New holster attempts

[planefixr]

First off, Great work. I am getting ready to try and make my first holster. I ironically have a makarov. How much leather did it take to make the holster for you makarov, and how did you go about making the pattern?

thanks

[Peterk]

Thanks for your fast reply.

I have owned a saddle shop/ gun shop now for over 30 years and all this time have done saddle and general leather repaire. I have a nice leather shop with all the tools and sewing machines you could want. In the last few months I got tired of my holster makers taking months to get a order togeather so I said I can do that I have all the tools how hard can it be.(HA) I'm having no trouble with orders and the customers really like my holsters they keep coming back for more I just can't get that pressed mold look that I keep trying for. I bought a couple of vaccum machines and they help but still not perfect I still do a lot of hand rubbing. What does the dish det. do I have heard of this but not tried it yet?? Any way one day I will post some of my stuff and maybe even get a question or too. I am new to this site and it is great!!!!

Thanks again Mike.

I would love to get my hands on that sewing machine! Hand sewing is a rather painful operation. :-)

The Dish detergent is used to break surface tension of the water so it can be absorped by the leather easier and more evenly. Don't know if it is true, but scientifically speaking it makes sense, and it has worked so far so why not.

I use my fingers mostly for the initial molding of the outlines when the leather is still damp. As the leather dries you will be able to put more and more details into it and have it retain. I have thought about getting the press and molding foam to get the initial shape as others have done, but really see no need after I made my first few.

Post your results when you can! I already have several orders after posting pictures on other forums and I only wanted to do this as a hobby... There is never any lack of people wanting quality, custom leather works.

Good luck!

[Peterk]

First off, Great work. I am getting ready to try and make my first holster. I ironically have a makarov. How much leather did it take to make the holster for you makarov, and how did you go about making the pattern?

thanks

Makarovs are great guns to start with I believe, because they are small enough to not require too much leather, and they lend themselves to numerous design options. For my first Makarov holster I used probably a 12"x7" piece of leather to make a fold over style. For the second one with loops, I used about a square foot of leather because of the extra length needed for the loop straps.

These two sites is where I get my pattern design procedures from. I use a combination of both depending on what I am making.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=5696

http://www.jdlawhon.com/beltslide.html

Good luck!

[Bree]

I think you did a great job on the holsters! My guns would love to reside in one of those holsters!!

The idea about using the wood chisels is really good. I have loads of them in many sizes and I never thought about using them to create oblong slots. What a terrific and simple idea! At $40+ an oblong punch, you may have saved me a lot of $$$ for punches that I don't really need.

[Peterk]

I think you did a great job on the holsters! My guns would love to reside in one of those holsters!!

The idea about using the wood chisels is really good. I have loads of them in many sizes and I never thought about using them to create oblong slots. What a terrific and simple idea! At $40+ an oblong punch, you may have saved me a lot of $$$ for punches that I don't really need.

Thanks Bree, yeah that chisel idea is great, and with my homedepot gift cards I don't even have to spend money.

I think I will still get an oblong punch though simply to get a clean, one-stop process to cut the slots. I will reserve the drill/round punch plus chisel option for extra thick belts that the oblong-cut slots won't accommodate.

[Bree]

Thanks Bree, yeah that chisel idea is great, and with my homedepot gift cards I don't even have to spend money.

I think I will still get an oblong punch though simply to get a clean, one-stop process to cut the slots. I will reserve the drill/round punch plus chisel option for extra thick belts that the oblong-cut slots won't accommodate.

I was thinking about the times when you need an oblong slot of some odd size that you will probably never ever will need again. It is so much easier and cheaper to just punch and chisel it than ordering a new oblong, waiting for it to be delivered, honing it up, and punching one or two holes.

[dickf]

The chisel is soooo sharp, you can lightly 'walk' it across the length of the slot and then almost push it through with needing to tap it home. And, chisels are relatively cheap.

[Peterk]

The chisel is soooo sharp, you can lightly 'walk' it across the length of the slot and then almost push it through with needing to tap it home. And, chisels are relatively cheap.

I think I have read somewhere that Osborne oblong punches don't come sharpened... Is this true? They seem to be a cut above in terms of quality than the Midas or Tandy-sold punches, but if they don't come sharpened that is another chore to deal with... Besides, how do you sharpen them? Stropping?

I was thinking about the times when you need an oblong slot of some odd size that you will probably never ever will need again. It is so much easier and cheaper to just punch and chisel it than ordering a new oblong, waiting for it to be delivered, honing it up, and punching one or two holes.

True, true!

Edited December 4, 2008 by Peterk

[Peterk]

Got a set of various sized wood chisels from Home Depot last night to give it a try. It worked great! I had to make allowences to match the cut the chisel makes with the initial holes I punched (The cut is a bit wider than expected), but all in all the cut was fast and clean. I was cutting a 1.5" slot but I couldn't find a chisel in that width, so I had to do a couple of cuts then clean with knife.

Anyway, thanks for the chisel tip! Now if someone could tell me how to bevel the edges of the slots to make them asthetically pleasing that would be great! I can't fit the edger in there.

Peter

[dbusarow]

Anyway, thanks for the chisel tip! Now if someone could tell me how to bevel the edges of the slots to make them asthetically pleasing that would be great! I can't fit the edger in there.

Peter

I'm using the tip of my burnisher (piece of white tail antler). Hold it at a 45 degree angle and go to town.

Dan