dikman

I was only trying it at the suggestion of the chap where I bought it, he said it should lighten the colour a little (which it did, but it also brought out the red in it). I can see where thinning the dye could cause problems due to the reduced colour content. I intend to experiment a bit more later, but at the moment I'm making Holster #9, to match the last one. It will be natural (oiled and waxed only) and definitely not as well-finished as yours, but that doesn't matter as they're only for me and I'm hoping they'll quickly get an aged/used/knocked about look about them. The gunbelt is causing me some indecision. My thoughts are for a single layer (I don't want it too thick), rough side in with an Eastwood style buckle and tongue and stitched along the edge. I don't want to stamp it, but am undecided about stitching in the "gunfighter" pattern. Trouble is that it might look pretty plain with just the natural finish. I'll just have to make it and see what it looks like, I guess.

You make me feel ignorant! Two of mine I bought from a chap selling off excess, no longer used surplus machines from his business. He'd run them to prove they stitch and I turned them on to make sure they worked! I may have been lucky, I guess, as he was a nice bloke and the machines had been serviced regularly. The next one I made sure it turned over by hand and that was it. The machine hadn't been used for a few years (?) and the motor and table were cheap **** - but it was a very good price for the head unit. The fourth one (head only) was free, I turned it by hand, which was fine, so figured it was a good price!! Like I said, I may have been lucky as there were no broken bits (just one very worn shuttle).

Thanks Toney, I think I've almost got it. Next one should fix the mistakes.

I just looked at a few MSDS's for nail polish remover, and not all of them use acetone (which surprised me). The fact there was a colour change indicates it may have something else in it. Try a bit of the stuff on some scrap leather and experiment a bit to see what happens - water, dye etc. You could also try washing a bit of the affected scrap with acetone and see if it cleans it up.

Mikesc, you're quite right. It's not a typo, though, 'cos that's how my brain was working when I wrote it (!), but I must admit that afterwards it occurred to me that doing a thick holster edge on a flatbed would be difficult if the work had a curve in it, like a Western holster. So yes, a heavy duty cylinder arm and a light-medium flat bed makes more sense (and even a lightweight straight stitcher could be useful at times). Hmm, that's three, perhaps I'd better shut up! Steve, no comparison between the two! Most of the post beds that I've seen have a roller wheel instead of a presser foot, and you really want a walking foot for leather work. Post beds are probably more specialized than cylinder arms (shoe uppers, hat bands etc) and tend to run lighter thread. In my (limited) experience mine doesn't like thick leather at all! Stick to a cylinder arm.

Next version. The bottom of the holster is the same width but I made it 1/4" wider at the trigger guard, which gave just a little more room inside overall. I also lowered the slot in the front edge a bit more. By fitting the dowel along the extractor rod it gave a much better fit, the gun now slides out smoothly without the slight drag from the extractor that I could feel in the other one. The dowel behind the front sight appears to have angled the revolver slightly in the holster, with the barrel sitting a bit to the rear of the holster's leading edge and as a result the front sight doesn't catch (as much) on the bottom of the holster. It has zero retention, and the cylinder can be rotated in the holster (although that's not something we do!). Two quick coats of hot Neatsfoot oil, followed by an application of wax and then it was buffed a little. I figure that by buffing it regularly it should slowly get to the finish I want. Since this one appears to be a better fit to the gun, I guess I'll make another the same and then a matching belt (another gunbelt! Aarrgghh). Funnily enough, when they're side-by-side I think I like the reddish-brown better .

The 31-47 looks like a nice machine to start with. Best thing to do is get the manual and become familiar with how it works and the adjustments needed to keep it running properly.

Sonydaze is right, there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to sewing machines. Edges of holsters can be pretty thick, depending on style, and need a bit of grunt to get through, as well as suitable clearance under the feet. A machine that can do that is going have trouble with light material. Looking at what you want to do, I would think a heavy duty flat bed and a lighter cylinder arm might do, but I'm sure other, more experienced users should be able to be more specific.

31K57? I couldn't find that model, have you got the right number? The 335 is a nice machine, I'm finding out, and a cylinder arm is potentially more versatile, but we all have to start somewhere and if you can pick up a good flatbed walking foot it's a good place to start. While a post bed is a nifty bit of gear, it's a bit specialized and limited if you're going to be doing a lot of "general" leatherwork.

A word of warning, then - (old) industrial sewing machines can be strangely addictive..........

Keep them good tricks and ideas coming, RC . Actually, that is essentially what I've just done (it's drying next to me as I type). I wet it, folded it, dried and stitched it, then got the pouch part pretty wet and worked the revolver into it. Much better idea than wet molding it around the revolver, drying and then stitching. In total this is holster #8 that I've made (all Western-style), and I think I'm slowly starting to come up with a method that works, although I'm still not sure with staining whether it's better to stain first and then mold or stain after all the molding is done. Even with spirit-based dyes the water still tends to bring out traces of colour during wet-molding.

The table itself works fine, but for now I've given up on the post-bed and put it to one side. The presser wheel is great, as it lets me get in real close to the edge, but it has a nasty tendency to break needles! If I try to use anything too thick it can cause a very slight deflection of the needle which then hits the needle plate with inevitable results! I'll come back to it at some point in the future, but for now I don't need it as the two flat beds and the cylinder arm (all walking foot) are more than adequate for my needs.

