Another New Guy, Another First Try

[bugboy449]

I've been snooping around and learning what I could from this forum for a couple of months. I finally dove in and gave it a try.

Here are my first attempts. These are all from Zack White horse butts, a few cheap tools and misc. parts I scrounged up around the house.

There are some problems with the items I made, but since they are just for my personal use, I'm fairly happy with the way it all went. I'd like to thank everyone here that provided all the knowledge to get me started off this well.

The most important thing that I learned is that hand sewing a belt kind of sucks!

[chancey77]

Looks like you really dove in! WOW first try????? Man that is really amazing for a first go! THUMBS UP FROM THIS GUY!

REMEMBER FLAWS ARE WHAT MAKES IT HAND MADE AND NOT MACHINE MADE!

I like stuff that I cant spot a weird thing or 2 on...it tells me someone actually made this by the,selves....and from my quick look without a microscope...i don't see anything wrong with this rig AT ALL!

HYVÄ!

[D Fingers]

Not bad for your first time. I also hand sewed 1 belt and have vowed to not make another until I have a machine, lol. Your going to want to get some cow hide as the horse hide makes a much less durable product IMHO.

[Dwight]

Welcome to the forum, . . . you did some pretty good work there, . . . and yeah, . . . hand sewing a belt is, . . . uhhh, . . . well, . . . tough. I tell all my students that hands are for hamburgers, . . . sewing machines are for sewing leather.

But anyway, . . . again good job, . . . just a couple critiques for you: I couldn't see where you burnished any of the edges. That is the first thing that separates the leather choppers from craftspeople, . . . the edges are an important part of your product, . . . it is to holsters what chrome trim is to an automobile.

Secondly, . . . I took your pic and "modified" it a bit.

If you make the top of your holster come across straight (see red line) or even arched up a bit, . . . it will make re-holstering in an IWB much easier. As it is, you will find it probably will get floppy, . . . and one day the muzzle will push the front side of the holster down and double it over.

Adding a re-inforcement piece to the front also goes a long way toward keeping that from happening, . . . plus it keeps the front of the holster from collapsing. Many holster makers (I'm not one of them), and some very well known ones too, . . . put a piece of metal between the holster and the re-inforcement, again to keep the holster mouth open in case you have to do a one hand re-holster and cannot turn around and put eyeballs on the holster.

I don't show anyone my first few attempts, . . . yours are far, far better, . . . keep up the good work.

May God bless,

Dwight

[bugboy449]

Yeah, I got it glued up and THEN remembered the reinforcement piece.

The edges are somewhat burnished,,, just hot very well (apparently). I still have some experimenting (a lot actually) to see what works for me.

I'm on "old retired E-7" pension, and am not willing to put a lot of money towards this hobby right now.

Thanks for the kind words.

[chiefjason]

I've hand sewn 2 belts, I'm a slow learner I guess. No fun. If you have any glycerin soap, saddle soap, or candle wax around try that for burnishing the edges. An old toothbrush works well for burnishing too. Heck, it's my main boning tool too. Just steel wool any of the old dentist printing off of the smooth handle.

[mattsh]

Congrats! That's a lot of work for hand sewing. I made a lot of holsters that way and then finally saved up enough pennies for a machine. Enjoy the new hobby.