Dwight

The cure for that is a belt sander, . . . $49.95 at harbor freight, . . . sand off about 1/64 of an inch on both edges. 1. You will then get a more professional looking belt. 2. You will NEVER have to worry about glue ever again...... May God bless, Dwight

Because leather is never "exact" in measurements, . . . for a casual / dress belt, . . . I usually hit for a .150 to .180 belt, . . . go on up to .230 / .240 for a CCW belt, . . . for a really big guy. Personally, . . . I prefer to do both veggie tan, . . . inner and outer, . . . but that is just the way I do it. May God bless, Dwight

Personally, . . . I like it, . . . there are some folks here and elsewhere who have the idea that only "THIS" rendition of a western holster is authentic. Bah, . . . humbug, . . . there were so many guys out there making rigs back then, . . . and everyone had "his" way of doing it. I like your way, . . . even the brown edging. I personally prefer a more squared look for the flap, . . . but that is like one guy likes redheads, . . . the other likes blondes. Personal choice, . . . that's all. May God bless, Dwight

I use Feibings pro oil dye, . . . and I first cut it 50/50 with their thinner. It has cut my "rub off" time to about 25% of what it used to be before I made the cut. I did that quite by accident, . . . long story, . . . but it works, . . . that is the main point. I also do not do any "pre" or "post" treating with the dye / rub process. It goes dye - dry - rub, . . . nothing else until I am happy that the color is where I want it and no more excess dye is coming off. I also dip dye everything, . . . no exceptions. About 5 full seconds in the dye, . . . out, . . . hang or lay, . . . and dry for no less than 12 hours before I mess with it again. May God bless, Dwight

Get a pan and dip dye it, . . . that'll even up the whole thing for you. I won'd dye anything any other way unless it is a custom dyed piece. May God bless, Dwight

I don't know the needle size I use, . . . but I use only 346 thread, . . . and it does everything I ask it to do. Yes, . . . there is a time when you have to "mess with" the machine to learn how to use it, . . . but if one has a good mechanical aptitude, . . . they are a good machine. May God bless, Dwight

Obviously Red Bear has never created a holster. The stitching is 99% done on flat sections, . . . and is done by machines. A few guys still hand sew, . . . but even they do it while it is flat. As for pulling the piece and waiting for LEO, . . . may be true in a shooting situation, . . . but I pull my piece every night, . . . holster goes one place, . . . gun another, . . . they are married again tomorrow, . . . holster goes on first, . . . and the piece is put on last, . . . long after I have cinched up my belt. Leaving a weapon in the holster for all the time between shootouts is a bit of a stretch, dontcha think? May God bless, Dwight

Another tried and true method is to take the belt they now wear, . . . measure from the end of the buckle to the most used hole, . . . add 4 inches. That measurement is the center for 7 holes like camano ridge said. Some guys only give them 5 holes, . . . I also do 7. If you want to give him a bit of "extra" room to grow into it, . . . make the belt measurement you took from his belt he wears, . . . make it the measurement to the 5th hole from the tip of the belt. One caution: never, never, never make a belt based upon the size jeans or britches a person wears. More than 9 times out of 10 you will re-make that belt. I had a guy once want a size 36 belt because his jeans were 36. Thankfully, I measured him. Sure enough he wore 36 jeans, . . . but his belt had to be a 40. Just a little funny story too, . . . don't take too long making those belts either. I made a 53 inch one for a guy once, . . . when he came to get it, . . . he complained about it being too short. Checking his belt, . . . he now wore a 56 inch belt. Only took him 6 weeks to gain 3 inches. Anyway, . . . just in case he doesn't think so, . . . I think you are one awesome grandfather, . . . thank you for your love for your grandson. May God bless, Dwight

Ahh, . . . that makes three of us, . . . and it feels good to have company. I just sold my chap machine, . . . a Singer 111, . . . a very attractive young lady, her beau, and her mother came over, . . . looked at it, . . . did not quibble on the price, . . . loaded it up, . . . and I am out of the chap business, . . . mostly. Down to basically belts and holsters. Feels good. May God bless, Dwight

I'm with Michael, . . . my 1911 holster is working on 10 years old, . . . has a piece of 7 oz, about an inch and a quarter wide, . . . goes most of the way around the gun, . . . and I have NEVER had a problem. I make all of them the same way, . . . never had a complaint about one closing up. Methinks the "closed up" IWB is an urban legend to a large degree. You can see my holster at www.dwightsgunleather.com May God bless, Dwight

I don't use a Feibings dye that I do not first cut 50/50 with thinner. Black, I cut even more. You will still get the color, . . . but you will NOT have as much residue and rub off problems. I also suspect you may be doing a "too light" coat of the resolene / water mixture. May God bless, Dwight

I originally gave your question a thought or two, . . . uhhh, . . . years ago. Figured if I was going to be serious about it, . . . I'd need a curve replica for 30 inches, 32, 34 36, 38,......etc, . . . all the way up through 57 (biggest one to date). That was when I decided that flat would probably work, . . . Yeah, . . . they sometimes pucker a bit on that inside piece, . . . but several months of wearing it, . . . especially if it is packing some serious CHL equipment, . . . the wrinkles go away. Think what actually happens is the outer layer stretches out a bit, . . . pulling the inner puckers with it and flattening them out. Can't prove it, . . . just a theory, . . . but it works for all my personal belts, . . . I figure it works for my customers as well. May God bless, Dwight

I sent you a PM, . . . then saw you haven't been here long, . . . figured better do this. Where are you located? Some of us may be interested, . . . depending on how far we would have to come. May God bless, Dwight

