Hand Stitchers: What Thread Do You Prefer For Holsters?

[SouthernCross]

Heavy nylon waxed when sewing, pre-waxed artificial sinew, etc.? What do you prefer when stitching up your holsters?

[Josh Ashman]

I use waxed nylon and I know many prefer waxed linen.

Josh

[electrathon]

I don't use artificial sinew for anything, looks tacky to me. Linen sews very nice. I recently bought some Tiger thread (it is braided) and it sews nice too. Aaron

[chiefjason]

Well, I'm currently searching for what I like best. Everything I have ordered has been either too thick, too waxed, or too weak. I may get flamed for this, but currently I'm using the waxed thread by Realeather from Hobby Lobby. And it's probably the best thing I have found yet. I bought a spool of the Hobby Lobby brand waxed cotton thread and it works well. But it's not very waxed, I waxed it myself a couple times while sewing. It's also considerably larger in diameter. But the rust color was exactly what I needed for the oxblood holster I was working on.

[Steve75]

I use waxed nylon thread.

[usmc0341]

I use the waxed nylon thread that Tandy sells but it's about $25.00 a spool. I wish I could find another kind I liked as much but was cheaper.

[Craig44]

Waxed nylon from Tandy. If it has too much wax on it, you can take it off by running it over your thumbnail just as easily as you can wax your own, which will probably never get as deep as the pre-waxed thread. I tried linen and didn't care for it.

[keplerts]

The thread that I like the best is the waxed braided cord from Tandy. The number is: 11210-4 (beige). They have various colors. Just make the 4 in the number to whatever number matches the color you want. It is easy to work with.

[Spence]

I use waxed nylon from Maine Thread. I keep 3 sizes on the bench.

[Tex Shooter]

I like waxed Linen. -- Tex

[Matt S]

I don't do holsters (not much demand round here... go figure...) but I like to roll my own from linen yarn, and stickywax.

[doubleh]

I don't do any work except for myself anymore and the only stitched items are holsters and knife sheaths. They make good birthday and Christmas gifts. I use only waxed nylon which is very easy to use and will last close to forever. I get it from S & D Trading Co in Lubbock, TX.

Edited July 15, 2013 by doubleh

[SouthernCross]

Thanks for the responses, gentlemen.

[electrathon]

Thanks for the responses, gentlemen.

I think the only thing we all agreed on is wax. Interesting the number of different opinions.

Edited July 17, 2013 by electrathon

[gamli]

So what size thread do you guys prefer to use?

[Troy I]

Waxed nylon from Springfield Leather

Only comes in one size from Springfield. ..In White, Brown and Black

[c2369zulu]

I have used both waxed flat artificial sinew from "Kentucky Leather and Hide" (this is the stuff I started "leatherwork" with after visiting their tent at a Rendezvous event in IN), and also used the waxed linen thread. I like the strength of the artificial sinew but the look of the waxed linen. The waxed linen has broken on me a few times when tightening up the stitches. The waxed sinew seems as though it will probably cut through your finger, and glove if you use one, before it would break................Rory

[Sona]

i also use slightly(!) waxed nylon. Right now I use a lot of 0.8mm in diameter, but depending on the piece I wanna make I´ll order some 1 mm soon enough i think

But acually there are times I prefere linen over nylon. I can use thinner needles due to the fact that I thin it out at the end and I´ll never have trouble getting the neddle through any hole this way. In addition linen accepts dye. So I just got a spool of white thread abd when it comes to stuff like red or green leather (which is.... let´s say quite rare ^^) I don´t wanna buy a complete spool of thread in that colour just for one piece (and maybe another in 10 years -.-) So I just dye the thread the same way I dye the leather plus I wax it. And that´s a fact i just love about linenthread ^^.

[Bob Keyes]

If white is good, greybar electric supply sells telco tie string it is a heavy waxed thread and it has worked well for me.

[srtolly]

For me it depends on the holster. I like the waxed nylon from Tandy but if it comes to something I want a little more rustic look to I will use the artificial sinew.

[Blackey Cole]

The UN waxed spool that Tandy sales then I wax it my self. The thread is designed for machine use iirc.

[Red Bear Haraldsson]

I'm going to stick my nose in and say that I've been wanting to try hemp. All the posts that mention it mention waxing it real good.

[BigMatt]

Waxed nylon from Maine Thread as was stated before.

Edited September 29, 2014 by BigMatt

[NVLeatherWorx]

Waxed nylon for the larger projects for the added durability when stitching and when finished; waxed linen for the smaller items as there is not as much stress and strain on the stitch. Both are pre-waxed with bees wax but I always give them my own run through on a big block of it here in my shop just to make sure that the outermost areas are properly covered (the exterior wax does tend to feel like it dries out if the thread has sat for some time on a shelf). Don't really concern myself with the "size" of the thread so to speak but I do make sure that I have no less than 4 strands and that the twist is tight.