Newbie starts the first pattern

[coma44]

Well I went to the local Tandy store south of Hartford CT last week after work and picked up some basic tools and one of the on sale double butt vegetable tanned 7-9 ounce . I ordered a few things to help me draw out patterns. After a week of watching videos and reading threads here I decided to make a holster for my M1X Olight daily carry flashlight. So far I have the shape down and I still have to make the stitch pattern and trace back pattern and cut into the other pattern parts. It was not as hard as I thought it was going to be so far I have about an hour and 20 minutes in this part of the process. Let me know if you see any glowing errors so far.

[coma44]

close up

[ScoobyNewbie]

Cool!

[DJole]

I always have to remind myself that paper is flat, and leather is not, so you have to take the thickness of the leather into account. If you've done that, you're ahead of the game!

[coma44]

6 hours ago, DJole said:

I always have to remind myself that paper is flat, and leather is not, so you have to take the thickness of the leather into account. If you've done that, you're ahead of the game!

Yea I am working on that part before I make the "stitch lines" and cut the pattern up to make the separate pieces of the pattern. Have to watch the video again to be sure I am doing the stitch pattern correct. Also looking at the picture I think the bottom needs to be stepped in a little glad there is these fancy erasers now a days.

 

[JLSleather]

You mention "the video" repeatedly, but you didn't say what video you are 'winning' from.

I'm one who has always found videos to be little more than mindless ADVERTISING 'photo ops' for the video provider, with very few exceptions.  I have seen people comment on various videos, only to then go make their own video covering exactly the same thing  

But I'm always willing to be shown one that actually has merit.  In fact, I've been willing - more than once - in the past to collect the ones people thought were "good" into one place.  I thought, and hoped, that would save people some time sorting through hours and hours of endless dross to find that one narrow sliver of valid information that occurs .. well .. rarely.  Last time I tried that around here resulted in some [supposedly] grown 'men' ranting and pouting like teenage girls who thought they weren't getting all the attention

BUT .. hey, I'll try it again.  You have a nice lay-out there - clean, organized setup for designing.  I'm a graph paper guy myself (though I don't often scale in mm).  You wanna share with us the "good" video?  

[coma44]

1 hour ago, JLSleather said:

You mention "the video" repeatedly, but you didn't say what video you are 'winning' from.

I'm one who has always found videos to be little more than mindless ADVERTISING 'photo ops' for the video provider, with very few exceptions.  I have seen people comment on various videos, only to then go make their own video covering exactly the same thing  

But I'm always willing to be shown one that actually has merit.  In fact, I've been willing - more than once - in the past to collect the ones people thought were "good" into one place.  I thought, and hoped, that would save people some time sorting through hours and hours of endless dross to find that one narrow sliver of valid information that occurs .. well .. rarely.  Last time I tried that around here resulted in some [supposedly] grown 'men' ranting and pouting like teenage girls who thought they weren't getting all the attention

BUT .. hey, I'll try it again.  You have a nice lay-out there - clean, organized setup for designing.  I'm a graph paper guy myself (though I don't often scale in mm).  You wanna share with us the "good" video?  

I would agree on that whole statement I have seen this with most of the "Video guides" in just about every topic you can name. But for me I have to at least see the methods other people use. So after watching about 10 videos this one helped the most to wrap my head around laying out the stitching lines. Just watched it again at break and figured out how I plan to get there.  https://www.learnleather.com/shop/perfect-holster-stitch-line/

You would be past this is my guess so be ready to fast forward some of the video. 

The video explained  it well and I think my adapted method will be good. Basically he started with a base line he calls zero and marks every thing out from there to get his stitch lines for the trigger guard side of the holster. Since the flash light is round with only one diameter change I will be working off the center and usung one half of the measurement split on center (quarter each side of my center line of the flashlight). since I measured this with the same leather I will be using mathematicaly it should be correct. 

But if you see any flaws please feel free to let me know, I like learning as much as I can and I am willing to listen to pointers. 

This leather game gets expensive fast but so far I am cheaper than buying what I want to make. 

 

[Hildebrand]

There are a few things that I have found to help get a pattern right the first time, the first holster I made I couldn't even get the gun in after I sewed it up.

First I try to draw up a pattern over a few days.  It always seems like when I walk away for awhile and come back I see something I want to change just a little.  Seems like if I do it in stages the overall finished product comes out better.

