Members treadhead1952 Posted January 14, 2011 Members Report Posted January 14, 2011 Hi MOA, Since they have as many stores as they do all over the country, it is hard to go wrong to start with them for your first projects. I know that there are a host of excellent tool makers out there and just about everyone will eventually find the ones that suit them best if they stay in the business long enough. If you don't have a copy of it already, Al Stohlman's big book on "How to Make Holsters" for around $10 to $12 is a good bet as well. Not only does it provide you with several actual full sized patterns and decorating suggestions in the photo carve line of things, it is a pretty good primer on how to make patterns for just about any handgun out there on your own and accomplish them if you read it closely enough. And like the Biggundoctor sez, show us some photos of your projects when you get one started. Good luck. Jay treadhead1952 Las Vegas, NV Quote Jay treadhead1952 Las Vegas, NV
Members MOA Posted January 14, 2011 Author Members Report Posted January 14, 2011 Will do on the pics as soon as I get one started. What isthe best stitching awl? Quote
Members treadhead1952 Posted January 15, 2011 Members Report Posted January 15, 2011 Will do on the pics as soon as I get one started. What isthe best stitching awl? Hi MOA, If you can find one at a Tandy store or go online to the CS Osborne website, the basic stitching awl by CS Osborne is a hard choice to beat. That is a picture of mine in the photo I posted up above. They cost anywhere from $10 to $15 depending on the model you chose and where you purchase it from. Here is a link to the CS Osborne website so you can check things out for yourself. https://www.osborneleathertools.com/ Jay treadhead1952 Las Vegas, NV Quote Jay treadhead1952 Las Vegas, NV
Members Ellen Posted February 5, 2011 Members Report Posted February 5, 2011 I once asked a knifemaker and supplier what I needed to make a knife. His answer: "Desire". I wish it was so. Try to do that without tools, materials and make a high end knife, not a sharpened spoon or hacksaw blade knife. :Sad: Quote
Contributing Member TwinOaks Posted February 5, 2011 Contributing Member Report Posted February 5, 2011 The best awl is by Bob Douglas. Period. The Osborne awls are decent, cost effective, and readily available. But they aren't quite the same as a Bob Douglas. His don't need to be sharpened 'out of the box'. Then again, starting out, you don't need to spend a lot of money on a single tool. Regarding an awl: Go ahead and plan to pick up two. It'll save a trip if you ever break one, as that's what happened to me. However, the broken awl isn't necessarily a piece of trash. I inadvertently bent the tip on mine and when trying to straighten it, snapped it off....just about in the middle. I used a lighter to warm the blade and loosen the glue, then pulled the remaining bit of the awl out of the haft. Then I reprofiled the broken part with a file and turned it into a bridle awl...which has the diamond cross section, but is only about half as big as the osborne. Your awl should be scary sharp at the point. The sides should not be sharpened, only profiled. I'm linking a thread which you should find useful, click on the picture in post # 8 to see a good example of the different sizes of awl blades and the holes they make. click me Quote Mike DeLoach Esse Quam Videri (Be rather than Seem) "Don't learn the tricks of the trade.....Learn the trade." "Teach what you know......Learn what you don't." LEATHER ARTISAN'S DIGITAL GUILD on Facebook.
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