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Dwight

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Everything posted by Dwight

  1. Dwight
    Personally I own a whole slew of knives of different sizes, shapes, . . . round knife, . . . butcher knife, . . . pocket knife, . . . little plastic box cutter, . . . standard "Stanley" box cutter (4 of em), . . . and a couple other "specialty" blades. Sometimes I use a square, . . . sometimes a rule, . . . sometimes a line on the leather, . . . sometimes a plastic triangle, . . . they don't help the 90 degree part, . . . just the line being cut where I want it. The Stanley box cutter is for me THE BEST. First thing I do when I put in a new blade, . . . it gets stropped 25 times in each direction. Periodically, . . . it continues to get stropped as needed, . . . There comes a time, however, . . . when for some reason I have yet to discover, . . . it no longer wants to sharpen. I turn the blade around and start again on the other point. When it won't strop up nice and sharp, . . . I toss it. The KEY thing, . . . MOST IMPORTANT thing to making good cuts, . . . is a SHARP, SHARP, SHARP cutting instrument, . . . AND, . . . practice with it. I used to grip mine with my index finger holding down the tip, . . . arthritis does not let me do that any more. I hold it like I would hold a claw hammer, . . . and I make "next to" perfect 90 degree cuts. But then again, . . . been doing this stuff for a bunch of years, . . . the experience is quickly attained, . . . it's the practice that keeps the experience sharp. May God bless, Dwight
  2. Dwight
    Bob, . . . if you were to come to me with your request, . . . my first two suggestions would be an Avenger style (1st choice, . . . it generally keeps the butt tucked in fairly tight), . . . or a flat backed snap cake. The down side to the Avenger is when you get it on today, . . . it will pretty much stay on all of today, . . . being in a wheel chair, it would be a real pain for you to take it off. OTOH, . . . a snap cake will only add about 1 1/4 inch to the length of the holster, . . . and if you have to shed it, . . . two snaps and you are done. The down side is of course, . . . they can be tricky to mold so that the butt pulls in tight. I'm sure you are familiar with these, . . . but just for a refresher, . . . here are some pics. Both of these are really easy to change the cant, . . . it can be a bit of a pain, . . . but if you wanted either of these up to a 45 degree cant, . . . it can be done. May God bless, Dwight
  3. Dwight
    Good job, Craig, . . . I do not have the patience for that kind of work, . . . and with Chuck gone, it is good to see someone coming along behind him. I REALLY like that knife blade, . . . and the way you attached it gives it an air of authenticity. My two attempts at anything like this are far below your level, . . . but I thought I'd share them with you. The sheath was lined with rawhide so he would not cut it up drawing the knife in and out, . . . and the beading went on the upper end of a suede gun bag for a rolling block 45-70. Just one curious question, did you bead the main beads separate and attach later, . . . or are they actually sewn individually onto the sheath? May God bless, Dwight
  4. Dwight
    I don't do a lot of chaps, . . . mostly only for friends, . . . but I found a "cheat" that works wonders. Get the 40 or 50% off one item coupon for Joann's fabric store, . . . go back to their vinyl section, . . . buy up 40 bucks worth. It is a bit more flimsy than chap leather, but it is close enough that I use it to do a pattern I've never done, . . . and then I have the pattern. They can be sewn on a regular machine, . . . and fit tested by the actual user, . . . adjustments made, . . . etc, . . . and the outlay is not that bad. Plus you fold em up, . . . put em away, . . . and you can cut em up, . . . sew em back together a different way, . . . practically indestructable. May God bless, Dwight
  5. Dwight
    Personally, . . . I'd take the evening, . . . scrounge out an hour and a half or so, . . . find me a piece of 1/4 inch steel plate, . . . start filing and drilling, . . . put two screws through it, . . . and when I got done, . . . that dude would have a hammer. It isn't that hard, . . . really. May God bless, Dwight
  6. Dwight
    Take a look at this............ http://www.statelinetack.com/item/weaver-leather-hay-chaps/E001600/ Don't look like they would be hard to do at all...... May God bless, Dwight
  7. Dwight

    Hey, Mike, . . . glad to see you back. Don't tell my you are still trying to hold that cat and the dust buster, . . . I'd hoped you had given up on that :)

    If you ever figure out how to shoot one of those micro .45's, . . . put the secret in a box and ship it to me, . . . 

    I can defend myself with it, I'm sure, . . . but we're talking inside the proverbial 21 feet, . . . outside of that, . . . ummmmmmm, who knows?

    May God bless,

    Dwight

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    1. katsass

      katsass

      Hi there Dwight. The last 3-4 months have been a trial. Got pneumonia -- again but hadn't been feeling quite right for some time before that. My doc got me on a prescription that knocked the bug but, again, I was still  feeling weak and puny. He finally found that I was one of the 3% or so that will have a nasty reaction after using one of my blood pressure meds for a prolonged period of time. Now, after about 2 1/2 months off of the stuff I'm feeling like myself again -- just a bit older and slower, which my son had to remind me of  on my birthday. Saw my doc today and everything is looking good, even got the OK for cataract surgery in a week or so. I'm with you on the mini .45s and no matter what, even a Govt. mod doesn't do half as well as my Smith M-24 3inch in .44 special. The drawback is that it's bulky. Good to hear from you. Thanks.  Mike

    2. Dwight

      Dwight

      Whoa, . . . sorry to hear about that pneumonia thing.  I was too young to remember the times I had it as a kid, . . . hear tell it is no fun though.

