This Week's Avenger Style Holsters

[particle]

Well, I tried a few new things this week - not the least of which is my new Boss stitcher. After hours of fiddling with test strips trying to get the tension right, trying to get rid of the loop in the thread and it being pierced by the needle, ripping out the stitching and doing it again, etc., they're finally done! Guess I'll start 4 more tomorrow.

One of the things I tried with this batch is airbrushing the oil dye. I think I need to thin it a bit, as it kept clogging my airbrush - I'd have to run some cleaner through the brush, then go at it again for a few seconds till it clogged up, then clean it again. Doing these in a big batch revealed a lot of little tips and tricks (most of which I missed as I went along). Hopefully the next batch will go a little smoother now that I actually have a clue how to assemble these. Well, for the most part, at least.

Anyway, enough babbling - here's some pics.

The whole group of them. Counterclockwise from the top (all have Neatsfoot Oil Compound, and all use Fiebings Pro Oil dyes):

Natural

Light Brown

Light Brown (Reinforcement Piece), Dark Brown (Body), airbrushed Black accents at edges

Dark Brown, airbrushed Black accents - airbrush was messed up and kept spraying dye even when I had the flow cut off - came out too black

Natural

This is the first one I did - and revealed that I had little idea how to actually use my Boss tension settings.

This is the Light Brown version. I LOVE this color. Way nice. Need to practice my belt slot edges (evident on all of them). I intentionally left the edges natural on this one, as I cut the stitch groove after I dyed them (oops). I actually kinda like the way it looks...

Stitching was a little better on the back of this one.

My favorite of the bunch... Kinda barfed on the edge when the dye bled onto the natural face of the sweat shield.

Cut my belt slot a tad close to the stitching.... oops!

And, the last one of the bunch.

[NoahL]

Well, I don't do holsters (don't even own a gun), but those look nice to me! I particularly like the color you got on the reinforcement piece of that bottom holster, and that one that came out "too dark" looks pretty classy. As for burnishing the edges inside your belt slots--I wrap a scrap of canvas around a drill bit to burnish the insides of slots, of that helps any?

~Noah

[Luke Hatley]

It looks to me that you won out with the new Boss machine. you will make Tippmann Industrys happy.

Your Holster work is is Great. keep it up and dont let the Boss get you down.

ps have you tryed a thread lubricate, it has helped me on veg tanned leather.

Edited February 8, 2010 by Luke Hatley

[particle]

Thanks fellas - I was real happy with them. Haven't tried the thread lube attachment yet - wasn't sure how necessary it was. I would like to get a different foot though... And maybe the holster plate - the reinforcement piece tends to get in the way when I'm sewing the holster closed around the bottom of the slide area.

[BigRiverLeather]

Boy Howdy those are looking good!

How much time do you think the BOSS is saving you over hand stitching?

[particle]

Boy Howdy those are looking good!

How much time do you think the BOSS is saving you over hand stitching?

Thanks! I haven't timed myself yet, but I know the hand stitching was taking close to 4 hours - partly because it's hard to clamp this style holster in a pony. With the Boss - maybe 10 minutes total?

[BruceGibson]

Well, I tried a few new things this week - not the least of which is my new Boss stitcher. After hours of fiddling with test strips trying to get the tension right, trying to get rid of the loop in the thread and it being pierced by the needle, ripping out the stitching and doing it again, etc., they're finally done! Guess I'll start 4 more tomorrow.

One of the things I tried with this batch is airbrushing the oil dye. I think I need to thin it a bit, as it kept clogging my airbrush - I'd have to run some cleaner through the brush, then go at it again for a few seconds till it clogged up, then clean it again. Doing these in a big batch revealed a lot of little tips and tricks (most of which I missed as I went along). Hopefully the next batch will go a little smoother now that I actually have a clue how to assemble these. Well, for the most part, at least.

Anyway, enough babbling - here's some pics.

The whole group of them. Counterclockwise from the top (all have Neatsfoot Oil Compound, and all use Fiebings Pro Oil dyes):

Natural

Light Brown

Light Brown (Reinforcement Piece), Dark Brown (Body), airbrushed Black accents at edges

Dark Brown, airbrushed Black accents - airbrush was messed up and kept spraying dye even when I had the flow cut off - came out too black

Natural

This is the first one I did - and revealed that I had little idea how to actually use my Boss tension settings.

This is the Light Brown version. I LOVE this color. Way nice. Need to practice my belt slot edges (evident on all of them). I intentionally left the edges natural on this one, as I cut the stitch groove after I dyed them (oops). I actually kinda like the way it looks...

Stitching was a little better on the back of this one.

My favorite of the bunch... Kinda barfed on the edge when the dye bled onto the natural face of the sweat shield.

Cut my belt slot a tad close to the stitching.... oops!

And, the last one of the bunch.

Those are beautiful!

[particle]

Those are beautiful!

Thank you! Started anther one a couple nights ago - but this time for my Kahr P9. Thought I'd try shooting a video of the process. It'll be interesting to see how that turns out... and see how many people tell me I'm doing it all wrong, or my knife is dull, or I should wear gloves, or... My round knife really was dull though... I need to re-profile the edge.

