Scootch

Does anyone have experience with his tools. I have a stitch grover, basket stamp, border stamp and scalloped recent of his. His tools don't get mentioned very much but these tools are of good quality construction and have nice crisp impressions. Just though I'd see if anyone else uses his tools. Maybe he's better known for saddle hardware... Scootch

Find a dowel rod to use for a sight channel. Tape it to the top of your slide and leave it there when taking your measurements with your strap of leather and while forming the holster to your pistol. What type of holster are you making, a 50/50 or flat back pancake, scabbard/avenger style? Maybe someone here will give you better advice for the sight channel. I'd also say a large target sight like that will snag on a softer liner material. What weight veggie tan leather do you have? Scootch

Looks real nice. I like the rifle too! What type of sling are you thinking about? padded, simple strap, sued lined, used just for shoulder carry or to support off hand shooting... I've yet to make a sling but I'd probably use an 8oz veg tan and add a 4oz sued liner on the shoulder area. I don't really care for a padded sling. Maybe some others will chime in. Scootch

Thats a really nice design. I like the idea of forming the belt slot first. I'll have to try that sometime. Scootch

To be honest cue case making is what got me into leather working and lead me to this site by searching for cue case building. I've yet to start one though. There are some old threads on this site from JB and Melton. Your case looks really nice and better than some of the early Justice cases in my opinion. For your thread choice, if you are hand sewing, I don't think anything is better than Tiger thread. I've been looking a pro edge burnishers but not sure if I want to go the drill press route or benching grinder burnishers. Great job on the case. Scootch

Pretty awesome!

I've been thinking about one of his swivel knives. I'm just too impatient to wait a year for something! He talked about Bob quite a bit. Apparently they are close nit and get to judge leather workers competitions together. Maybe I'll get a chance to make a show one day. Living in Mississippi it will be a haul regardless which one I'd try to make. Yin, Your work looks really nice. Much better than mine. If you have to reach a certain level to upgrade tools... well, that wouldn't be any fun! By the look of your bench you have a small fortune already! I hope you find some tools. Good luck. Scootch

https://dgsaddlery.com/product/makers-leather-supply-pistol-case-tooling-pattern-pack/

A few weeks ago I talked with Robert on the phone and ordered 4 different tools he had in stock just to try them out. They came in a few days later and are really nice. The only other tools I have are Barry Kings tools and Roberts have a smoother finish and more contours to them it seem. He said the next show he is attending, if not canceled, will be in Arkansas where he will be giving his figure beveling class. I ordered a deers foot with ball modeling tool, a #2 beveler with scuffing to help hold antique, border key serpentine and a matter. The matter is really nice with lots of angles to it for smooitng out your work. His prices are not cheap though, significantly higher than King tools. He talked with me for close to an hour discussing what my interest are and sharing his ideas and concepts and how they differ from other tool makers and his approach to leather work. He also said if there was anything I bought and was unsatisfied with he would gladly take it back. As far as I'm concerned it was a good experience and he's a pretty interesting guy to talk with who is interested in promoting the leather craft. His wait time for tools is 11+ months. Scootch

Thats cool. I use to shoot action pistol around '99 and shot a heavy barrel 686 with barricade wings and a Hogue big but grip. I used a kydex open top safariland holster somewhat similar to yours. It was suede lined and has since been stolen. Scootch

I never tooled with one that was smooth to compare the difference but I understand the concept of texture. I don't know the durometer of his heads. Maybe a softer head wouldn't benefit as much from some texture. Scootch

You may want a variety of sizes. I use a 16oz tampered head for tooling, 24oz cylindrical head for flower centers and a 48oz cylindrical for bag punches and such. Are you planning to face them with a xylophone finish? The Barry Kings come with the textured finish. Your work looks super nice. Scootch

These are off Barry Kings website. From looking at your hobbies I don't think affording his tools are out of line if its your priority. I have both of these and they burnish well and have nice detail. If you are making smaller items like wallets, belts, scabbards then you'll want the smaller stamps. I guess it depends if you want to run the diagonal or stragt but I think you need a stamp sized to where you can get at least 4 rows of stamps without bordering stamps interfering with the pattern. To me, anything less than four rows the pattern doesn't really have a chance to develop. Here's and example of the three bar. Excuse the antique. I think I used a little too much. I wish this stamp was a size smaller. This is a 1.5" belt. Scootch

