RWClark

Thank you. I really hate working on horn back cuts but that is what the customer wanted. Pretty happy with the result.

Did this a bit ago. Nile Croc.

To set this type of snap properly you need the die made for the snap. The die is very pricey so doing only a dozen or so would not really work. You can set them by hand or with a cheaper die but it is best to use the proper die.

The blue ones are from a company call Rings. The product is Rings Blue Guns. They have a good selection of models. I also get mold dummies from the factories as well as making them myself from originals.

Here are a few of the projects I completed last week. First is a Clam Shell Slide holster for a Walther P22. We have a left handed paddle holster for a Smith & Wesson 2" snub nose. A speed loader case. This case wraps around the entire belt and holds the speed loader stadling the top of the belt. Much more concealable than the traditional case. We have a stong side cross draw paddle holster for a Colt Commander. The holster has crocodile trim and a matching crocodile watch band. Last is a Mini Slide holster with snap on belt loops for a Colt Commander. For the same customer I made a old school dump pouch. Pouch holds 6 rounds of 454 Casuell. Wicked big hand gun round. Thanks for looking.

The stuff I have on order (went ahead and ordered it today) is 4/5oz and is pre-dyed black. The hides very in the amount of usable material. It really depends on what you are making and what size the hide is. You will get a lot more usable area if you are making something like wallets or using for trim. If you are using it for stuff like clothing then you will have a lot of out fall. You can get the idea of what they are. You can also get an idea of what people are asking for hides. This guy wants about $100 per sqft which is just silly. http://www.sharkleather.net/sharkskin.asp?...in+Leather+Hide Normal prices range from $25-$35 per foot. I am buying from the manufacturer and acting as the importer (not really, the import is being handled by the manufacturer, but there is no middleman markup). So to get a good price I had to buy enough to make a car cover. I have no problem with selling a single hide. I just don't want to sell it by the foot and end up with a bunch of scraps. The hides are going to average 4-10sqft.

I have been in talks with a tannery about importing some shark leather. I have gotten a great price but need to buy alot more than I need. Looking to see if anyone would want to pick up the extra. I will be ordering black 4/5 oz veg tan. Price would be $15 per sqft. That is about $10 cheaper than standard. I would need to find people interested in buying full hides which average 5-10sqft. If you are interested let me know. Thanks Ron

I don't use a bone folder for forming at all. I only use it for adding cosmetic details. I use it alot on knife sheaths for forming but not for holsters. For forming I use high pressure (anywhere up to 5 tons depending on the model). Don't even think about using my method when using the real firearm as a forming buck. You will end up with a very flat gun. For models with a comfort/sweat/shirt guard I only lightly form the panel. The guard is only to act as a shield and does not need to provide any retention so detail forming is not needed on that area. Thanks Ron

Just checked out your site. Very nice work. If I may be so bold as to make one comment. You refer to the safety position being an issue when using your shirt guard. I have found that on often customized models (such as the 1911 platform) it is best not to highly mold the slide release / safety areas. If you mold closely to the factory parts you will have problems with fit and function on models with aftermarket parts. This can include models from Wilson, Kimber, Springfield and even the Colt Custom Shop. I build a lot of holsters for custom 1911s and have found that almost no two safetys are ever the same size or shape. Just a thought. Thanks Ron

That is a very nice looking rig. Thanks to that squeeze cock, those P7s are hard to build for. Curious as to how well it re-holsters without a full throat band. Those look like line snaps to me not DOTs.

I had a prototype SAP wallet made once. Because of the possible impact, we did not want plastic in the ID window. We ended up using a very fine metal mesh like what they have in screens only finer. Worked fantastic and we never had the problems that plastic will give over time.

Thanks for the kind welcome. Yes the first sheath, the holster, money clip and watch band are all Nile Crocodile. He was used in alot of projects around the shop. Here is some more of him. This is a scabbard sheath for one of bowies I made. FYI the knife is 22" long and 3" wide. The handle is fossil ivory.

The material used in holsters and knife sheaths should be what is called Kydex 100. It is very very tough. The failure point is not the kydex but is the hardware used to attach the pieces together. Both leather and kydex have thier places. For EDC I will chose leather every time for guns and folding knives but I want kydex for fixed blades. When I fly I carry in a kydex shoulder rig from Survival Sheath Systems. Helicopter cockpits get very hot and we sweet ALOT. Armpit sweet and a leather shoulder holster do not go well together LOL. That being said, you can not base the performance of Kydex from that Fobus. I have seem Fobus holsters break from sitting wrong. And as was said, it is not even Kydex but injection molded PVC.

Actually that is not a Kabar. It is a Airmans rescue knife from Camillus. Nice looking sheath.