JNewkirkct

All you guys on this blog are great, thanks for all the help

I've decided to pass on it, I'm going to look into a cowboy 4500 new in box where I hopefully won't have to worry about problems for a long while. I recently retired from the fire service and what seemed like overnight my hobby exploded into a business, so I'm going to need something reliable and strong, can anyone help me out with financing a new cowboy 4500?

Thanks for your help! Worth the price?

I've been offered two 29-4 singers one works and one for parts for $450. My questions are is it worth the price? What thickness leather can it sew? I need to be able to sew two pieces of 8-9 oz and who repairs them in here? Thanks so much!

Yeah I retired two weeks ago from injury, where are you from? Maybe we can make something happen. I'd prefer to work from home now anyway, I got turned down from two jobs already because of the injury, not the body I used to have, fd, plumbing business, and tree removals, but I could sit at my bench all day and work. Message me sometime, let's talk.

I made my first radio pouch for someone recently, I've also done suspenders on request, and some hippie bags, I do charge for the time and materials. Anyway, I've gotten four orders in a day for the pouches, and possibly 30 more for an EMS service. There is a fire dept muster coming up in September near me, I'm looking to get rid of some gear, boots, helmets, and memorabilia at their flea market, I'm toying with the idea of making some more pouches, keepers, even key fobs to see how they sell.

Thanks man it means a lot to me. I've recently retired from the fd and I'm on the fence about turning this from hobby to business but I'm weary about it.

Thanks for the help!

With 60 lbs of gear and scba a buckle digging in your chest is the last thing you need, thanks for the compliment, I posted pics on Facebook and now I have four more orders for them, I bought a side of 9 oz veg tan today to start filling them.

Thanks, where can I find needle tip bottle applicators? That's funny you said that, I thought of taking some 1cc syringes from the firehouse with a small catheter and try that

Anybody have a trick on how to paint 3/4" 3D alphabet stamps with the main body color then a second border color? Attempted it once and it was bad, nothing on YouTube to reference. A lot of fire department leather work uses this technique and I'm trying to get it down for fire radio straps I'm making, thanks in advance!

I use Tandy paint, I just took my time with it,crime the excess and it will take two or more coats, allow it to dry thoroughly before adding another coat. That is a 72" strap cut to length with a brass buckle for length adjustment and trigger snaps on the ends to attach into grommets

Thanks, it was indeed awlivers I have to order some more from him as a matter of fact thanks for reminding me of his name!

It was my first.... I did notice the square marks, I get so nervous of screwing it up that I over emboss it, secondly, through experience, the radio straps we are issued have the mic clip too high, when packaging patients or donning gear we tend to hit the mic with our chin and transmit and our dispatchers hate us for that. It lands just about "nipple" height for the user. I need to work on centering the names on the strap, he was very happy with it, so I am happy for that! Also, when we enter a fire most guys habitually unclip the mic and draw it out through our collar and let it hang free, as long as the radio is protected under our gear.

Those are hand stamped and painted

Thanks, I loosely followed the design that we carry on the job but my buddy didn't like the black, it's also larger than what we carry because he works for a private ambulance service and they use much larger portable radios Fire88, i can send you a scaled pattern if you're interested

Thank you! Guy on eBay makes them, he also does maker stamps, star of life etc, they're laser cut plastic, but they hold up well in the arbor press. I'd prefer metal ones but they're grossly overpriced

Made this for a former coworker, has a microphone clip on personalized strap, flashlight holster and IAFF logo

Thank you! No I used a rag dipped in darker dye, and wiped the excess on cardboard until it was faint then worked the edges of the leather until I found the right contrast, I really fell in love with this technique, I use it in almost all my personal pieces.

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome, I am looking forward to concentrating more time at my leather bench in my retirement!

Wow! I envy your patience

Thanks Rohn!

Thank you! As you can see the stitching is less than desirable but it held up well so far. I made it from 8 oz. I bought a side from a local guy at a great price, I made one similar for my sig 9mm

Hi guys and gals, I'm from Ct, I've been a career firefighter for 15 years and am retiring tomorrow due to repeated surgeries on my shoulder. I've been toiling with leather for approximately 2 years, I got interested in leather craft after buying knives with crappy sheaths and uncomfortable holsters. I rely mostly on YouTube videos and books for tips and tricks, my interests are sheaths, holsters, wallets, and fire department items (suspenders, radio holsters, and tool pouches). If anyone is in the new haven Ct area I'd love to hear from you, and possibly learn a few things from the seasoned veterans. Thanks!

Hi guys, be gentle, my first attempt at a holster, approximately 2 years old now, must say ithe is by far the most comfortable holster I've ever carried!