dbusarow

Thank you all for your comments. I'll follow your advice and pass on this. I do have a followup question though Does anyone here do chaps with 138 thread? I don't have a spool of 138 to look at but I do have a 69 and even 2 strands of that twisted don't seem thick enough to look right on chaps. Maybe I just like the look of stitching. Dan

A member of my church just learned that I am working with leather and told me she has one of these machines. Her husband, who passed away a couple of years ago, used it to make leather clothing. I didn't know him and have no idea what type of clothing, weight of leather etc. Even if I had a machine I think I'd continue hand stitching my holsters and the occaisonal sheath. But, a machine sure would be nice for strap goods. Belts, headstalls, reins. Those things where there's more than a couple of linear feet of stitching involved. My question is, is the 797 too light duty for 2 layers of 8oz veg tan for a belt? 4 oz liner on 14 oz harness leather? 3 layers of 8oz latigo? The max thread size of 138 has me concerned. Thanks, Dan

Wow! Lobo beat me to it but it still stands. Dan

Russ, Can you post a link? You got me curious about this thing. Dan

Johanna, I like Banwell's definition better. Made out of vegans It's probably too light weight for any serious use and probably doesn't do a natural oil tan well either. Dan

8 0z leather would be 1/8" thick. 7/8 would range from 7/64 - 1/18". How thick it needs to be really depends on the style of holster you are making. I have been using 6/7 for both IWB and pancake holsters. I've had good results personally and my customers like it too. For concealment holsters any added bulk is going to work against concealbility. For a field holster or CAS holster 8/9 or even heavier might be more appropriate. Dan

I tried It hoping for the same effect but soaks into the flesh side so fast that I ended up overdoing it. Then it's too soft. Vinagarooning it seems to increase the amount of oil the leather can take in without going limp, or it just idiot proofs the leather. I'm using Aussie conditioner on the natural ones now which slicks the fibers down. Not as nice looking or feeling. I'll get it right one of these days. Dan

Great job. I like the coloring too. For your first holster it's pretty amazing. Hints. The boning around the slide lock pin, rather than making a circle all the way around it, bone in a U with the open part of the U joining the line you're making along the underside of the frame. The boning where slide and frame meet could be stronger. The leather moisture content has to be just right for boning. Form the holster wet but wait for it to dry until the color comes back and looks dry, cased is the term to look for. It looks like you may have boned a little too well around the ejection port, at least for my tastes. If you get a sharp corner in the leather where it meets the front edge of the ejection port it can be tough to draw until the slide actually scrapes some of the leather away. I'm still learing myself, it's a real balancing act to get enough boning to look nice yet not so much that it starts hampering function. Dan

Thanks. Not much (any?) show jumping around here. Dan

I haven't come up with a natural (tan) finish for fleshout that I'm real happy with. But for black use vinagaroon and a light neatsfoot coating. Every holster I've done like this has turned out with a really nice rough suede look and feel. For the inside a tiny bit of NF and bagkote to finish. Dan

Beautiful work. Question, what's the strap that is in front of the bit for? Dan

Do these use normal sheet sandpaper or do you need to buy special drum paper? Thanks, Dan

I have the CS Osborne CSO 142 awl haft. It's comfortable for me and is only 11.10 from Weaver. There is also the CSO 145 haft which has a groove for your pinky finger (I think) for only 10.03 from Weaver. Even though these use a check to allow changing blades I'm ordering an extra one of each so I can leave my regular awl blade chucked in the current one and put a large blade I use for 14+ harness leather in another handle. I'm going to try the 145 just to see if I like it better but I'm ordering another 142 at the same time since I like it. And they're cheap. I'd steer clear of the 4 in one and order blades separately. I'm using Osborne CSO 42 - 1 1/2 until I spring for a Bob Douglas blade or two. Dan

Too bad the gun's empty! Great press for you though. Congratulations. Hope it makes it into print. Dan

Fantastic color. Aside from the trigger guard stitch line you mention I don't see anything to critique. Edges look good around throat and sweat shield. How about the edges on the main holster body. Got a shot of those? Need something to pick at Dan

Dumb question Dave. How does the stud "hook on the top of the boot"? Not just your design, but boot knife sheaths in general. Just one of those things I've never actually seen or used and you got me curious. Thanks, Dan

Neat design on the rear body belt loop. Just last night I was thinking about replacing the blocked loop on a cross draw I was wearing with some kind of snap arrangment. Simply having snaps at the top didn't seem safe. Your "hook" over the top of the belt fixes that. May I borrow your design please. Thanks, Dan

Can you post a shot with the guns in them? They look great. Dan

The design is actually Bruce Nelson's Summer Special. Milt Sparks makes them as does just about everyone else. Yours came out real nice. I'm not sure what you mean by the "black where the pieces meet". I don't see any black here. Dan

For a semi-auto cross-draw you should probably take a look at the Askins Avenger. Just move the trigger side belt loop over to the barrel side and adjust the cant as needed. If you search this section for askins you should find plenty of examples of the strong side version to get started with. Dan

No. That I know the correct name for. Here's the tie I mean So what is it called, the tie, not the billet. Dan

I like that. To make it even more traditional you could use the knot used on latigos. I don't know what it is called but it is really simple. 3 holes forming a triangle through both layers. Thread one end of the tie through each of the 2 "base" holes, and then feed both back out to the front through the top hole. Slip them both under the tie left by step one. Horrible description I know. Take a look at the rigging end of a latigo and you'll see what I mean. Dan

I agree with Ed. I've used my Palm Pilot for reading ebooks and it worked just fine for a lot less money. That was 5 years ago when my eyes were better and I didn't need reading glasses though Now I use my old Mac ibook with an 8" screen. You can buy a new diskless laptop for under $300. Dan

Seems fairly common on English reins and headstalls. The 12SPI that is. What you find in your typical catalog or tack store is probably not done by hand, unless you are paying several hundred for your headstalls. Dan

Yep. Dan