Randy Cornelius

Also looks like the thread size is too big. Did you use a stitich grover to put a grove for the stitiches to lay in? That also could be the problem. RC

I go up to Bill Gomer"s all the time and he charges 100.00 per day. The saddle school is 1500.00 and I spent 14 days there. Some days we worked well into the night. For someone who looks for one on one lessons with a "Master" I feel 100.00 per day is very reasonable amount to charge. Randy

I sew almost everything on my machine, I have different walking feet for different projects. I use a double foot for flat stuff like belts and saddle skirts. I have a right foot that I use for cases like cell phone cases and magazine pouches where I can sew right up to the edge of a fold. But those up and down folds on the ends I still have to sew by hand. I used to sew everything by hand until the arthritis got to my hands that really slowed me down. When hand sewing be sure to wax your thread that is first. When you pull your threads snug them up if you see leather moving and buldging you are pulling way to hard. On thicker leather like saddle skirts you can pull it tighter but on lighter leather you want to snug it up. Hope this makes since. Randy

There are a couple sourses for drawing floral patterns in the Sheridan style. The one that is the best I feel and easiest to use is Chan Geers pattern drawing pack and CD. He goes through step by step on how to draw floral patterns. The pattern pack gives you several different sizes and styles of flowers, leaves and swerls.(mispelled that one!) I think you can still get it through Hide Crafters. If now PM me and I will give you Chans phone and you can call him direct. As far as Porter or the other styles I have not seen anyone have even classes on drawing the patterns. They had a class at Ft. Worth on tooling the Texas style of floral but really did not get into how to draw. I took a class at Sheridan last spring from Pete Gorell on wester floral drawing that was a good class also. Randy

If it's just a check book I make all my insides. But the roper style and others I will buy the premade ones as it just takes too much time to make them on you own.

I don't think you are too far out of line. I think you have to price items to what your customer base is willing to pay and still remain in business. It also depends on where you are and what your overhead is etc. Here is what I charge for a belt just to compair. Plain, no tooling with linning. 50.00 basket stamped linned 75.00 Letters cut carved and stained or painted 5.00 per letter. Partially floral or oak leave 100.00 Full floral or oak leave 150.00 So I don't think you are out of line on your pricing. People will pay for quality, those who want Walmat prices will shop at Walmart.... Randy

Here is what I do. Not saying I am the expert but this is what works for me for 90% of the hosters that I make. Some require some special considerations. One being the 500 S&W. That is a whole nother topic. As you have to add welts on that big gun. On a normal handgun I start by making the pattern. I use file folders, open the folder and find the fold line. Stand the gun up on the fold line on the sights. Then lay the gun over to the right. Draw the outline of the gun, marking the rear sight, trigger and trigger guard along the reciever and the barrel. Now to the line you just drew add 3/4 -1" . If the gun has rounded features like a revolver or some of the slim line autos like a 1911 stick with the 3/4 inch. If you are doing one of the squared off type guns like a glock add 1". Now decide if you want an open top, thumb break, covered trigger guard etc and draw the added features. Then cut out the outline that you have drawn on the right side. Now fold over the pattern and draw the pattern on the left side of the folder. Cut this out and you have your pattern. If you are sewing by hand you do not need to add anymore to the pattern. If you are using a sewing machine like I do. I add another 1/4 inch to the backside of the pattern. Most of this is trimmed off after sewing but the sewing machine will tend to turn the material under and it is best to have just a little extra sticking out when you sew. But just in case it moves you will have matterial on the back side so it will not roll under. As far as molding I always mold after I sew. I try not to wet the back side of the hoster as I want to mold from the front side. I first cut a small piece of leather about the same size as the front sight and tape that along the barrell about 1/2 way down the barrel, this will give you a front sight grove for the front sight. I oil the gun well, wrap in plastic wrap and work it in the hoster and use a bone creaser or other molding tool to get the fine detail. I will leave the gun in the wet leather for about an hour or less. After that carefully remove the gun and let dry. Trim off any excess, round the edges, burnish and finish the edges etc. Some of the higher end holster makers will use gun molds and presses to get the fine detail but a small shop cannot afford to have an aluminun or other blank of every gun that is made. At least I cannot. All of my customers have been pleased with the way I make them for the price I charge. Hope this helps Good luck with your project. Randy

You can buy the drill type bobbin winder from Tippmann. One come with thier machine so you can order from them. It work with my Artisen machine, not sure about the others. RC

Can they have a small nail hole in the center? If so mark your circle nail it down to your cutting bench with a small nail. Take a point knife and push throught the leather at your mark 1" from center for a 2" circle until it just sticks in you cutting table and then simply rotate your leather cutting the circle out.

Here is the thing that I bought Danny Marlin point knife 150.00 worth of Barry King tools Some linning leather and assorted Conchos at Hidecrafter New Tandy modeling tools New bottom feed plate for my Artisan machine. Hotel Bar Tab Gas Food Priceless............ Randy

We just got back from Ft. Worth last night. To answer Clays question, Peter Main won the world compition with an Angel picture, it was really awsome. My son Riley won the Junior Divison with a 1st place with a checkbook cover he did. I took a 1st place in the advanced division with a carved Portfoilo. We had a great time. I would like to comment on someone's comment that they would never show because they were intemidated. Everyone should show. You learn so much by showing that it is worth it. I compete not with everyone else but with myself. I try to do better than I did the year before. The show will be in Indianapolis, In next year, everyone who works leather should try to enter something. You will be glad you did. You get to go in the show room and look at everyone elses work. You get so many ideas of how things are done simply by looking at others work. All you have to do to show is join a leather guild. There are 3 levels, open class, advanced class and masters. In each level there are many different class to compete in. Pictures, cases, holsters,pocket items, etc. Look at the International Federation of Leather Guilds web site and you can look at the classes etc. I enjoy going every year and seeing the people that I only get to see at the show or Sheridan. I wish I knew Johann was there so I could have met her. Maybe next time. Randy

