rickybobby

I would think it was the USMC black (I just don't seem to get along with it, It seems to never dry completely) but, that is me. I have found that most black dyes have pigment that is left on the surface after solvents have flashed off. It helps to "Buff" the surface before applying any topcoat finish using any color but especially BLACK. Doing do pulls the extra powder pigment off your leather surface. That may be what we are seeing in your photo, the extra pigments being moved around by the resolene. If you buffed it before resolene application, you may look at the age of the product then as the issue. Hope that helps, Rick

RoperDKC It depends on the "Look" you want your item to age with. If you leave veg-tan totally without anything on it the "patina" will take a "worn leather" body oil, stains from whatever gets on it from life and/or work. It will take a while but some like that. By using only oil, (I only have experience with this using Pure Neat Foot Oil). Using a couple light coats on only the smooth surface will darken it a little, It will patina from handling much like above. If a darker natural brown is wanted, Lay it in the sun for a few hours after oiling. It will get a very rich redish brown if it is "good" leather. If you choose to use the "rough out" side as the outside, use one even coat of NFO and let it be natural. What ever patinas and stains is just part of life. Thats what is cool about rough out ;-) Rick

@Davis All 7 of mine arrived quickly. Thank you for your prompt shipping! Most appeared to be used, a couple looked "Brand New"/Never Used Thanks for the opportunity to buy these. Rick

@Davis Payment sent for these 7 dummy guns FN 40/9 Bersa Thunder Sig Mosquito Kimber Solo Ruger Redhawk 2.5" Kahr P380 FNX 9 Paypal sent Thank you, Rick 623 271-3309

Hi, I would like ... FN 40/9 Bersa Thunder Sig Mosquito Kimber Solo Ruger Redhawk 2.5" Kahr P380 I can pay by PaPal or how would you like to handle Payment??? PM Sent Rick

Just curious, it appears that the only "Blue Gun" available is the .22lr mini. Do they have others available?? I called Duncan's and got their last NAA Black Widow .22 Magnum Dummy a couple months ago. I bought a few of these guns to build holsters with but if there are dummy guns for some of the 4" models I would get those instead. (like I needed a reason to buy guns! lol!!)

Thanks for the info Frank. I checked every place else and forgot about them! Rick

I make quite a few Breast Collars for Team Ropers. Making a piece of leather for the Tap Off the same size as the Breast Collar worked best for my use. This way the ends where the piece folds over is marked as well. Here is some tips for making them. Photos are from one I use for Breast Collars. They can be small for only a flower or leaf or large for a whole Stirrup Fender. The Name stays the same on every one. I left the end open for doing different tooling themes/patterns and the boarder has some open space for different tooling. I'm not very "artsy" so I had to draw out my pattern then reverse it with transparent paper and re-draw it backwards on transfer material (frosted pattern material from Tandy). I cased the piece that is going to be the Tap Off and traced the "Backwards" pattern on. When moisture was perfect for swivel knife I cut out the "reverse" pattern. (doing letters backwards was a challenge!) You always doubt what your doing! After letting the new "Tap Off" dry completely I used Lacquer based clear to seal it (Wyo Sheen). After that dried I used a spray can of Urethane Clear and sprayed a couple light coats on. This seals the piece from moisture that may close the knife cuts. After cutting out the Breast Collar, I case the leather that will be the final piece. While that is wet (pretty wet!) I lay the Tap Off on the piece to be tooled and using a smooth hammer "Tap" the pattern on the wet leather. Using the "raised" lines as your swivel knife cutting then tool as usual. The Tap Off's really help speed work time for repeating patterns that you use a lot.

