Need Help On Saving Patterns...

[Sixer]

I've been using standard manila folders to draw patterns and save as templates for holsters and stitch lines. After a number of times using the folder material it starts to bend, tear, etc.

So I'm looking for ideas on a different material to use. I'm thinking a thin but durable plastic / synthetic material. The plastic dividers in my day planner would be perfect... only about .5 mm thick, but flexible, sturdy, and easy to cut. Unfortunately the dividers in my day planner are too small for anything useful.

Anyhow, just curious what some of you guys use... and if anyone could point me in the right direction to find a similar material in larger sheets?

Thanks!

[Rayban]

I use 8oz leather..cut it, wet it down and bake dry it, it hardens and lasts a long time.

[WinterBear]

Plastic file folders and envelopes, the piece of plastic in the bottom of those recycled tote bags they sell at the grocery stores, plexiglass, hardened leather, varnished heavy cardstock posterboard, you can also buy blank sheets of stencil plastic at hobby stores--my personal favorite. Smooth on one side, usually slightly pebbled on the other, semi-transparent, and can be obtained fairly easily in pieces up to page sized to about 18" by 24". The stencil blanks can be cut on a sheet of glass with a "stencil tip" in a woodburning tool, so you can even make slots and holes for marking where rivets or major features will go, and since you can see through it, it is handy for cutting around scars, holes, scratches, and brands.

[JoelR]

For temp patterns I only plan on using a couple of times I use card stock. If I find that they are winners and will be used more, I transfer them to aluminum flashing but you have to be careful that the edges don't scratch your leather when using them (or trace your pattern on the flesh side). Other alternative is vinyl flashing but it is a bit more expensive. The Aluminum is just something I have laying around. Both can be found at any home improvement store in rolls between 10 and 50 feet. If you want to get really fancy with them, once cut to size and you have a stitching line defined, you can use a thin bead of glue (hot glue works well as long as the template is treated carefully) to mark your lines and you can roll your stitch lines and anything else you want to mark out just like the craftool embossing sheets.

Others use hard board, but I think it is too much trouble to cut out. Aluminum and vinyl flashing can be cut with a pair of heavy scissors.

[joshk]

I usually have a scanned copy of all my leather patterns saved in a couple of places.... if I'm going to use it more than once I transfer it to a scrap piece of leather and use that as a template for future rigs....

Edited January 25, 2012 by joshk

[electrathon]

X-ray film works great.

[Denster]

I use heavy posterboard that I buy at the local print shop. I make a master pattern then a using pattern. The use pattern will last for 50 or 60 holsters before it gets a bit raggy at which time I use my master pattern to make another use pattern.

[Shooter McGavin]

I use 180lb cover paper. Works well for a pretty long time. I use a pen to trace it to the leather so I dont get knife strikes or anything on the edges.

[TacticallySharp]

I make mine out of clear plexiglass, 1/6", then trace around it. I also drill a 1/4" hole in it and have them hanging over my design bench.

[colttrainer]

I like to use linoleum, punches just like leather easy to draw all pertinent info on, last for ever.

[BBAYS]

I second the x-ray film. Very inexpensive on ebay and lasts forever.

[Trav]

Plastic file folders and envelopes, the piece of plastic in the bottom of those recycled tote bags they sell at the grocery stores, plexiglass, hardened leather, varnished heavy cardstock posterboard, you can also buy blank sheets of stencil plastic at hobby stores--my personal favorite. Smooth on one side, usually slightly pebbled on the other, semi-transparent, and can be obtained fairly easily in pieces up to page sized to about 18" by 24". The stencil blanks can be cut on a sheet of glass with a "stencil tip" in a woodburning tool, so you can even make slots and holes for marking where rivets or major features will go, and since you can see through it, it is handy for cutting around scars, holes, scratches, and brands.

Thanks for this. I picked up a couple ideas