get two books one on making holsters and one on stitching. Might pick up a stitching pony also. Or just look at it and then make one. It was a learning experience just trying and I have already learned a lot just from the input. Next attempt I will make a pattern first. Then stitch using my awl and wheel probally pick up a groover also. Might take a while to put the next one together as I will spend the next week or so doing some research and a little pratice sticthing on some scrap.

I posted a pic of the buckle on one of my replies should be able to see it I'll post another if not it shows my heritage incased in the buckle. Used a resin mixture to seal it into the buckle.The biggest problem with the buckle is that making the pic small enough to fit the resuloution of the photo is not as clear as I would like. But I'm still playing with some photo programs to try and find one that will retain better clarity of the photo any suggestions?

HYou know your guns sir yes it is a 645 most relaible auto I have

Thanks guys

Good so far. Your pictures are a little dark and out of focus on my end, so I'm curious what you used to punch the holes I used a regular hole punch after i used a stitch wheel to mark my lines. I got a lot of hole punches just went to big. Should i use a stitch punch if there is such a thing. I do have a stitching tool I think it has four different blades for lack of a better word that i think I should have used to drive the holes rather than punch. Not sure but I am going to pick up a few different books Monday at Tandy. Got to bite the bullet I guess never been much on instructions for anything I'm the kind of guy that always spent all night Christmas night putting together all the toys that required being put together because I never would look at the instructions just liked the figuring it out part.

Thanks it was veg tanned it just had that crazy looking fold or range mark or whatever you want to call it. Like I said just started with a srap piece that was laying around and I didnt use because of that weird roll in it.

Thanks for the reply. And the book reference, I been looking at getting it but just was not sure if it would have what I needed. I really was not interested in the gunslinger types but something on making from scratch but if it contains info on that then I might go pick it up. My local Tandy dealer has a copy of it and you are right it is cheap enough to at least give a try.