      Been there, done that with the BP medicine though, . . . found a book by ol' Doc Adkins, . . . took his advice, . . . lost almost 40 pounds, . . . found out I did NOT need them after I lost the weight.  My problem was the bottom number, . . . wanted to be above 90 and my doctor had a hissey fit.  Never did get along good with any of the meds anyway, . . . made me check the ol' doc out.

      Still have to watch the weight, . . . careful of he pies, cakes, cookies, etc.

      Your son sounds like mine, . . . always reminding me that I ain't 30 any more.  But we are both fortunate to have sons who care enough to get after us.  

      Good luck on that cataract surgery, . . . let us know when it is, . . . we'll get you on the church prayer list.

      May God bless,

      Dwight

    3. katsass

      katsass

      Thanks again Dwight, I appreciate hearing from you.   Mike

  8. Dwight
    If you decide to give it a whirl, . . . send me a PM, . . . we'll get together and I'll show you the other things you need to make. May God bless, Dwight
  9. Dwight
    For a while I used the same post for both sides, . . . the flat piece that normally goes with the male end. Then it dawned on my that one day I'm gonna wind up with a bunch of shiny, pretty, caps, . . . that I cannot use, . . . so now, . . . I put em together like they would normally go, . . . you don't see em anyway, . . . and the bulk has never been a bother. I'm not sure I'd take a chance on a rivet piece for a snap, . . . can be lots of torque applied on a snap, . . . rivet post may pull through. May God bless, Dwight
  10. Dwight
    Looking good SLP, . . . I'd wear this one too, . . . (but I like your Dad's better ). Anyway, . . . just one "kinda" criticism, . . . the snap up on top. I bury my snaps on the "thumb snaps" so that all you see are the male and female parts. The other sides are not shown. On both this and your Dad's, . . . the cap on the female part will be allowed to rub up against the person carrying it. In time, sweat will work on that piece of metal, . . . and eventually a shirt will be ruined if the wearer sweats very much at all. I have not been successful in finding any snaps that hold up like I would like to have them do in a sweaty environment. The finish wears off, . . . and the rusting begins on the steel ones, . . . the brass ones will turn a shirt green, . . . make it look like you're starting a little garden there or something. Either one is a stain that will make the little woman doing the washing very much unhappy with the wearer. Anyway, . . . like I said, . . . just a "kinda" criticism, . . . nothing harsh. May God bless, Dwight
  11. Dwight
    I bought a couple of pieces from Tandy, . . . like maybe 12 x 24, . . . for something like 20 bucks, . . . figured I'd play with it doing some things. Looked at other holsters, . . . they used what has to be a close cousin to kydex, . . . so I tried it out on some stuff, . . . this is the first one exactly like this. I tried to pull the triangles apart, . . . nothing happening there. And the holes came right out with a punch, . . . were kinda ragged, . . . had to dress them with a sharp pointed knife. Edges dress out real quick on a belt sander. AND it is DIRTY when using a belt sander. I'd have to have a separate sander and location if I really did a big bunch of that. Have fun, . . . invent, . . . that is part of the lure to me of leather work. Thanks for the good words, . . . May God bless, Dwight
  12. Dwight
    Tom, . . . open the main forum page, . . upper left hand corner (presently) two black seats, . . . one fully one third profanity. There's no room for that trash on this site. Adult section can do what it wants, . . . but on the main forum page that any new person or child might find by accident??? No, . . . I do not think so. I also believe since it was taken down once before, . . . someone is just showing their asinine behavior by re-posting it again. May God bless, Dwight
  13. Dwight
    I only use them sparingly, but I do use them. In almost every case they are first riveted through the hole in the bottom of the stem to a piece of leather prepared just for that purpose. It has a slot in the upper end that the clip goes through, . . . as well as an opening for the spur on the bottom to catch on the belt. Then the leather piece is sewn onto the holster, pouch, or other leather goods, . . . and it makes a clean inside surface for whatever is in there. Most of the time when I use them, . . . there's a gun inside. This one would be an LCP. May God bless, Dwight
  14. Dwight
    I think it is about time someone stood up and took a stand against the encroaching trash that is becoming daily fare on here. First we have to put up with a full page, . . . left to right, . . . assortment of various iterations of skulls that do absolutely nothing to enhance the image of leather working in general or leather working in practice. It is nothing more than death bed pornography. Then we open the site up and some trash minded individual thinks it's funny to plaster the "F" bomb word all over. It gets taken down once, . . . and it is back up again. Can we get some kind of consensus among the members on here, . . . especially those of us who have been here for a while, . . . who contribute sensibly vs. pornographically, . . . that we do not need, do not want, and are fed up with this trash? Thank you, . . . may God bless, Dwight
  15. Dwight
    Just a couple of questions: How does it secure to the belt?? What are you using to hold the pieces together?? One looks like it is riveted, . . . but the other has all open holes. Just curious, . . . I have a Springfield Micro in .45 that I love, . . . just wish I could shoot it as good as I do my other 1911's. May God bless, Dwight
