Contributing Member JLSleather Posted January 8, 2021 Contributing Member Report Posted January 8, 2021 I don't mind the look ya got there. But I don't dip. Reason being is not the LOOK but the fact that acrylic is a SEALER, and prevents the entry of conditioners. It's good that a holster goes out the door looking nice - but I want it to STILL look and work good next year. And the year after that. At some point, how often depending on use and atmospheric conditions where it's located, leather is going to need some rejuve one sort or another, and I don't want to have to STRIP a finish so I can use a conditioner. Quote "Observation is 9/10 of the law." IF what you do is something that ANYBODY can do, then don't be surprised when ANYBODY does.
Members OldNSlowMarine Posted January 8, 2021 Members Report Posted January 8, 2021 16 minutes ago, JLSleather said: I don't mind the look ya got there. But I don't dip. Reason being is not the LOOK but the fact that acrylic is a SEALER, and prevents the entry of conditioners. It's good that a holster goes out the door looking nice - but I want it to STILL look and work good next year. And the year after that. At some point, how often depending on use and atmospheric conditions where it's located, leather is going to need some rejuve one sort or another, and I don't want to have to STRIP a finish so I can use a conditioner. This is definitely not the look I'm after. I'm after a consistent and even penetration of finish. I hear ya though. Rumor is that Alessi dip finished his holsters, as well as several other top tier holster makers. Again, I like the firmness it gives and I'd like to learn more about it. Quote
Contributing Member JLSleather Posted January 8, 2021 Contributing Member Report Posted January 8, 2021 SHOOOT... had to look at the pic. I thought all along here was a SHADOW. Yeah, definitely not a good look. Other hand, if it's "firmness" the desired outcome, maybe the Wickett-Craig leather is the issue. Good LOOKING stuff, but nowhere near as firm as HO. Quote "Observation is 9/10 of the law." IF what you do is something that ANYBODY can do, then don't be surprised when ANYBODY does.
Members OldNSlowMarine Posted January 8, 2021 Members Report Posted January 8, 2021 3 minutes ago, JLSleather said: SHOOOT... had to look at the pic. I thought all along here was a SHADOW. Yeah, definitely not a good look. Other hand, if it's "firmness" the desired outcome, maybe the Wickett-Craig leather is the issue. Good LOOKING stuff, but nowhere near as firm as HO. Well, leather producers is a whole different conversation. I ain't been happy with neither one of those two here lately. Just about ready to finish my outstanding orders and throw in the towel and get a real job lol. It's been a frustrating couple of months. Quote
Contributing Member JLSleather Posted January 8, 2021 Contributing Member Report Posted January 8, 2021 27 minutes ago, OldNSlowMarine said: Well, leather producers is a whole different conversation. I ain't been happy with neither one of those two here lately. Just about ready to finish my outstanding orders and throw in the towel and get a real job lol. It's been a frustrating couple of months. Agreed. I remember the days when you ordered hides without seeing anything but a number in an actual catalog, and it showed up, 85% of the hide useable. Now, tellnig that to the new guys is like trying to tell a kid there was a time when we found ourselves nowhere near a phone ... Quote "Observation is 9/10 of the law." IF what you do is something that ANYBODY can do, then don't be surprised when ANYBODY does.
