CaptQuirk

@MADMAX22- I mostly make holsters and the occasional belt, and focus on tooling them. Since I am starting out, I make some mistakes on occasion, I haven't been buying the pricey top notch stuff. Rather I have been buying bellies that are on sale. Ruining a piece of that doesn't bother me as much. I would like to try a little of the good stuff now and then, but can't do a side... unless it is a real price buster sale. For example, Tandy's November flyer has a side of Craftsman for $70 I think. That will keep me going for a while, and actually cost less than the bellies I usually get. But not knowing what is what, I am pretty much stuck with buying what I know... ya know? I have heard about W&C, and heard mostly great things about their leather. I have also heard that they sometimes won't ship for weeks. Add that to the fact that it will take at least a week for delivery, not likely to happen. I want to get what I need, so that I can finish a project for somebody. But this last point is secondary to cost at the moment.

That is a thought that never occurred to me. I'm a rifle hunter, and need a pad on my 30-30, specially after having a power port for chemo put in my right chest... just about where the butt rests. Recoil wasn't too bad before, but can really hurt now.

Now we are getting to what I really wanted to know! What is so different about the Horween? Not having a lot of money to experiment with, I'd like a bit of foreknowledge before spending on the wrong stuff... or look for the right stuff to spend my money on. Not having a splitter, buying skirting would have been a mistake, especially buying any large piece.

I don't have much experience with stock covers, but that one looks like the top is covered for cheek padding. It also looks like a large bore shotgun, and that is what is really confusing me.

Thank you Tinker, that also helps a little. I'm not sure if I am asking the correct question or not. I understand a lot of the basic stuff, such as the cuts of the hide, the difference between veg and chrome tanned, thickness, etc. I just don't know about the different types of leather... is it still leather if it comes from a kangaroo or a stingray? Does kangaroo tool and carve well? Would it work for tooled holsters, or is that expecting too much from it? I know that most finished leathers are pretty well what the name implies, you might be able to dye or re-dye it, but it is meant to be used as is. Skirt leather is used for saddles mostly, but thinner grades make good holsters or belts, and can usually be tooled or carved. As you said, the thickness and strength sort of predetermine what you can do with it. So, am I just getting too hung up on brand names?

Thanks Thor, but that wasn't the info I was looking for. Rather, I was looking for the actual leather names, and what they are typically used for. Horween is a tanner, and not a type, so that is cleared up. Latigo is used for hard use stuff that might get wet. But what do you do with Kangaroo? Like I said, there are a lot of names thrown out there casually, but for a beginner, it is a bit overwhelming. What is Bison good for? Pebble milled is usually soft and thin, so I would guess it is for garment, upholstery, or bags? The other technical terms I'm getting... sort of, except for the term "irons", used in weight I think.

I swear there are almost as many flavors of leather, as there are flavors of ice cream. I've heard the names Horween, Latigo, and now Kangaroo? I know veg tanned is for tooling, but what about all of the others?

I've been curious about Tiger thread, and now Maine thread... never heard of that one. I have tried something akin to kevlar thread from Springfield, and it was affordable, and not too bad. But lately I've just been ordering the 25yd spools of "white" "brown" and "black", mostly because I needed thread when cash was low. I got some stuff from Springfield that would not stay twisted for nothing. I actually watched it unknot itself one night. The stuff I've received from Tandy is so heavily waxed, it leaves clumps. Then there is always a problem with white thread not staying white... need to fix that problem.

I looked, but I don't care for those "Leave a message, and we'll get back to you with the price" places.

That S-T leather place took their print catalogue and scanned it. So yes, thy have a real catalogue, and I just asked for one.

I use the Fiebings Black dye as well. The first coat doesn't always do the job well, so I rub it in good until it evens out. Then the second coat and see where it goes from there. A lot of the issues come from when I forget to clean the leather after tooling. Handling transfers oils and dirt from your hands, so clean it good before dying. Edgecoat helps give a smoother appearance, but you sometimes have to sand it down and apply a couple times. Most folks here recommend using the Neatsfoot oil after dying... I think it helps treat the leather after the alcohol in the dye. Tools I didn't see on your list, are stitching chisels, also called by other names like pricking irons I think? They help give you neat little holes for your needle and thread.

Try hitting it with some mink oil. That should hlp soften it up, and protect/condition the leather. Your girl did a very nice job, that is awesome stitching for a first timer... I'm actually a little jealous! Last Christmas, I cut out a guitar strap for my oldest boy, threw in the hardware, and said "Have at it". With a little guidance, he drew a pattern, transferred it, and tooled the leather himself. When he started getting compliments from not only friends, but guitar stores too, he just about burst with pride.Me too

Well, ok. That sort of explains it. Those customers ask for weird stuff sometimes

I really dig that scale stamp! Quick question though, why didn't you pad the butt of the rifle stock? That is where it would really help absorb the recoil.

Brother, you ain't kiddin!

@craftsman827- Who is S-T?

I'm using a 1/4" poly/nylon cutting board, sitting on top of a 1" slab of granite. Not much bounce there. Thanks for the pointers.

Since mallets were mentioned, I have been tearing up my wooden mallets on hole punches. How well do the polly mallets hold up?

Thanks, I did find a few threads, and even mention of a fly press. Maybe someday I'll have the cash and the room for something like that.

Dude... I guess I need to Goggle that, because it seems like you are leaving out a detail or two

Are there any cheap redneck engineered options?

Being the odd duck that I am, I'm going to ask a different question... What leather is used, what hardware is needed, and where would you get said hardware?

A member here, RaySouth, often has weird and obscure stuff like that for sale... not the instructions, but the project itself.

Instead of just buying books willy nilly, try your local library. I really hate buying a book at some over inflated price, and finding out it is almost useless. Even in my small town library, they have access to so decent books, like Al Stohman's stuff. I just have to wait a little for them to get them in. Free is better than $40, or whatever amazon wants. Another thought, a member here, RaySouth often has Lots of books for $40 and free shipping. Try contacting them and see what they have.

The trick I learned, was to take a 1" strap of leather that is roughly the same thickness as what you will use. At one end, measure off a 1/2" (I use 3/4"), and draw a line across the width of the strap. Lay the pistol on top of the strap, with the bottom of the trigger guard on the line. Fold the strap over the pistol so that it hugs the curves, and mark the strap where it meets the bottom edge below your your half inch mark. Measure the distance between the second mark you made, and the bottom edge of the strap. That is how wide you need to make the holster pattern. You can also use this method for measuring the barrel.