How is this stitching possible on a stitcher?

[Cumberland Highpower]

1 hour ago, Double Daddy said:

The Union Lockstitch machine is also a needle-awl machine...been trying to get my hands on one of those in my locale for a while. No crazy big hurry...but...they sure lay a purdy stitch line. In the meantime, I'll chug along just fine with my CB3200...

Same goes for whatever old model Landis machine Sam Andrews uses for his fine leather products...check out his excellent instructional videos on YouTube. I believe he even found one of those antiques to keep around for backup purposes.

I've got a couple UL machines and a spare for parts.  They're getting allot easier to get ahold of with the onslaught of cheap Chinese machines.  You'll get one sooner or later.

I paid $800 for my first one at auction 20 years ago, the 2nd afew years back, $250.  My parts machine was $30! LOL.  First thing I stole was the motor/table/variable drive from it.  The UL is a great machine for belts/harness/strap goods.  Not all that great for holsters, but does work decently if you're experienced. Thing about the UL is that it has to be a real tight machine or you're have endless problems with it....

I remember talking once to a holster maker at Milt Sparks. If I remember right he said they had 7 Randall/Campbells operating.  That was some time back though, they could be up or down.  I know DeSantis operates some as well, at least 2.I actually sold a Randall to Gene Desantis on the cheap. I say 2 at least, because he shipped me a Randall Crate to ship the one I sold him....

You must be mentioning the Landis 16.  That's a good machine for holster making and I have a real nice one but almost never use it.  The Randalls are a little better for holster work, I really prefer the awl feed for holsters, but that's splitting hairs.

[yober]

2 hours ago, badhatter1005 said:

It looks like someone punched holes with a precision chisel set the holes with an awl and then saddle stitched that particular portion by hand.  I know a lot of pro shops do that however I'm by no means an expert.

That is probably how I’ll do it for an upcoming sheath (similar design).  I see so many of these with this folded-over design, I was wondering how anyone accomplished this in volume.  Seems like you’d need a curved needle at minimum.

[Samalan]

That stitching is done while the holster is flat before you mold it, and the stitching on the one in the picture is not done very well anyway; it's stitched flat and then molded.

[yober]

2 hours ago, Samalan said:

That stitching is done while the holster is flat before you mold it, and the stitching on the one in the picture is not done very well anyway; it's stitched flat and then molded.

Um, no.  If the loop is stitched first, the stitching machine is prevented from stitching the edge seam as the flap now covers the stitchline.  If the edge seam is stitched first, the holster is now folded and the loop cannot be sewn through the single thickness.

Milt Sparks holsters are some of the most exclusive and desired holsters in the world.  An 18 month wait is not uncommon.

[AlZilla]

2 hours ago, yober said:

Sparks holsters are some of the most exclusive and desired holsters in the world

The stitching conundrum is interesting but at the end of the day, it's just a piece of leather and many members here could duplicate it.  Another respected gun leather maker has often opined that current wait times are only because manufacturers aren't willing to expand and fill orders in a timely manner. No offense intended to Sparks or anyone else. It's still just leather, thread and dye.

I'd agree with the other poster that the stitching is inconsistent on the subject holster.

I'd like to have it in hand to figure it out.

EDIT: I think most of the stitching is done and then the last bit, from about 6 stitches above the tension screw, up and a few stitches around the corner, are finished by hand.

Edited February 24 by AlZilla

[yober]

I think the holster pictured is a very early one and it was a custom-made one-off for a specific competitor, which would probably explain it’s relative state.

Still, I’d be very interested in how the stitching and order of operations were done in this example as there are many other like applications.

I am contemplating using an Awl for All.

[Samalan]

Two I made no conundrum well not really

[Samalan]

the one on top is without finish

[AlZilla]

21 minutes ago, Samalan said:

the one on top is without finish

And does the flap lay over the welt stitch?

[yober]

49 minutes ago, Samalan said:

Two I made no conundrum well not really

I’m not sure what this illustrates.