Completed my first holster!

[K-Man]

But keep your wet leather away from heating appliances....maybe you can lay it over heat outlet in your floor but stay away from ovens. I've shared this before but here goes again. I decided to "dry" my first piece of leather work it was a checkbook.. notice I said WAS. After drying it looked like and was about the size of a potato chip. Let those projects dry on their own.

I disagree. Perhaps you had a bad experience, but to tell others not to do it is not right. If it's done properly, it will work well for you. How do I know? Lou Alessi, of Alessi Holsters (been in business for 30+ years making holsters) uses an oven to dry his holsters. He's literally made thousands of holsters that way. So I think I'll follow his lead, if I was so inclined, rather than someone who's only been doing this craft for a far shorter time.

Edited March 14, 2008 by K-Man

[paris3200]

Lou Alessi, of Alessi Holsters (been in business for 30+ years making holsters) uses an oven to dry his holsters.

I seem to recall Lou stating that he dryed his holsters around 110 degrees. I was watching the food network last night and they stated the lowest temperature a home oven could substain was around 175. Lou must use a warming oven.

Jason

[David]

I seem to recall Lou stating that he dryed his holsters around 110 degrees. I was watching the food network last night and they stated the lowest temperature a home oven could substain was around 175. Lou must use a warming oven.

Jason

Thanks Jason,

Sometimes the obvious escapes some. 110 degrees can be achieved with a floor heat outlet or a hair dryer. But a cooking oven or microwave....will be bad news for the average leather worker. I watched Jessie James ride his copper chopper for 45 minutes without touching the handlebars....but I don't think I'll follow his experienced example.

But all this shouldn't take away from an excellent post and a really nice working holster.

Edited March 14, 2008 by David

[Randyc]

I seem to recall Lou stating that he dryed his holsters around 110 degrees. I was watching the food network last night and they stated the lowest temperature a home oven could substain was around 175. Lou must use a warming oven.

Jason

Lou uses a convection type oven to dry his holsters. The convection ovens allow him to maintain low heat.

Randy

Edited March 14, 2008 by Randyc

[Art]

I have found that a wooden box (or an old Aluminum box they used to wheel food trays around in in hospitals) with a couple of lightbulbs hooked up to a cheap thermostat works pretty good for a drying box. The lightbulbs burn any humidity out of the air in addition to providing heat. I keep it in the furnace room where it stays warm all the time so the lightbulbs never have to cope with winter weather. I think the low humidity is probably more important than the temp. It is either that or move to Arizona.

Art

Lou uses a convection type oven to dry his holsters. The convection ovens allow him to maintain a low (110 degree)heat.

Randy