Another Holster for the Scrap Pile

[garypl]

Well I was almost finished making a holster for a customer’s S&W M29 revolver and when I sewed the seam things went south quickly.

The thickness I was sewing was 3/4” with two layers of really hard temper veg tan for the welt.  I was using 346 thread and #26 needle in CB4500.  About 1” into the seam the needle deflected and came out the side, hit the needle plate and broke.  Tried it again and deflected again - the leather was so hard the needle was bending.  Finally gave up, removed all the thread and hand sewed it, but the damage was done, so I am keeping this to remind myself not to use such a thick welt.

I used a pattern from Stohlman’s book for a 357 revolver and I think it might have been for a K frame and not an N frame.  This is why I added the thick welt so the N frame would go in far enough.

Lesson learned - I will make my own pattern for the second holster and add a little width to allow use of a thinner welt.  Live and learn!

 

 

 

[Hags]

I've had that happen. Bummer..

[JLSleather]

I'm gonna GUESS that if you broke a needle that heavy, most likely the holster sewing area wasn't perpendicular to the travel of the needle bar.  Meaning either not flat, or allowed to "rock" while sewing, causing it to come out different spot on teh back than on the front

But if that pattern is the one from the "how to make holsters" book, which it looks like, that holster is  better suited to an L frame revolver (fits a 686 right nice)

Edited December 20, 2021 by JLSleather

[garypl]

45 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

I'm gonna GUESS that if you broke a needle that heavy, most likely the holster sewing area wasn't perpendicular to the travel of the needle bar.  Meaning either not flat, or allowed to "rock" while sewing, causing it to come out different spot on teh back than on the front

But if that pattern is the one from the "how to make holsters" book, which it looks like, that holster is  better suited to an L frame revolver (fits a 686 right nice)

I think both of your comments are right on.  I was trying to keep the edge perpendicular but when the edge is that thick it doesn’t take much of an angle to end up coming out the edge!  I did use the pattern from the How to Make Holsters book and I agree that  it is a bit small for an N frame.  A friend of mine suggested adding 3/4” to the pattern dimensions to allow for a thinner welt and to move the stitch line in a little more.  Always learning something new…

Edited December 20, 2021 by garypl

[Lobo]

You have a scrap pile? My dogs always had chew toys.

[AzShooter]

I like the holster. Tooling is very nice.  Someday I'm going to try to tool one of my holsters.

 

[garypl]

6 hours ago, Lobo said:

You have a scrap pile? My dogs always had chew toys.

My dog is so small she would have a hard time fitting it in her mouth!

6 hours ago, AzShooter said:

I like the holster. Tooling is very nice.  Someday I'm going to try to tool one of my holsters.

 

Thanks, my scrap pile has a few tooled pieces to remind me how not to tool!  

[chuck123wapati]

12 hours ago, garypl said:

Well I was almost finished making a holster for a customer’s S&W M29 revolver and when I sewed the seam things went south quickly.

The thickness I was sewing was 3/4” with two layers of really hard temper veg tan for the welt.  I was using 346 thread and #26 needle in CB4500.  About 1” into the seam the needle deflected and came out the side, hit the needle plate and broke.  Tried it again and deflected again - the leather was so hard the needle was bending.  Finally gave up, removed all the thread and hand sewed it, but the damage was done, so I am keeping this to remind myself not to use such a thick welt.

I used a pattern from Stohlman’s book for a 357 revolver and I think it might have been for a K frame and not an N frame.  This is why I added the thick welt so the N frame would go in far enough.

Lesson learned - I will make my own pattern for the second holster and add a little width to allow use of a thinner welt.  Live and learn!

 

 

 

Thats a club we are all in and a  pile we all own. lol

I've used a couple of his also. The lesson i got out of my mistakes is to make a pattern from heavy weight card stock type paper then i can wrap it and test the fit before cutting leather. 

[TomE]

I know nothing about holsters, except that is pretty work.  I've had problems with rolled straps rolling under the presser foot and causing needle strikes.  I now leave about 3/4" of filler strip exposed and tack a leather piece under the exposed filler to shim it.  After sewing, I trim the filler flush and finish shaping the piece in a rein rounder.  Would it help to use a wider welt and trim it later?

[JLSleather]

Sewing on the 4500, you could try one or t'other...

either sew QUITE slow which allows time for the lower feed dog to get into position, or cut your pattern about half an inch WIDE on the BACK side, makes it easier to keep the holster level when sewing .... check out page FIVE of your STohlman book

 

[garypl]

12 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

Sewing on the 4500, you could try one or t'other...

either sew QUITE slow which allows time for the lower feed dog to get into position, or cut your pattern about half an inch WIDE on the BACK side, makes it easier to keep the holster level when sewing .... check out page FIVE of your STohlman book

 

I normally do go very slow but I think the main problem is sewing too close to the edge on this thick of leather.  Next time I will leave the back piece wider to provide the extra support and hopefully will have a better result to post!

 

10 hours ago, TomE said:

I know nothing about holsters, except that is pretty work.  I've had problems with rolled straps rolling under the presser foot and causing needle strikes.  I now leave about 3/4" of filler strip exposed and tack a leather piece under the exposed filler to shim it.  After sewing, I trim the filler flush and finish shaping the piece in a rein rounder.  Would it help to use a wider welt and trim it later?

