Shorts

Nice job on the burnishing. It caught my eye on the mouth reinforcement and top. Good work blending it smooth to look one piece

I think the DA is your problem because of your mixture proportions. The only time I've pork-rinded a holster was when I washed it in Acetone I dilute Angelus with DA on my HO and it's been fine. I don't dip, I swab generously. As for the drying the holster, use more airflow and less heat. Everyone here likes to crank up the oven but really that isn't necessary. You need to move the moisture out and the air flow allows a little lower temps so you don't burn your house down.

First, place an order for a new holster now. Second, not a good idea. You're better off building a new holster with the modifications from the beginning than retrofitting. Third, spring steel or thin kydex. Fourth, not a good idea.

McMCarr: http://www.mcmaster.com/#tee-nuts/=ak9xjd Looks like Scoville doesn't carry the part number anymore. Google "Flat Tnut"

Scoville (DOT) fasteners has some flat square Tnuts that I use specifically for retention screws. Also McMaster-Carr has a good selection and I believe they've got flat ones as well. I just ordered my barbed ones from them so the pics are fresh in my head. Your kind words are much appreciated! Best wishes for you as you go forward in your leatherwork.

Use a flat head machine screw, finishing washer (countersunk) (ex: #92918A135) on the top, with some clear tubing as the cushion in the middle, then the Tnut on the backside. Specifics about thread size, screw length, Tnut style and hardware finish are up to you.

First I tape the box up and line with newspaper. Then I put each item in an appropriately sized 4mil plastic bag, seal it and put it in the box. I use newspaper between items and to fill and loose space. Nothing fancy, just pretty cheap but sufficient. If the items are small, like extra belt loops I put the loops in a 4mil baggie then throw it in a bubble padded little envelop mailer and off it goes. I ship everything USPS Priority and the rates are fairly decent. Print all my postage off Click 'n Ship.

5/6oz is pretty light for an OWB. Bump up your weight to a 6/7oz minimum and mold the ejection port. I prefer 7/8oz for OWBs.

SOLD - please delete

SOLD - delete please

SOLD - delete please

Exactly. There's money wrapped up in that blemmed item - sell it!

You build and sell enough that one's reputation speaks for itself.

I sell cosmetic screws ups. I'm upfront about what and why. I will not sell a functionally compromised holster however. Those do get thrown into the holster box.

Some do, some don't. We don't all prescribe to the same methods. Airsofts would work fine of they were up to spec of the real thing.

A tight holster is only a perceived problem because you haven't addressed it. Fitting instructions should be included with every order so it heads off any question as to whether or not a tight holster was intended. I send my orders out with a thank you letter, fitting instructions and a receipt. You head off problems from the get go. That way you know when you do get call or note from a customer it is actually a problem and not just them all hot headed from being miseducated

You want a tight holster. It will be final fit to the customer's gun after they receive it. A loose holster right from the get go is useless.

I wore a glove, plus I installed some leather pads on the palm and finger tip for when I needed to push a needle through.

Actually Lobo has typed out quite a bit of information that should be considered for this type of exchange. No one else up there vocalized any specifics. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. While I think that may be an extreme description, it's not off target. You can't create a good business plan without discussing the pros and cons of said plan. And no, I don't want in on this plan. While it's an interesting idea, I don't think it has the legs. Someone will have to oversee the entire setup or else things will get very confusing.

Yeah, black leaves a lot of residue when it's applied to wet leather. It's a mess. I only use black and brown dyes so I've got no experience with other colors. Glad you posted about changing shades. Sounds like you've got more dynamic use of Angelus dyes.

Ok, been pulling my hair out over this. I just worked on a holster and I think I have figured out this problem. This is a dye penetration issue, not a sealing issue. Remember here folks, we're working with dye, not paint. Dyes penetrate the materials. Paints sit on the surface. The short & simple answer is dye must be applied to leather that has not been pressed/compressed. For example, like this: I dye the leather under all mouth reinforcements and belt tunnels before they are glued and stitched on. I do this to ensure that glue doesn't interfere and resist dye, leaving a glaring undye-able area in these tight sections. Once these initial pieces are stitched on, the construction continues. Glue the holster, edge, stitch and wet mold (which includes pressing). That bring us to a dryed, molded holster ready for dye. SORRY FOR THE NOT-THE-CLEAREST PICS Now I dye the holster, then buff. Here is the result: You can see in the yellow circle the difference in how much the dye penetrated the leather. The darker area was dyed prior to wet mold (as in the belt tunnel picture up there). The lighter area (and entire holster for that matter) was dyed and buffed, several times, after wet mold. The only explainable difference is the structure of the leather. Before wet mold the leather fibers are porous and open. After a wet mold that includes pressing the leather, the fibers are compacted and tight. The dye just cannot penetrate the compacted fibers (even diluted). I tried several coats of dye and buffs and was left with that result above. Well....heck...I need to save this holster somehow. The solution? Saturate the inside of the holster using a dauber. Saturate the heck out of it until you can see the dye puddling in there (if you turn it over and look on the outside you should see the dye seeping through the grain). Now reapply dye to the outside of the holster. Wait a minute or two so that the dye has time to work in there and meet in the middle. Now force dry with a hair dryer (this will minimize wet time which slightly softens the interior molding detail). It won't take long since the dye is alcohol. Buff the piece you just dyed and inspect the leather. You should have pretty much have it covered now. If you're satisfied with the results, do the other side the same way. Once its dry, buff well. Here is the result: As you can see the dye job has evened out quite a bit. It's much better than in that first pic and does save the holster. Now the holster can be finished up knowing the dye is "in there" instead of just sitting on the surface. With all the above information said this brings into question the order of construction on holsters, specifically black ones that show such a color contrast. Some makers dye leather before doing anything else. This is the best way to ensure solid, thorough dye coverage that will not rub off. However, I don't think this is not without consequence. It's highly likely that you'll get dye residue all over everything involved in your construction process. Things like your hands, your sewing table/platform, and your press pads to name a few. Also if you bone your holsters, the dyed surface grabs the boning tool, making it difficult to slide the tool over the leather for nice lines. I have no idea if the dye residue concerns and smooth boning issues can be worked around. I would like to hear further input on these two things from those who have found solutions. If you wish to dye holsters after they are wet molded it seems you can still do that using the method of saturating the interior of the holster, then dying the outside. The results should be acceptable. If you do not press your holsters during wet mold you might not experience such a drastic dye hurdle. Ok, those are my thoughts and observations. Hope it helps.

I'm sure he'll be pleased. Are those his Lt bars on the right? What's the pin on the left? Edit: Duh - it's a "J"