JamesRiley

Hi Folks. Newbee here. I'm making holster out of an Al Stohlman book. He calls for a number 3 punch. I have punches but they don't say what size they are. Is there a conversion chart somewhere that shows diameter of sizes? Thanks.

Thank you all for the input. I will take the advice and appreciate the link, chrisash. Vikefan, I stole my handle from an obscure gunman in 1800’s Kansas. His mentor/sheriff was gunned down by five Texas cowboys seeking revenge for the arrest of one of their own. The emptied their revolvers into the sheriff. After the shooting stopped and the cowboys were reloading in the smoked-filled room, Riley calmly walked in, turned around, locked the door, and then proceeded to kill them all. He then walked out and into history, never to be heard from again. I think more men (6) were killed in that gun fight than in any other “wild west” shootout. I guess if you show up late to the party, you might as well be smart about it. I liked the story so I took the name for a SASS handle (no longer active/member).

I would like to know if there are any recommended starter tool kits. I’ve searched Amazon, and the internet in general, but in reading the reviews (I do take those with a grain of salt) I find many people are unsatisfied with tool quality and or size (some are for small hands?). About me: My main interest is cowboy stuff, holsters, cartridge belts, scabbards, cuffs, horse tack, etc. As a young person, I did some Tandy holster kits and had fun. I’ve copied a holster I have for a long barrel to have a matching one for a short-barreled revolver (cutting, stamping, dying, etc.) I am remote and, while I’m used to driving 150 miles round trip for a widget, it would be nice to have a complete kit of quality tools on hand. It would be great if they were such that I’d be happy to own them if, at some future date, I actually “turn pro” or otherwise get into this; maybe gifts that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to give. I don’t mind spending money for quality and I would rather do that than buy cheap and get pissed off when the widget breaks or otherwise fails to last. Finally, I’m the kind of person who would rather practice on the real thing, ending up with an ugly but functional item, than to practice on a piece of leather. My point here, is I’m not interested in the kits that come with little wallets, leather, etc. I’m looking mainly for all the tools necessary to crank out some holsters and cartridge belts. I’ll buy the leather, patterns, and how-to books separately. Thanks for any recommendations of tool kits/manufacturers. And thanks for any “stay-away-from” advice.