Members YinTx Posted January 8, 2021 Members Report Posted January 8, 2021 4 hours ago, JLSleather said: Now, tellnig that to the new guys is like trying to tell a kid there was a time when we found ourselves nowhere near a phone ... Well, sometimes it is hard to believe things if folks ain't ever experienced em... At least there's photos of them curly wires attached to a handset and a block with push buttons. That was tethered to a wall for whatever reason. How you supposed to drive and text if it is stuck to the wall??!?! But I've seen no evidence of so called awesome leather hides. I ahve heard that in the way distant past, leather was wrapped around things being shipped by rail to the west, and when the saddler got it, it was pretty beat up, but he had to make do with what was there. I'd heard that stamping and carving helped hide the cuts scars marks and stains? I've never dipped anything in acrylic or any finish coat. I saw a harness maker dip some new bits in a vat of oil, so I tried that with a strap... once. It is still dripping oil somewhere. I dipped in dye.... once. I use the strap as a straight edge now it is so hard. Used up half the bottle of dye in the process. I know folks have success dipping things, but not this dude. Maybe the fries in the ketchup, that works ok for me. But not so much with the leather work. YinTx Quote YinTx https://www.instagram.com/lanasia_2017/ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK6HvLWuZTzjt3MbR0Yhcj_WIQIvchezo
Contributing Member JLSleather Posted January 8, 2021 Contributing Member Report Posted January 8, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, YinTx said: bits in a vat of oil, so I tried that with a strap... once. It is still dripping oil somewhere. Old memories. Back in the day of wall phones, I tooled my first belt. Ugly as ever, I set it to the side, thinking I'll do it again, but save this hideous one for dye practice. Second belt ugly, maybe not AS bad. After about 15 belts, I had one that didn't look quite like the pic it was supposed to look like, but not really so bad. And 12 or 14 dye practice sessions on the others, I was getting the hang of that (or so I thought). So I dyed my first "i can live with this one" belt, and really wasnt' so bad. Dip in oil as suggested... and #15 goes in the trash .... But yea, seriously, a double shoulder from The Leather Factory (before it was "tandy leather factory", though Tandy may have already owned it, don't know) cut me about 15 er 18 belts - 50-60" long - of good clean, firm leather. Ah... those were the days ... Edited January 8, 2021 by JLSleather Quote "Observation is 9/10 of the law." IF what you do is something that ANYBODY can do, then don't be surprised when ANYBODY does.
Members Dwight Posted January 8, 2021 Members Report Posted January 8, 2021 38 minutes ago, JLSleather said: But yea, seriously, a double shoulder from The Leather Factory (before it was "tandy leather factory", though Tandy may have already owned it, don't know) cut me about 15 er 18 belts - 50-60" long - of good clean, firm leather. Ah... those were the days ... AND . . . don't forget you got change from 3 20's and a ten . . . $69.95 A nickel ain't much . . . but it was change. May God bless, Dwight Quote If you can breathe, . . . thank God. If you can read, . . . thank a teacher. If you are reading this in English, . . . thank a veteran. www.dwightsgunleather.com
Members OldNSlowMarine Posted June 13, 2021 Members Report Posted June 13, 2021 (edited) Well, after months of experimenting, I am having good results. The past 5 or so mahogany-colored holsters have dried out evenly after submerging in a 66.67 acrylic/33.33 percent water mixture. My initial attempts at this was with a 50/50 percent mixture. I believe the higher water percentage in my initial attempts were causing the discoloration. At least my new results have led me to that conclusion. In a nutshell, I have a 5 gallon container that I completely submerge the holster in for approximately 5 seconds. I use a metal clothes hanger to dip the holster in vertically, toe first, for a 5 second count. Pull the holster out and using a heat gun, I blow the mixture towards the bottom of the holster. I don't wipe it down, but I'll dab any excess with a lint free cloth. The mixture quickly gets absorbed into the leather. Then hang to dry in front of a high powered fan until it is no longer tacky to the touch. Any discoloration usually disappears within the first two hours. The little bit that I have seen is just usually around the belt slot edges, but again, disappears within an hour or two. Note that, high humidity will play a factor in curing times. After the holster is no longer tacky, I move it inside where it's usually around 70 degrees. So far, I've only tested pancake style holsters with this method. The firmness is just what I was wanting. It's not board stiff, but I can definitely tell that it's firmer to any other way I've applied before. Also, the leather I use is Wickett & Craig 8 ounce that has been "holstered" to a very firm temper. The leather is also submersion dyed in the same manner here in the shop. Hope this can help someone else if they are interested in this method. Edited June 13, 2021 by OldNSlowMarine spelling error Quote
Members muzzleblast Posted July 5, 2021 Members Report Posted July 5, 2021 OldNSlowMarine, Thanks for sharing the results of your experiments. I have been hand applying the acrylic with a 1" foam brush 5 - 6 coats, waiting for coats to get tacky between reapplication. Gives a nice finish but is really not time efficient. I'm going to give dip coating a try. To keep from making a large batch, I think I'll try out these containers. Tall, wide and deep enough for the largest pancake I make. I gal. capacity. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H8ZUV5O/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A3MFA6X0A6DLFT&psc=1 Quote
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