Any Interest In Custom Belt Slot Cutters?

[renegadelizard]

Hey all..the guy who made my belt slot cutter for holsters wanted to know if there is enough interest to start producing them...he made mine to use with an arbor press but he said he could do a handle version as well...they are made of stainless steel, 5/16 wide by 1 1/2 inches long//the cutting wall is 1/16 of an inch thick...it cuts perfect belt slots for 1 1/4, 16-18 oz gun belts...im sure he could accomodate a larger slot if needed...he said the price would be around $60...after having paid 38 for a cs osbourne that wasnt made for holster work, i jumped on it and couldnt be happier...he said he would have to a minimum of 10...here is a pic of my latest holster using the cutter...he also made me a few arbor adapters..these are aluminum shafts the fit over electric motor arbors, the ones with a flat for set screws...they step down from an outer diameter of around 1 inch to 3/8 of an inch..the 3/8 part is 3 inches long...then a piece of oak dowel 1 inch in diameter x 5-6 inches long is press fitted on the shaft and turned flat for you to finish with whatever grooves you need..im waiting on a price for those, but i think he said around 40 for those...let me know if there is any interest...

thanks

don

[Shooter McGavin]

I need one that is 1.25x.25, if he can do that with a handle, for cutting the buckle slots in a belt. Shoot me a message or something if he can do that. Thanks!

[SooperJake]

I just paid for my Weaver custom made 3/8" x 1.6" with a handle ( in shipping transit as we speak). With shipping it was a smidge over $108. The guy in the shop at Weaver's said he's already suggested to management that they make a larger belt slot punch, especially for holster makers. I gathered he was going to suggest it again.

That said, I think there is definately a market for sizes other than standard. I'd poll some holster makers before settling on a specific size. What about making a series of over-sized, or a set?

Jake

[particle]

Can you share a photo of the punch? I'd love to see it. My biggest complaint with my Texas Custom Dies punch is the thickness of the shoulders on the punch - if you don't dampen the leather prior to punching, it tears the grain of the leather. I wonder how sturdy 1/16" will prove to be over time. Probably less of an issue when used with a press.

[Eaglestroker]

I'd like one 1 5/8" long by 1/4"" wide, with handle.

[renegadelizard]

here is a pic of my cutter...ill talk to him about doing different sizes...im going to let this post kind of just run for a week or so then im going to figure out the most requested sizes...ive seen a few already for .25...just a word of on this...the double thick duty belts dont fit real well in those slots...thats why i went with the 5/16 slot, it gives the slot the clearance need to fit the belt and bend...

Can you share a photo of the punch? I'd love to see it. My biggest complaint with my Texas Custom Dies punch is the thickness of the shoulders on the punch - if you don't dampen the leather prior to punching, it tears the grain of the leather. I wonder how sturdy 1/16" will prove to be over time. Probably less of an issue when used with a press.

stainless is pretty hard...ive used it more than a few times and it is still razor sharp...

[particle]

Wow - am I correct that is a single block of steel, milled to final shape/size, including the actual angle of the blade? That's cool. Question though - how hard will that be to sharpen? It looks like the base plate protrudes past the angle of the blade, meaning you can't place it on a stone to sharpen it. Am I seeing that correctly? Since it's being milled, it might be cool if the base plate was milled parallel to the angle of the blade so when you lay the punch on the sharpening stone, the base plate acts as a guide to sharpen at the correct angle.

[rccolt45]

I woulkd be interested in getting one with a handle. Email me at landsharkleather@gmail.com if he decides to make them.

[usmc0341]

I would be interested in one to do my belt slots. I use the old punch the hole and use a chisel in the middle method now, but would love to have a punch to make it easier.

[SooperJake]

Well, that looks sharper than the one Weaver's just made for me. They sent me a dull tool, ( 8 whacks with a 4 lb maul barely managed a dent in the leather) . And, get this, I get to send it back on my dime, plus they charged me $8 more than the price I was quoted on the phone in the first place!

This is my first order ever with Weaver Leather, and probably my last.

Jake

[renegadelizard]

Wow - am I correct that is a single block of steel, milled to final shape/size, including the actual angle of the blade? That's cool. Question though - how hard will that be to sharpen? It looks like the base plate protrudes past the angle of the blade, meaning you can't place it on a stone to sharpen it. Am I seeing that correctly? Since it's being milled, it might be cool if the base plate was milled parallel to the angle of the blade so when you lay the punch on the sharpening stone, the base plate acts as a guide to sharpen at the correct angle.

