Lobo

Very nice looking work. Minor details already addressed, and I expect your future projects will continue to improve. On the dying, I suggest thinning your dye then using 2 or 3 light applications. This usually results in a more uniform coloring with the brown shades. I have had good results using dye cut with about 50% isopropyl alcohol, then applied with a spray bottle, but I'm sure that a small sponge would work as well. By the way, Tandy doesn't sell any "cheap" leather; their prices are always just about as high as the market will bear! Their leather may not be of the best quality, but their prices are always "retail". I have found that single shoulders can be very economical, priced lower per square foot than double shoulders because they are not large enough to cut belts or long straps. Usually about 7 square feet in size, each will make 8 or 10 holsters like you have displayed. Look at eLeatherSupply (877-433-8468), their 6-7 oz. single shoulders are only $39.95 each, and the quality is good (occasional fleshy spots in the undersides, I save those areas for making lined holsters where it won't be a problem), typical grade markings are .060, which is actually a lot closer to 8 oz. than 7 oz. I wish the internet, and forums like this, had existed back when I started doing this stuff. Trial and error was the only learning method for me! You are doing just fine! Don't sweat the small stuff, you'll just keep getting better and better.

The chemical salts utilized in chrome tanning will DEFINITELY cause corrosion in either carbon steel or stainless steel, if left in contact for extended periods of time. Also, many of the newer handgun finishes are manganese phosphate (a type of Parkerizing) which will also be damaged by extended contact. Regarding suede (as was pointed out in an earlier reply) yes, that is made by a chrome tanning process. In addition to the potential problems there, suede has much more surface area because of the buffed, porous surface; so suede has the tendency to attract and hold more moisture. This can make a suede-lined holster a big problem in areas of high humidity. All leather attracts and holds moisture. Firearms should NEVER be stored in a leather holster or case. All firearms should be removed from the holster after use and wiped down with a lightly oiled cloth before being put away, even for overnight. Yes, I have seen these types of problems many times on blued, stainless, and coated pistols. The type of corrosion noted by an earlier poster on cartridge cases in a veg-tanned carrier is known as vertigris, a mold-like substance that forms when brass (or any copper-containing metal) is left in contact with any type of leather. It will usually wipe off, and serious vertigris deposits usually can be cleaned with club soda (although this may require touching up the leather finish). Vegetable tanned leather is the only real choice for leather holsters, period. All chrome tanned leather should be avoided when possible; linings (including suede) require treatment of the handgun on a daily basis; while valuable in protecting the gun's finish from holster wear, they create additional problems due to moisture absorption. 37 years of holster making, 24 years in law enforcement, and 40 years of carrying a handgun daily provided me with a little knowledge on these subjects. As always, my opinions are free and worth every penny of the price.

For items to be dyed, I apply the dye after forming and burnishing, allow dye to set overnight, then oil, then final finish coat. I use white nylon (Tex270) thread on everything. Black dye penetrates it completely. The browns do not fully color the thread, but I get no complaints about it.

Try Duncan's at 989-894-6691. They have been making cast aluminum replicas of modern and antique pistols for years. Good quality, fast service, fair price. Without a forming piece to make the holster to you are really spitting into the wind. Best of luck.

Johanna: Just entered a little donation to keep the forum going. Thanks for all your efforts.

I've been making holsters since 1972. Here is what works well for me. After wet-forming, allow the item to air-dry completely. This can take from 1 to 3 days, depending upon where you live, what the ambient temperatures are, how much humidity is in the air. Apply a liberal application of neatsfoot oil compound for lasting protection of the leather. I use a 1" paintbrush, which I dip into the neatsfoot oil, then just slather it over the outer surfaces one time, then set the piece aside to allow the leather to absorb the oil. Note that too much oil will make any leather article limp and useless! Allow the neatsfoot oil to settle, it will migrate through the leather until a balance is achieved. This can take 1 to 2 days. Apply a final finish of Fiebing's Bag Kote (long a favorite of saddle-makers, seals well, remains flexible). On the interior (flesh side) this will settle the fibers and leave a slick finish. On the exterior this product penetrates and dries within a half hour or so, leaving a satiny egg-shell luster that is flexible without cracking. For what it may be worth to you, this has provided many, many hundreds of satisfactory results for me. Hope this helps.