  16. Dwight
    You get 15 points for creativity, . . . and willingness to try something "different" . . . new. Just a quick couple of things I personally consider as no-no's: First - the weapon either needs to be farther down in the holster and leather coming up around the trigger guard, . . . or, . . .something like a thumb break or suicide strap put on it to keep it in place. These old plow handle single actions have a ton of metal out there in that handle and it wiggles back and forth if not tied down somehow, That wiggling back and forth will in short order loosen up the holster and it will become more of a bag holding a gun than a holster. Second - your belt slots should be a whole lot more parallel. if you turn the holster so the leading edge slot is straight up, . . . the trailing edge is about a 40 degree angle. Pardon the word I'm using here, . . . but that is just sloppy construction. I had the same request a few years back, . . . the enclosed picture was the holster after it dried after wet forming. It got the thumb break treatment. But now the good news, . . . creativity and willingness to "go at it" is a wonderful trait, . . . you have it, . . . be glad, . . . use it. Just stop and give your project a tad more thought, . . . they'll work out better. May God bless, Dwight
  17. Dwight
    Actually it is a lot of work, . . . not only the leather work, . . . but the kydex fittings also are hand made. I couldn't find any supplier, . . . so I up and bought a sheet of the stuff, . . . found out it is not THAT hard to manipulate if you take your time. The pieces where the shoulder straps slide through and all the keepers are black kydex. The owner also had not given any thought to extra ammo, . . . did a zip strip on the off side with 6 rounds. He really liked that. I'm thinking there will be one of these in my future for my little Springfield .45 Micro 3 inch barrel. May God bless, Dwight
  18. Dwight
    Thanks, Double Daddy, . . . it's a compilation of several different designs, . . . took some of my ideas, . . . added some others to them, . . . made this for a local guy who really loves his little SP101. I'm a 1911 guy, . . . I was real happy the way it all turned out. May God bless, Dwight
  19. Dwight
    Actually, . . . Electrathon has the "professional" view, . . . and it is a good one, . . . no questions asked. Your wife has the "practical" view. I subscribe to both, . . . depending on the circumstances. On this one, . . . Electrathon gets the nod, . . . but I have put back one that had a flaw I could not eradicate one way or another, . . . my customer was happy with his purchase, . . . I got my money back, . . . all is well. About the time I got into middle school, . . . things were being sold in the "seconds" stores that popped up like warts on a frog with poison ivy, . . . and they have been in the mainstream market all over. Leather work included as far as I am concerned. My rule is "if I can fix it, . . . I fix it", . . . but if I cannot, . . . it gets discounted and most of them went to happy customers. I still have a few. May god bless, Dwight
  20. Dwight
    Been a while since I did one of these, . . . was kind of a fun project when it was all said and done. For ammo, . . . pouch on the off side holds a speed strip. May God bless, Dwight
  21. Dwight
    Quite honestly, . . . I did not see the error(s), . . . but then again 71 year old eyes sometimes forgive things that others don't. I am interested in the color though, . . . the upper picture looks black, . . . the bottom picture looks like a Hershey Chocolate brown on my monitor. If it is indeed the brown, . . . I'd be tempted to stamp HERSHEY on it and wear it. But then again, . . . I'm a confessed chocoholic. Don't beat yourself up on this one YinTx, . . . I like it. May God bless, Dwight
  22. Dwight
    That's exactly what I do Stu, . . . put it in the bag, turn on the pump, . . . pull it down, . . . do the molding with it still on, . . . works really good for me. I pulled a holster down for a 1911, . . . when it dried, . . . shoved the gun in it, . . . for a while I seriously considered cutting the gun out. Finally worked it free. I had a press, . . . it worked, . . . but with the upsurge in plastic fantastic firearms, . . . I knew it was just a matter of time until something "gave" under the pressure. That is when I went to the bag, . . . it is my "way" so to speak. May God bless, Dwight
  23. Dwight
    Let me get in here, . . . I'd like to know too............. May God bless, Dwight
  24. Dwight
    I'm not always successful, . . . but when I start a gun belt, . . . the only thing (if possible) that is not from the same hide, . . . will be the loops for the bullets. I try to do everything else out of the same hide. And of course, . . . we've already discussed the reason. May God bless, Dwight
  25. Dwight
    Personally I like the two layers of 4/5 or 5/6, . . . bigger guns get heavier leather, . . . smaller guns get lighter stuff. My reasoning is simple, . . . two different thicknesses came from two different animals, . . . and will almost never dye the same. I dip dye, . . . so there is a better chance it will turn out, . . . but I just don't want to take that chance. Also, . . . earlier on I tried the "one heavy / one light" idea, . . . always seemed to be running out of one or the other. This way I don't. Just my way of doing things. May God bless, Dwight
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