LeatherCaptain

Thanks for your response. I guess I'll just wait and see how this side comes in. I've been looking for a more "finished" interior and I'm hoping this works out. Even if it's an extra $.50/ft, at 24 sq ft that's only $12. That's cheaper than buying enough product to do a whole side by myself and it saves me some time. Also, I think the tanneries have access to chemicals and products that cannot be sold to the general public.

So, what do 'ya order? Drum dyed...Top grade...middle grade...special grade....sanded...? What's really on my mind is what exactly do they do when they "paste" the flesh? does anyone order it this way? Generally, I order the highest grade tooling/skirting, drum dyed black and then have the flesh side dyed after they split it. My last order was of the lowest "special" grade that was on sale. It wasn't bad but the grain wasn't as tight and there were quite a few marks and the fat wrinkles ran pretty high. I just ordered a middle grade back (no belly), drum dyed black, dyed and pasted flesh. I'm interested to see how the pasting turns out and if this solves the interior finish quest i've been on.

I don't have a gentle heart...especially after a couple of scotch's, so i apologize up front... I think you should buy a quality holster from a reputable maker. Look at it. Study it. Try and understand how the maker designed it and how the lines work. Where does the belt line run and how high/low does the holster ride. Check out the edges and the finish on the interior. This is not an easy process and you should keep up the good work. Persistance, in the end, is what separates a holster maker from someone looking to make a quick buck.

Good afternoon! So, I embarked on the wax/oil adventure and I think I've been outsmarted. I took some of the beeswax/paraffin mixture I use for edges and mixed it with some neatsfoot oil over a double boiler. Got everything cooled down and started to work on applying. And, now that I'm reading this thread again, I think I missed the crucial part - HEAT. I don't know why I stopped working on it but I just couldn't get the waxy white residue to disappear as I was rubbing it in and I think I just got frustrated. I did buy some SnoSeal a couple of weeks ago for my boots and it didn't dawn on me until today when I was applying it that I needed to add heat. I know Kate mentioned it in her post but I guess my limited brain capacity was already full or, as my wife would say, I just wasn't listening. So, back to the workbench to see if heating it up will do the trick. I think I might need to stick with straight beeswax and oil mixture leaving out the paraffin. I think it's the paraffin that's leaving the white residue. I wonder how hot it needs to get to melt properly without deforming the holster at all. Maybe I'll try a hairdryer and then maybe i'll try using a propane torch for quick and dirty applications ...oh yeah, I do all my finishing after the holster is formed...even the edge work. I tried doing the edges before forming and found it to be a waste of time for me. I always had to go back and redo them at the end.

Very nice, Kate! I think I'm going to try this with the inside of my holsters. I think this will definetely give them the waxier feel I've been looking for. I just couldn't figure out how to get the wax down into the holster without seriously making a mess or distorting the leather. This process sort of reminds me of that Sno Seal product where you warm up your leather item and then apply a small amount of product onto the leather and let it melt in.

Hi, I agree with a lot of what Boomstick said. I don't use a press and don't feel that one is necessary unless your physical capabilities prohibit you from doing it manually. Honestly, I think a lot of guys over do it with a press. If the leather is too tight on the gun and it's worked into the ejection port to hard you'll have serious issues trying to draw the gun and will just eventually wear out big chunks of the interior. Also, you should really be careful when molding around the trigger guard. I still have nightmares that I've molded to hard behind the trigger and it causes some poor souls gun to go off as he's reholstering his weapon. Keep that area behind the trigger untouched and open wide enough that the front of the trigger will not hit anything as the gun's being reholstered. As for the process, I start by getting the leather wet, not too wet, just enough so that the leather is pliable. I'll insert the gun and take the heels of my hands and compress the holster from the front and back all the way around the gun. This compression process helps stiffen the leather as well as forming the leather around the gun. Then, I'll use my fingers to press the leather into all the key areas, under the trigger guard where it meets the frame, the ejection port, the trigger guard and all along the dust cover. Then I'll move onto cutting in the detail. I use a bone folder that I got from Tandy's and I just don't mark lines in the leather. I actually press the leather down along the outside edge of the gun and on the slide to create some relief. Like Lobo said, you've got to try and mimick what the gun actually looks like. It's rare that a gun has a square frame (glock) and most have rounded frames with increases/decreases in depth. Maybe that's confusing but, I just don't mark lines in the leather. I've found that using a round object (bottom of marker, brush handle) is good for pressing into the trigger guard to get a nice circular indentation. Then, just before it is set down to dry, I'll take a crochet needle (sp?) and follow into all of the boning detail to get a nice sharp edge. I also make sure I leave the gun in the holster until the leather has set up and the outside seems to be getting fairly dry. Then I'll draw the gun and let the inside dry. I don't see why you'd want to draw the gun any earlier because you'll loose a lot of the detail you just spent time cutting in. I don't go over the lines too many times. Once or twice and keep the tool slow and steady. For straight lines (slide to frame), I'll use a straight edge to draw the tool against. Also, if you get the leather too wet, it'll deform you lines as it's drying. It seems that an overly soaked holster dries unevenly or something happens to the cells as it's soaking up water and you'll get a bumpy looking surface which will distort your boning details. The same holds true if you start cutting in the details too early when the leather is still at max moisture level. Give it a few minutes to dry a bit. Good luck. Keep practicing and I'm sure you'll end up with a process that you like. Because, as I'm sure you've figured out, everyone has their own process that they've developed and seems to work for them. Just remember to keep the leather off the trigger

Hey, nice lookin' holster! I love that color with the white stitching. What did you use to finish? Also, how'd you go about attaching the belt loops to the holster? It looks like you added some risers under the snaps but, I'm curious how you attached those guys to the body of the holster.

