MalletMan Report post Posted January 27, 2016 Sorry Gary, I got your two names mixed up. The first paragraph was supposed to be to Josh and the second one was to you, ugh. I have dyslexia and it messes with words as well as letters because I have it so badly. Anyway, I bend my holsters without wetting them. Even the very thick 11-12 oz I used on this acorn holster. I just do it slowly, then put weight on it overnight to get it to stay, that plus having the liner glued to the fold helps it to stay put. I guess I could try wetting it first. Do you get the whole thing wet? Do you just get the fold wet? Do you get the whole cover soaking wet, or just the tanned surface pretty wet? I figured it would leave a water stain if I just got the fold part wet, and getting the whole thing wet seemed like overkill, so I just bent it without wetting it, lol? Looking forward to seeing your wallet Gary. Have a great day! Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Josh Ashman Report post Posted January 27, 2016 Bob, The hammer I use is a CS Osborne Shoe Hammer like the one pictured below. The method is pretty straight forward, apply the cement to both pieces. Let it dry for 10 minutes or so, or whatever the can says. Put the 2 pieces together and tap them with the hammer all over to ensure they are fully cemented together, I do this on my tooling slab and tap the liner not the finished side. Wet the fold with a sponge feathering out to the sides if I think it needs it. Fold the holster over, if the inside starts to wrinkle open it up enough that you can rub the wrinkles out. Rub don't tap, watch out for burnishing the leather. Use the hammer face or handle or a glass slicker. Once you're happy with the fold then glue the mainseam, with a welt if you're using one, and sew it up. I scrolled through the pictures I have on my computer and found the one below of a lined holster. I generally don't bother with lining them, but on this one for whatever reason I did. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the inside but it was wrinkle free. It was lined with veg tan HO and not the pigskin like you use so that may make a difference. Smoothing wrinkles out of leather with something smooth and using contact cement are standards in western saddle making and in my opinion they transfer well to all leather working. All the best, Josh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
garypl Report post Posted January 27, 2016 Bob, like Josh stated, I only wet the fold to get it flexible enough to easily bend, then clamp it or put a weight on the piece to hold it until it dries. Josh - that is a beautiful holster you made! I hope to reach that level some day - will take lots of practice! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MalletMan Report post Posted January 28, 2016 Holy Smokes Josh!! Now "That" is a nice holster. I can tell you have been at this a while. Yeah, it may be that the pig skin liner is thinner, it is very thin, like 1/64th to 1/32nd" inch thick! I don't think it would be possible to glue it flat and then bend it without a wrinkle. I will try your method using a 2-3oz liner, leather, and see how it turns out. I'm sure the hammering and smoothing would make it stick better than just pressing the pieces together. Where did you get your glass smoother? Does Tandy carry them? Thanks, and great job there! Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Josh Ashman Report post Posted January 28, 2016 Bob, If you google search "glass slicker for leather" you'll get several different results and ideas for how to get one. You can buy them from Amazon or Sheridan Leather, or you can find a local glass shop and have them make you one, they would likely do it for next to nothing. My "glass" slicker isn't glass, it's a rectangular piece of cocobolo wood with all of the edges rounded, fine sanded then polished. Thanks for the kind words about that holster. All the best, Josh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MalletMan Report post Posted January 28, 2016 Your welcome Josh for the kind words. You deserve it! And thank you for the info. I do think glass would be the best slicker because... it's so slick, hahaha I will do a search for one. I just have a plastic one and a wooden one with various sized groves. It works, technically, but I'm sure glass would do better. Have a good one! Bob Your welcome Josh for the kind words. You deserve it! And thank you for the info. I do think glass would be the best slicker because... it's so slick, hahaha I will do a search for one. I just have a plastic one and a wooden one with various sized groves. It works, technically, but I'm sure glass would do better. Have a good one! Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