These two pictures tell how I do the ends of my belts. They are double layer until it gets to the buckle end, . . . where I drop the bottom layer, . . . fold over the top, . . . they mate together, . . . and it is smooth on the belly. May God bless, Dwight

Well, Julie, . . . two votes for dying first, . . . then clear finish (I use resolene), . . . then do the paint thing. I refuse to do it any other way, . . . simply because this does not cause me any grief. I also put the full finish on it, . . . not a "light" coat, . . . but rather a finish coat. Then when the paint drys, . . . voila, . . . done !!! May God bless, Dwight

FWIW, . . . had 4 belts to sand, . . . edge, . . . groove, . . . stitch, . . . and dye. Done ! This pic is after they have been sanded and edged, . . . should have taken the picture before edging, . . . didn't think of it. May God bless, Dwight

Doug, . . . I come from a carpentry / woodworking background, . . . so I've used just about every type of sander that is made. Honestly if someone brought me a horizontal sander, . . . it would go into the corner until I found a buyer for it. I just don't like them. Look at the little drawing, . . . that is how I use the HF belt sander for belts, purses, leashes, holsters, . . . everything but my fingernails. It was drawn as though you were up looking straight down over top of the top pulley. I can control the "cut" with this sander, . . . wider ones I cannot as well, . . . but probably something in that may be due to using this kind more. I can do everything except an inside curve smaller than about 4 inches, . . . then I go to the drum sander. What I really like about it, . . . it works for all my stuff, . . . I'm constantly making little wooden jigs, . . . adjusting a mold, . . . stuff like that where a sander is needed, and it does double duty by doing the wood as well as the leather, . . . I even sharpen my drill bits on it, . . . my chisels too. May God bless, Dwight

Hey, Glockanator and humperdingle, . . . You guys made my day. I have a project where I need letters and images in only black and red on a wood background. THIS, . . . will solve the problem I anticipated, . . . in a proverbial "heartbeat". As the Brits would say, . . . good show, mates !!! May God bless, Dwight

80 and 120 May God bless, Dwight

I own two of the Harbor Freight $49.95 or thereabouts belt sanders, . . . I think it is a 1 inch belt sander. They are worth their weight in gold for me: holsters, purses, belts, . . . you name it. I don't know what problems others have with it, . . . I can sand down the edge of a 44 inch belt in about 4 minutes, . . . perfectly straight, . . . square, . . . and ready for the edger. Anything wider cuts far too much of the leather, . . . leaves valleys, . . . etc. Drum sanders for me are only good for inside curves, . . . something I do not do a lot with. I got one from Menard's with a coupon, . . . would probably take it back if I could, . . . it oscillates, . . . which doesn't do well for my leather work. I also have a big 12 inch disc sander, . . . very rarely use it with leather. My suggestion is to try the Harbor Freight belt sander, . . . I give it 2 thumbs up. May God bless, Dwight

Just wanted to chime in on that second bunch of pictures, . . . the middle one. I love that plank floor and the t&g wooden ceiling. My wife would never go for that in our home, . . . but if I was a bachelor, . . . I could definitely see that in my life. Simple, rugged, good looking. I know there were other things that really complicated life back then, . . . but some of the things they did were just plain simple, easy, and not complex at all. Again, . . . many thanks for the pictures, . . . it makes history come alive. May God bless, Dwight

For me, . . . inspiration on that is simple: I've used a 1 inch wide sling since the late 60's and it has done me well so far. May God bless, Dwight

Tallbald, . . . Bubba, . . . you are doing something wrong. No, . . . I don't know what the heck it is, . . . but I just made 4 belts the other night, . . . did not have to double coat any of them, . . . they will in all liklyhood NEVER, EVER, EVER, come apart, . . . and I maybe used 2 ounces, . . . maybe. When you coat it, . . . use a bristle brush, . . . think metal handled acid brushes used by plumbers, . . . and just cover it, . . . believe me it does not "soak in". It forms a grabbing surface that will grab another like surface, . . . and if you roll it with a rolling pin or press it with the palms of your hands, . . . you will rip the leather off one side or another taking it apart. You can tell by the color, . . . if you are putting it on right. If the leather you are coating turns brown, . . . you have used WAY, WAY, too much. It'll be brown when it is wet, . . . but 20 minutes to 40 minutes later, . . . it should be very close to the natural color of the leather. That is when it is dry enough for you to put the palm of your hand on it and it not stick to you. THAT is when you stick it together. Edited: Acetone is the product you use to thin this with. It too is nasty stuff, . . . so read the label. A very little bit is needed to thin out the bottom of the can when it gets down there. I usually thin mine just before using it, . . . and you have to stir it real good. At first it will not look like it is thinning, . . . but you keep stirring, . . . it'll be OK. And, . . . I checked, . . . maybe 1 1/2 ounces used for a 47 inch belt, a 40 inch belt, and two 38 inch belts. Thats something under 3 square feet, . . . covered with 1 1/2 ounces of weldwood contact cement. May God bless, Dwight

My process: Cut the straps..........rough cut both ends.........contact cement them together. Sand edges, . . . run edger around all the way . . . do the stitch groove thing on both sides Burnish edges on electric motor burnisher Sew, . . . dip dye, . . . let dry, . . . burnish, burnish, burnish, . . . did I mention burnish??? Burnish edges again, . . . resolene, . . . let dry. Add buckle, . . . keeper, . . . do final inspection. Send or take to customer. I don't have any complaints on my belts, . . . got one repeat customer order pending right now. May God bless, Dwight

I could easily step into the first picture and feel at home. Wouldn't know how to use it all, . . . or make most of their stuff, . . . but I could learn. Too bad somebody ain't come up with a workable time machine yet............ May God bless, Dwight