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dickf

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Posts posted by dickf

  2. Posted · Report reply

    I have had very good results with a cheap, throw away camel hair brush (that I wash out with hand soap after each use) and it works super well.

    The secret is twofold: a) dilute the resolene to a 50/50 solution of resolene and water AND B) apply two wet coats together, starting with the inside of the holster, then the back side, soaking into the flesh side of the leather. Once the first coat has been applied, . . . brush it until you have an almost foam like appearance that will then disappear with a bit more brushing. Continue to the smooth side of the leather pieces, . . . again soaking, working up the foam, and brushing until the foam bubbles are basically gone.

    It is not as important on the flesh side, . . . but on the smooth side, . . . brush untill the bubbles are gone.

    Now, . . . go back, . . . right now, . . . and do it again.

    I like to hang my project up in the window, . . . let the sun's heat dry it, . . . or I hang it up about 7 feet above the furnace register, . . . it gets heat, . . . just not all at once.

    I only had one problem with this method, . . . I got in a hurry on a black OWB I did for a .40 Glock, . . . and some of the bubbles were not gone, . . . when they dried, . . . it looked like water spots on a finely waxed wooden table.

    Dye some scrap leather pieces, . . . and practice, . . . I think you will like it.

    May God bless,

    Dwight

    Exactly what I was looking for - thank you!

  4. Posted · Report reply

    Looks really great. I also use Photoshop to mock up my patterns. I have actually developed a little system that is working nicely. I scan the pistol into Photoshop and cut it out with the pen tool. After I have the pistol on it's own layer, I throw in a 1.75" black strip all the way across the canvas to act as a belt. Then, I can cant the pistol by selecting the pistol layer and apple+T it to my liking. I usually adjust it's opacity to ~25% and print it out. I can then pencil a pattern over top of a life-size image of the pistol and a belt. I scan it back in and clean the pencil up with the pen tool on a new layer (round out the curves and put more thought into cutting the pattern in leather (i.e. eliminating any hard to get to spots)), then print 1 last time. Cut it out of the paper, and trace the pattern on the leather. Viola - a printable pattern. I keep the pattern itself on it's own layer, so in my psd, I have the pistol and have multiple pattern layers, so I can just switch them on and off depending on what pattern I want to work with/print.

    Sorry for the long winded post. :)

  11. Posted · Edited by dickf · Report reply

    I finished this for a fellow in Texas. He wanted white thread on black leather, and I think it turned out pretty classy. Pistol is a Polish P-64.

    This was my first experience with spirit dye - I like it a lot better than the eco-flow stuff. I grooved the piece, dyed the inside and outside, then stitched, molded, and finished.

    Wish I had a better camera - these photos don't really do it justice.

    Comments and critiques welcome!

    DSCF4276.jpg

    DSCF4275.jpg

    DSCF4270.jpg

  13. Posted · Report reply

    The reason stiffness matters is what madmax said above, the mouth collapsing and making one hand reholstering more difficult and not smooth. This isn't much of an OWB issue, though I like good and stiff. But the big thing these days is IWB. Many folks wearing IWBs want a holster that will not collapse when they pull the gun. Well I can agree and disagree. I don't think one handed reholstering matters if you ever pulled your gun in defense. Chances are you aren't reholstering anytime until the threat is stopped and you have to sort out some things anyway. BUT on the other hand, folks need to practice their draws. Lots of folks do dry fire practice at home (I am one of them). Lots of folks do live fire drills out at the range (I am also one of them). Learning to draw from the preferred method of carry is vital. And, in order to practice drawing, you have to reholster.

    Now you can insert the preferred method of mouth support here. Makers have different methods like metal inserted, kydex or a leather piece.

    Soooo, all in all, do your leather how you prefer. Customers talk and compare notes and yap on the internet. Some characteristics will sell a holster, some won't. It depends on the customers. The beauty of it is that we all have our own methods and we all have folks who we've supplied and made happy.

    Well said!

    :cheers:

  23. Posted · Edited by dickf · Report reply

    I have GOT to get me one of those!!! I love the caliber, but I bet that Bersa 308 kicks like a mule!

    Haha!! I bet your right!

    Good looking setup. It's not often that you see a shoulder rig for a lefty. Is the open trigger guard a customer request?

    I have found that spraying rubbing alcohol on my piece to clean it and slightly dampen it lets the brown dye soak in more evenly. I apply it with a rag.

    :cheers: Cheers!

    *edit* Oh yeah, what weight is that leather?

  24. Posted · Edited by dickf · Report reply

    gavingear, the strap would help keep the mouth open more if it wrapped around the holster all the way. As it is now, it certainly helps in keeping the mouth open and gives the muzzle something to butt up against when reholstering. It almost serves as a guide, if that makes any sense. I think it's necessary - at least, on this type of pattern. I made one for my XD40, and it's become my daily carry. This version (P64 - pistol is almost a duplicate of a Walther PPK) lets the pistol ride high enough for a solid grip, yet low enough the conceal really well. Plus, the pistol wants to hug the body, which is also desirable. We'll see how this H&K comes out.

    Without this forum, I wouldn't know anything that I do now. :)

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