Trying to use spring steel to cut your reinforcements from is likely to be an exercise in frustration. The "spring" in the steel comes from the tempering of the steel (taking the steel to high temperature, just short of the liquidus, then quenching it in cold water). Properly tempered spring steel is very difficult to cut, especially with hand tools. Power tools will have the effect of heating up the metal, which destroys the tempering. The thumb-break requires some reinforcement, but it is not subjected to overwhelming force in use. I have used 24-gauge sheet metal for years with no reported problems. It is readily available at any sheet metal shop, cuts easily with hand tools, and is plenty strong for the job. It also allows some contouring of the tab on the thumb-break, which I use in some holster applications. If you are near a lumber yard, the steel shipping bands around bunks of lumber make a good source of material. Most lumber retailers just throw it away, so you should be able to get all you can use for free.

Very nice work. I include a few holsters for the Browning Hi Power in every production run. They always sell because, as you have pointed out, there is a very good demand and very few suppliers of quality work. Thanks for sharing a nice piece with us.

Your carving is very nice work. May I send a few to you for this kind of work?

For a final finish I have used Fiebing's Bag Kote for years. Never a problem like you have anticipated. Low gloss, eggshell like finish. Spray it, sponge it, swab it, do it however you like. Just don't try to apply it when cold; less than room temperature can result in streaking and blotching that can't be corrected. Old saddle makers love it.

Beautiful job. Great design, excellent execution.

Do a quick web search and look at a few belts done in what is called the ranger style. You can do the main body of the belt as heavy as you wish. The buckle and engaging belt tongue are done as billets, stitched to the main belt. Additional advantage: you can use quite a small buckle and not having it poke into your midsection every time you stand up or sit down. (Of course, I'm an old guy with a little bit of a beer gut, so this means more to me than to some of you young, svelt, slender folks). Check "ranger belt", Bianchi makes a very nice model, and you will see what I mean.

As we used to say in the Army, don't sweat the small stuff. Quick hint: don't mess with grooving stitching lines on the back side! You can pull the stitches in tight, then go over them with the overstitching wheel, and have a nice looking done deal. Keep after it, friend. You will achieve what you want.

My other business is insurance investigations. My specialty for several years (back in my law enforcement days) was fraud and I have quite a lot of training and experience in the field. And, as difficult as it may be to believe, right here in the good old US of A there are still a few people making fraudulent insurance claims (imagine that!). I provide services ranging from consultation (case review and recommendations) to full field investigations. Allow me to brag just a little bit; on average, $1 in fees and expenses paid to me results in an average savings of over $20 to an insurance company. Everything from bogus accident claims, to product liability claims, to business bankruptcy cases, to forgery cases, to fraudulent theft claims. They all come my way. When a case doesn't pass the "smell test" at the claims office, I provide a quick review and make recommendations for appropriate investigation, then follow through as requested until the point where a claim can be reasonably denied, or a settlement can be reached. Sometimes I simply report that further investigation is unlikely to bring significant results to justify additional expense. Actually, much easier than criminal investigations in most cases. The standard in a criminal case is establishing 'proof beyond a reasonable doubt' that a criminal offense has been committed by a specific individual. The standard in civil cases is a 'preponderance of the evidence' and what I do can be described as digging up pebbles to stack on the scale, adding as much weight as possible to one side or the other; when the balance point is reached a better decision can be made. So, interesting and challenging, but also time consuming, frustrating at times. For the time I am pretty well paid. Have a great day.