[tmshaffer]

Those are great looking holsters.

[dmr400]

I for one would really enjoy watching a video of your process...those look very nice!

[Denster]

I'm looking forward to the video also. You do realize that since you mentioned you are making a holster for your Kahr that you are obligated to post photos of it:) By the way you mentioned your dull head knife. Do you strop your knife between patterns? I found that with religous stropping between patterns I can go two or three weeks before actually sharpening my knife.

[particle]

I'm looking forward to the video also. You do realize that since you mentioned you are making a holster for your Kahr that you are obligated to post photos of it:) By the way you mentioned your dull head knife. Do you strop your knife between patterns? I found that with religous stropping between patterns I can go two or three weeks before actually sharpening my knife.

Yep - I'll post pics as soon as it's finished. Just put a coat of neatsfoot on it tonight, and will finish it tomorrow night. Then I guess I'll spend the weekend editing the video together, so the vid should be done in a few days... Regarding the head knife - it's a Weaver knife. It was pretty sharp from the factory (cut myself the very first time I pulled the thing out of the packaging - literally the first time I touched the dang thing. But I think the angle on the grind wasn't steep enough - it never has been able to "glide" through the leather like everyone talks about. It really does take a lot of effort, even with a mirror-like polish on the edge - I strop it every time I pick the thing up. May just be the portion of the hide I'm cutting through right now for the holster pieces.

[Denster]

That is what I use are two Weaver head knives. Sold my Osbornes after I got them. I think they have just about the perfect blade geometry. I have noticed however that Hermann Oak is more difficult to cut. If I've been cutting patterns from HO and then switch to some of the imported shoulders I use I have to conciously slow myself down as the knife just flys through those. Even hard jacked horse hide cuts easier. On the up side I think this characteristic of HO is also what makes it such a wonderful leather for holsters. I don't have an explanation for this it's just what I've observed. I have noticed that a wipe of beeswax on the sides of my knife blade eases the passage through the HO.

Did I mention I'm really looking forward to the video?

[particle]

Interesting that you experienced the same thing with the HO leather. Guess I won't rush into re-profiling my edge just yet. Meanwhile, here is some low quality shots from my iPhone of the new holster...

[Denster]

Really nice. I like the highlighted colors gives it a touch of class. Thanks for sharing.

[JeffGC]

Your design and craftsmanship are excellent. I think you're doing quite well with the Boss. Are you airbrushing before assembly, sewing and then forming? If not, what is your workflow?

[particle]

Your design and craftsmanship are excellent. I think you're doing quite well with the Boss. Are you airbrushing before assembly, sewing and then forming? If not, what is your workflow?

Thank you! Yes, airbrush before assembly. Basically....

Cut pieces

Smooth edge of reinforcement piece

Airbrush dyes

Glue reinforcement piece to main piece

Mark stitch locations

Stitch reinforcement piece together

Wet holster

Bend in half and let dry

Glue mating edges of folded holster

Stitch together

Sand edges

Bevel edges

Burnish (with water) edges

Dye sanded edges

Form holster to gun

Warm in oven to aid rigidity

Dry overnight

Burnish edges again

Apply finish

....I probably missed a step or two. Should have a video available by the end of the weekend. It's about an hour long, and I trimmed a bunch of the clips to keep the video length down...

[JeffGC]

Do you always use white thread? My question is based on your workflow. If you dye and then groove for stitching, you expose the lighter leather in the groove. With white thread, that isn't an issue. If, or when, you use darker thread with a dark dye, do you redye to darken the groove?

[particle]

Do you always use white thread? My question is based on your workflow. If you dye and then groove for stitching, you expose the lighter leather in the groove. With white thread, that isn't an issue. If, or when, you use darker thread with a dark dye, do you redye to darken the groove?

Hi JeffGC - have you seen the video I posted showing my (general) workflow to build one of these holsters? Go to my website in my signature, then click on "How's it Made?" - it's about 22 minutes long. I haven't been cutting a stitch groove where I will actually be stitching. But, I do cut one where I will NOT be stitching. It's too difficult to line the groove up on the backside of the leather with where the needle will penetrate the leather, and the Boss does a pretty good flushing the thread with the surface of the leather.

[Leatherbaron]

Those are beautiful!

It is hard to get gun in Australia but I would love a whole bunch of em so I could make holsters

your holsters are brilliant , i love the brown colour in particular....

keep it up , nice work

Terry

www.leatherbaron.com

[Abram]

Only one word comes to mind, WOW !!!, I love the design and the finish.

[Go2Tex]

Excellent work, indeed. Love the color. But, what really impressed me, and to be honest, I'm damn jealous, is your molding work. It looks like you used a press or something. I can't even come close to that nice of molding, no matter what I do. It looks like an injection mold, for godsakes. May I be so bold as to inquire how the heck you do it?

The stitching.... well, you have a Boss. I guess it beats hand stitching, if you don't consider all the time you spend trying to make the damn thing work, replacing broken needles, and cussing the day you ever bought it, etc. Or, if you live off the grid in a van or commune, and are into masochism.... it might make sense.

But, on the off chance you might be in the market for a spare, I have one for sale....