Do a search for "we the people" font. Print it out and size it with your printer or computer to the size you need. Cover the back side of paper with clear packaging tape (template). Dapen the leather. Place the template on the wet leather and trace it with a stylus or ball point pen. Cut the impressions made by the ball point pen with your swivel knife then bevel around the cuts. If you want the letters to be below the rest of the leather then you'd have to background it down. Thats the way I'd have to do it. Scootch

and make it tuckable? I've got an old revolver holster that is tuckable. The belt loop has a d ring to attach keys or a watch chain to. A cell phone pouch would work.

Looks good. I'm new so my advice may be worth what you pay for it. The only tooled holster I've made is a pancake. I only tooled the side you can see and I did most of my forming on the back wetting the back really well. I did wet the tooled side a little from the inside of the holster on the flesh side but not enough to hurt the tooling. Scootch

I have an air brush from Hobby Lobby but haven't used it yet. Adams leather works made a spray booth out of a chest box fan and some cheap air filters. Just put the filters on the suction fan and spray your work infront of the filter. Andrews leather uses his airbrush to apply Resoline finish. Scootch

Thanks for the great replies. I'm referring pricking irons or stitching chisels, crimson hides 3.0 or craft sha 5mm. Some times I finish with the awl if its thick but thinner material ill tap the irons fully through. The main reason I asked is because I've messed up a few projects with stitch groovers. I started off with a Tandy, then tried a Barry King and I've finally settled on the Horseshoe groover. It's been the easiest to use. On some projects I use a push beader and push beveler and am able to control them much better. The beader and groover go deep enough to get the threads fairly flush. So after seeing folks use a creaser I thought it might be worth giving it a shot. Thanks, Scootch

I've noticed a few holster makers on youtube use a creaser for their stitch line when using a sewing machine and it seems makers that hand sew use a stitch groover. Would there be any issue with using a creaser and pricking irons for hand stitching? Pros and cons of creasing vs grooving? Thanks, Scootch

Our local counter top guy recommended that I use quarts over granite in that it will resist dropping a hammer on it better than the granite. If you notice when digging through the pile a lot of the countertop material will have a fiber backing on it to help prevent cracking. The more stable materials do not have the backing. Some people buy granite surface plates. These run about 3 inches thick and are precision ground for use as a sandpaper foundation to sharpen wood tools and such. Scootch

Super clean. Nice rig. I was thinking Johny Ringo but then with the hard-cast bullets it's looks more like a vampire slayer. I really like it. Scootch

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/general-gunsmith-tools/files/metal-checkering-files-prod488.aspx These are whats used to hand checker front straps and mainspring housings on 1911's. After checkering a front strap then you use a file to bring out the points. I'd think they'd work on stamps as well. Scootch

Lined belts stretch less. Lined gun belts with suede will be stronger than single ply and will stay in place better due to the gripping friction of the suede. A holster with a veggie tan liner will not hold grit as readily as unlined and gives a nice smooth surface to help protect the guns finish and help the gun to draw smoother. The holster will also be stronger due to layered and glued construction. Id likely line the holster for a shoulder rig but I don't know about the harness itself. Lining the harness may prevent some skin chaffing since you may only have a t-shirt between you and the flesh side of the leather. Linings can possibly add bulk and weight to the over all rig if you're making due with the leather you have. I've purchased several holsters over the years from Milt Sparks, Don Hume, Galco and Agesis sp? none of them are lined I guess to keep the profile thin for ccw. On the other hand most all of the western style holsters I've ordered came lined. Just my thoughts, Scootch

One thing that can help with straightness is to buy a really wide blade for your swivel knife. A wider blade is easier to keep straight for those long borders. It also helps me to cut toward me so that I can see the sharpened edge that is not in the leather. Making sure the exposed sharp point is on top of your scribe line will ensure your not fish tailing the cutting portion in the leather. Scootch

Your geometric lay out looks great. I find it much easier to carve something than lay out geometric patterns. It's much easier to hide the mistakes with carving. Barry King also sells a push beader like I used here. You could use this tool between your wishbone border stamps. I cut two parallel swivel knife cuts then push the beader down the cuts. Nice job, Scootch