Couple Of Recent Holsters

[jackd942]

Here are a couple of my latest. The first is for a Glock 22 and it is for a Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper. He wanted his collar brass attached to the stiffener, so I JB Welded a Chicago screw on the back and attached it as well as stamped and beveled his number in it. The second is for a customer that needed a holster for his new Baby Glock 27. I swear I never intended to do initials and/or numbers on every single holster I do when I started this, but ever since I did the first on request, that is all anybody wants...I guess as long as I keep getting orders for them, I'll keep makin em:)

Been having a hard time with the lighting in my photo box as of late, so the colors are just a bit off. Think I'm going to see if I can remedy that soon.

[Chris B]

They are very nice!!! What kind of sewing machine do you use?

Thanks,

Chris

[Dwight]

Just a curious question, Jack, . . . what weight leather are you using for those two holsters?

They both are really nice, . . . and a thumbs up on the JB weld.

Thanks, may God bless,

Dwight

[jackd942]

They are very nice!!! What kind of sewing machine do you use?

Thanks,

Chris

Thanks for the comment Chris...I do not own a machine. Everything is hand stitched. If my orders continue at even a quarter of what they have been, then I'm going to have to invest soon!

Just a curious question, Jack, . . . what weight leather are you using for those two holsters?

They both are really nice, . . . and a thumbs up on the JB weld.

Thanks, may God bless,

Dwight

Thanks Dwight...W&C 8/9 oz natural tooling back. Thanks for the JB Weld tip by the way, it worked out great. I love having you guys and gals to bounce things off of. Finally got around to using Katsass' Mop n Glo and I really like it.

[Chris B]

Wow no machine Very very nice!!!

Chris

[vaalpens]

Jack, the holsters came out great as usual! You know I am still learning so I have a few questions if you don't mind. Which JB Weld did you use, and were you able to tighten the screw very tight or do you need to be careful? I see the inside of the holster is a lighter color so i assume you are not dying the inside. How are you finishing the inside of the holster? One final question. I see the edge of the sweat guard is very dark in comparison to the inside. Do you dye the edge before you burnish it, or is the dark color just from the burnish?

[jackd942]

Jack, the holsters came out great as usual! You know I am still learning so I have a few questions if you don't mind. Which JB Weld did you use, and were you able to tighten the screw very tight or do you need to be careful? I see the inside of the holster is a lighter color so i assume you are not dying the inside. How are you finishing the inside of the holster? One final question. I see the edge of the sweat guard is very dark in comparison to the inside. Do you dye the edge before you burnish it, or is the dark color just from the burnish?

No problem vaalpens. I'll try to answer as best I can. Keep in mind that there are probably plenty of other opinions on here, but this is how I have been doing it.

1) The JB Weld was just the standard stuff that I purchased at WalMart. The Chicago Screws I have are not solid on the bottom (the screw protrudes just a tad), so I hit the bottom of the screw with a belt sander just a little so that the screw didn't go all the way to the bottom and run the risk of dislodging it. I use blue loctite and didn't crank extremely hard, but it tightened up well and I doubt he'll ever have to bring it back because of the screw. I did make sure that it cured in a warm environment.

2) I haven't been dyeing the inside of my holsters. The first several I made, I was using gum trag. I would burnish that and then seal with whatever sealer I was using (usually resolene). I since have been buying Wickett & Craig leather and the flesh side is much less "fuzzy" that the Tandy stuff I was using. The last few I have made, I have just been using TanKote and burnishing it down.

3) I dye all my edges with black dye before I burnish. Sometimes I'll burnish 2 or 3 times at different stages depending on how it's going, but I always dye before the first. I tried using EdgeKote and it was ok, but I like the dye first and then burnish better.

Hope that helps, Jack

[Eaglestroker]

Good looking work, keep at it!

[camano ridge]

They turned out great Jack.

[George B]

Beautiful!

[Josh Ashman]

Very nice Jack, great job!

[Matt Alsaker]

Very nice work Jack.

I've been called cheap, frugal, a tight^, and several other things (I like financially responsible) over the years...making my decision to purchase a stitching machine almost painful at the time. The only regret I have was waiting so long to make the purchase. Your work is really nice. Keep at it and you'll have that new stitching machine paid for in no time. I struggling with the thought of spending money on a clicker and dies right now.

[jackd942]

Thanks for the kind words everybody.

Very nice work Jack.

I've been called cheap, frugal, a tight^, and several other things (I like financially responsible) over the years...making my decision to purchase a stitching machine almost painful at the time. The only regret I have was waiting so long to make the purchase. Your work is really nice. Keep at it and you'll have that new stitching machine paid for in no time. I struggling with the thought of spending money on a clicker and dies right now.

Matt, I know what you mean. I had no intentions of anything more than making a couple for myself and maybe my brother and friend when I started. Once word got out and people saw what I was doing, it felt like a flood rushing in. So now I have to seriously consider buying a machine. Somewhere in the back of my mind though, I feel like I need to wait until after the first of the year just to see if orders continue to pile on. Thanks, Jack

[mitch0328]

I'm very new at leather, but I do know artistic quality when I see it, your projects look great!

[jackd942]

Thanks Mitch