Members joshk Posted August 30, 2012 Members Report Posted August 30, 2012 (edited) On 8/30/2012 at 8:22 PM, JeffChastain said: Why is my boning not as crisp as others I've seen here? to put it simply, tools and techniques.... you'll have to experiment with different tools to use for molding and boning and will most likely wind up creating your own at some point.... I'm also curious.... is this an IWB without attachments added yet or a pancake style OWB without the slots cut.... if it's an OWB, you may want to bring the "ears" in a bit closer next time.... Edited August 30, 2012 by joshk Quote www.kolbesonleatherworks.com www.shopleatherworks.com www.facebook.com/kolbesonleatherworks
Members JeffChastain Posted August 30, 2012 Author Members Report Posted August 30, 2012 On 8/30/2012 at 9:36 PM, joshk said: to put it simply, tools and techniques.... you'll have to experiment with different tools to use for molding and boning and will most likely wind up creating your own at some point.... I'm also curious.... is this an IWB without attachments added yet or a pancake style OWB without the slots cut.... if it's an OWB, you may want to bring the "ears" in a bit closer next time.... Hey Josh, thanks for taking a look. I actually went out and got a small plastic-type cutting board today that's about a foot long, and somewhere close to a half inch thick. I thought maybe I could cut it into strips, and sand the ends into different thickness and shapes for boning. Think that'll do a better job than sharpies and edger handles? It's an IWB without the attachments added. I guess I made up this shape, trying to re-invent the stone I reckon. The ears don't seem too popular, haha! I've made one like this out of hobby lobby leather that wouldn't really tool or mold well, but I wear it, and the way that holster feels and wears is better than the crossbreed I purchased a while back. I do believe my next design will be more traditional than this. Thanks again, Josh. Quote
Members joshk Posted August 30, 2012 Members Report Posted August 30, 2012 I'm rather partial of bones or antlers for my tools.... the bone tools that Tandy sells can easily be modified into custom tools.... the plastic should work too as long as your sure to get it as smooth as you can, polished if possible, to prevent damage to your project.... just be sure to test whatever you make on scrap and you should come up with something that'll fit your needs.... Quote www.kolbesonleatherworks.com www.shopleatherworks.com www.facebook.com/kolbesonleatherworks
Members JeffChastain Posted August 30, 2012 Author Members Report Posted August 30, 2012 Thanks for the info, josh. I think what I'm going to do to mold the tips of the tools is use a torch to make the plastic soft, which will also have an effect like polishing it, mold it while soft, then do a gradual sand ending at a very fine sandpaper. Sound like that'll do the trick? I've been asking around trying to find some antler. You'd think living in Alabama someone I know would have some laying around. Gonna keep checking. Thanks again for sharing some knowledge. I learned from boning this holster, and I hope my next one will be bounds better. I dyed it earlier, and it actually looks pretty decent. I will post a picture when it's fully dry. Quote
Members katsass Posted August 31, 2012 Members Report Posted August 31, 2012 On 8/30/2012 at 6:21 PM, JeffChastain said: Thanks for the advice and for checking it out, guys. Katsass, Renegade, Jake, I actually was looking into springfield leather co, but happened to sell a guitar and end up with cold hard cash in my hand, and there's a Tandy store an hour from my house. I'm not a patient person. :/ The clerk at Tandy actually also told me that once I tried Herman Oak or Wickett and Craig that I wouldn't be back to buy leather from him, but I paid 2.99 per sq. ft. for this stuff, and it isn't all that bad. Usable for sure. Katsass, you were talking about the belly leather stretching over a period of time. Are you suspecting that's what I've gotten here? The guy told me they were single shoulders, but we know how salespeople can be. On the molding and boning, you've all said it looks okay for a first shot. Can you give me pointers? Can you point out what is good and bad about the boning I did? Thanks a bunch, fellows! Jeff, if the guy said it was a shoulder, I suspect that it was. But unless you specified that you wanted shoulder leather, they have a tendency to pawn off bellies when they can. As to boning -- I don't. My primary method of construction precludes boning on a holster. I generally use two pieces of 4/5oz shoulder, glued up on their flesh sides to produce my stuff. This produces a holster of basically the same thickness as what normally is used - 9/10oz - but it is much less flexible when wet, and much firmer when dried. It also gives me a lined holster I hand mold my stuff pretty tightly and dry in the desert sun, and as said, this produces a much more rigid holster, that retains it's shape better than does a single thickness of leather of equivalent weight - IMO. It does take a great deal more stitching, but that's just the way I do things. 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 particle Posted August 31, 2012 Members Report Posted August 31, 2012 Hi Jeff - as others have mentioned, the cheap leather from Tandy will be very difficult to work with when it comes to detail boning a holster. Yes, it can be done, but it's much harder to do. Honestly, I bought one hide from Tandy when I first started making holsters. As soon as I switched to Herman Oak, my boning instantly looked better - it was just SOOOO much easier to work with in that regard. If you're interested, I have a video on YouTube that shows me boning an Avenger style holster. You can find a link to it on my website in my signature. Do yourself a favor and buy a basic bone folder made of real bone - don't get the cheap plastic kind from the hobby store - they're too flexible and won't do the job. It actually takes quite a bit of pressure to shape suitably thick leather to the gun. Quote Eric Adamswww.adamsleatherworks.com | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
Members mojoewrkn Posted August 31, 2012 Members Report Posted August 31, 2012 (edited) There is a member called Particle and he has a great video about forming the holster. You can find it at adamsleatherworks.com His video helped me out quite a bit, hopefully he doesn't mind me sharing his link. As for me I have found that having the holster at the correct saturation is important. Too wet and I get too many marks, too dry and its hard to form. Practice is key, I get better with each holster I make. LOL Too funny! In the time it took me to type the above Particle replied to the post! Edited August 31, 2012 by mojoewrkn Quote
Members particle Posted August 31, 2012 Members Report Posted August 31, 2012 LOL! Thanks mojoe - I don't mind at all if you share the link. Thanks for the referral and glad the video was helpful! Quote Eric Adamswww.adamsleatherworks.com | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
Members JeffChastain Posted August 31, 2012 Author Members Report Posted August 31, 2012 On 8/31/2012 at 3:00 PM, particle said: LOL! Thanks mojoe - I don't mind at all if you share the link. Thanks for the referral and glad the video was helpful! Thanks mojoe, I've actually kept up with this guy for some time. particle, I've watched all of your videos. Probably the best how-to videos I've seen on youtube, bud. Thanks for posting them. I refer to them alot. The (i think) second video where you airbrush the holster blows me away. Instantly makes it a have-to-have piece. I don't know why I didn't look for a boning tool while I was at Tandy. I bought a few tools, and forgot a boning tool and a stitch wheel. I really appreciate all the pointers, guys. I've kept up with Adams Leatherworks and katsass for a few months now. I'm glad you guys posted with some advice. Quote
Members JeffChastain Posted August 31, 2012 Author Members Report Posted August 31, 2012 Okay, got it dyed. I think it looks better. As katsass stated, I know the first picture made the stitching look rough. It's not as bad as it seemed. I do think it needs more stitching though. Looks pretty bare. dyed holster Quote
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