chuck123wapati

then good luck i am sure you can repair it into serviceable condition. I would measure the thickness of the old piece and get the same thickness. I would also think there may be a leather craftsman some where close that could spare a piece and some rivets and barter or buy from them or a local Tandy store will have adequate leather, then you would get the right stuff. Seven months wait time??? wowzers.

man your work shines as always!!!

I don't usually open pictures but i did yours , the front is no problem, the leather on back needs replaced it has dried out and dry rotted, you wont be able to save it the top layer is gone. Its the important part that holds your gun to your belt so replace it completely. With that being said you have to take that piece off, remove the rivets, and if it has been properly glued you might ruin the second piece as well while getting them apart. Then after the repair you will need to add some nfo or water proofing because it is so dry. it wont ruin the form it will save the leather from further dry rot. now on the front and re sealing it, you can do it like you wanted to and you may even think about a good black shoe polish instead of carnuba that's what the military and most cops used on those to keep them looking good. Repairing it is doable imo but...… by the time you buy all the leather, rivets, glue, dye, stains, conditioners, and sealers. what will you have? Here's the deal on "restoration", if you want to restore it to functionality you will have more money and time in it than its really worth and you will ruin any possible collectability. That was gone with the dry rot. Simply put you can buy a new holster cheaper or even find a good original hk holster cheaper. if you want to keep it as a collectable which it isn't really then leave it alone and don't use it, put it in a frame and enjoy it and buy a good safe holster for your awesome p7 you lucky dog.

polish em , sharpen and use.

here is what i know about them. The old fast draw rigs for competition started out on tv to help the star actors out shoot their bad guys. The steel, Rawhide or fiberglass insert allowed the revolver cylinder to rotate while still in the holster allowing the single action revolver to be cocked while being pulled. then along came fast draw competition that used them for the same reason. Other than that there is no real reason to use them on edc holsters. Other companies use spring steel inserts to help hold guns secure in open sided holsters to enhance the draw also. These are used on edc holsters.

with the knowledge you already have on how orders are placed and when. i could see you making a run for an order just shortly before the order was placed so you wouldn't be setting on money but you would have a leg up to ship faster. I don't know this part but your problem may be getting the beds to the ships while in port so starting after the order is placed may not work well.

beautiful work it is fun to get to do something a bit different. if i didn't already have two holsters for my Anaconda......lol

pretty good imo, I would use dye as that's probably what was originally used, I don't know if either would really fill or replace the original surface if its been worn off. is the top layer of leather gone? you should also apply a conditioner such a neets foot oil or a good waterproofing product before your final sealing, it will replace any lost oils in the leather.

poor guy never shot a Colt? Now i feel bad for him lol.

Very nice work!! i like that idea gunmakers emblems in a coaster set would be cool.

They are shoes right? clear shoe polish over your favorite water proofing.

https://animals.mom.com/differences-between-cutting-roping-saddles-3537.html

interesting question indeed! i managed a maintenance shop for years and many many times we worked at producing multiple products for the prison like beds, tables and such. first off you need to make your list of supplies from your design including all your needles, thread, glue, etc. Then you need to make one and find out how much of each product you will actually need, people sometimes ruin eyelets so you need a factor for that, plus how long each construction sequence takes, cutting , sewing etc, and to find the easiest/fastest construction sequence like sewing first or punching all holes first, this will be changed as you gain knowledge but it gives you a starting point. I used construction sequence times to figure out time accurately when doing multiples, its easier and faster to sew ten items then go to the next step instead of making one complete bed at a time. then you need to lay out your workspace to coincide with your construction sequence so everything flows from one job to the next. Time management flow also is a concern, how long each job takes how many people each job takes, if one guy can sew ten beds in day but the next job eyelets ,for example, only takes half a day, then the eyelet setter needs to be working on another step of the operation for the other half day. supplies should also be considered as very important , how long to get them is the biggie, at what point to order more so you don't run out of one thing that stops production, especially the small stuff like thread or glues that you don't really take notice to. Are you planning to make them and stock them or make them per order? Stocked = how many are you going to set on before getting a return vs per order= you get paid but the consumer has to wait for the construction process. There will be variables that change in the beginning and you really need to be open on this and willing to see change in process when it becomes evident. Learning curve, ordering and supply problems, and personnel problems. I used to lay out these processes then set back and see how the workers refined the workload and work flow ,they were the experts so i went with their ideas more than not.

Best thing to do is try it on some scrap then you will have first hand knowledge that you can reliably use and share.

good luck and god bless you.

really nice work!! my vote is always for antler lol.

great start i cant wait to see the finished piece. woo you spent some dough! They do need a special place to rest.

i have had them both too plus dozens of others sorry i disagree i pick my buckles according to their use. No one can truly tell what's under plating or how well something is made by looking at a picture or even feeling it. But hey that's your opinion so go with it I certainly don't care how you pick your buckles. Now if you read the op He wants know if the 2.00 dollar difference is justified. So what is he using them for? cute little purses or heavy duty dog collars? You gonna throw 2 more bucks on a product your only making ten on if its not needed??

your right but we don't know they weren't either and that's the quandary, paying twice as much for the same thing. The only way to tell is obvious get one of each and take a file to them and see what the base metal is, then maybe a good strength test of some kind.. We as a group obviously haven't tested either of them for the purpose that the op intends to use them other than maybe feeling them. lol

yup to many!

All good points my friend and worth adding to this thread. I 've seen many leather products made by folks that don't have the practical knowledge such as this. They follow a pattern without knowing if its a workable design that will stand up to its proposed use in an efficient manner. I've ridden and hunted horseback a few times but not enough to take advantage of any knowledge i might have gained from the experience so i could just have easily made a scabbard with the same inadequacies or even more. Thank you for the excellent advice.

i think its "good enough" too.

I just fleshed two elk forelegs, i am going to tan them to make a hair on holster for my late dads cap and ball revolver. I would post pictures but you probably dont want to see my freshly salted hides in the raw lol.

i just got this image of you driving that old tractor with 6" spiked goth boots and a santa suit LOL.

get it!!!!