Two Tone Holsters And Edges

[hestes]

I am working on a two tone avenger holster, where the body is dark brown and the reinforcement piece is light brown. That got to me wondering how all of you handle the edges on two tone holsters, where the 2 colors mate up. Do you pick one color to dye the edge, or do you do each piece in its appropriate color? I would love to see pictures, if possible.

Thanks!

Edited December 3, 2013 by hestes

[chiefjason]

In a word, black. I carry the black edge up over the sweat shield too. What I do on my avengers is dye the outside edges black, side, top, bottom, and any two layer edges on the mouth. I leave the edge over the body of the holster it's standard color.

Look around the strap on this one, the black runs across the top. Not quite what you are doing, but I think it would work. Just have to have a steady hand and go light on the dye. I just dab the dauber in the dye lightly.

[longtooth]

I do mine in black. Angelus has a military black I like very much. The 1911 is to large for the holster. This holster uses a 3" commander.

[hestes]

So it looks like you guys all burnish the edges of the reinforcement piece and the body together at the mouth of the holster. Is that correct? I am trying to decide if I should do that with the portion of the reinforcement piece that lines up with the mouth of body on the avenger holster, or just burnish them separately.

Thanks for the all the pictures! I appreciate it!

Edited December 3, 2013 by hestes

[chiefjason]

Yes, I burnish mine together. I also don't do my final burnish until the dye is applied. Depending on what you use to burnish, it can go from not taking completely to not taking dye at all on the edge. BTDT. I have a small modeling spoon that I burnish the reinforcement piece with where it's glued to the holster body. It's a hassle. The only trick I have found is that you can do a light burnish with just water before you glue. It's about the only thing I have found that does not effect the dye process.

[renegadelizard]

I burnish and finish all edges before glueing and sewing, with the exception of the holster mouth...any time i have a reinforcement piece i leave the edge of that piece that matches up with the mouth of the holster unburnished and un dyed....after ive got all my sewing done, then i round over the rest of the outside of the holster except the outside stitch line seams, and burnish all of those, treating the top of the reinforcement piece and the mouth of the holster as one piece of leather...once i fold, glue, and stitch the holster closed, i finish those last stitch line seams and burnish those...it sounds much more complicated than it is, just got to get all of your steps lined out and do them a few hundred times...then your on autopilot...i made an edge burnishe similar to the ones weaver sells for little to nothing...got the 1725 rpm motor from friend, turned a mandrel to fit it on his metal lathe, fitted a wooden dowel over it, turned some grooves, glued on some canvas on the end, and its an all in one burnishing machine...saves years of time...

[Red Cent]

I do the burnishing before I sew the pieces. The piece, in my opinion, can be placed anywhere. When one reholsters in an OWB, if you mold the holster for strength, you do not need the "brace".

[hestes]

Thank you all for the replies! They've been very helpful!

[George B]

I burnish or use pro edge dressing on every edge of the reinforcement throat I will not be able to get to once they are stitched together. Color of the edge varies, natural, brown or black. I seem to determine the color of the edges by which color thread I use.

Then after attaching the reinforcement throat, while still flat, I do the sanding and edges of the top and bottom up to the body stitch lines.

Dampen, fold over and stitch the holster together.

Sand and dress or burnish the body edges, dunk and form.

Any edge touch up will be done after drying.