Holster Making Woes Part 2 and Relearning Leathercraft with a Machine.

[just-a-hunter]

Hello Sheaths and Suchers....

I've had my Cobra Class 4 for about a month now and I've really loved learning on it. I do hope though that we are forgiven of any cussing done while learning!

I have had to revamp a lot of my techniques as leather craft is a different animal for me if I am not pre-punching my holes. I burned through all of my scrap leather and even turned good (well, as good as this leather gets but more on that later) leather into scrap just to get the practice. The sheaths I have done are pretty easy and flat and that is what I practiced on so I didn't take long before I made a couple nice sheaths that went with sold knives..

I only sew with my motor speed on 5 (real slow) and timing this sheath with stopping to take this picture time included it only took 4 minutes to sew this sheath compared to 2.5 hours of hand stitching. This Machine has already paid for itself in my minds eye, and I'm so glad you all talked me into it instead of a Tippman Boss.

Now on to the holster making woes... Again....

I am still using junk Tandy Leather leather...I discussed this with Paul in and earlier thread but it is worth saying twice, good leather is more expensive but 10x the product. I bought two sides of the most expensive leather they had and I'm not so sure it isn't the biggest crap leather I have received from them. I have a couple of sides of good Montana Leather ready to roll but its good, I guess, I had this junk Tandy leather to learn on.

This stuff will not receive any oil at all and will only accept dark color Fiebings dyes. It is very spotty and has lots of mars on the smooth side of the leather.

I think I am getting practiced up enough that I can start practicing for real now.

My first attempt at a machine sewn holster. The leather turned saddle tan into saddle orange and I just had hell with this holster from start to finish. That pattern did work well though and the gun fits really well. It is sued lined but just looks like a boy scouts project more than a holster.

My 2nd attempt for my Ruger GP100 turned out way better but again, the leather had a very hard time accepting the brown color dye. I also had some really crooked stitches at the curves on the bottom of the cylinder. I wanted a forward cant right hand carry holster and the fit is really good with the gun and the design carries really nice. Overall, I wish the dye was more even on the brown part, the stitching straighter and the edge dye neater but it is an okay holster...

My third attempt is for my Dad. He wanted a crossdraw holster for his Ruger Blackhawk .41 mag so I made a pattern while I was back home last weekend. He wanted a thong type retainer for some reason over a snap. He is pretty traditional. I also made him a left hand crossdraw sheath for a knife he got for fathers day a few years ago. These both turned out really nice. The oblong slots aren't as clean as I'd like. I have ordered a CS Osborn 2" oblong punch to help me remedy this problem..

My last attempt is for my Ruger Super Blackhawk. I'm pretty happy with this one even though I know there is a lot to improve upon. It is fully suede lined as well and fits the gun really nicely.

Anyhow, Thanks for following along. Not only is any and all critique very welcome, it is also highly valued.

Thanks for your time,

Todd

 

[sheathmaker]

Todd, you might try running your groover set at 1/4" (after you have squared and flattened the edges). It looks like your are at about 1/8" which might cause a little crooked stitching due to foot drift on the short side. Just a thought.

Paul

 

[Horsewright]

Steady progression throughout Todd. I'd agree with Paul on that. Ya can be stitching along fine and then !@#$%^& it roll just a hair on ya and get crooked and then you're back to fine and you wonder what just happened. Plus that 1/4" gives ya some room if ya need to do some further sanding for some reason. My horizontal sheaths I sand prior to wet molding and then again after wet molding and stitching and that extra room is helpful.

Your revolver pattern looks like a perfect cnadidate for a rolled edge lining.

 

[just-a-hunter]

Thanks men! As always!

Do you have a picture of a rolled edge lining, Dave? I can't seem to find one through google..

Also, I really like my stitching a little deeper as you both suggest but how would you gents trim the suede close to the stitching so the suede doesn't peel away from the edge?

I used some good leather today for a Commander holster... man oh man what a difference it makes.

Today's work. Waiting on some sunshine to expose the holster too...

I have one more question that I probably would be best served asking Leather Machine Co. but you two being who you are could probably help... If you look at the top and bottom stitch where I sewed the suede to the single layer of the holster face, the line looks solid because my machine is pulling the bobbin thread too close to the surface .. it didn't use to do this. I'm guessing I need to adjust the bobbin tension but don't know how. I literally haven't touched a single adjustment on it..

Thanks again for your time,

Todd

 

[sheathmaker]

Todd, before you even think about touching the tension adjustment, make sure the thread path is clear and not hanging up on a screw or something which will cause that exact thing. Check the thread path all the way from the thread cone to the needle hole making sure it is free of any kind of lock up.

Taking a second look at what you were talking about, the skived suede making for less thickness could be a contributing factor. The tension necessary for the multi thickness areas elsewhere may be a little tight for the thinned area at the mouth. Check my comment below about not skiving the suede in the mouth area.

On any lining, the skived back margin has no bearing on anything. As long as the lining is cemented in properly, it is not going to move stitches or not.

Correction: you were referring to the holster mouth area. Do not skive the suede in that area. Just cut it flush with the edge and then finish as usual. Stitching should be fine in an unskived area.

If you happen to have my "Basic Pouch Sheaths" dvd (the first one) it shows the rolled lining procedure start to finish in real time. It's demonstrated on a pouch sheath but the procedure is exactly the same for holsters. On Pancake sheaths it's even easier because most of those are just flat linings, front and rear with the turn back roll at the front mouth.

Paul

 

[High Standard]

Nice start with you stitching. I wish I had a machine. I can't stand hand stitching.

 

[Eaglestroker]

Todd, one thing you should be mindful of on holsters is the shooters grip. On that rig in your picture a fat mans finger wouldn't be able to go all the way forward. Your goal is to not need to readjust the grip after drawing, a small relief cut on your pattern would make this go away completely and look good at the same time. You can also preform the 'wings' of the pancake when molding the holster to help in break in, make yourself a belt blank out of wood to mold the loops. Here's an example with a tunnel on the back so you can see what I'm talking about with the belts. This helps a ton with break in on gun leather. Most sheaths will have multi size belt loops so it's not as much of an issue.





On your stitched lining issues you will usually need to back off on tension but as Paul said first and foremost always pull the thread and bobbin and reset to make sure you didn't do something wrong in set up. It happens a lot, so much I wouldn't mind having another machine just to save from swapping color threads.

Any time you see the knot come up like that you know something isn't right. I'll usually pull the stitching and fix it but that comes with time and experience. Good work!

 

[Horsewright]

Here ya go Todd.

Pretty easy. Use something light and stretchy for your lining. I glue the tops of the lining to the object together grain side to grain side. I mark at about an 1/8" for the glue. I come back and sew the top at about a 1/4" only along the throat. Then glue up both rough out sides. When your glue is dry stretch the lining over and pull tight and press it down. Very important to get it tight all along the contour of the throat. Make sure ya work out and wrinkles like with any lining. Flip er over and tap the roll with a smooth faced hammer. Kind of seats the roll, folding it and makes it pretty uniform. When doing this make sure you have some excess on the lining piece. Rolling it over will take up more room than ya might expect.

I'd agree with the other guys on the tension. Once ya get it right leave it be and always check first for hang ups. In my situation my thread holder is the usual suspect. Its a loop type and occasionally the thread will toss a couple of half hitches around it and then !@#$%^%/. Always check for hangups first. On that holster you have a lot of it going on particularly on the lining sewing. Lots of guys will use a smaller needle and maybe one size thread smaller for sewing in the lining. Your sewing through a lot less there then when you sew the holster together.