Dwight

When I built my hobby / leather shop, . . . that was one of the concerns. I had to put up a divider wall between two sections, . . . instead of a 2 x 4 wall that would be all wasted space, . . . I used a 2 x 12 on the end of it, . . . put an OSB back on it, . . . an OSB door on the front, . . . and all my leather hangs in the "vault" nowadays. I made swinging arms that would hold 6 or 8 pieces each, . . . so I can just open the door and thumb through what I have until I find what I want. What little I have rolled up, . . . sits on the floor of the vault, . . . awaiting a day when it too will be hung up. Greatest invention I've done in a long time. May God bless, Dwight

OK, . . . that's an easy one, . . . I've had to do that on occasion or two, . . . pull your leather through the hole while you still have 3 or 4 inches on it, . . . cut it so it is half the distance to the next slot, . . . skive it and the new piece so they will lay flat, . . . use a little dab of contact cement to hold them together, . . . put a staple through both pieces or sew a couple of stitches, . . . just to hold them together. Go on and pull it through the rest of the slots, . . . and when you put the belt together, . . . MAKE SURE, . . . that area gets good cement. It'll work, . . . been there, done that. May God bless, Dwight

I try to look at reloads, . . . not bullet count. Also, . . . are you making a belt, . . . or a bandolier? A 72 inch belt is a pretty BIG guy , . . . but just figure out how much space you want to put bullets in, . . . divide that by your .550 spacing, . . . you'll know then how many you can do. My personal rig for my .45 LC, . . . has 20 loops, . . . 4 reloads of 5 each, . . . also space on the right hand side for the holster, . . . and a space on the left side for a knife, . . . another holster, . . . canteen, . . . possible pouch, . . . May God bless, Dwight

You have to "figger" this one. Two cartridges, .375 (+/-) in diameter, . . . with two pieces of 5 oz leather between them. We're talking "center to center", . . . so we can start out with the .357 diameter being the minimum distance (if you laid two of them side by side, and if there was no rim on the cartridge. Add to that the two pieces of 5 oz leather which must go between the two cartridges, . . .that equals one piece of 10 oz leather, . . . which equals 10/64ths of an inch. The decimal equavelent is .156 inches. .375 plus .156 equals .531. That will give you a belt with loops right together when it is laying flat on the table. Hanging off your body, . . . there will be slight air gaps between them. Set your set of dividers at maybe .550 or so and you won't get in trouble. Look at the little drawing, . . . notice the two lines, . . . they are the top and bottom of the cartridges LOOPS, . . . I prefer mine fixed so the cartridges are actually centered on the belt, . . . some folks like em up a bit higher, . . . it's your choice, . . . it's your belt. Scribe a line that goes from one end to the other of your line of cartridges (multiply .550 by the number of bullets you want to put in there to get the length of that line). Again scribe that line, . . . and then take your dividers set at .550 and make marks on the TOP line, . . . the one closest to the top of the belt, . . . make your punches at each of those points, . . . thread your loops, . . . and you are good to go. I start out with the left end (I'm right handed) and work my way around, . . . having riveted the left end about an inch or so to the left of the first cartridge. Dampen your loop leather (don't soak it, . . . just a moderate dampening), . . . pull it up, . . . push it back down, . . . put a bullet in the loop, . . . pull it TIGHT. Do the next one the same way, . . . I leave the bullets in until about an hour after I finish weaving the loops, . . . while the leather is still a tad damp, . . . and then I very easily, . . . very gingerly, . . . take the bullets out. Hang it up to dry. Come back tomorrow, . . . you got a cartridge belt, . . . well, . . . almost anyway, . . . add the buckle and the tongue billets, . . . I contact cement the two pieces together, . . . sew the edges, . . . now you got a cartridge belt. Have fun, . . . may God bless, Dwight

Beat me to it Red Cent.

That is a great find, . . . congratulations. My old saddle doesn't have any history to it, . . . supposedly a turn of the century company making a Jumbo saddle. It ain't much, . . . but it's mine, . . . and it rides good. Came out of a Denver, Colorado pawn shop. May God bless, Dwight

I had the same question a number of years back, . . . just for kicks and giggles, . . . I built an IWB holster for a Bersa Thunder, . . . patterned after my Cactus design. I carried it on and off for a year or so, . . . gave it to a friend, . . . in all probability, it is a drawer ornament today, . . . but when I gave it to him, . . . it was still intact and totally functional. I do not use glue, . . . I use Weldwood contact cement. GOOD STUFF !!! May God bless, Dwight

