I walked away frustrated.

[WaG35]

Well, it happened. And I knew it was going to, but still frustrating none the less. So far I have made 4 holsters and all of them were functional, there were little things that I would do differently the next time, but they worked. Yesterday while trying a new design concept I made my first one that nothing worked at all. First I cut the leather out so it was either going to be for a leftie(And I'm not a leftie) or it would be rough side out. Then it didn't fit how it was intented at all. But I found this out after investing quite a bit of time. I finally threw my hands in the air and went in the house. I am over it now and ready to try again, but it was a series of comedic errors. Good day guys. I know I am not alone here, just needed to vent a little.

[TomSwede]

Yup we've been there.

Cut out an archers bracer for right hand Twice in a row the wrong way, not going into details I can tell you the cursing and swearing was enormous.

Two days ago I spilled silverdye and got splotches and silverflakes all ovar that Motörhead bracer. Luckily it was all salvaged.

Hope this cheered you up a bit and if not you can just have a laugh at me for making same error twice in ten minutes, well the lefties got new homes pretty quickly.

Tom

[Jordan]

Welcome to the wunerful world of scratchbuilt leatherwork! Happens all the time to me, I do get frustrated at times but a cup-o-joe and a short breather helps to clear things up and then I rethink the process with the fresh jolt of caffine.

[Regis]

You'd be supprised how many left handed holsters I'm accumulating ......!

Edited February 11, 2008 by Regis

[barra]

We've all been there. If i'm trying out a new theory or pattern I make a prototype from non stretch vinyl or linoleum. That way I iron out 99 per cent of the bugs

Remember, think thrice, measure twice, cut once.

as it says at the bottom of all my posts

the man who never made a mistake never made anything.

Barra

Edited February 11, 2008 by barra

[waddy]

I just cut out THREE holsters for the Colt Woodsman, and they were all backwards. And that was after I checked, double checked, and then convinced myself I had to turn the pattern over. I seem to have some kind of perverse need to do most things backwards at least once. Maybe we could form some kind of an organization to convince more shooters that left handed holsters are the new way to go!!

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

Yep. I've been there. I have a whole garbage bag full of mistackes. I use the bad holsters to try new finishing techniques or other new ideas. It's just part of the territory. Try making someone a custom exotic rig for a rare pistol and remembering upon delivery that they are left handed. That's been my favorite mistake so far......

[WaG35]

Thanks guys, i was pretty sure i wasn't alone. Just thought you needed a good laugh this morning. i am too stuborn to quit.

[Randyc]

Hey Guys

I'm a favorite contributor to the "Oh Shoot Club" and not in those exact words.

I'm a lefty and have to think out of the box to make a right handed holster. My little NAA mini .22 holster shown on an earler post started life as a Glock Mod. 23 holster, scewed up, reincarnated as a Makarov holster, screwed up again and became the mini holster on the third try. Even tho I try not to screw up, it helps to know that I can usually just make another mini holster out of the mess.

Randy

[viejo]

I'm glad to see I'm not alone.

There are two errors here. Can anyone spot the subtle one?

[Jordan]

You got me, KAK, other than that ? You can always make it into an ashtray or a key fob.

[TwinOaks]

stitching holes to hold down all 4 sides of the belt loop.

[leatheroo]

lefties and righties, what a pain they can be.......when i make quivers i have the same problem as i have a shaped shoulder strap. I have solved the problem by putting a piece of masking tape on the template and writing on it...."for righthand...this side up on stamping side of leather.

Gee, that sounds confusing as i read it back, but it works for me.

[Bob]

I make patterns for everything, first in paper. Like someone said. get most of the bugs out before cutting any leather. And like Loo said, I too write on the patterns, "this side up for write hand". I've made a few left holsters and knife cases too. I'm sure everyone has. Try cutting out too left legs for your chaps, when you only have one piece leather, and you gotta find another the same stuff. Oh well, I like Barra's line. "The man who made no mistakes, never made anything"

[Shorts]

Yuu know that box of holsters most people have cause they just don't fit right....well, I'm collecting a shelf full of 'didn't works'. I keep them on display. The basic idea is there, its the sum of its parts that went wrong.

