First Holster Rig

[keplerts]

This is my first attempt at a gun holster and belt. I used the Hand of God pattern from Will Ghormley. The holster is 9-10oz leather and the belt is 9-10oz but I lined the back with 4-5oz. I know the pattern did not call for it to be lined but I thought I'd give it a try. The dye is mohogeny. Everything was hand sewn. I think the hardest part was sewing in the toe plug. The pics are not great but all I have is a low end cell phone to use. All your thoughts and pointers are greatly appreciated.

Edited June 17, 2013 by keplerts

[Eaglestroker]

You did a very nice job, keep at it!

[Hollingsworth5107]

This is my first attempt at a gun holster and belt. I used the Hand of God pattern from Will Ghormley. The holster is 9-10oz leather and the belt is 9-10oz but I lined the back with 4-5oz. I know the pattern did not call for it to be lined but I thought I'd give it a try. The dye is mohogeny. Everything was hand sewn. I think the hardest part was sewing in the toe plug. The pics are not great but all I have is a low end cell phone to use. All your thoughts and pointers are greatly appreciated.

wow

look's great

[Greybeard]

Nice work! That's too much hand stitching.... lol

[Samalan]

Nice Job!

[Dwight]

I would think that Will would be proud of your iteration of his pattern.

I only saw one place where I would have done any serious changing, . . . In the picture of the buckle, . . . the belt keeper that goes in back was fastened with 4 copper rivets.

I always actually sew mine into the belt itself, because I only make lined belts. The top of the keeper is sewn in with my machine about an inch after I make that turn from end to main run on the belt, . . . and I machine sew all the way around to the other end of the keeper. The second end is hand sewn.

The keeper is sewn in between the two layers of the belt.

Not to sound overly critical, . . . just pointing out a way to make your final product look a bit cleaner.

But all in all, . . . from what my 68 year old eyes could make out, . . . looks good.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited June 18, 2013 by Dwight

[myr1708]

Nice job

[Abram]

Nice job, I realy like the color

[keplerts]

Thanks everyone for the compliments. Greybeard..... The hand sewing around the edging to sew the lining in took me a little over three hours! Can't afford a machine right now but I do enjoy doing it by hand. I don't think I'll be lining any more by hand unless a "paying" customer wants one Dwight..... about the keeper.....that is a great suggestion! I would have used double capped rivets but the prong was too short after I put the lining on. Right now I did not put a finish/sealer on. What would you guys suggest I put on with out making it "glossy/shiny". Thanks again!

[Dwight]

My own personal cowboy rig, . . . and any rig I make for someone wanting it close to period looking and feeling, . . . I use a 50/50 concoction of beeswax and neatsfoot oil (weigh each ingredient, . . . it is 50/50 by weight). Cook it up in a jar in a crock pot, . . . pour it out into muffin papers in a muffin pan, . . . makes nice little patties that are easy to use.

It is a little harder than regular shoe polish, . . . but it goes on similar, . . . on your rig, I'd put it on with a cloth and stroke it carefully with a heat gun to get the wax to melt and the oil to soak in better. Give it a half hour or so to dry, . . . buff with an old diaper, . . . you'll like it.

Take a scrap piece, . . . diddle a little bit of stamping and tooling on it, . . . try it, . . . you might just like it. Not only is it simple to make and use, . . . it is also bunches cheaper than almost any other finish.

If you stay with it long enough, . . . you can make it real shiney, . . . but not plastic shiney.

I use it front, back, edges, inside, outside, . . . the whole thing.

May God bless,

Dwight

[keplerts]

Dwight,

I'm mixing up a batch of your finish and am looking forward to trying it. Have you ever used Aussie conditioner? Would it be comparable to your mixture? Would the Aussie "seal" the dye from bleeding?

Again, everyone, thanks for your replies and suggestions.

Tom

[Josh Ashman]

Great job Tom, that's a heck of a nice set up! I haven't made any of Dwight's recipe but I do use Aussie Wax and Ray Hole's Saddle Butter quite a bit and that's basically what they are. It seems to me that the Aussie Wax gives a better "seal" for anything that you expect to get some good use. My favorite way to apply it is to rub it in liberally with my fingers then set the piece in the cab of a parked vehicle on a sunny day, give it a few hours and it'll soak right into the leather. If you want a little glow try a little neutral shop polish or saddle soap over the Aussie.

Best regards,

Josh