Stetson912

Right lol I should have clarified. I meant with a steel band. I know a lot of people just use leather, but for some reason there's still a lot of give in mine when I do that. I don't know if it's normal or how to get it stiffer with just leather

Do you reinforce the mouth at all? I'm making an iwb of a different style. First time using the pattern. It isn't as hard as I wanted it to be after moulding. I know everyone is different and some want the reinforcement and some don't. I was just curious what you think. I thought about this style too, and may try it next to get a feel for comfort. As usual, stellar work and I'm jealous.

If it's a wrist cuff I recommend copying it on a printer copier if you can. Then just use that as your pattern. You can spray tack the copy to poster board and cut it out and voila! A decent pattern with minimal effort. (3m 77 spray adhesive works well. Just a light spray) this also allows you to mark ant holes or stitching and hardware locations right on the pattern Alternatively, if you care to, take it in to a print shop where they can make copies of large documents and such. You now have the master copy that's untouched and a copy that doesn't have creases and folds in it. Probably wouldn't cost much either, then just tack to poster board and cut it out carefully. Otherwise, when I have a large pattern and I don't want to cut it out so I can preserve it, I very carefully trace it onto vellum or tracing paper that's been pieced together with tape. Then that can be glued to poster board and cut out. You have to be very careful and precise though, otherwise your pattern can lose accuracy.

That's a cool idea. Pepper spray would be good too like dragonfly said. I wonder if you could fill that part with shot too. And just stitch the whole thing up. For added weight. Just a thought.

Thanks Dwight. Just out of curiosity I got to looking around. Black River laser actually offers an acrylic template for this. Just so people know. They actually have two templates that are a bit different. One is $25 and the other $33. But if you're cheap/broke like me you may just do like Dwight did hahaha!

Hmm, looks like an old ball bearing separator...

How maniacal your payback is... But really, good looking belt. Do you have a template to lay out the gunslinger stitching?

Oh wow a hole punch. Huh, I never would have guessed haha good work very inventive

When you make the skirt you make it at an angle so it hangs on the belt that way. It's not a huge angle just enough so you can get a good grip on the draw. I couldn't find a good example of the backside of a cross draw bit this image kind of describes it. When you do it you'll want a full skirt probably but you see where it folds to create the belt loop it's angled. This causes the cant on the belt. The gun is more secure than you may think too. A bit counter intuitive in a zero retention holster like they use in saa.they are typically work at the 10-11 position too so an extreme angle isn't usually required. Just some thoughts. If you look around for will Ghormley or slickbald patterns, I'm sure one or both have crossdraw patterns

@Bodean I can't speak for the opportunity but it looks like a plain flower center. Just a thought. My question, along with bodeans, is how long it took you to background all that haha.

People underestimate the ability it takes to make a good strap. (Well, we all here appreciate it but you know) Just about all the basics of leather working are covered and learned in making a strap. Looks good to me!

Haha, cross draw is just a right handed holster with backwards cant worn on the left side. Haha. Ok ok, in all fairness I'm sure there is more to it than that lol What you do is make the holster for the gun you want. That way you can say to the missus that you have to get the gun to put in it now

Very cool.

Nice! How did you dye and finish?

Oooo pretty! I'm making one now for my 1911. But it's iwb and won't look this nice haha.

Nothing wrong with that. Let's you test out a pattern and construction method before you commit to the "good stuff" haha

Nah I think that weight is about right. Is it veg tan or bridle or something else?

Nicely done. Simple design too. Looks like it'll get the job done. Is that about 4 oz?

http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/leather/hl.html maybe start here?

Lol, some dyes do that. And if it was wet moulded it could do that too. And like sanch said, it would really hardened up dipped in hot/boiling water/wax. Cuir bouilli is a term meaning boiled leather, it was a process used for making armor harder. I think that would really make them effective lol.

Are they hardened at all?

Thanks @RockyAussie, he seems to enjoy it. Really everything went together pretty well. The belt he's been using the past who knows how long has been in very bad shape for a while. It's cracking and the once round holes are now oval and huge haha. He's missing a snap and all sorts of stuff. So this one will definitely be a step up. Not to mention it's more than double the thickness which is good as he carries a sidearm and everything else he owns on his belt all the time haha.

Thanks wedgetail. This one fits at least haha.

Thanks Dwight. I admire your work on here and your insight. He was on the decommissioning team for the USS Dolphin (AGSS-555) in 2007. It has the deepest dive record for a diesel submarine. Thought that was a neat fact. Thanks again for your service