I can't draw

[rccolt45]

Hi guys,

I am having a really hard time building holster in that I can't draw so my patterns come out crappy.

Are there any tricks or tools that I can use. Mostly I have problems making the lines curry and flow correctly.

Also when I make a belt slide/OWB sides that you run the belt through are never even they are alwasy off.

Any help would be greattly apperciated.

[dickf]

colt,

I use Photoshop to make my patterns. My workflow involves scanning the gun, then designing the holster around it. It's all kept to scale, so when it's printed, it's the right size. Also, if the pattern gets boogered up down the line, I can just reprint it.

In Photoshop (or other comparable applications), the pen tool is what you use to get perfect curvy lines. Also, this is how you can make sure that your slots line up.

[TomSwede]

The kitchen is my favourite for drawing/making patterns. I always use round objects wich is best found there for patterns and off course straight rulers.

I use a piece of cartonboard paper that has a folded center line when I need symmetric lines so after the first side is drawn and cut out I fold the paper and trace it over to the other side and cut it out and sometimes I use one of those semitransparent owenpapers with a drawn centerline to draw half the pattern onto it and then I use the owen paper to transfer it over to the cartonpaperboard wich also has a drawn centerline so that I get it symmetrical if needed.

I love to work with this even tough it does take longer time than with the computer. Drawing patterns in my computer feel like it takes 1 hour when it only takes ten minutes. Drawing it with my hands feels like ten minutes alltough it takes one hour;-)

Tom

[Lobo]

Here is a process that has worked for me.

1. On stiff paper (like a file folder), using a ruler, draw two horizontal lines to represent the belt, spaced at the belt width.

2. Place your handgun or forming piece over the belt, at the height and carry angle you wish for it to ride in the holster on your belt.

3. Trace the outline of the handgun onto the paper at that point.

4. Mark critical areas of the handgun onto the traced pattern (safeties, magazine release, ejection port, trigger, etc). These are areas we want to make sure receive no interference or undue pressure from the holster.

5. Measure the thickness of the handgun, then divide that amount by two (if the handgun is 1 inch thick, the result is 1/2 inch).

6. Using a ruler and any handy rounded objects, mark a line around the handgun's shape at that distance from the traced outline. This establishes the stitching lines.

7. Using the ruler and any handy rounded object, draw the outline of the holster, as you wish it to be upon completion. Avoid square corners and tight inside radiused designs as they can be very difficult to finish. Mark the belt slots in the desired location.

8. Cut out the finished pattern with scissors.

9. Lay the pattern on a piece of leather, right side up, and trace the outline onto the leather. This will be the outer shell of the holster.

10. Lay the pattern on a piece of leather, upside down, and trace the outline onto the leather. This will be the inside shell of the holster.

11. Cut the leather pieces as closely as possible on the traced lines. Tools that can work are sharp utility knives, Xacto knives, or heavy-duty shears. Keep your cutting tools perpendicular to the leather being cut to avoid angled cuts; you want a nice square cut in relation to the leather surface.

12. On one cut leather piece (either side), lay your paper pattern onto the piece to show where the stitched areas are, and trace those areas onto the leather.

13. On those areas (outside the outline of the handgun) apply cement, then cement the two holster pieces together. (Rubber cement, contact cement, Tanners Bond all work well; for the occasional or one-time project you may get away with Elmer's Glue All).

14. Now is a good time to dress down the edges of the leather so that they are a perfect match. You may dampen the edges slightly, then use a belt or drum sander to mate up the edges, then using an edge beveler you can bevel all edges evenly.

15. Using the paper pattern, transfer your stitching pattern onto the front side of the holster, then do your sewing work.

16. After sewing, transfer your belt slots from your pattern onto the front side of the holster, and cut the belt slots. Note: if you do not have a slot-cutting tool, try a 1/4" round punch at each end, then finish with a sharp wood chisel between the two round holes to form an even slot. Any minor irregularity can be cleaned up with a sharp knife or Dremel tool.

17. Dampen the leather, then insert your handgun into the holster, do your forming work (including shaping the holster to finished profile to ride on the belt properly).

