Members renegadelizard Posted June 14, 2012 Members Report Posted June 14, 2012 Hey all...i finally got this set finished ...it started out rough...many issues with gum trag, dye splatter, vinegaroon, horsehide, rivets...pretty much everything that could go wrong....but i stayed the course and pulled these out of my 4th point of contact...my fingers still hurt so ill stop typing now..have a gander..any and all tips/comments welcome... Quote Havoc Holsters
Members mogwild Posted June 14, 2012 Members Report Posted June 14, 2012 Beautiful work. I love the stitching. Quote
Members renegadelizard Posted June 14, 2012 Author Members Report Posted June 14, 2012 Thank you...although the sight of needles and waxed linen now gives me a slight tremor, i'm glad i went in that direction...mistakes seem to be a good teaching tool for me..i just pray that i don't have any more..lol... Beautiful work. I love the stitching. Quote Havoc Holsters
Members katsass Posted June 14, 2012 Members Report Posted June 14, 2012 Hey all...i finally got this set finished ...it started out rough...many issues with gum trag, dye splatter, vinegaroon, horsehide, rivets...pretty much everything that could go wrong....but i stayed the course and pulled these out of my 4th point of contact...my fingers still hurt so ill stop typing now..have a gander..any and all tips/comments welcome... FWIW from the old grump: You done good -- real good. I hand stitch all of my work and appreciate the effort taken to do these great looking rigs. Mike Quote NOTE TO SELF: Never try to hold a cat and an operating Dust buster at the same time!! At my age I find that I can live without sex..........but not without my glasses. Being old has an advantage.......nobody expects me to do anything in a hurry.
Members renegadelizard Posted June 14, 2012 Author Members Report Posted June 14, 2012 Thanks Mike...you know, before i started messing with leather, i used to balk at some of the prices i had seen for some custom leather...well, not so much anymore...there are still a few i question, like 250 extra for sharkskin accents..., but then again, I've never worked shark hide and it really may be that labor intensive to justify the cost....and hand stitching...incredible amount of work in that....one day i may be able to justify a machine, but until then its numb hands and crossed eyes... FWIW from the old grump: You done good -- real good. I hand stitch all of my work and appreciate the effort taken to do these great looking rigs. Mike Quote Havoc Holsters
Members katsass Posted June 14, 2012 Members Report Posted June 14, 2012 Thanks Mike...you know, before i started messing with leather, i used to balk at some of the prices i had seen for some custom leather...well, not so much anymore...there are still a few i question, like 250 extra for sharkskin accents..., but then again, I've never worked shark hide and it really may be that labor intensive to justify the cost....and hand stitching...incredible amount of work in that....one day i may be able to justify a machine, but until then its numb hands and crossed eyes... Well, guy, my fingers don't get numb. I was taught to stitch a looong time ago by a WWI cavalry soldier.( that might give you an idea of how old I am) One thing he told me was that IF you can pull the needle through the leather with your fingers only --- your stitching holes are too damned big. I use a small pair of smooth jawed pliers. Most of my stitching is done in the evening while watching the tube. There is, IMO, a place for stitching machines, BUT (again IMO) not in truly hand made custom leather work such as I do, and you have just completed.. Mike Quote NOTE TO SELF: Never try to hold a cat and an operating Dust buster at the same time!! At my age I find that I can live without sex..........but not without my glasses. Being old has an advantage.......nobody expects me to do anything in a hurry.
Members Abram Posted June 14, 2012 Members Report Posted June 14, 2012 Those are some Beautiful holsters. Quote
Members chiefjason Posted June 15, 2012 Members Report Posted June 15, 2012 I just hand stitched a 2 layer belt for my wife. I feel your pain! Crazy part is, I am contemplating starting one of my own. But I have a holster to do first. Those look great. Quote
Members renegadelizard Posted June 15, 2012 Author Members Report Posted June 15, 2012 Thanks Guys...Jason, im contemplating the same..ive got a cowhide #2 belt blank that I was going to use for a liner, horsehide on the outside..i little thinner than i would like, but the horsehide is plenty stiff...the thing that is slowing me down isnt neccessarily the stitching, its poking all those holes....i figure a belt that will be roughly 48-50 inches long to accomodate my 36 inch+2 for CC waist will have to have about 650 or so stitches, thats alot of awl work...only about 2 hours of actual stitching, but a whole lot of punching..i was also thinking about putting in a band saw blade for a stiffener...how cool would that be... Quote Havoc Holsters
Members renegadelizard Posted June 15, 2012 Author Members Report Posted June 15, 2012 Hey Mike, what size awl do you use...I got the cs osboursne stitching awl (diamond blade) from SLC...when i poke it all the way through, i usually dont have to use pliers until i start backstitching...im also using SLC's waxed linen thread..i tried using some thicker stuff from tandy, but i couldnt get the eye of the needle through with that stuff...i wonder if im punching too far through? Well, guy, my fingers don't get numb. I was taught to stitch a looong time ago by a WWI cavalry soldier.( that might give you an idea of how old I am) One thing he told me was that IF you can pull the needle through the leather with your fingers only --- your stitching holes are too damned big. I use a small pair of smooth jawed pliers. Most of my stitching is done in the evening while watching the tube. There is, IMO, a place for stitching machines, BUT (again IMO) not in truly hand made custom leather work such as I do, and you have just completed.. Mike Quote Havoc Holsters
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