Yes & Yes - need to make it wider for better support - made a mental note to myself about this, now if only I can remember it!

[garypl]

10 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

Thats a club we are all in and a  pile we all own. lol

I've used a couple of his also. The lesson i got out of my mistakes is to make a pattern from heavy weight card stock type paper then i can wrap it and test the fit before cutting leather. 

Chuck - I did make a heavy paper pattern and thought it would fit easier but obviously I miscalculated!  I am going to use a similar patter again but this time I will expand it another 3/4" around the edges and trim after I sew.

 

[alpha2]

Shame, 'cause that is one nice holster!

[garypl]

1 hour ago, alpha2 said:

Shame, 'cause that is one nice holster!

Thank you - I think I will use the same design for the carving, just make the whole holster a bit larger.

[Dwight]

THAT experience is exactly why I do not use patterns from books . . . magazines . . . etc . . . except for the general pattern of the object.

I ALWAYS cut my holsters  a 1/4 inch of so bigger on that outside edge until I am absolutely certain of the fit . . . then I trim it back.  

My trimming pile never has stampings . . . etchings . . . painting . . . etc . . . 

And so far . . . knock on wood . . . I haven't had to toss a holster such as the OP's .

Mom always did that with her patterns for the clothing she made us as kids . . . and I just picked up the habit from her.

May God bless,

Dwight

[chuck123wapati]

41 minutes ago, Dwight said:

 

Mom always did that with her patterns for the clothing she made us as kids . . . and I just picked up the habit from her.

May God bless,

Dwight

Brings back some wonderful memories, I used to watch my mom sew too, she did the same made her clothes and us kids clothes. She always let me help a bit and taught me to sew, knit, cook and crochet. She would always make me something for Christmas.

Shh don't tell my old roughnecking buddies lol.

God bless you as well and have a very Merry Christmas.

[HandyDave]

On 12/21/2021 at 9:49 AM, chuck123wapati said:

taught me to sew, knit, cook

Same with my great grandma. She had me cooking and sewing,gardening and so much more from time i was around 5 or 6. She allways said i needed to know how to do the stuff so i wouldn't be dependent on someone else doing it for me. A comment i have for the original post. It sucks when we put so much work into a custom piece only to have something go bad toward the end. I have a scrap pile like most. But on projects like yours where something happens to the surface i overlay with some exotic or embossed leather. Then its a saleable piece with bad spots covered up. Out of sight out of mind.

[chuck123wapati]

On 12/19/2021 at 4:51 PM, garypl said:

Well I was almost finished making a holster for a customer’s S&W M29 revolver and when I sewed the seam things went south quickly.

The thickness I was sewing was 3/4” with two layers of really hard temper veg tan for the welt.  I was using 346 thread and #26 needle in CB4500.  About 1” into the seam the needle deflected and came out the side, hit the needle plate and broke.  Tried it again and deflected again - the leather was so hard the needle was bending.  Finally gave up, removed all the thread and hand sewed it, but the damage was done, so I am keeping this to remind myself not to use such a thick welt.

I used a pattern from Stohlman’s book for a 357 revolver and I think it might have been for a K frame and not an N frame.  This is why I added the thick welt so the N frame would go in far enough.

Lesson learned - I will make my own pattern for the second holster and add a little width to allow use of a thinner welt.  Live and learn!

 

 

 

i just got this great idea!!! take the holster down to the gun store find a gun that fits it and buy it!  

[Handstitched]

@garypl Don't be too disheartened . Still looks great. We've all had that sinking moment when we get to the end of a project only for something to go wrong . The expletives come thick 'n' fast.  I  once tried making an 'alteration' to a prize winning hand  bag, but I completely screwed it right up , that ended up on the scrap heap. 

I too have have box under the bench where all the 'mistooks' end up. Some I re-visit, some  just end up in the bin. 

@chuck123wapati I watched my good ol' Mum sew, knit etc as a kid,  still does, taught me how to cook too  . She made & repaired all our clothes on a Pfaff 60 , that I now have for light leathers.  We owe a lot to our Mums  

HS

[chuck123wapati]

6 minutes ago, Handstitched said:

@garypl Don't be too disheartened . Still looks great. We've all had that sinking moment when we get to the end of a project only for something to go wrong . The expletives come thick 'n' fast.  I  once tried making an 'alteration' to a prize winning hand  bag, but I completely screwed it right up , that ended up on the scrap heap. 

I too have have box under the bench where all the 'mistooks' end up. Some I re-visit, some  just end up in the bin. 

@chuck123wapati I watched my good ol' Mum sew, knit etc as a kid,  still does, taught me how to cook too  . She made & repaired all our clothes on a Pfaff 60 , that I now have for light leathers.  We owe a lot to our Mums  

HS

Darn right !! wish i could sit down with her now even for a minute.

[garypl]

12 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

i just got this great idea!!! take the holster down to the gun store find a gun that fits it and buy it!  

It does fit an N frame with the thick welt and I used it in a match this past weekend - carried a S&W 38/44 revolver just fine!  I just wouldn't sell it to anyone!  Going to start another holster and make my own pattern this time.

Edited January 26, 2022 by garypl

[DrmCa]

Could you show us the 3/4" side of it?