Yep, big pulley indeed! You will need to know the shaft diameter and also look at how the pulley fits the shaft - it will either have a slot in the shaft with a key or locking screws, usually recessed into the pulley somewhere. These days most sewing machine pulleys are pretty standard for a 3/4" shaft with a keyway, but that is an OLD motor, so anything is possible. Fitting a smaller pulley will certainly make it more manageable, if you can find one that will fit, but may still be a handful for a newbie (it was for me, it was inevitable that I would replace mine with servos). By the way, on that last photo it looks like the thread isn't going between the discs on the top tension/guide?

It's certainly different (first blue one I've seen). Nice work. As for the price, very few people would appreciate the work that goes into something like this. Anything hand-made is the same, if you try to charge what it actually cost (particularly the labour cost) most wouldn't pay it.

When I saw that blade shape I thought "hmmm". I agree with chiefjason, without a snap/retaining strap the only way I can see is to make a pouch-type sheath that extends part-way up the handle (at least to the "bump", if not a bit further). You would certainly have to wet mold it, but that way you might be able to introduce a bit of a restriction at the thick part of the handle to provide a bit of holding pressure.

Not snagging the bottom of the holster. One thing I noticed is that on the Remington 1875 the part of the ejector (the bit you push) at the front sticks out quite a bit and my molding around it is a bit too snug. On this next one I've taped a dowel along the barrel behind the front sight and also one from the front of the ejector to the front of the receiver. Along with padding out the frame/cylinder a bit this should provide smoother contours to mold the leather around, thus giving a bit more "wiggle room". I'm also trying a slightly different method - last time I molded the pouch around the gun, let it dry and then stitched the pouch edge (I stitched most of it first, leaving the pouch edge until molded). This time, after stitching all the edge except the pouch, I thoroughly wet it and folded it over, lined up the pouch edges, lightly clamped it and left it to dry. Tomorrow I'll stitch the pouch edge - I may run two rows of stitching down, still thinking about that one - and then wet it and work the gun into it to shape it. I figure by the time I do #3 I should just about have figured out the best way to make them. And this time I remembered to fit the Chicago screws before gluing the leather halves!

I whipped this one up when I first got the machine, a bit basic but I wanted to see if the idea would work.

I've got a small bottle of thinned brown so I'm thinking of putting a bit in a small container and adding a couple of drops of black just to see what happens. Sounds like it might be worth experimenting a bit. Front sight - I had intended removing it, as for such close range shooting I don't see that it's necessary, but a member from another club said that occasionally they will shoot at a target that has a small centre so greater accuracy will be required. I'm still undecided about it, but it's only a matter of developing a technique with very slight pressure pushing the muzzle to the rear. Doesn't need much, I'll see how I go.

Nice. I might have ago at something similar, just for the ruckus it's likely to create here . The fact it's been approved by the governing body would be my "ace-in-the-hole"! I tried my holster at the range yesterday, and I like it. I just have to develop a technique for clearing the front sight (so that it doesn't catch on withdrawal) but that's no big deal. The next one will be in natural leather, but I suspect I'll end up making two like that plus a matching belt. I like your two-tone effect, but I think I'll try that later .

(Insert bright flash of light!). Now that makes perfect sense! I've always been concerned at adding too much dye because the stuff I've read always indicated that I should get coverage just using a couple of coats. I see now that I wasn't going far enough. Many thanks for explaining your method. I've just been asked to make a couple of shotgun cartridge belts, and looking at your design it's rather intriguing. Is it a belt with another piece stitched on the inside, extended up and folded over? It looks like it will have the effect of angling the cartridges away from the body a little. It's certainly different to every other one that I've seen.

Thanks for the info, Glenn. I'll have a play with it later.

Red Cent, I meant to ask how you get such uniform colouring? By dipping? Longtooth, your info was invaluable in understanding the design. Many thanks. (I must admit the colour is a fluke on my part ).

Yup. I see you're going down the same path. Air rifles here are classed the same as .22 rifles, paint ball guns and single/double barrel shotguns - must be registered and you need a licence to own one. I note that air pistols appear to be lumped in with air rifles over there, but here an air pistol is considered the same as any other handgun (with the same restrictions on ownership). As has been said many times, once government and bureaucracy get involved logic and common-sense fly out the window!

Not a mod I'm likely to be considering!

That brown is nice, it actually looks brown! One of the problems with these dyes is that it depends on what base colour is used to create it initially, wihout knowing this mixing colours can have all sorts of interesting effects. That last photo is sort of what I originally envisaged (but not in two-tone, very striking). I've decided to make the next holster "natural", just using neatsfoot oil and waxing it. Depending which one I like best I'll then make another one in that colour to give me a pair. Fortunately, the actual cost of making a holster is pretty low material-wise, the cost, as we know, is mostly in the time involved so not using one of them is no big deal. You guys are possibly quite unique in the world in having your Second Amendment. DO NOT let them modify it, change it or take it away or you'll end up like us!!! We (Australia) tend to be held up as a shining example of gun control and how it prevents "bad things" happening. Don't you believe it. The only people affected by these strict laws are what we refer to as LAFO's - Law Abiding Firearm Owners - the bad guys, strangely enough, ignore these laws and don't seem to have any trouble getting (illegal) firearms.