Hags

This is a holster I finished this weekend.

Welcome to the site. Lots of areas to explore and lots of good advice!

Ditto increasing top tension. Everytime I change my machine (cobra class 3 and a pfaff 130) I have to check top tension. I've had my cobra for a year and have just really become comfortable with it. Still working on the 1952 pfaff I recently acquired and unfroze! I still like my scotch though, just not when I sew.....

Thank you. Those are all Chicago screws.

This is one I just finished. 5" Kimber 45 with mag pouch. The guy wanted dark brown and wanted my makers mark on the front. I usually place that on the back. Hermann Oak 7/8 for the holster, H.O. 4/5 for the pouch with 1 layer of 7/8 to stiffen up the back. 4/5oz for straps and 1"nylon for the long strap. Vacuum formed Cobra class 3, 207 top and bottom Fiebings pro dye Resolene and water 50/50 2-3 coats

This is the finished project.

Yes, I do a new pattern for each gun. Seems I rarely do the same gun twice. I use jlsleather.com's method. It's spelled out on his website and downloadable for free. Then I change them from belt loops to attachment points for the various straps. I do pancake style for both pistol and also for revolvers. I find the"flat back" holsters don't hug the body as well. Probably just me. I believe I saw that on Adam's leather works you tube. It works pretty well and I get great detail.

Ditto the veg tan. There are many videos on you tube about stamping and carving you can watch. I highly reccomend Don Gonzales Saddlery and Joe Melling at 23+ leather among the many out there. They. Both have many current, free, and very good educational videos available. I too struggled (still working on it!) And started with the wrong leather. I have learned that veg tan is just about the only, rather that will take and hold tooling. Find a leather shop near you or look online at one of the ma y suppliers and get some veg tan. You wi,l see immediate improvements. Good luck and welcome to the addiction!

Thank you. The basket weave doesn't take long at all on such a small piece. And then everyone looks at my desk where I have my stamping and carving tools set up and gets all excited about hand tooled! Never mind the one off holster design, wet molding, and custom fitting. People, go figure.. The speed loader pouch has become very popular with revolver holsters. Had a devil of a time making those until I figured out a mold for them. I just finished a chest rig for a Kimber 5" 45 cap and added a mag pouch in the same fashion.

I recently made these for a camping/hiking couple. Walther p22 for her and a LH Taurus 357 for him with a speedloader pouch riding on the holster.

Very nice.

I've got a Kimber 45 on the bench now for a chest rig. I'll see if I can get some pics and try to explain it a little. I basically use jlsleather.com's method for holster design, it's free, and very detailed, then decide the tilt (I start with 25 degrees) then design away. If you look at my attachments I have some pics that show the various pieces on a gridded cutting board so you can see the sizes. I should take the time e to do an instructional, it would give a starting point for folks wanting to make their own. Here's a couple of pics from the Kimber I have now. You can see the gun tracing for a regular pancake style holster. And the attachment points I place instead of belt loops. I try to keep everything even as far as attachment points go. But, the gun will find it's natural point to hang.

These are a few of my recent projects. The large revolver is a 6"44 mag for a young man who is a timber cruiser on the Olympic peninsula. He spends many hours a day in very remote areas and is very conscious of bears and cougars. He wears the rig from 6 to 12 hours a day. I made this for him last may and he stopped by last week to say hi and the thing has weathered wonderfully. It has literally molded to his body. If we ever wondered why leather was and is preferred this brings it home for me. He says there is really no other way he could carry this thing. Another is the sheath for what I was told is a 60 year old Hudson bay pattern axe. The sheath he had was falling apart. It now has regained its heirloom

Very, very nice! I have a cobra class 3, I love it. Kinda wish I'd gone the few extra bucks for the class 4. Just a little more room would be nice. I also want to get a mannequin to hang stuff on during design and fitting up. Great work!

Very nice! I have a class 3 and it took a while to figure it out. All good now though, but I still do some hand stitching and have been a Maine thread customer for several years now.