It's a little hole in the wall place, . . . not very well known, . . . called Tandy's.............. Seriously, . . . I quit kicking around other places, . . . Tandy is only 35 miles from me, . . . near my wife''s aunt's place. She sees her aunt, . . . I go to Tandy's and get what I need. Their snaps have done every thing I've ever asked them to do, . . . and thumb snaps on holsters is one of those things. It may be the tool I use, . . . it is a plier looking thing from Walmart originally, . . . last one came from Hobby Lobby, . . . this is similar to it. This one is lighter duty than my old one though, . . . once they are set, . . . they are SET, . . . and have to be cut off http://www.amazon.com/Dritz-Heavy-Duty-Fastener-Plier/dp/B005BB5GYS May God bless, Dwight

For the drawing that I do on the computer, . . . Windows Paint serves me quite well. Most of my drawings are done freehand, . . . then on to my Epson scanner, . . . and tweaked as necessary with paint. Kinda simple, . . . low budget, . . . but it works. May God bless, Dwight

Yes, . . . but it takes 5 layers, . . . and a lot of work (at least the one I did, . . . was a lot of work). I did the front and back out of two layers, . . . cemented together, flesh to flesh, with weldwood contact cement. That was the first 4 layers. I then made a layer to go between the front and back, . . . so that the edges of the sword would not cut into the stitches. I then cemented this all together, . . . sanded down the edges, . . . sewed the thing (wow what a job), . . . dyed and finished it, . . . and sent it back to my customer, . . . who was tickled pink. I also used vegetable tanned leather, . . . soaked it in hot water, . . . and force dried it, . . . it became HARD, . . . HARD, type HARD, . . . But it was not for a saber, . . . but one similar to a Roman short sword. I would not be afraid to use this same process on a broad sword, . . . one like old Lancelot's, . . . or even a Viking 2 handed sword. May God bless, Dwight

Tardis86 wrote: "i feel like im missing something here, i put alot of time in this stuff and it looks like crap. any helpful ideas are appreciated." And: "i REALLY don't want to use an awl for poking holes. is there another way?" A carpenter could use a rock to drive nails, . . . and a truck delivery driver could use a Mini-Cooper, . . . but neither one was designed for the task at hand. You asked for good suggestions, . . . suggestions that would help you make your work look good, . . . that is exactly what we gave you. If you use a drill or even a drill press, . . . you will NEVER be as accurate making holes as you will be with an awl and a stitch marking tool. Making the hole, . . . determines what the overall stitch looks like, . . . and the example you gave us in post # 1 shows you did not take the time to make the holes so that the stitches would line up correctly. Two needles and an awl are the leatherworker's equivalent to the carpenter's hammer, or the delivery drivers Peterbuilt truck. Beat yourself up if you want to, . . . but until you are willing to follow the suggestions of people who are and have been in the industry, . . . you are just not going to create an esthetically pleasing product. May God bless, Dwight

Weldwood contact cement, . . . and a leather working awl to do the holes. The first one will hold it, . . . the second will poke it. May God bless, Dwight

Because most of my holsters do not call for them, . . . I need very few of them. When I do, . . . I have a sheet of kydex, . . . cut it out with snips, . . . sand the edges, . . . drill the holes, . . . glue it on, . . . one rivet and one snap later, . . . done. May God bless, Dwight

Assuming you meant the straps coming from the holster, . . . down and under the belt, . . . comes back up and snaps at the top of the belt: Mine are 6 1/4 by 3/4, . . . the 3/4 being a "fat" 3/4. May God bless, Dwight

I'm with Ken on this, . . . I do the same. Fact is, . . . some of my holsters get the stitch gouge treatment on the front and the back as well. It makes the stitches lay down a lot better, less chance of fraying, and the holster coming apart. May God bless, Dwight

Yep, . . . that's my "Cactus". And while I'm still on the 1911 board, . . . forum, . . . just don't get there as much any more. They say there's never a dull moment in the pastor's life, . . . and while that may not be 101% true, . . . it can be close. I love the Glidden area, . . . some of the nicest folks I ever met in my life up there. My cousin had a house, . . . unfortunately it burned down, . . . and we used to go up there for deer season sometimes. I'm not sure of the road, . . . thinking it was on 13, . . . there was a novelty shop, junk shop, flea market type store, . . . loved to stop there but had to be careful or I would buy the place out. They had stuff you NEVER saw anywhere else. Anyway, . . . again, . . . welcome aboard. What is your first project you want to do?? May God bless, Dwight

