How Often Do You That Are Experienced Screw Up A Holster?

[cleanview]

Title says it all. Just screwed up a holster at the very end. without any details that is what happened. Of course furious with myself and just had to go outside and cool off ................got me to wondering where were you in experience level when you stopped making major errors. I have really only totally wasted 2-3 holsters and consider my self an infant compared to the experience that is on this forum.

Just curious.......

[SteelcityK9Cop]

I'm by no means "experienced" compared to some here but.... I once had to make a THIRD holster for a customer before I was satisfied that it could go out the door. On the first one, I blew the stitches out by cutting my stitch line too close to the edge. On the second, I got sloppy when I was hand-boning and nicked it with a bone folder. I had to walk away for a day I was so hot..... then I came back and #3 turned out just fine.

I dyed the one with the nick black and gave it to a kid down the street who's always running around playing Army.

I suspect even the biggest names have bad days.

[camano ridge]

I have been making holsters for over 40 years. I have never screwed up a holster. I have a box of learnng experiences and those learning experiences date from 1973 to present. If you stop having things that present a challenge or always turn out the way you want them. Things would be very boring. Even experienced people can have things not turn out the way they planned. It is easy to do things such as forgetting to reverse a pattern when cutting out a left handed holster. A few months ago. I made a matching pair of holsters they were both suposed to be dyed Bordeaux. I dyed one holster then had to quit and take care of. When I came back i grabbed my bottle of dye squirted some on my sponge and wiped the dye on only to realize I had just dyed the holster dark brown instead of bordeaux. I grabbed the wrong bottle of dye in my haste. It happens. Throw it in your box of learning experiences and move on.

[cleanview]

very good way to look at it.

[chiefjason]

I just re made one for a buddy. I could have sworn he said no cant instead of just a little cant. lol

I have gotten pretty creative with fixing a few. I've had a few sit around until somebody that was here showed interest. I explain the problem and cut them a deal if they want it. And I have a number of them that are in no position to leave.

My worst being an Avenger style cross draw for a S&W 500. I tried to do a traditional thumb break, but the snap ended up just at the top of the cylinder. DOH! That was probably my biggest bombed one to date. It's in a buddies safe because he wanted to test fit a pistol, but it did not work either. Finally went with the snap on the outside of the holster. I've sold 3 of them so far.

You learn something from every one of them.

[Jumpout]

"Learning experiences" I like that! I have regular learning experiences after 20 years of holster making.

[Dwight]

I haven't had a "learning experience" holster lately, . . . but does a rifle scabbard count?

I had marked where to punch the holes for the conchos, . . . punched the holes.

Only one of the holes, . . . of course on the front, . . . in the singularly most obvious position, . . . was in the wrong place, . . . and it was only off by 3 inches.

I made a new scabbard. I think I'll just keep the other one for myself, . . . use it on Sunday, . . . call it my holy scabbard.

Just don't let it get to you, . . . laugh, . . . spit, . . . drink 2 liters of Mt. Dew, . . . do something to get over it, . . . then, . . . yeah, . . . get over it.

Folks been making learning experiences since Cain whacked Abel and found out that wasn't in the original script.

Leather work is just a different way of making them.

May God bless,

Dwight

[snubbyfan]

I had a project not too long ago. I was making a chest holster for my neighbor.

The pattern was done and the design was approved so I went to cut the leather.

Somehow one side was cut backwards, oops. Fortunately I was able to use the leather for another project.

[cleanview]

Well i aint feeling so so bad now..........just need a bigger box for my learning experiences.

I think I have 3 nearly completed holsters that are laying around and it is actually handy to ave a round for various reasons, one is satisfying curiosity about patterns. Had an XD learning experience and because it was handy I could see clearly that the pattern for it would work for xdm as well

[BHPshooter]

Luckily, I haven't completely botched one in a while, knock on wood.

My recent mistakes have been along the lines of cutting a pattern right-handed instead of left-handed, or for a Commander-sized (4.25") 1911 instead of a 4" 1911. In those cases I completed them later, and was able to sell them without issue. Those are the kinds of mistakes that I can live with.

For me, the biggest lesson is not to rush. That's when I make the vast majority of my mistakes.

[snubbyfan]

Another time a fellow wanted 2 knife sheaths, one brown and one black. I cut the larger of the 2 and started dyeing it black, then I realized it was the one that was supposed to be brown. Oops again.

I was able to cut it down and use it for the smaller sheath, so it wasn't a complete loss.

[Dwight]

I've still got an undyed right hand holster laying in my "project" box.

I finished sewing the doggone thing, . . . all formed and boned of course, . . . but could not kick the "nagging feeling" that something was not right.

Checked the fit, . . . AOK, . . . straps, . . . AOK, . . . dye I was going to use, . . . AOK, . . . anticipated fnal finish, . . . AOK.

Re-read the order and determined that I needed to make a new one, . . . this time for a left handed individual.

Some right handed fellow will come along some day.

