Ruined A Weeks Work Messing With A Liner :(

[Tree Reaper]

I stitch and burnish liners.

I don't see any stitching here.

[Boriqua]

Thank so much everyone!! I was able to save it using all your advise. I notched it so the magazine release had clearance .. wasn't the most elegant since it was done afterward but looks good. Then I sanded down the liner and edge at a steep angle to the inside of the holster and burnished well. Then I sealed all my edges with resplendent. The edge came out really nice and dark. I used it raw and without dye and I think it looks really well.

One more thing to add to my knowledge base. Hopefully soon I can help answer questions and not always be the one asking!

[camano ridge]

Can we see pictures of your finished product?

[Boriqua]

Can we see pictures of your finished product?

OH man !!

I hate showing stuff in front of you guys .. I am just a wee little leather worker compared to you guys so it is a little embarrassing but here goes. The person has a very nice 1911 he acquired that was decorated while it was in service in Vietnam. He wanted something different and so we came to Asian dragon and not Flying evil dragon. He also wanted deep coverage. As much coverage he could get and still be able to draw it. I didnt dye the edges because I didn't want to dye the edges at the mouth. It has ivory grips and I don't trust any sealer to not fail and have dye permanently mark the ivory. I wanted to save the gun from holster wear .. dont know if it is stainless or has a nickle finish but that led me to trying to get that liner in there. At the end I dont think its my best work and told him so but he loved it and wanted it. A dilemma for another post. Anyway You can see more of my dragon here

http://www.boriqualeather.com/army/

and the liner is below .. sigh .. go ahead and beat me up guys.

Thank you again everyone for being so free with your advice

[WScott]

If you made it with the little semicircle, didn't say anything about the tear-out and posted only the last pic, you would get many compliments.

I can see why the customer was happy, your dragon tool work and staining is AWESOME!

[katsass]

Boriqua: Now, I'm not trying to chew you up or beat you down, but here are a couple of things I'd think you need to look at prior to building another holster. First off, since I (basically) quit tooling leather many years ago, I do not offer any sort of comments along those lines. My statements go to design and construction of your piece. I'm not going to get overly technical nor am I going to nit pick, I'll give you some of the BIG things that jump out at me. First, you have a 'wing' or something out there on the side of your holster, as if this were an avenger style rig. BUT there ain't no belt loop cut in. As it is, it serves no useful purpose at all and is just flying along out there all alone. Of course you used it to add more tooling, but without a useful purpose, it leaves one scratching their a--- uh, head wondering what the hell it's there for. The next thing is your method of hanging the rig on a belt. I sincerely hope, pray, and trust that you friend WILL NOT try to hang ANY firearm from this rig -- IT AIN'T SECURE!!. There are many ways of attaching a belt loop - I personally believe that your choice is one of the poorest, and remember, in any applied belt loop, wider is ALWAYS better, Yours WILL stretch,; the stitching will (in time) give up if worn or used as anything else but to stick the shooter into and set it on a table. . You comment on your edge finishing, such as it is. All it would take is a bit more sanding, a finger moistened with water and rubbed on/in some glycerin soap or saddle soap, then on the edge of your piece. Then, with a piece of canvas or denim -- rub the hell out of the damp leather edge. All it takes is a little elbow grease,and some - no special tools. (I personally use Nuetragena (sp?) bar soap on my edges). The result would perk things up a bunch for you. I don't hold myself out to be an expert, I firmly believe that many a self proclaimed 'expert' is just that, an EX - a has-been, and a SPURT - a drip under pressure. I am including a couple of pics of one of my avenger style rigs so that you can see one way of affixing a belt loop on the back of your rig that IS SECURE-- and --- just what the hell that 'wing out there is for. Now please don't think that I make fun of your efforts in any way, we all have quite a few projects. each of which turned into one hell of a fine bad example. Keep at it, you are showing better stuff than most of us did early on. Of course you can take from my comments what you will, after all, you didn't pay anything for them. Mike [/b]

[Boriqua]

Thank you for all your comments Katsass !!! I messed up in that I put up the in progress photos which I had sent to the guy I was making it for. The final does have the belt slot cut in. I used a 1 1/4 pc on the back for a belt loop. Should I go 1.5 inches or in your opinion would that still be to narrow? All the edges including the belt loop interior were burnished using gum tragacanth and rubbed out with a plastic stick.

Keep it coming though. It is my first avenger style holster so I can use any input.

Alex

Edited October 8, 2013 by Boriqua

[katsass]

Boriqua, You holster looks a hell of a lot better with the belt slot cut in. I always make my belts (and ultimately slots) a minimum of 1 1/2", and the following is just one of the reasons why, that when carrying a sidearm, (especially the weight of the 1911 Colt) wider is better. Waaaay back when, I worked with a Detective level officer in the Dept. I was in at the time. He (in his own mind) was a total cloths horse and was a slave to all of the most current fads in the clothing field. We were both in 'plain clothes'. At that time (back then) narrow,(VERY narrow) belts of 5/8"and narrower were the fad. He carried one of the early S&W .357 pistols with a 4" bbl. in a belt holster. After a few months of carrying that shooter on the skinny belt, he began to have gastric problems which got worse and worse over time. Finally he became ill enough to make a run to the local emergency room where they discovered that when wearing that heavy shooter, the belt has a tendency to climb up over his hip bone and rest against the softer area above. This ultimately caused irritation on his innards which finally turned into peritonitis. He was sicker than hell and off duty for a couple of months as the result. A wider, firmer belt would have precluded this, and would have been more comfortable. A double layer 1 1/2" is the minimum width I will make or use myself. Wider is better (in many areas) and firmer is better as far as belt go. Of course these are my feelings - others may vary, but I try to rely on prior experience - be it mine or other's. Mike

Edited October 8, 2013 by katsass

[Reds Leather]

@Boriqua, Sorry to bring up such an old post, but how did you cut your belt slot? That looks very clean!

[Boriqua]

@Boriqua, Sorry to bring up such an old post, but how did you cut your belt slot? That looks very clean!

Hey Reds

It is a oblong punch that I picked up from Tandy

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/department/tools/punches/3120-143.aspx

I havent handled other brands of punches but as a tool guy it doesnt seem like the best made tool. It is hefty though and does the job. Dont use it straight from the package it will ruin your stuff "personal expereince "

You will need to do a fair amount of sharpening but once its good and sharp it does a great job with little effort.!

If I had to do it over I would look at another brand though.

Alex