Mike, . . . I had the same dilemma a few years back on a big Colt, . . . .44 mag. I sent the owner a picture of another gun, . . . outlining the measurements I needed, . . . then when he measured it all, . . . I made up a dummy wooden gun in all of about an hour. Like your customer, . . . it was for a cowboy type holster, . . . it fit perfect, . . . he was absolutely thrilled. If I were in your position, . . . I'd do that all over again. May God bless, Dwight

Rick, . . . get a flat, rectangular magnet and contact cement it to the back of the holster if you have enough steel up under there to hang it. Most new vehicles do not, . . . but that is one option. If you don't have steel, . . . two pieces of Velcro will accomplish the same task, . . . sew it to the holster before you mold it, . . . and you are good to go, . . . I've made a couple like that, . . . they are just neat. Another that I've seen and like, . . . they take and make a belt for the steering column, . . . and put a steel belt clip on the back of the holster, . . . like an OWB holster with a clip. Anyway, . . . it's not a tough job, . . . MayGod bless, Dwight

Barkster, . . . through experimentation, . . . I've found that THE best black dye job I can get comes from the Pro Oil dye, . . . BUT, . . . I cut it 1 to 1 with thinner. I also dip dye, . . . into the pan it goes, . . . maybe 3 seconds or so, . . . pull it out, . . . shake off the excess, . . . lay out to dry. I found by thinning it, . . . it does not affect the color, . . . but the excess pigment ruboff and buffing is MUCH less, quicker, and easier. May God bless, Dwight

I guess I've only been making belts now for about 10 years, . . . so my technique may be juvenile. I just have them take off the belt they are wearing, . . . and measure from the outside of the buckle end, . . . to the most used hole. I have never failed to make a belt that fits using that strategy, . . . never, . . . not once. I did fail when a guy told me he needed a 36 inch belt. I made it. It was 4 inches too short. We measured his old belt, . . . yep, . . . 40. So much for believing the customer. If someone needs a belt, . . . and I cannot measure it myself, . . . I tell them how to do it, . . . or send them a little drawing that has been on here several times in one form or another, . . . and again, . . . if they measure right, . . . the belt fits right. Now, . . . I did have one customer that I made a 53 inch belt for once, . . . he couldn't pick it up for almost 60 days, . . . when he came to get it, . . . he needed a 56, . . . but that is another story for another day. Measure, . . . check your measure, . . . write it down, . . . it'll work. May God bless, Dwight

Bushpilot, . . . there are times I wish I had your patience. And today is one of those days I'll tell myself again that I need to do more work like yours. But then I'll start, . . . I'll mess up the tooling, . . . pitch it in the trash box and say to heck with it for another 6 months or so. That really is a beautiful bag, . . . showed my wife, . . . her first comment was it looked like a saddle bag, . . . and she thought it is really pretty. You do good work, my friend, . . . May God bless, Dwight

If you get a couple of tools, . . . it will work better for you. One, . . . buy an awl blade, . . . maybe 5 bucks, . . . set it in a drilled hole in a small piece of a broom handle, . . . it makes better holes than trying to poke them with a knife point or something like that. Take a set of points (dividers), . . . set them for the distance between the legs on the spots, . . . and use that to mark where you will want them. Poke the holes with the awl blade, . . . bend the legs over into the spot with another piece of broom handle or a piece of dowel rod the size of the spot. Push them up into the curve and they won't drag on other material. Do the same for the flat backs. And yes, . . . they are plenty long enough for that thickness of leather. Good luck, may God bless, Dwight

Well, Aaron, . . . you've probably come to THE best site on the internet for your stated purpose. Most folks are pretty willing to help out, . . . share, . . . course there are some cantankery old coots on here too, . . . but just take them with a grain of salt, . . . their keyboard is worse than their bite. Have to admit, . . . the WI was caught my attention, . . . spent many wonderful vacations in the Bonduel, Rhinelander, Shawano, Merrill, and Glidden areas. Getcha some leather, . . . some tools, . . . and go for it. Holler if you need any help. May God bless, Dwight

Quite honestly, . . . I and probably most others, . . . after several minutes pondering your question, . . . I have no idea of exactly what you want to do. Is this a double layer belt, . . . and you don't want to turn over the end? Are you trying to lace the buckle to the end of the leather belt instead of snaps? Are you talking about the tongue end becoming ugly? Try again on the description, . . . someone here will probably come through for you. May God bless, Dwight

Did you ever think about buying actual sewing needles for a leather sewing machine? I have needles for my Tippmann, . . . I sew through 3/4 inch leather with them, . . . never a problem. Using a drill press with them would be not really different from my machine. And I don't mean to sound mean or anything, . . . but I do not think I've ever seen a knife sheath that thick, . . . May God bless, Dwight