Then when I have it where I think it is right, including the stitch lines I make a copy and cut it out and spray glue it to a piece of corrugated cardboard(pretty much mimics the thickness of leather)(I can't take credit for that tip I found it on here).  Now wrap the cardboard with your pattern around your object and see if the stitch lines fall where they should, you can tweak it a little if they are off.  This step can save a lot of leather, especially with holsters.

I am only a little over a year back into this addiction called leather work.  I have learned more on this forum than anywhere else.  All I can say is there are some real masters of the craft here both the carving side and the holster/case side.

Todd

[JLSleather]

9 minutes ago, coma44 said:

I have to at least see the methods other people use.

That's a great point.  Sometimes, a guy kin learn even by seeing something done wrong!  I sometimes upload a pic of my mistakes, maybe help the next guy avoid making the same ones!

Every so often a fella will ask me how long it took before I stopped making mistakes.  My answer still is always "i'll let you know"!

 

11 minutes ago, coma44 said:

I will be working off the center and usung one half of the measurement split on center (quarter each side of my center line of the flashlight

Okay, I admit I had to read this part twice.  But, I 'git it' .. yer makin' sense

Since that video is over an hour, maybe have to check it out later.  Thanks for tellin' us where you got yer info - - you'll be amazed at just how many don't want to do that simple thing.

[coma44]

Quote

 

54 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

That's a great point.  Sometimes, a guy kin learn even by seeing something done wrong!  I sometimes upload a pic of my mistakes, maybe help the next guy avoid making the same ones!

Every so often a fella will ask me how long it took before I stopped making mistakes.  My answer still is always "i'll let you know"!

 

 

My Dad taught me this long time ago, basically he said pay attention to how people do things, especially when you see failures.

Quote

Thanks for tellin' us where you got yer info - - you'll be amazed at just how many don't want to do that simple thing

 

 Welcome, and again my dad said work with people you will learn more.

Edited January 31, 2019 by coma44
Adding JLS

[coma44]

48 minutes ago, Hildebrand said:

There are a few things that I have found to help get a pattern right the first time, the first holster I made I couldn't even get the gun in after I sewed it up.

First I try to draw up a pattern over a few days.  It always seems like when I walk away for awhile and come back I see something I want to change just a little.  Seems like if I do it in stages the overall finished product comes out better.

Then when I have it where I think it is right, including the stitch lines I make a copy and cut it out and spray glue it to a piece of corrugated cardboard(pretty much mimics the thickness of leather)(I can't take credit for that tip I found it on here).  Now wrap the cardboard with your pattern around your object and see if the stitch lines fall where they should, you can tweak it a little if they are off.  This step can save a lot of leather, especially with holsters.

I am only a little over a year back into this addiction called leather work.  I have learned more on this forum than anywhere else.  All I can say is there are some real masters of the craft here both the carving side and the holster/case side.

Todd

That is exactly why I stopped last night, I could have pushed through and finished but, once i looked at the picture this morning I saw two places I want to make improvements. Also since I did not remember the exact steps i saw in the video last week I figured give it a rest and get the correct information, you end up wasting less time this way in my experience building things.

 

And thanks for the tip on double checking the stitch lines with the pattern I will use that for sure.

 

Dave

Edited January 31, 2019 by coma44

[bermudahwin]

11 hours ago, DJole said:

I always have to remind myself that paper is flat, and leather is not, so you have to take the thickness of the leather into account. If you've done that, you're ahead of the game!

It's not just that, its also that you're laying out on 2 dimensions a final object that is 3 dimensions.

Al Stolman covers this well in his books on making cases.

You need the finished inside to be just big enough to put the flashlight into and more importantly take it out of. I can (but never do) put Pringles in the tube, but I can't get my hand in to get them out . And with the loops it looks belt mounted so you don't want to do a handstand to get the flashlight out.

Its good seeing someone using French Curves for drawing, I still have some, but no idea where. In the us are they Freedom Curves, like the fries?

Best

H

 

[coma44]

24 minutes ago, hwinbermuda said:

It's not just that, its also that you're laying out on 2 dimensions a final object that is 3 dimensions.

Al Stolman covers this well in his books on making cases.

You need the finished inside to be just big enough to put the flashlight into and more importantly take it out of. I can (but never do) put Pringles in the tube, but I can't get my hand in to get them out . And with the loops it looks belt mounted so you don't want to do a handstand to get the flashlight out.

Its good seeing someone using French Curves for drawing, I still have some, but no idea where. In the us are they Freedom Curves, like the fries?

