chuck123wapati

I agree on the hydraulic press! Without a press you will just ruin your dies then you will be out the money to replace and then have to buy the press anyway. Harbor freight has some pretty low cost presses arbor or hydraulic.

I just ordered a 2 gallon Air compressor from harbor freight fortress brand I believe. I had a small compressor built for air brush but it didn't have a tank so it wasn't very smooth at laying down paint. Gonna give it a try myself but now i'm having a blast just painting with it. I have a pasche vl it was given to me but it comes with three size needles and tips and sure seems to work well for the limited time I've been playing with it. Haven't tried any dyes through it yet however.

I agree friend I don't know why anyone would get in a huff especially when you didn't state anything but they are "usually better made". You made no statement that should belittle anyone nor their country. easy to settle however as you said if they have good tools in their country post them and be just as proud of them as we are of our countries manufacturing capabilities. Personally I think most of the substandard leather tools are outsourced from one country in particular and we all know what country that is. What we can all agree on is that you will definitely get what you pay for buy cheap tools and you get cheap tools its that simple and there are people willing to sell you cheap tools in every country.

Could very well be gas welded Which would be harder to look good on small things like nuts, I don't quite understand how an Amish made tool that obviously wasn't made for resale would end up in Arizona but the Amish do leave home at times I've heard. But like you I don't see how the jig is helping form a blocked loop at least from that picture. I also like the comment on putting the loop closer to the buckle because of modern pant loops, seems its just a way to use less rivets and takes one step out of the belt making process, cheaper, easier. But if you want to know how the average belts are made then its all right there nothing out of the ordinary that I can see as you said just hype. A nice rectangular piece of hickory or oak that fits the loop tightly and a bit of hammering to form the sides on a wet loop let it dry and its blocked.

your picture is of a home one, take the pic to any decent fabricator and they could make one in short order.

Thank you ! I appreciate that.

yup tannic acid in oak, oak is used for veg tanning leather.

its what I use, Blacker than coal, cheap so you can make enough to dip your products.

wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is some nice work.

They would look great on that fine piece of iron! I will see what I can dig out of the antler pile for ya. I'll get in touch here in a few days.

cool design I like the double stitching

Your pic says it all. Hand sewn is in essence two separate stitches independent of each other so if one breaks there is still another. With a lock stitch there are two threads but they aren't independent of each other so if one fails both fail. That being said a good lockstitch is better than a poor hand sewn stitch and a good hand sewn stitch is better than a poor lockstitch. IMO. The sewing machine was created to make sewing easier and faster not necessarily better but they are better than some can sew by hand in that every stitch has the same tension same spacing etc.

awesome! work! you should consider adding an airbrush to your tool list.

I hate that ! I did the same thing with a couple of other companies, to bad to see Tandy trying that it sure wont help their sales.

Its been quite a few years ago but here in Wyoming a highway patrolman was shot on duty and he sued the holster company and won the case, I think it was Bianchi. If I remember right his contention was the snap was to tight and he couldn't get his weapon out. It is a credible concern, IMO, especially with holsters designed and sold specifically for self defensive purposes. That doesn't mean i'll quit making holsters but I don't make them specifically for self defense. You can be sued for just about anything you make, heck someone could wreck a motorcycle and blame the guy who made the leather seat it still has to be proven however.

I would , if I had it to do over again, would buy a moderately priced good one that was adjustable in length. I bought the tandy cheapo and struggled with it until I lengthened it some and bought a better blade. A good swivel knife can be resold if you don't like it a cheapo is just wasted money if you find you don't like leather work.

I like that tooling!

those are plain? Those are some of the nicest ive ever seen. Beautiful work!

maybe you can air brush them before you cut them into straps, put them side by side to air brush or buy pre dyed leather

Thats a fine lookin sheath indeed smoke it up good an it'll be pertnear waterproof. I put a strap on mine so I could carry it over my shoulder like a regular rifle then just grab the butt and sling the sheath off for a quick shot. I think its harder to get good elk and deer hides due to how they are collected, mostly from hunters compared to cow which is bought from slaughter houses. Hunters don't take the time skinning as well nor are the hides treated as well afterwards, here they are collected by a couple of clubs but set around out in the weather for a good month before being picked up and sent to be tanned. Man do they ever stink lol, I,ve tanned a couple hides for myself but I have to do it when they are fresh.

That's a great wonderment , I've toted a lot of holsters and haven't had a one tear out due to stress. I've had sheaths and holsters thread give out due to rot and or wear. Don't know why it would be of much concern in holster fabrication. Now if your worried about the belt I can see that because its under stress and any belt holster combo should use the same thread just to match.

They sure look the part only time will tell. They are cool!

I've always used leather sheaths and I have been waist deep in snow, mud and water many times , I just water proof the heck out my knife sheaths and holsters just like I do my boots. Don't know how wet he intends on being but for hunting and such in the winter and fall leather works fine if its water proofed.

That's a nice holster I like the total coverage of the revolver for brush bustin.

Denim