You never know, it could be useful for something in the future.

[JRedding]

I've made patterns, looked at it , thought about it to get it right, and then wrote "this side up" on the wrong side and tryed to use it. Right after that comes picking up the phone and trying to dial out on the adding machine, done that too.

Edited June 7, 2008 by JRedding

[gunfighter48]

How about making a stitching groove all the way down a belt blank BEFORE you punch out the tongue end!!!! Also measuring a belt out and forgetting to add enough length for the buckle end. It never ceases to amaze me how STUPID I can be at times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited June 7, 2008 by gunfighter48

[viejo]

Jordan, the initials are the easy one. The hard one was I had an odd number of stitch holes on one side, and an even number on the other.

TwinOaks, those holes are actually for a patch of leather I riveted a belt clip to. That part worked out okay, actually (it took me about twenty minutes to recut, groove, stamp and prepare it for the stitch holes, took me about an hour to do the holes - I'm slow in that way....).

[TwinOaks]

"The hard one was I had an odd number of stitch holes on one side, and an even number on the other. "

You mean they're supposed to match up?

Edited June 7, 2008 by TwinOaks

[robert]

I don't mind the new screw-ups so bad, but making the same mistakes again and again gets to me... I started writing down directions for some of the things i do over and over. I keep them in a notebook by the bench. I find that helps create less scrap.

I also learned a long time ago that when I am tired, I need to quit for the night. I used to have a bad habit of thinking "just a little more work and I will be done".... right up to the point that I make a wrong cut, dripped dye in the wrong place, punched belt holes off center.... you name it. So now I intentionally leave the final details for another day.

You never know what you might learn from your mistakes....A common mistake in my younger days was stamping initials sideways or even upside down. I did that on a checkbook once, and to cover it up, I stamped the initials on a patch and buckstitched the patch over the mistake. The customer loved it and ordered two more done the same way!

[Denise]

I've heard of a saddle maker who did a similar patch fix when he messed up the customer's brand on a custom saddle. Biggest problem was the saddle was for his father-in -law...

[Ian]

also learned a long time ago that when I am tired, I need to quit for the night. I used to have a bad habit of thinking "just a little more work and I will be done".... right up to the point that I make a wrong cut, dripped dye in the wrong place, punched belt holes off center.... you name it. So now I intentionally leave the final details for another day.

Isn't that the truth. The smallest, simplest finishing details like snaps and belt holes will get you every time and can ruin days of work in one foul swoop. I wish I could develop the discipline to do them the next day, but I'm always too anxious to see the finished product, and ....POW, I've done it again

[TomSwede]

How about making a stitching groove all the way down a belt blank BEFORE you punch out the tongue end!!!! Also measuring a belt out and forgetting to add enough length for the buckle end. It never ceases to amaze me how STUPID I can be at times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's a version of what you describe only I did cut the tongue end but managed to go too far with the grover, lol. Fortune worked for me on this one 'cuz the end result came out quite neat I think...but it's not very often you get away from that Murphy's law.

Robert and Ian! I used to do the same thing but recently I've been turning to the 'puter and LW when it's times up and a monitor can sure put tired to your eyes fast. I'm some 6-9 hours before the US population so this is usually when the forum is most active so it can get very late but, keeps me from going back to the leathers when I shouldn't.

Tom

[Shorts]

Yeah I'm walking away frustrated now. The IWB I was so excited about came out not quite there and still has more work to do... and quality wise, it came out top notch. Now I got a pieceo f top notch junk. I've been trying several IWBs and I'm about fed up with it I've decided to finish sewing an OWB I've had sitting on my table for several days now and I absolutely cannot find my sewing glove!

I'll just go make a steak for dinner and forget about leather before I cry.

^^ heh, how about that, "forget about leather" but I'm going to grill up a steak. Yeah, that's irony for you.

Edited June 8, 2008 by Shorts

[PeterD]

One of the things I tell people when teaching leatherworking is to always right left and right or up/down on a pattern. Even then I have been known to make two right sides. The other thing I tell students is that there is an art and a craft to leatherworking. The craft is the techniques to make stuff. The art is fixing your mistakes.