alpha2

Nice stuff there. I've got a Ka-Bar on the way from my brother, the issue scabbard is falling apart. Sheath time again! I have yet to do more than one sheath for the same knife. I've saved all the patterns, but every new job is a different knife. The Ka-Bar I would think is the most likely to get more than one, except for a Buck, but I haven't had one of those yet! I like the formed belt loop on the 1911 holster. Jeff

Thanks! I'm going to do it. I've got a Ruger Single Six that is screaming for a holster, and it's time I got off the fence and laced one. Sad, 'cause I've got a Cowboy 4500 on the way! Jeff

I use Fiebings Oil dye, or Pro dye, same thing now. Alcohol based. I use it 50/50 with alcohol added. It goes a lot farther and still great coverage. Let it dry well, buff until the cows come home, then buff some more. When I use Resolene, I do at least two light coats, drying after each coat. There are other dyes, all of which seem to be better than USMC black. Jeff

Rohn, does that have a welt? It looks like maybe it's just large enough to not need one. Jeff

I've got to look into those buckles. I've been mostly disappointed lately with the offerings. Great belt stamping!

Cowboy Bob rides to the rescue, again!

Beats my first wallet! Great job. That should last you a while. Unless you're like me, and soon make another you like better, and move into that one, then...

Good for you, Mjolnir. I just paid my money recently also. I have gotten so much more than I could ever contribute, though I try. For a while I felt funny contributing info and insights, when I am still such a newb, but then, as I've found out in many things, the "old hands" don't have the recent experience of trying to figure something basic out, and my input is on a level the newb needs to hear. It's like an adult forgetting exactly how confusing something basic can be if you don't have the fundamentals down. Decades ago, when I was a newly certificated flight instructor, I had numerous students tell me they'd never heard it put quite "that way". Well, I'd much more recently figured it for myself, too. So I could relate! And, yes, most definitely yes, this is the most civil forum I participate in. THANK YOU! THAT is why I come here first, and most.

My new CB4500 that's ordered only goes to 7/8", looks like I need to cancel the order and go back to hand-sewing!

All very educational! I don't even want to know what a fluffchucker is! I spent a delightful evening with some friends, one from Argentina. Our host advised that when we went home, we avoided the dam road, as there had been an accident and it was holding up traffic. I overheard her ask her (Massachusetts) fiancee what a "dam" was. I asked if she knew the difference between a lake and a reservoir. She did, so I explained that a reservoir was bordered on most sides to keep in the water, and at one or more ends had a landfilled or concrete structure to hold the water in that end. That was a "dam". She got it immediately! Just one of the things I love about this forum. The whole world is on here, and happy to share peculiarities of our languages.

Thanks, Battlemunky! The hat is actually so faded (except the underside), that it looked like it still had a band on it when I took the original off. I've done two other bands for western hats, they're fairly quick to do and really spice up the hats. Okay, to be truthful, the rope-stamped one wasn't that quick. Keeping it aligned for the entire length was a real challenge. I practiced a LOT before tackling the band.

I've been watching videos on the cowboy stitchers, in preparation for the arrival of mine in about a week or so, and stitch length they say is related to tension, so like Garypl says, changing thickness or anything that will alter the thread tension can have an effect. I had to look for it on your fine holster, so maybe we're the only people that will notice! I wouldn't have thought of a drop leg for a snubby, but you totally made it work. She likes it, that's what counts. You're setting the bar pretty high there with these holsters.

Thanks, Mutt!

That is a fine rig! Love the color.

Just trying to make my mark on my stuff!

I've got this old felt hat. Probably over 20 years old. It's been great, it's my fave, but the band, now that I've made a couple of other bands for other hats, is looking a little bland. So I made one with a design I've used for two belts. That didn't do it for me, so I sucked it up and tried my hand at the arrowhead basketweave design. It worked! I did watch a couple of videos online, first, though. That helped a lot. In the first pic, the original boring band, in the middle the interim one, and on the hat, the final product. I'm happy with it, the next one will be better, now that I know what to watch for when stamping.

Outstanding! I'm going to do a lined holster, soon, I really am. Question, do you rely on the stretch in the leather for the hammer loop, or something else? I've only done the snap type retainer.

Well, THIS thread cost me some money. I just ordered a pen from your brother. We're going down to Scottsdale in June for my wife's 60th birthday, and she is absolutely fascinated by the saguaro cactus. She can't say it to save her soul, but it's priceless to hear her try! So the saguaro pen was perfect for her birthday. (Think, "sah-hooro, swooro, etc."). Nice pen wallets, too! Jeff

What I do, is thin about half of the bottle, so I have some full strength available if I need, but now that I think about it, I've never yet used it full strength. So, I guess I need to re-think my way of doing things!

See? Now that's the kind of stuff I hang out on here to learn. I figured there had to be a technique that worked, I just hadn't found it yet. I'm trying that soon, maybe today. I'm just finishing up a hat-band that I practiced my first ever "arrowhead backetweave" stamping on. Thanks, Dwight! Spraying Resolene is a time consuming affair. Even if it is 24 degrees here, instead of 8. Kinda balmy, if you know what I mean.

Some kind of air pressure sprayer. I have a Passche (sp) airbrush, but just about anything like that works. I don't have any trouble spraying 50/50 Resolene/water with mine, even with the small tip. It does require some kind of compressor, though. I just got tired of the bubbles I got with any other kind of application. My problem though, is that I have my compressor in the garage, and usually take the hose and sprayer out onto the deck off the garage to spray, and it's TOO COLD out there now to spray! The garage isn't heated, either, so that doesn't help. You do get a nice, light even coat though. The upside is, you use a LOT less Resolene, and a LOT less dye when spraying dye.

I was worried about the lighter stuff, too, then I figured the things I make out of really thin stuff are small enough I can saddle stitch them without any trouble. Now, I wait...tick tock, tick tock, tick, tock, etc.

You can dry too little, but not too much. Same with buffing. Also, if there is any way you can spray the Resolene, it goes on light, won't streak, and after buffing that coat, do another one or two, drying between coats.

Ordered my 4500 from Cowboy Bob today. Can't wait to have these issues! Hand-stitching holsters/sheaths/belts is killing my arthritic hands. Machines might be more involved, but have to less painful!

Great stuff! Now I need to come up with a reason I need one. Oh, I forgot...Guy wants=needs.