A Few Holsters By A Newbie

[workingmanleather]

Wow I never really thought of it like that that's a very good point. I will have to work on that for sure where did you get your stamps made. I've looked at Tandy and a custom stamp with a name is like 160 dollars. My dad is a mechanist and is going to be making me one but itay be a bit. I would love to have one I can just stamp on. As far as the Pfaff I went on a limb and picked it up for around 350 dollars I did however speak to the owner of an industrial sew shop who told me that it would work well for my application. Its in his shop now being timed and getting a brushless motor. The thread I am using is 207. I've been using the waxed thread from Tandy what size isiit. My holsters seem to be very strong as far as held together I mean. Do you feel 207 is to light for holsters? He has modified the machine to accept up to 277 for me and being a walking foot I thought it would do the job.

[billymac814]

The machine will have its limitations and its not the ideal machine for holster work but it might do for now. I have a Consew 206rb which is probably in a similar class as the one you got, it will sew with 207 thread up to I think 3/8" but it is really maxed out sewing like that even though to the average sewing machine shop it would be considered a heavy duty machine, it does much better on softer and thinner leather with thinner thread. I don't use it for holsters though. The flatbed is tough stitch most holsters with. Its set up with a gear reduction servo motor. I have a Cowboy 4500 for holsters and heavy work. It has a speed reducer and servo as well but it also has a giant flywheel that helps punch through thick stuff. Its a cylinder arm so its much easier to get holsters like fold over types like an avenger style under the needle. You may be able to see these on a flatbed but you may have to really hold them flatter, it might help to wet the bend first so you don't over stretch the leather.

You could probably get more opinions if you posted something in the sewing machines section of the forum. I believe on your machine there are different subclasses which mean different things too. Bob Kovar (cowboybob on the forum) would know best too as he's a Pfaff dealer and specializes in setting machines designed for leather.

I don't know what size the Tandy thread is but I think its around 277, I used to use that when I first started, I still have some, it almost looks a little bigger but its hard to tell. If you cement your pieces together I don't think you'd have any problems with 207 but I think 277 is pretty standard for most of us, some folks use 346, I think Dwight is one of them. I use it on really heavy items.

There's a few places to get stamps, a member here I think his name is embossing die co or something like that makes them pretty cheap and Brenda at Lasergiftcreations is a good one. I would get a small plate that is designed to be used with a press instead of the hammer type. You don't need a press, I use a pair of visegrips to press most of mine, I ground the teeth off of both sides and cemented a piece of leather to the one side. On flat items I do use an arbor press but most things aren't flat.

Did you register your business name at all? Only reason I ask is if you start with a name like that and even though its a hobby or side thing now if you ever get larger and sell more and have spent a lot of time and energy into building up the name and get to the point where you have to start doing things like pay taxes and such and find out you can't register that name it may be a problem later on. You don't technically have to register a business name if you use your own name but I was advised to do so anyway by my accountant. I'm not sure how it works really but I don't think you're the only "working man customs". That may be ok though, it would just suck to find out its not after you built the name up or if you get him lots of work from people doing Internet searches.

Here's a picture of the one I got from EmbossingDieco( I'm not sure if that's his correct name). I think it was like 30-35 bucks.

Here's a picture of one of my Avenger holsters.

Here's a good thread to read regarding sewing machines, especially walking foot machines. There are many different types of walking foot machines and each work differently.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=25239&st=0#

[St8LineGunsmith]

just to throw in my two cents about the sewing machine I would like to have if it ever becomes a requirement is a Cobra Class 4

I have a professional holster maker friend who swears by them and has allowed me to demonstrate his and it does run sweet either at the speed of a snail or the sped of a pro mod dragster it operate smooth as silk

I think it will sew together two pieces of 3 oz as nice as a thick piece up to 7/7" thick

which will pretty much cover anything I make

from saddle bags biker wallets, tooled purses, journals, computer, tablet, smart phone cases, belt bags, belts holsters, knife sheathes'

I have heard a lot of upholstrey guys who swears by the Cobra sewing machines also and it has a really good price point

I also looked at the cowboy leather Stitcher and the tech sew 5100 which are also good machines, looks like these three are identical machines so if I can find any one of them used at a SWEET steal of a deal I would probably try to buy it.

but as far as buying one out right new I would probably get a Cobra Clsaa 4 from Cobra Steve because I have actually been able to operate my friends which he bought his from Cobra Steve and he swears by Cobra Steve that he stands behind his machines 100%

I promise I am not trying to put a plug in here for Cobra Steve

Edited May 1, 2013 by St8LineGunsmith