I am a retired cop. Leather work started as a hobby over 40 years ago, and I started making holsters in 1972. For many years my market was limited to the people I knew and worked with, so it was a small change operation. Now, with the internet, the marketplace is the world. My little hobby business has evolved into orders for over 100 items per month, shipping to all 50 states and (so far) 4 other countries. I have another business, so working with leather is still a part-time operation (a few hours or half-a-day here and there, as needed). But the leather business is now at the tipping point, requiring more time every month. I am looking for a shop to lease so I can get the materials and inventory out of the house (and keep my wife happy). I can keep up with current demand with about 20 to 25 hours per week, but even a small increase in demand will just about require that I either (1) give up the other business, or (2) hire someone to do a lot of the grunt work (cutting patterns, assembling, sewing) and I can do the forming, fitting, and finishing work. Tough choice, as the other business generates over 50K with only 2.5 to 3.5 days per week. Maybe hiring someone would permit me to continue doing both. Thanks for the compliment. The finished holster shown is a machine-sewn item. I hand stitched for many, many years, but (a) the time required for hand sewing doesn't allow for much volume in production, and ( the effort of hand sewing causes a lot of discomfort in my old grampa hands, wrists, forearms, elbows, even my shoulders. The finished holster shown was sewn by Ashley Schildknecht of SnakeHorse Saddlery in Rosendale, MO. I have sent several batches of holsters to Ashley to be sewn (I assemble and cement the pieces and mark the stitching lines, Ashley takes care of the rest). He does exceptionally nice work, and his turn-around time has been very good. I will continue to rely on him to assist with volume production. Good luck to you.

Oh well. Just checked my e-mail and found orders for 3 more items. I wonder how long my wife will put up with this.

I agree with previous comment. In heavier leathers I use a groover, setting the stitching down into the leather. On lighter projects I prefer to use a creaser, removing no material, leaving the leather as strong as possible.

First class work, in every respect. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Well, another day in the life of a holster maker, here at Lobo Gun Leather (serious equipment for serious business, since 1972). What a mess! Looks just like a dog's breakfast! Maybe a few of these will look something like the second photo in another day or so. Trying to get caught up on last week's orders. Started cutting patterns about 7:00AM, assembling, cementing, sewing, forming. Too much like work! That is as far as I got. As the photo shows, El Lobo is now in the natural environment (ashtray and beer prevalent). Dying, edge dressing, burnishing, and finishing will wait for tomorrow. Not a bad day's work at all, I think. 12 items for 9 customers, all ready to ship by the weekend. Life is good. Hope you have all had a good day as well. -------

Exceptional workmanship. Very nice job.

I've been making holsters since 1972. I use warm water in the winter because it's more comfortable for my hands. I use cold water in the summer for the same reason. There is no detectable difference in how the leather behaves during or after forming. Nice design, well executed. You're doing good work. Try not to make it any more complicated than it needs to be.

Very nice design, and your execution is very good. You won't regret trying Fiebings Bag Kote.

May I say, very humbly, that your artistry makes all of my efforts look like what they truly are, mere crumbs for the masses. I am very much impressed with your work. Thank you for sharing it wish us.

I have made holsters since 1972. I have always used two finishes, plain oiled tan and black. I admit that my personal preference has always been the classic oiled tan finish. Now that I have taken my business onto the internet and I have shipped holsters to just about every state in the US plus 4 countries, I have started getting regular requests for various colors. Being a nice old guy who likes to give Mr. Customer just what he wants (and not wanting to see any profit dribble away) I am trying to oblige. Many of you folks who post here regularly are genuinely artists, and I have admired the work you have shared with us. Just getting started using dyes, I appreciate the work you have shown us more than ever. Black was always easy; keep putting it on until the product was black. I'm learning that the colors require a lot more work and attention! I'm sure that I will work out a few colors that will be popular with customers, but for now each new job will be an added challenge. Attached are a few photos of items shipped this morning. One is a suede-lined OWB paddle/snap with matching double mag pouch for Smith & Wesson Model 39, and one is an unlined pancake for S&W Chief Special. The customer wanted a dark cordovan brown, trying to match an old custom belt he liked and wanted to keep using. Everything passed my "drop test", of course (little ego thing of mine). Customer was very happy with the color. And it only took me a couple of EXTRA HOURS of work to get it right! Maybe old dogs can learn new tricks. ---- Lobo Gun Leather, serious equipment for serious business