Smith and Wesson J Frame Holster

[IngleGunLeather]

Just finished this up for a J frame. 

[battlemunky]

What I don't get about your stuff is how clean your wet forming is. Sewing, practice will get you clean, same with edges. Can you share how you get your impressions so tidy? I don't, and never do, see any rub marks or burnishing on any of your stuff. Your lines and creases are so straight and crisp.How? HOW DAMN IT!!!! :-)

Another wonderful piece, by the way.

[IngleGunLeather]

3 hours ago, battlemunky said:

What I don't get about your stuff is how clean your wet forming is. Sewing, practice will get you clean, same with edges. Can you share how you get your impressions so tidy? I don't, and never do, see any rub marks or burnishing on any of your stuff. Your lines and creases are so straight and crisp.How? HOW DAMN IT!!!! :-)

Another wonderful piece, by the way.

Thank you! I think it just came with time. And time itself is probably the best contributing factor. I allow myself enough time to work the leather. If you crease right after you get it out of the water and walk away from it thinking you're done, not going to get good results. The rule of casing leather applies here as well,not just floral carving or stamping.  As the leather reaches it's properly cased state, that's when you'll get the best results. I don't use a vacuum or press of any kind. For tools, I use my fingers, synthetic bone folder and a John Bianchi push beveler. Sometimes I'll use the handle of an edger to work the inside curves. That's about it. 

[battlemunky]

That makes your work even more interesting to me. Thanks for the answer and the advice contained in it.

 

Say hello to Camps LeJeune, Devil Dog, and Johnson for me.

[Double Daddy]

BattleMunky posed the exact same question I was wondering the other day while admiring the Kimber holster...except I was stuck at the office and it slipped my mind to ask you. Thanks, Ingle, for being so generous and free-giving with your methods. Most appreciated!

Typical excellent craftsmanship from you on the J-frame rig, BTW. 

Maybe you've mentioned this in other posts and I've just missed it...but...which leather stock do you use/prefer: drum dyed or natural and dye it yourself? If you dye it yourself, what method do you prefer (dip, airbrush, swathing with wool patches, etc)? Most of your work appears drum-dyed...just wondering...

[IngleGunLeather]

20 hours ago, battlemunky said:

That makes your work even more interesting to me. Thanks for the answer and the advice contained in it.

 

Say hello to Camps LeJeune, Devil Dog, and Johnson for me.

Thanks brother! Will do, I'm stuck on the air station at work today

[IngleGunLeather]

4 hours ago, Double Daddy said:

BattleMunky posed the exact same question I was wondering the other day while admiring the Kimber holster...except I was stuck at the office and it slipped my mind to ask you. Thanks, Ingle, for being so generous and free-giving with your methods. Most appreciated!

Typical excellent craftsmanship from you on the J-frame rig, BTW. 

Maybe you've mentioned this in other posts and I've just missed it...but...which leather stock do you use/prefer: drum dyed or natural and dye it yourself? If you dye it yourself, what method do you prefer (dip, airbrush, swathing with wool patches, etc)? Most of your work appears drum-dyed...just wondering...

Than you! And I enjoy being able to share what I know. After all, several have and still help me. As far as leathers go, I prefer either natural undyed vegetable tanned Hermann Oak or Wickett & Craig. The J frame here was made with "b" grade Hermann Oak. It's a great leather and I have used it for just about everything I've ever done until recently. I ordered a side of W&C to try it out. Very noticeable differences between them. The W&C has a very tight top grain and has a rubbery density to it. It takes some getting used to but the results have been really nice. However, I've just found another retailer that carries "a" grade Hermann Oak and I just ordered a side of it. I've used HO "a" grades in the past as well and I have no doubt I'll be going back to that  exclusively. 

The method I have found that works best for me is to apply dye with an airbrush. I don't do enough work to justify buying in large quantities for dip dyeing, or the storage space necessary for that method. So, I spray a base coat on with an airbrush. After I finish molding, I spray another coat or two. This puts dye in the pores that are opened up when the leather is flexed during the molding and shaping process. It also provides a consistent shade. 

