Magazine Holster

[Chef niloc]

If you work a lot with black I would just buy some nice Wickett & Craig drum dyed skirting. They will split it for free, so I'd have them split it to the thickness you like to work with (8 oz?). For extra $0.75 they will finish the back side by re- dyeing the Hyde and polishing it to the degree you like ( soft nap-polished glass like). That would give you IMHO a much better finish then you could do your self.

But if you want to stick with dyeing your self you have to make sure you clean the leather all the way. Alcohol is ok, but a much better way to go would be to use osalic acid (wood bleach) as this would clean the leather deeper then alcohol without drying it out like alcohol can. oil dye would be better to use, aniline would be the best there is no deeper black known to man the aniline.

By the way great looking mag case

[Samalan]

I make them slant to my back with the mag belly same way to the back feels more natural that way and there's no hand turning .

Shooter was refering to the actual mag, not the pouch..the belly of the mag should point to your belly for proper indexing of the mag..that way you dont have to fiddle with the mag during a reload...on the same subject, you might want to cut down the sweat shield on the mag...when reloading, the weak hand index finger should lay on the belly of the mag, the thumb should be on the side of the mag closest to the body, pinching the mag witht he middle finger...with the sweatshield so high, it will be more difficult to drive the thumb between the leather and the mag to get a proper grip on the mag...remember, if you ever have to reload under SHTF conditions, your manual dexterity will be reduced...i try to make all of my hosters and mag pouches accessable using gross motor skills..unless specifically requested by the customer...even then i explain this to the customer...same goes with the angle..its an unnatural draw witht he extreme forward cant....what some refer to as "bowling it out"...to maximize concealability, try to set the mag higher on the belt instead of canting it....as always, these are just my opinions, and ive carried every day for the last 20 years, so take them for what they are...your workmanship looks really good bye the way...

[Ran]

I've been using Tandy's Pro Water Stain, and with the black I 'sometimes' find it necessary to re-dye the leather once or twice in order to get rid of a slight 'chauky' look on the surface. I'm a woodworker and this doesn't necessarily surprise me. Like wood, all leathers aren't created equally and thus seem to take to stain, dyes, and finishes differently. They usually seem to turn out decent in the end though

[dickf]

I agree that if you want the fastest, most consistent black, drum dyed is the clear winner. If you want to dye yourself, a quick dip in Angelus black will yield these results.

**edit - my bad, this one was Lincoln black, but Angelus is just as nice.

Edited March 2, 2013 by dickf

[c2369zulu]

Ran/DickF.

Those are some fine looking holsters you guys have made! Thanks for the tips!!..............Rory

[BigRiverLeather]

I suggest you try Pro oil black dye it will penetrate better then the USMC black, and requires much, much less buffing.

After dying any color I always oil, then seal with an acrylic sealer, I use Resolene = No rub off at all.

This.

USMC is a little blacker, but that is the only redeeming quality. Pro is the only way to go. much less buffing required and it coats evenly. I use Supersheen (cut 50/50 with water) rather than resolene, but that's just a personal preference.

[Dwight]

Feibings Oil Dye will give as good a job as any, . . . and IMHO, . . . better than USMC as you do not have to buff for 3 days to get off the extra pigment.

I dye mine in a 9 x 14 cake pan, . . . dip dye, . . . immerse for about 5 seconds, . . . never have had a problem or a complaint.

As for the criticism about the direction of the magazine, . . . slant of the magazine, . . . there is no "standard", no "approved", no "best way" other than what your customer wants and pays for.

I have carried a 1911 on and off since the summer of 1966, . . . the bullets point behind me, . . . the mag is indexed slanting forward, . . . and many other shooters also carry the same way.

But if my customer wants to carry his or hers the other way, . . . God bless them, . . . it's their choice.

Ask your customer what HE or SHE wants, . . . you will have many more satisfied customers that way.

As for the black leaving color on the other clothing, . . . that is a natural trait of just about all black dyes. You have to seal the product with some kind of sealant or finish other than the dye and neatsfoot oil, . . . OR, . . . you will have rub off for some time to come. I've actually only found one dye that will not do that, . . . and it is Feibings British Tan.

Any way, . . . good looking mag pouch, . . . keep up the good work.

May God bless,

Dwight

[c2369zulu]

Dwight.

Thanks for the comments and compliment! I have used the Fiebings Pro Oil Light Brown and love it. Bought one of those big (liter?) plastic bottles of it actually from Tandy. I keep forgeting when i order the stuff to look for the "oil dye" in the listing. Made the mistake the other day of trying to order one of the little tin cans of contact rubber cement from Tandy and ended up with nearly a quart of the white elmers glue like leather bond stuff. BTW, does anyone actually use that stuff? Seems the contact cement would be better, but maybe I am the one missing out by not using it..........Rory

[Chef niloc]

I have carried a 1911 on and off since the summer of 1966, . . . the bullets point behind me, . . . the mag is indexed slanting forward, . . . and many other shooters also carry the same way.

May God bless,

Dwight

Could you explain this a little more, I'm not quite picturing it in my head? Right or left side, attached or separate from the holster, Angled up or down, and how much?

Thanks

[Dwight]

Could you explain this a little more, I'm not quite picturing it in my head? Right or left side, attached or separate from the holster, Angled up or down, and how much?

Thanks

I'm right handed, Chef, . . . carry at about 3:30 strong side, IWB, 1911 (just like my avatar).

My spare is on the left side, . . . it actually straddles the rear belt loop, . . . the mag is tilted a bit forward, . . . the bullets point behind me in the magazine.

Others prefer carrying so that the bullets face forward.

I was taught my way as being better for most people as it used the natural position of the hand. To use my method, . . . you reach the off hand back, . . . palm toward the body, . . . locate mag pouch, . . . slide the hand upwards around the mag, . . . usually the ring finger will catch on the magazine lip, . . . you know you are in position, . . . grasp and pull straight up, . . . the strong hand has shifted slightly on the weapon, . . . push the mag release and the mag falls out, . . . pull up the weak hand and insert the new mag, . . . you are back in business.

If you use the "bullets pointing forward" method, . . . you have to use a non-normal, non natural position for the reloading hand, . . . which is palm facing out from the body, . . . your wrist is contorted almost 90 degrees, . . . and because it is awkward for many people, . . . they tend to drop the mag. That can have some tough consequences in a fire fight.

There really is no "authorized" way, . . . only preferred, . . . and that is determined by the shooter.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited March 9, 2013 by Dwight