I'm not sure if you mean to make them? or to cut the piece off of the hide? I use a solid blade box cutter on sheet metal as a cutting base to cut them off of the hide. The Chuck Smith swivel knife to cut the pattern. Cased properly the cut will remain very wide open. Then I use spray can clear urethane to seal the surface (after it was dry from casing) Rick

A Landis 5 in 1 is the best tool for that. Shoe repair shops and other leather shops will have them for cutting and skiving. I know to many $$$$$ so... Lay your pattern out so your soles are in line. A small table saw will cut that out. From there a small band saw will do the turns. Use a 36 or 40 grit drum sander to finish your shape. 80 grit, then 220 or 280 grit to smooth our edge. Rick

2" clear plastic tape is quick and if need, 2 layers if heavy backgrounding or basket stamping is done. On larger projects I still use the 2" tape. I will put one layer on then put a second layer on at 90 degrees. (It just makes me feel better I guess!)lol!! Rick

Hi all! I have a customer from another part of the country that wants a holster for his Desert Eagle (.50 cal.) After looking in all the usual online sales stores for a dummy, cannot find one. They don't seem to carry them (not a popular pistol for holsters!) lol!!! Is there a member here that may have one for sale or I could rent it from for a couple days?? I would pay the shipping both directions & however much you want for rent (or trade time borrowed if you need one I have, I have 70 dummy guns). Let me know, this is a good customer I have done other work for and need to see this through for him. Looking on Amazon, there was a 3D printer toy "Rubber band gun" of a Desert Eagle that would be perfect but, its about 5 weeks away in Europe. ;-( Thanks for looking!! Rick rick @ Desert Gun Leather . com

Hi Everyone, I have about 60 Blue Guns. I would be up for a "Loan out" for someone on most I have. If there is interest I can work up a list next week. BTW, Does anyone have a PX-4 "Compact" Rick

I think you have it perfect Bruno Make it up!

The Weaver 4 ton has worked very well for me. $995.00 and free shipping a couple times a year. Ask them for a "code" for the shipping. Or, buy it when at a leather show, same deal, free shipping!!

Hi, Welcome to the forums! I have had good results from wetting and forming the leather first, letting it dry. Then, wetting it for tooling. A helpful hint that took me some time to figure out was to wet the backside of the area to be tooled first (thinner the leather the lighter you dampen) then lightly sponge the smooth side to be tooled. Let it return to natural color 10 to 20 minutes and you will get normal burnishing while tooling. Go ahead and smash it down for tooling, it will shape right back up because you molded it the desired shape first. Hope that helps!

I never got that far in the conversation with them because I really did not know what questions to ask. It helps to see some options so the the conversation for an order can progress (it would look like I knew what I was talking about!) lol!! The couple times I have been approached it was for "off duty". Thanks for the info! Some questions for me to ask. Ray, thanks for you info. I always get so much from your posts through the years. The style that you show is probably the type I have been asked for. If you don't mind, may I "barrow" you style shown? I think it would be one for me to at least show a client. I have heard of some agencies not allowing anything but issued equipment. Thanks for your info on wearing placement.

Hi, I have been asked if I can do Hand Cuff Cases. I am looking for advice on what someone would look for in a hand cuff case (not color or tooling) style or design would be what I need to know. Is full cover desired over partial? Snaps? direction of snap pull? I don't know any LEO's so my options are only looking at photos on the internet. Any advice on what works well/best would be of help. Thanks in advance. Rick

Hi OldNSlow, There are some folks that find hand stitching a relaxing and rewarding guilty pleasure. I have hand stitched a few belts (over 20 years ago) because it was all I had available to me. Like Dwight, my first machine was a Tippman Boss, I learned to adjust, lubricate, and run that thing like a champ (the lube part helps it run smoother) Learning to adjust it was trial and error. I would over tighten, under tighten and run stitches until I knew exactly what produced an acceptable stitch on any thickness leather I was working with. So many people just run a stitch and get on line and gripe about it and the machine. Tippman sends and excellent flyer on card stock paper that shows all the stitching problems and tells you how to correct them. It helps a bunch especially if you have never sewn anything before. I sold my Boss many years ago, and miss it once and a while. I now have an Artisan 3000 and a Cobra 4 and for lighter leathers a Cowboy 628 table flat bed machine. On some repairs and new builds (saddles) there is only one way to stitch a Cantle Binding or a Horn and that is by hand. The ability always comes in handy! As far as prices, look for used. Tippman Boss I have seen for as little as $750.00 (the market was soft on those for a while) to $1000.00 I paid $1600.00 for my Artisan 3000 used from Steve at Cobra (it was a trade in) 4 years ago. (prices may vary.) Your quality of work increases when you have a machine. You are more likely to keep a piece of work you spent 45 minutes hand stitching that maybe should have gone in the scrap bin as opposed to 2 minutes on a machine and tossing it aside and doing the project correctly (just my experience!). Hope this helps and best of luck, Rick