Best

H

 

I have the hand stitching book and the leather tools book from  Stolman still reading the stitching one and only skimmed the tool book so far, the cases book on the list,  but right now I have enough to learn with stitching and pattern making for holsters and all things gun related I will be some time before I make any cases. 

Yea I want the light to be secure but would like it to snick in and out so that was the reason for holding off on the stitch lines, at least until I got my head wrapped around how to get there.

French curves are indeed called Freedom curves here  .....I had given mine away 30 odd years ago when i finished High School drafting class, so i bought a cheap set on amazon. 

[Dun]

I'm going to give those super colorful foam craft sheets a try for pattern making and lining up stitch marks. Folds and creases have been out doing my estimation abilities

[coma44]

13 minutes ago, Dun said:

I'm going to give those super colorful foam craft sheets a try for pattern making and lining up stitch marks. Folds and creases have been out doing my estimation abilities

I like that Idea as well. 

This place is full of people who like to think, and that is rare these days

 

[JLSleather]

Might also check this one.  Takes a few minutes.  Well, 12 and 1/2 actually

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PdKDmcmu8k

 

 

[coma44]

6 hours ago, JLSleather said:

 You have a nice lay-out there - clean, organized setup for designing.  I'm a graph paper guy myself (though I don't often scale in mm). 

The "drafting board" is a 29$ cheap one from amazon it is a "foreign" A3 size board but that means it just fits the 11 x 17 graph paper. The good thing about the metric system is it is whole numbers no fractions to convert so it takes out a step.

https://www.amazon.com/Multifuctional-Ergonomic-Adjustable-Stationary-Architectural/dp/B07H3QFRZ1/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1548970016&sr=8-5&keywords=a3+drawing+board

I am a prototype machinist so converting numbers is something I do everyday all day, it is now automatic for me. But doing this stuff I can see the metric system being faster. Less mental gymnastics on numbers means I can pay attention to the design and procedures better.

[coma44]

8 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

Might also check this one.  Takes a few minutes.  Well, 12 and 1/2 actually

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PdKDmcmu8k

 

 

That is a good one too.  I watched part of it last week and forgot to get back to it.

[coma44]

I did some more work this weekend on the holster for my flashlight. Cut out the pattern for the front and back and then cut some leather. it is going to take some practice with the knife and I think some tweeking on the sharpness of the stock razor knife I have to help me cut smoother lines and curves. I have a good set of wet stones just going to make a guide to hold the razor blade at correct angle so I can Polish the edge to perfection. 

Edited February 11, 2019 by coma44
added information

[coma44]

Then I put some dye on the flesh side or the inside of the holster

[coma44]

And two medium coats on the grain side. I bought the regular (cheap) dye for my first several projects so the dye job might be better but over all I am happy for a first try. It won't let me add the next picture yet so more later. 

Edited February 11, 2019 by coma44
spelling typo

[coma44]

Grain side

[Reegesc]

On 1/31/2019 at 8:49 AM, JLSleather said:

You mention "the video" repeatedly, but you didn't say what video you are 'winning' from.

I'm one who has always found videos to be little more than mindless ADVERTISING 'photo ops' for the video provider, with very few exceptions.  I have seen people comment on various videos, only to then go make their own video covering exactly the same thing  

But I'm always willing to be shown one that actually has merit.  In fact, I've been willing - more than once - in the past to collect the ones people thought were "good" into one place.  I thought, and hoped, that would save people some time sorting through hours and hours of endless dross to find that one narrow sliver of valid information that occurs .. well .. rarely.  Last time I tried that around here resulted in some [supposedly] grown 'men' ranting and pouting like teenage girls who thought they weren't getting all the attention

BUT .. hey, I'll try it again.  You have a nice lay-out there - clean, organized setup for designing.  I'm a graph paper guy myself (though I don't often scale in mm).  You wanna share with us the "good" video?  

 

This holster video has pretty good content, about as good as yours, but of course not anywhere near as generous (I think you have enough free pattern positive karma credits to last five lifetimes, but then again who knows what kind of deficit you racked up in the previous five?)  Content and generosity aside, what makes this video so interesting is this guy's speech and accent.  It's unlike any you've heard before, well at least for me and plenty of others commenting the same.   Couple his accent with ..how do I describe it.?...an "aristocratic articulation delivered with a sonorous timbre".  The guy is mesmerizing.  Yeah, it's strange to me also just trying to describe it, but I could listen to this guy all day long.