Tandy / TLF has a three you could look at. RC

First look at the books that Tandy / TLF has. "How to make Holsters" by Stolhman, Buscadero beltls and Holsters, The Old West Collections Jessie James rig, Black Canyon Fig, Cheyene Holster ,ect there are about 8 patterner packs in that series. Jim Simmons has a book out also that you can buy through Hide Crafter or use to be able to. Good luck with your project. RC

Put the clear type packing tape on the flesh side while the leather is still dry. That way it will stick good. Then apply water to case after the tape is in place. Randy

This is pretty much off-topic (--please excuse me--) , but since Hermann Oak and Wickett & Craig are both mentioned here, I was wondering if either gave tours to leatherworkers curious about how tanning is done... Yes, I have talked to both and they will give tours if you give them notice as to when you will be there.... Randy

There are only 2 tanneries left in the US that tan veg tan leather like you would need for tooling leather, Wickett & Craig in Penn. and the other is Herman Oak in St. Louis. I don't know if they would or not. Randy

I will dive into this one. How offen do you need to strop? Well that all depends on the blade and your leather and how sharp your blade is to start with. Strop every time you pick up your knife. That is a golden rule. Then strop every time it starts to drag. If it drags and you start to force it to cut then that is when you mess up. If you are considering spending some money buy a good knife with a good blade. Several good knife makers out there. I have a couple Henley's one with a blade from Jeff Cook made of colbolt steel that I have to strop about 1/2 as much as any other blade I have. Cermic is also a good choise but these need to be stopped also. The oils and fats from the leather will build up on the blade as you cut. Stropping will remove those and shine up the blade. What to strop with? I take a paint sturrer that I got from the pain department, glue a thin strip of leather, flesh side out to the wood and rub in a little bees wax and then work in the jewlers rouse. I will replace them every 6 months or so or when I wear them out. Always glue down the leather to a hard surface. I always use plexi glass that I buy at the hardware store. It can be cut to the size you need and you can reuse it. Use rubber cememt to glue it down. If you do not want the glue like on a project that is not lined, like holsters use packing tape on the back of the leather first then glue it down on to the plexi glass. After completed the project can be pulled off the plexi glass and the tape removed and there is nothing left behind. Good luck with your projects. Randy

I am not familar with the system 328 but if I was you I would start with the folks at Ferdco or Artisen they are all very good at all types of sewing machines and could get you the needles you need.

Necessity is the mother of invention. I started out making holsters many years ago when I decided to join the Cowboy Action Shooting Socity. I needed a cowboy/ western holster rig for the Rugars that I bought. I could not afford to buy holsters and with my leather working experiance decided to make my own rig. I bought the stolhman book on holster making and a hide of leather from Weaver that was on sale. I still have those holsters and look at them from time to time just to let myself know where I started. They were not the very best but they worked for me for many years. But we all have to start somewhere. Holster making now make up a good deal of my work. I have local gun shops refering thier customers to me for custom work. Left handed holsters make up half my holsters because leftys don't have the choises in the over the counter stuff like the rest of us. If you don't have a mentor to show you how, the books and this forum is the best place to start. There are several good books on holster making out there. I don't claim to be an expert but I will be more than glad to help anyone who needs help as well as everyone else that lurks around here. With each holster you will learn and make yourself better. Also look at what others have done and combine what they have done to what you already do and soon you will develop your unique style. Randy

Here's mine. Randy

Sheridan style seems to be the most popular these days depending on where you are. It was started by the late great Don King in Sheridan, Jessie Smith does what he calls a Northwesten Style, then there is the Porter or California style. My son thinks that if it is not Sheridan it's no good. I have my own style that is me. A little of each with some of my own ideas of what I like mixed in. I like the porter style as it is simple and easier to carve than Sheridan and the bigger leaves and flowers cover a lot more area. Porter has a lot more background areas which some people don't like. I took a pattern class from Al Gould and he draws patterns with very little background as he says he hates to use a background tool. I like doing Oak Leaves but seldom have a call for them anymore. Randy

In my oponion you guys are putting way too much work in this. Here is what I do. Take cardboard, I use a product from a local paper company called chipboard. Lay it under your pattern and take your stitch marking wheel and run over the pattern and the little dots from the stitch wheel will transfer onto the cardboard. Then you remove the pattern, play connect the dots and you have your pattern on cardboard and you can cut it out. I have an older head knife that I use to cut the chipboard as it makes a cleaner cut than using sissors. Another sourse for free cardboard is the feed store. Most of the feed that come in on pallets will have a piece of heavy cardboard laying on the pallett before the feed is stacked. My local feed store saves these for me. I have enough saved to last for a long time. I use them to make saddle patterns. For making patterns for smaller items I use quilters pattern plastic sheets I buy at the sewing department. Heavy plastic sheets 8X10 or so. Randy

I think you did a great job.

Myself, my wife Debbie and Son Riley will be there sometime Thrus. Will be in and out of the IILG hospitility room and around the places to spend money. Randy

Welcome to the site, What part of Kansas do you live? I live just south of KC. Randy