Below is an example of one that I didn't do this way and it has light and dark areas. The J frame pictured above was done in the manner I just described. Both of these holsters were done with the same batch of Fiebing's Pro Dark Brown. I still don't think it looks bad,but look at the areas around the hard edges (trigger guard etc) and see how the dye is a lighter shade than the body. 

Edited October 22, 2017 by IngleGunLeather
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[Double Daddy]

Wow! And here I was, soaking my old Paasche airbrushes, getting them out of mothballs just so I could spray clear coat (Resolene cut 50/50) without having the streaks, etc that I was getting with brushing. Now I gotta buy more spare glass bottles...thanks for the info! 

[KingsCountyLeather]

Hi, I’m only new to Leather craft. Your work looks amazing!  Your stitching is what I’m more interested in... do you sew your leather while it is cased too?

[IngleGunLeather]

37 minutes ago, Double Daddy said:

Wow! And here I was, soaking my old Paasche airbrushes, getting them out of mothballs just so I could spray clear coat (Resolene cut 50/50) without having the streaks, etc that I was getting with brushing. Now I gotta buy more spare glass bottles...thanks for the info! 

Lol, I get mine from Amazon

[IngleGunLeather]

39 minutes ago, KingsCountyLeather said:

Hi, I’m only new to Leather craft. Your work looks amazing!  Your stitching is what I’m more interested in... do you sew your leather while it is cased too?

Thank you. Leather needs to be completely dry.

[Double Daddy]

I will pick your brain, Ingle, a bit more concerning the dyeing technique...how would you modify your sequence if the customer requested contrasting stitching (white thread on tan, dark brown or black leather)? It seems to me that airbrush dyeing after the sewing and molding would work against that goal. Maybe you don't get many requests for such an item...or simply don't offer it as an option to simplify things for yourself...a lot of my customers ask for the option. 

[IngleGunLeather]

9 minutes ago, Double Daddy said:

I will pick your brain, Ingle, a bit more concerning the dyeing technique...how would you modify your sequence if the customer requested contrasting stitching (white thread on tan, dark brown or black leather)? It seems to me that airbrush dyeing after the sewing and molding would work against that goal. Maybe you don't get many requests for such an item...or simply don't offer it as an option to simplify things for yourself...a lot of my customers ask for the option. 

I do offer that, and up until recently I didn't have any issues. Not sure what changed,but I started getting uneven shades. I just recently started applying dye after molding after seeing some streaking. Still trying to pinpoint the actual cause, but it's fixed the problem temporarily. Before I started dyeing after molding...

I think I'll saturate as much as possible before stitching when I try this again.

[SouthernCross]

Did someone mention Camp Lejeune and devil-dogs?  Ingle, are you stationed at Lejeune? 

Beautiful work, BTW.

Edited October 22, 2017 by SouthernCross

[IngleGunLeather]

2 hours ago, SouthernCross said:

Did someone mention Camp Lejeune and devil-dogs?  Ingle, are you stationed at Lejeune? 

Beautiful work, BTW.

Thank you. At New River Air Station.

[SouthernCross]

Outstanding!   I'm in eastern NC myself.  Used to work at FRC East at Cherry Point. 

PM sent.

[battlemunky]

I was at Lejeune (Lejeune, and Johnson) for 2 years and Cherry Point for two. Never got onto New River but drove past it a lot on the way to I-95.

[KingsCountyLeather]

On 21/10/2017 at 2:21 PM, IngleGunLeather said:

Just finished this up for a J frame. 

Can you tell me what Thread you used on this holster please?

[IngleGunLeather]

1 hour ago, KingsCountyLeather said:

Can you tell me what Thread you used on this holster please?

Absolutely. That's black bonded nylon. 207 top and bottom with a 160/23 leather point needle.