Suggested tools for holster and belt making?

[MarkCdub]

It took me 2 years to make myself a strop.  I used a painters stir stick ( free or nearly nothing), 2 oz veg tanned leather scrap piece, green polishing compound from Harbour freight (can be bought nearly anywhere) 5 dollars for a "lifetime" supply.  I glued the leather flesh side to the stick, trimmed the edges when dry, and loaded with compound.  5 bucks and a couple minutes time and now I kick myself in the butt for not making one sooner!  All my tools run better, safer, more accurate, less struggle.  I took a used razor blade to the strop maybe 10 times and it cut better than new.  I stropped my edge beveler a few times and again, it cut so smooth it was like I was using a different tool.  I can't recommend making a strop enough and I wish I would have listened to the recommendation of others here on the forum.  They are cheap/easy to make, and they will readily increase your joy in leather working, especially when your able to slice your leather easier, cleaner, and more square.  I was constantly cutting my edges on an angle because the blades were dull and I was having to really fight the blade to move it through the leather.  Less clean up work in the end and less ruined leather.

Edited September 16, 2019 by MarkCdub

[mikesc]

^^^This.
The first thing to make when you begin leatherwork..is..a ..strop.

[zuludog]

Yes, a strop is just about the easiest piece of leatherwork you will do, and you generally make it early on. It will get you used to handling leather, and you will, of course, need it to sharpen the tools you need for other work. There is loads of information on this forum, and videos on YouTube about making a strop. It doesn't have to be absolutely brilliant & wonderful, just good enough; you can always make another one as you gain experience

I made one from a scrap piece of wood and some split leather that came as packing/wrapping for a delivery of better leather

I started out with Autosol metal polish as a stropping compound but that was a bit messy, so I changed to a bar of proper honing/stropping compound 

Recently I cleaned up my oilstones and made a bench hook for them. I also made a new strop that fitted on the bench hook

I've also made a sharpening board for sharpening edge bevellers, as shown on YT videos

[Scoutmom103]

7 hours ago, zuludog said:

Yes, a strop is just about the easiest piece of leatherwork you will do, and you generally make it early on. It will get you used to handling leather, and you will, of course, need it to sharpen the tools you need for other work. There is loads of information on this forum, and videos on YouTube about making a strop. It doesn't have to be absolutely brilliant & wonderful, just good enough; you can always make another one as you gain experience

I made one from a scrap piece of wood and some split leather that came as packing/wrapping for a delivery of better leather

I started out with Autosol metal polish as a stropping compound but that was a bit messy, so I changed to a bar of proper honing/stropping compound 

Recently I cleaned up my oilstones and made a bench hook for them. I also made a new strop that fitted on the bench hook

I've also made a sharpening board for sharpening edge bevellers, as shown on YT videos 

Would you please post a link to the YT videos showing the sharpening board for sharpening edge bevellers?    Also would you please post pics of your sharpening board.   

Thanks

[zuludog]

I'm sorry, but my computer skills are even worse than my leatherworking skills, and I don't know how to post those sort of links or pictures. I've said this before, so my apologies to anyone who finds this a bit tiresome, and it's getting frustrating for me, too

This computer I'm using is old, slow, and wobbly (not unlike its owner) but my plan for the coming winter is to buy a new computer and a few books, then lock myself away and try to catch up. However, back to sharpening -

Search YouTube for 'How to Sharpen an Edge Beveller'. There are several videos, including those by Tandy; lb custom knives; Harry Rogers; and Leathertoolz.  Here's how I made my sharpening board. The dimensions don't have to be absolutely accurate or precise -

Take a piece of plywood or similar board about 240mm X 160mm

Get a piece of vegetable tanned leather about 3 to 3,5mm thick. Bevel both sides of one edge. Cut off that edge 4mm wide and 190mm long. Glue down the strip on its flat edge, so the double - bevelled or domed edge is uppermost. This will give you a narrow strop that will fit into bevellers; as you use it, it will conform to the profile of your beveller

Glue down a length of braided nylon cord about 3mm diameter and190mm long, and a metal rod about 2,5 to 3mm diameter and 190mm long (brass/steel/aluminium is OK). These form a base for laying over some fine abrasive paper. I use 2,000 and 3,000 grit wet & dry paper, but you could use finer grit as well

I've added a piece of leather 180mm X 35mm to make a small strop; not strictly necessary as you could use your main strop, but it's convenient to have them together. Load this and the narrow strop with stropping compound. You can use metal polish, but I suggest you treat yourself to some proper stropping compound; a small bar is cheap enough and will last for ages

I used general purpose glue for this, and let it all set overnight. It looks very similar to that by lb custom knives

To sharpen the inside edge of a beveller - clamp it in a vice, using soft jaws or rag so you don't scratch the handle; plait 3 pieces of 18/3 linen thread about 500mm long; load it with compound and pull through the beveller

[Blackey Cole]

I didn’t read every reply so this might have been covered. At a time a few years back I was making holster day in day out.  The best informative video on western gun belts and holsters was done by bianici(sp) you were able to get it through leather crafters and saddle ans journal at one time that’s where I got my soppy and patterns until you learn what a good holster looks and fits like. Unless you going to make gun buckets and call them holsters big difference.  
 

‘’the other thing I found extremely helpful was a rotary tool that would hold a 1/16” twist drill bit unless you have a heavy duty sewing machine that will sew 1/2” leather. You can use an awlbut the drill bit is easier and faster. You will ever know if done correctly.

 

the last thing I recommend is blue gunforms of the models you plan on supporting.