I have a leather shop in Phoenix and would welcome anyone looking to start a formal or informal group meeting place. I do holsters, saddles, rifle scabbards, knife sheathes, chaps, chinks, Tooling, ect. But I learn the most from people beginning leather work. The questions asked by them are the most valuable! Once in a while I teach a class at Tandys on Greenway/35th Ave. Phoenix and most of the time it teaches me something! Let me know, I can schedule my production around a group meeting, space will be available to anyone interested, beginner or advanced. Once a week? every other week? evenings? Mornings? I'm open to the group time wise. Shop is located on 7th Ave. North of the 101 and South of Deer Valley Rd. (just south of the Deer Valley Airport) Rick Jorgenson Jorgenson Leather 21424 n. 7th Avenue #12 Phoenix AZ 85027 623 271-3309

I would say that is where the buckle end is. It is marked with an "A" maybe the directions indicate the buckle/tang location? Rick

You could have a stamp made to do it on as many copper rivets you want. I would check with Infinity Stamps in Chatsworth, CA. www.infinitystamps.com/ I have a maker stamp from them and it is one of the best I have ever had. If I move back to Ojai, CA I will be able to use it again! ​Check them out. They make all kinds of stamps for jewelry as well as leather. Rick

On thin leather like that I find it not necessary to hold the piece up and do the edge like on thicker leather. The dampened edges roll "round" just by the burnishing motion, (you just do one side at a time!) #1. I dampen the edge lightly, use a piece of canvas with some saddle soap. #2. Lay the piece on my marble and burnish the edge that is up. #3. Flip the piece over on the marble and burnish the other side. Using this method you burnish only one side at a time but by doing both sides it looks fine without trying to hold it up and work a "floppy" edge. This works for me, you may give it a try. Rick

Darren, My experience with the Boss has been positive. But, when it did not perform as I thought it should I took it upon myself to "read the instructions!" Tippmann puts out a simple, easy to understand pamphlet that goes with the machine. I did not assume it was the machine, I assumed it was ME. Since I had little to no experience with sewing machines when I bought it. I figured it was my issue, I opened the directions, and followed them. Most of the time, problem solved. I have seen "Cobra" machines for sale on this site because they "didn't sew right" well I know for a fact they do and Steve offers World Class Service to make sure they work but the buyers would not learn some basic rules of thread tension. While learning the whole process, I purposely "over tightened" "under tightened" upper and lower thread tension while running test stitching in belt blanks. I marked the places where adjustments were made and learned what the results did. I learned from "my mistakes" and how to correct them with adjustments! (to see how the stitches pull high or low in the hole, ideal is in the center (middle) of the piece). One thing I did notice was Tippmann sends this machine out with very little lubrication on the moving parts. I think most "new" buyers think this is all they need. They need a lot more! My machine performance (ran smoother) improved %100 after using gear grease (tub from auto parts store about $4.00) and on moving metal parts on the backside and oil ("3 n1 oil") on other moving parts. This made such a difference in ease of use and I could concentrate on sewing instead of "cranking". By the way, you must crank full swing up and full swing down for everything to work. I would not be so quick to say that the Boss has problems as much as I would say the Buyers of the machine have the problem and that's, not learning some basic fundamentals of sewing machines and their adjustments. One cannot pull it out of the box and sew a belt! Close, but it does need some set up and adjustment (and lube). Beginners buy this machine because they can stitch as slow fast as they choose. An electric machine with a perceived notion of little control is not a choice a new leather worker wants to start with so the Boss and it's hand crank ability is appealing, I understand that feeling that was me 15 years ago and my exact reason for its purchase. This has been what I have seen over the years, I hope this is informative and helpful!

I'm a Holster Maker not a Tanner! That would be my response. Customer special requests always cost YOU! Cater to customers that like your work and send others to specialists in the field. When the snake skin falls apart on a holster you made people will think you made a crappy holster even though you had nothing to do with how the skin was treated prior to tanning. You have no control over the quality of the snake skin (bad business/reputation position) but could become your problem. Hope this helps, I look out for my reputation and am sensitive to something out of my control.