18. After thorough drying you may apply dyes, burnish the edges, then finish the leather. Don't rush these steps, allow plenty of time for drying between each process.

19. Any necessary hardware (snaps, etc) can then be attached.

You now have a finished holster with neat clean edges and perfectly mated belt slots.

I hope this helps. A variety of straight edges (rulers, etc) and rounded shapes (jar lids, coins, whatever) can be a big help to those of us who cannot draw well. Many common shop tools can be pressed into service to achieve a reasonable result in cutting, shaping, and finishing edges, etc.

Good luck. Please post again with your results.

[badger]

Buy a set of french curves used by draftsmen.

I bought a set of 'Ship Curves' which are bigger. Both types are pretty cheap on Ebay.

You can make almost any shape with them.

Cheers,

Badger

[Luke Hatley]

RCCOLT45...........the best advice i will give ............

buy AL STOLHMANS book on" Holster Making". a lot of great information

that will be very benifical to you.....

[rccolt45]

Thanks for the advice guys I will give it a try and post when I have something worth posting.

[LeatherCaptain]

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.

[kevinhopkins]

Hi... I just wanted to 2nd what Luke said.... that dumb old book by Al Stohlman has some pretty timeless info in it,plus a lot of patterns that lend themselves well to someone that can't draw, because they're very adaptable to what you need.

Kevin

[rccolt45]

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.

I really like the belt idea. I will try that for sure. I was also confused about the coffe I thought you ment coffee can but now I see

[dirtyernie]

colt,

Sounds great! Can you show what that looks like? Can you showa pattern you made in this way? I'd like to see an example so I can understand what 'works'. Thanks - Dirty Ernie

I use Photoshop to make my patterns. My workflow involves scanning the gun, then designing the holster around it. It's all kept to scale, so when it's printed, it's the right size. Also, if the pattern gets boogered up down the line, I can just reprint it.

In Photoshop (or other comparable applications), the pen tool is what you use to get perfect curvy lines. Also, this is how you can make sure that your slots line up.

[okie44]

Instead of scanning the gun, I have found that pictures of most guns can be found on the internet, usually on the manufacturers page. I check for the guns overall length, then download a copy of the photo, and then scale the photo in Photoshop, or other photo editing program, so it prints actual size. I usually just take the photo and crop it even with the front of the barrel, and the back of the gun, then re-size the photo to match the overall length dimension. I print this out, then use that as a basis to lay out my holster. I only have Photoshop Elements 2, so I don't have the ability to draw inside the program, so I still do the rest by hand. It does give me a good profile of the gun without having to have the gun in my hands and using my scanner. I have tried it both ways, and I think I get a better photo to work with this way. Hope this helps. John

[Jim]

RC,

My file is too big to upload, so email me at brazosjack@valornet.com.

I got something for you.

Jim

[Leerwerker]

I just placed a bit of a guideline under the following:

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=16728

Johan

[Lobo]

I just placed a bit of a guideline under the following:

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=16728

Johan

Johan:

I don't think I have ever met anyone having such language skills!

[TomLine]

I put dots on paper where the curve should go then draw an arc back and forth, erase the edges, draw it again, erase the edges again and again until it looks good. Trick is a big eraser and tough paper.

Sometimes I use a quarter to get a round corner.

[Mongo]

Luke and Badger have given you good advice. I use both of their ideas and I have also learned a lot from John Bianchi's DVDs on making Western holsters.

[RawhideLeather]

I also use the French curve a lot as suggested by Badger and find it quite easy and fast to use. It works better than a piece of leather because it holds the curve for you. I find the method that okie44 uses intriguing though and may give that a shot.

Richard

[Spinner]

You can also get a flexible ruler at most art supply or sewing stores. They are nice because they will hold pretty much any curve for drawing and will measure around radii when trying to determine lace length, hole layout, etc. They are plastic with a stiff core so they will hold a curve. Makes life nice if you need to get the curve from an object and then walk across the shop to put it on paper.

Edited June 10, 2009 by Spinner