May God bless,

Dwgiht

[Colt W Knight]

I made a nice ranger style holster belt a week or so ago, fully tooled. When I punched the holes to mount the buckle ends, I punched both sets of holes in the same end of the belt. I didn't notice til I went to mount the ends.

[cleanview]

Being as I am a hobby builder......before work.....after work.......after supper.....just before bed........when I cant sleep......ect ect. I have found it easy to make mistakes if I sit down to "get this done right quick" .......in the very begining I would spend forever just trying to remember what the next step was......with repetition that is not as frustrating any more ......Now I am just getting to where there might be as many as three projects going on but I dont see how people can work on several at one time. I used to think it was impossible but with repetition I can see how now........kind of like a chess player (seen on tv) that can walk around playing several games at once, I dont know if he can focus on alll games at once or just at a glance know what he needs to do.

[Chief31794]

I haven't messed up anything today and at my age I can't remember yesterday or before. Course it's only 7:00 AM so I've still got time to mess one up today. I don't call them mistakes, I call them new chew toys for my shop assistant Dixie. She loves bad leather projects (only if they haven't been dyed or finished yet.)

Chief

[Red Cent]

Project box. Hey, thanks.

[Double Daddy]

I read another poster on this forum refer to his "learning experience" box as the "doggy chew bin"...I kinda look at it the same way. Now...all I have to do is get a dog!...he/she will have plenty to keep them busy, that's for sure

[Slickhorn]

Not that I'm "experienced" or remotely "skilled," but I'll never forget a particular blunder about 7-8yrs ago. I was trying out a new 'minimalist' holster for one of my competition pistols, with a sort of stylized form. I had an idea for the a clip holster with lines that really fit the form of the holster. I had a local modern day blacksmith form a spring frame for it. The fading border dye trend was just coming on strong back then, and dying is always my kryptonite, so with all of these in play, I was nervous....

This thing went together beautifully, the fit and the lines were exactly how I wanted, the spring retention worked exactly how I had planned it, the dying went on clean and soft with a seamless fade from a near-black chocolate to a nice caramel blonde like a setting sun... First try on a prototype design and a dye job I'd never done before, and it worked perfectly... I threw on the final coat of sheen and hung it up to dry overnight... I couldn't believe how well it all worked out, and I was ECSTATIC it worked so well...

So the next morning, I ran out to the shop to give it a test run before work... My heart hit the floor... I was doomed from the start, and had spent my evenings for a couple days on a worthless venture... Clear back at the beginning, I forgot to install the spring belt clips!!!! I forget where it is these days, packed in a box or drawer somewhere, but I have a gorgeous holster with no way to carry it...

[TexasJack]

You haven't made enough sheaths or holsters until you've made one that came out left-handed when it was supposed to be right-handed (or vice versa).

I've got several that were sewn up before I realized I didn't sew on the belt loop.

But they are NOT mistakes: They have become "PROTOTYPES".

[chiefjason]

Yeah, I've got a box with a couple left handed holster backs waiting to be used. Got mad last week because I forgot to cut one left handed, then realized I HAD cut it left handed by accident. All's well that ends well. Made a holster for a Ruger Mk II and forgot to add a sight channel. Do you realize how big the sight is on a Mk II? Do your realize it's round on the front and sharp on the back? Went in just fine. Thought I was going to have to cut my gun out of that holster to get it back!

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Well this thread reads like only holster makers have learning experiences. Not so! We are human, that mean we have the ability to blow it once and a while. Been at it for over 20 years and still have reasons to become "creative" with projects. It's in our nature.

Bob

[Slickhorn]

I guess I'm lucky, I'm ambidextrous!!! So if/when I screw up and make the wrong hand, at least I might be able to use it myself! I have, however, given away some wrong handed holsters for guns I don't own, which isn't very many models, lol. I do have a tendency to cut out fronts or backs wrong side up from time to time though.

And Bob's right, it's not just holsters. I have a couple sets of tapaderos that require VERY TINY FEET!

It's all just more "practice" on various techniques though, right?

[malabar]

Well at lest I'm not the only one....

tk

I've still got an undyed right hand holster laying in my "project" box.

I finished sewing the doggone thing, . . . all formed and boned of course, . . . but could not kick the "nagging feeling" that something was not right.

Checked the fit, . . . AOK, . . . straps, . . . AOK, . . . dye I was going to use, . . . AOK, . . . anticipated fnal finish, . . . AOK.

Re-read the order and determined that I needed to make a new one, . . . this time for a left handed individual.

Some right handed fellow will come along some day.

May God bless,

Dwgiht

[Tramps Leatherworking]

I don't make mistakes --- I just learn new ways not to do something...

[cleanview]

AS far as the making a left instead of a right. One of my first attempts and valued lesson was a cowboy holster for my wife for Christmas. Sure enough it came out left handed But on the bright side at that time my wife had not made up her mind and would shoot right one week and left the next. SHe was proud of it I have it now and it is one ugly holster! I have thought about re working the edges and cleaingingit up some but I have that one and my very first one just to remind me what the first ones looked like. So If i make an ugly one now, I can assure myslef by proof that I have made uglier