You are correct..as for how hard it would be to sharpen, i dont know yet...the guy who made this is a very talented machinist, and he has made many, many, dies and cutters for a company that makes shotgun wads for the military...he also used to own a sharpening business, so he is pretty skilled in that area...ill mention it to him about the sharpening angle..

[Redrock64]

I would be interested in numerous sizes, quality bag punches are hard to come by. Even more interested if you can specify what sizes, more importantly the width of the slot. Most of the punches available are too wide and the only alternative is to find and old one, but they are getting hard to find because of their quallity they last forever and nobody will part with them.

[Eaglestroker]

I can't speak for others, but a 1/4" slot after burnishing and molding fits my belts perfectly.

[renegadelizard]

I can't speak for others, but a 1/4" slot after burnishing and molding fits my belts perfectly.

on mine, the cs osbourne would punch the top side wider than the back, so the back of my slot were much narrower on 1/4 thick holsters...agin, i believe this is inherent in the design of their punches with the tapered wall...my new one is much less pronounced, but when i ordered it, i got it larger just to be certain...

[sheathmaker]

Renegade, how about the heat treat on these cutters, or are they even heat treated at all Ask your maker about the RC number (hardness) after treatment. This will certainly have a bearing on how well it holds that cutting edge. Thanks.

Paul

[renegadelizard]

i talked to him tonight and he said he wouldnt be able to do it...he figured it to do it right, with the heat treat using s7 steel, it would cost him in excess of 100 bucks a piece...he said his mill at home would not get the precision he needed, so he would have to rent time in a machine shop, plus material, and his labor, i kind of quit listening when he said 140 selling price...sorry guys...

[TXJhawk]

I would be interested.

[DHopper]

I'd be interested in one that cuts 1 5/8 x 5/16. Handle or not. Hope he decides to run with it.

[renegadelizard]

I'd be interested in one that cuts 1 5/8 x 5/16. Handle or not. Hope he decides to run with it.

I would be interested.

Even at $140?? Anybody else?

[DHopper]

Even at $140?? Anybody else?

Guess I should have looked closer. Replied not seeing page 2. I'm out at $140. Thx anyway.

[particle]

Just to clarify - the original post said he stated the price to be between $40 and $60, depending on if it had a handle. And you later mentioned he's been doing this for quite a while and has made lots of punches. Is he saying he can't do it if it's heat treated with S7 steel? Or he just can't do it at all? I can't buy one either way at this time, but it seems there was a lot of people interested and I just wanted to clarify what your friend is saying he can't do - stainless steel or heat treated S7.

[renegadelizard]

Just to clarify - the original post said he stated the price to be between $40 and $60, depending on if it had a handle. And you later mentioned he's been doing this for quite a while and has made lots of punches. Is he saying he can't do it if it's heat treated with S7 steel? Or he just can't do it at all? I can't buy one either way at this time, but it seems there was a lot of people interested and I just wanted to clarify what your friend is saying he can't do - stainless steel or heat treated S7.

He told me that if he were to do it, he would want to do it right, and to do it right, he would need to use s7 steel and have it heat treated, and that with the precision involved he would have to rent time at a machine shop due to his mill at home being inadequate (he made mine on his lunch break at work, and has since been told to cease millwork not related to his job)..all of this changed his price from around 60 to 140 per piece. I am his friend, and i know the kind of work he does..he is a perfectionist..but that said, 140 was even too steep for me...I have no doubts at all that i would never have to buy another punch as long as me or kids are alive, but there are just too many alternative ways to do the job of a punch to justify the cost..for me anyways...I apologize to everyone for getting their hopes up, i'm feeling sort of bummed out as well...

[dickf]

TCD will build you a slot punch to your dimensions for $60. Mine came sharp as hell and is what I use to cut slots through 2 layers of 8/9 oz for pancakes. The dimensions are perfect and have since ordered a few more dies from them for a couple things. Just tell Heather what you're using it for and what you expect it to do.

[camano ridge]

Ok, for the uninformed who is TCD? When I googled it I came up with Tennis Competetors Of Dallas.

[Northmount]

See reply #4, Texas Custom Dies.

Tom