Lining opinions

[CaptQuirk]

That is some beautiful work John. Is that shoulder cuts? And what about the cartridge loops?

[Josh Ashman]

Thanks! I buy leather by the side and keep most everything cut from the "top" 2/3's. I'll use the bottom 1/3, aka the belly for linings and the like to some small degree, but I try to be careful as using inferior leather can ruin a whole project. I don't remember exactly where those would have been cut from but more than likely they're from the back or the butt. The cartridge loops are from 4/5 leather, again I try to stay clear from the belly as it's too stretchy. Especially in that light of a weight. 

All the best, Josh

[Red Bear Haraldsson]

On 9/4/2016 at 10:14 AM, CaptQuirk said:

Red Bear, Yeah I actually have that PDF, and it looks like the whole skirted holster has the lining. Wasn't sure if that was the norm, or just his preference.

Figure 32, page 12 Jim stops the lining just above the loop, as seen in the picture. He says it is more trouble than it is worth to line the skirt all the way down.

Josh, Jim, and JLS (and more than a dozen others here...) are all painting masterpieces. I'm still coloring with crayons.

I want to do a lined Mexican Loop holster, but I'm going to stop my lining where Jim stopped his. The loop still give me troubles with just one layer. If I were to go all the way down the skirt, I would probably cut a window in the lining to encompass both loops and skive in around the inner edge so the loops themselves are one layer, but the skirt still is beefy.

But, if you are just doing the skirt as a belt loop, like you said, I don't see any reason not to line it all the way down either.

Show us what you come up with!

[JLSleather]

I might be missing something in that thing Jim put in there.  I've looked at it before, but didn't really pay too much attention just yet.  So then, in that figure 32, he's talking about NOT lining the entire skirt, but he's actually making an UNlined holster.  And when he gets down further, making the LINED holster, it looks like he DID line the entire skirt (figures 87 and 89).

Now, a guy could stop the lining where he talks about back at fig 32... and the stiffness I was talking about would be aided by the shaping of the skirt around the body of the holster (much like forming and putting bends in sheet metal makes it more rigid).  If you taper the edge of the lining (where it stops) and sew around it as suggested, that would work.  The "stop" would be hidden on teh back side, and the stitch line would be hidden behind the bucket of the holster.

Hopefully, though, you're  burnishing those slots whether they are lined or not - making that part of things a non-issue.

Adding - as for "masterpieces"... It's getting that season where time is at a premium... but in the world of holsters made for revolvers, I try not to miss too much of what Josh is talking about

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2016 by JLSleather

[bikermutt07]

"Josh, Jim, and JLS (and more than a dozen others here...) are all painting masterpieces. I'm still coloring with crayons."

I'm still scribbling on concrete with rocks.

[Red Bear Haraldsson]

1 hour ago, JLSleather said:

And when he gets down further, making the LINED holster, it looks like he DID line the entire skirt (figures 87 and 89).

He did here, because the holster (in those figures) is held to the skirt with the strap mount, not the Mexican Loop. He switches back and forth between holsters throughout the directions depending on what he wants to show.

I may do that version instead of the Mexican Loop... less fiddly-bits.

[JLSleather]

Right you are -- I didn't go down far enough to see that.  Actually, I've done it both ways, and I prefer the lining on the ones where the strap is  added separately (no loop).  The lining helps the skirt to remain flat (or, if you like, with a slight curve put in when you line it).

 

[Craig44]

I don't do linings as I don't particularly care for them. Pig skin would be my choice but it tends to wear out before the rest of the holster. I completely dye, burnish and finish my flesh sides as seen here. They're almost as smooth as the hair side.