Great comments! Thanks for chiming in and wonderful ingenuity! I just saw a holster I built about a year and a half ago and it still looks great. There's a little wear on the inside of the belt loops (IWB Holster) but, that's to be expected and why they are detachable. Hopefully I'll see it again in another 24 and it looks as good as your sheath! I was reading on the Milt Sparks site that they recommend using Angelus Lustre Cream, Fiebings Carnuba wax (didn't know this existed) or Renaissance Wax to keep the appearance of their holsters. Although, I wonder if this is actually part of their finishing process. Anyone tried any of these products? I 've tried the Renaissance wax as I had some from another project (uhmm, obsession) and buffed out one of my holsters with it after the resolene. It definetely brought out a nice shine but, much too waxy of a feel for the exterior. I might just try it on the interior and see how that works. It should be interesting how well I can get all of the nooks and crannies polished.

Great lookin' holster! The stitching looks well executed and the overall appearance is very attractive. How well does the sweatguard hold up? I've always doubled up on the back side because I'm afraid one layer of leather will start to deform and curl over time. I think what really grabs my attention is the well designed tunneled loop on the back. Now, how exactly do you do that?

(I'm posing this question in this forum because I want fellow holster builders to see it. If it get's moved to the dyes/finishes section, I'm afraid the target audience won't read it or respond. So, I'm at your mercy. ) Exterior: I started out using Resolene and then I started adding a layer of wax after the resolene dried. But, I just don't like that plasticy feel that resolene seems to give my holsters. So, I've switched to using Leather Balm w/Atom Wax. That seemed to give me the nice feel i was looking for but, not quite. Oddly enough, when i was applying the leather balm w/ atom wax to one holster, I applied too briskly with a foam brush and it left some airbubbles on the surface. So, I figured I could use a more abrasive material to scrub them down. I picked up the saddle soap soaked canvas that I use to burnish the edges and started scrubbing. The saddle soap seemed to leave a nice soft feel to the leather that I had been looking for and I've been using that method since. Interior: For unlined holsters I have continued to use acrylic resolene. I think it provides the rigidity that is needed and keeps the inside relatively smooth. Although, I have experimented with leather balm, gum trag and even the edge kote. Ultimately, I'm looking for a waxier feel to the inside. So, the search continues. So, what do you guys use? Products? Techniques?

Hey there, I just wanted to edit the process that I've been following in the hopes that it helps someone out. After using several of my holsters and getting feedback from of my customers, I've found that I needed to get a better depth in the dying of the edges. So, I've adjusted my process just slightly. All of the typical steps still apply but I've changed when I dye the edges and I now use predyed leather...cut, sew, wet mold, dry, sand edges, bevel edges, dye edges, saddle soap and canvas, finish, wax edge with beeswax/paraffin mix and cotton cloth. I think that applying saddle soap after you dye the edges really helps to lock in the dye. I also wanted to comment that I take a chunk of saddle soap and grind away on the edges. Basically, you'll end up putting a grove in the bar of soap which helps in forming a nice rounded edge. Also, I'm not shy about using the saddle soap. Prettty much as soon as I apply the dye to the edge, I start working em over with the saddle soap. It seems like the more I apply, the smoother and more uniform the edges look. Anyway, hope this helps.

And folks, this is why I replied to this thread in the first place. To give everyone a good taste of what you get when you deal with Jack. Good stuff.

Here's the deal. You quoted me a price on some machines and then never made good on it. I tried calling you for weeks and you never returned my call. You said two of the three machines were working and yet never had the spine to get on the phone and call me back. Why is that? I'll tell you why that is...because, I caught you in a lie, Jack. You said you'd sell me the Tippmanns for $300 bucks each thinking you'd sway me into buying one of your Chinese knockoffs. But, you weren't prepared to sell them to me for $300, were you? So, either you don't have them or you realized their worth more than that and you're going to loose out. So, which is it? I've got nothing to be ashamed of here, Jack. I'm a straight shooter. You may not like what I have to say but, atleast I'm honest. You're not a man of your word and I don't think anyone wants to deal with a guy like that. Funny how I'm not the only one who feels this way. Maybe we should get John's opinion about your honest business practices. http://www.jclleathermachinery.com/prod03.htm I'm sure there's a good story behind this one. Why don't you tell it to us? It'll give you another chance to plug some broken down machine that you'll never sell.

Hi Jack, I'm interested. Give me a call and maybe we can talk about it and the 3 Tippmann Boss's that you were going to sell me but won't return my phone calls for the past month. Nice to see you're still alive! Seems like if you're looking to get ripped off...deal with this guy. He's a winner!

Hi, I'm totally new to braiding and I want to try my hand at building a 4 strand reata but, I'm not exactly sure what to use for a core. I've read that a lot of people don't use a core but I see that you have one here for your leash. In the book I have, the author says that sash cord or rawhide strands would work fine as a core. You stated that you're using thick scrap roo 1/2" roo lace for the core. How did you build that? BTW ~ This is turning out great. It's almost mind boggling how you can keep that many strands going at the same time. I honestly think I'm going to be challanged with 4.

Well, I apologize for being harsh if you've got legit questions. I don't, by any means, represent this forum. I'm just here like everyone else and I know you've got to ask the generalized questions first before you can get into the specifics. I guess I'm just having a bad day and I like to come out here and let my brain relax for a while. I just get a little frustrated with people who are just going to throw a couple of piece of leather together and sell it. I'm not saying that's what you're doing but when you post the same questions in a couple of threads you start to sound a little generic like you're trying to sell something. There really is a lot of skill to leather working a lot of different niche areas that you can indulge yourself in. So, again, I aplogize for being an ass and look forward to seeing pics of some of your stuff once you get up and running. (someone needs to design a smile of a guy sitting there smoking the peace pipe)

So, either your promoting the Cobra 3000 or you just don't want to do any research 'cause there's like a billion or so posts on leather thickness and there's a separate chat room for sewing. I'm not trying to be a jacka$$ because i see the company who makes the Cobra is a paying sponser and I'll ask common questions as well but, man, you haven't even tried the Search function yet and your asking questions. Next you'll be wondering if you can have someone come over and run your machine for you...all for a quick buck. I mean, have a little appreciation for the craft.

Hi Joe, Thanks for the reply. Do you have an pics of your reatas?

Hi, So, I'm thinking that I want to try my hand at braiding and I want to build a reata for my mother in law as a gift. I've been reading quite a bit and I have a book (classic book on making cowboy gear) that explains everything pretty well. I guess it's just a matter of getting started but, my question is what is the best choice for core material? The book says that Sash Cord is good to use or maybe a couple of pieces of rawhide back to back with beveled edges. I just read someone's website where they used paracord. But, I'm not sure what to use. What are your suggestions? (no, i'm not buying the movie ~ not yet, atleast)

Finally able to get a pic up... ...it's a start but I think this is promising.

And so, the question becomes, how does one reinforce the mouthband of an IWB holster using Metal or Kydex? What are you guys out there who reinforce the mouthbands doing? ...oh, and add pics.

The objects that I typically use to draw a pattern are: Large Poster size sheet of poster board with 1/2" squares (I buy them at Walgreens for $4/3-Pack) Dime Quarter Steel Ruler Coffee Leather Belt With Nice Sharp Edge Sharp Pencil Pencil Eraser - Large Paper Towels for wiping away erasure filings (and for soaking up spilled coffee) I like using my belt to draw curves. Take your fingers and cinch the belt somewhere in the middle so you have a nice little loop. Then, lay the edge of the belt on your cardstock and use it to make nice curves. If you keep your fingers at the center of the arc that you are drawing, you should get a symmetrical curve. My $.02.

Lobo, I got your package in the mail yesterday...THANK YOU! I've been working on a Glock 36 holster with attached mag pouch for someone and this gave me a chance to try out my new edge finishing procedure. I used the method described by hidepounder...I stopped by JoAnn's and picked up a yard of heavy canvas (duck cloth). I had some Fiebing's glycerin saddle soap at home and some wonderful wax was dropped off at my house yesterday. I glued a strip of canvas to a block of wood that I was using for burnishing and once the molding was done and dried I sanded the edges (very important to start with heavy grained sanding drum first and then finishing with a smoother drum afterwards), used a larger guage edger to cut down the edge and then followed with the sander again to really carve out a nice rounded edge. Then I passed over the edges with a wet sponge and rubbed on some saddle soap. I hit the edge with the canvas block that I chucked into a drill and WOW...it's like a light bulb went off...this actually works! Once I completed that step, I dyed the piece and then hit the edge with the beeswax/parifin that I got from Lobo. It seemed to take a lot of elbow grease but I think it does a wonderful job of really smoothing out the eges and to hide any slight imperfections. Then I covered the piece with acrylic resolene. It's drying now and when it's finished I'll rub on a coat of carnuba wax and then follow with a coat of renaissance wax buffed with a nice microfiber. I'm not quite to the level of what I see in hidepounder's photos but, it's goin' to be beautiful! ...I almost don't want to sell it! Thanks for all your help. I'll post some pics when it's done.

You're not rambling at all...i'm glued to the screen. I totally agree with what you've said so far about people stopping short on the edge work. I really think it's just because they don't know how to do it properly or that they don't know what a nicely finished edge looks like. That's why I've asked for a "show and tell" of how/what people are doing. If I can see it, then I can typically reproduce it. I may have to ask a ton of questions, but I'll get there. As far as Canvas, just any kind of canvas? Can I stop by JoAnn Fabrics and pick up a square foot or two of canvas?

What is an edger? Is this an attachment to the burnisher?