Learning Leatherworking

[1989toddm]

Been playing around with this for a couple years, here's a few projects I've attempted. Feel free to critique! I did learn from Djones thread about finishing the edges, good to know! It's the little things that make the whole better.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/25/df332d9ed87822a3d345ba83ce811bcd.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/25/33ec79d6c04d00820e50004846046f4c.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/25/4a5212cb9207bbd26d50b0e3c926f9a6.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/25/57e59c00a39a1b6eac3d4389610cbbb8.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/25/ab8bf1a5c82890ab79a03bb1b166d8af.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/25/ea7c1e3e9de3d6ad6639434ac6021dea.jpg
A friend just asked me to make a holster for his 500 S&W. Can't wait!
Todd

[Djones]

Your work looks great Todd. Thanks for sharing and good luck on the holster.

David

[1989toddm]

Thanks David!
Todd

[jabo52521]

Wow. You got the gift. Looks great. Love the "COFFEE" holder.

[bedbugbilly]

Very nice Todd! All of your work looks great!

I also do leather work - mainly holsters, gun belts, etc. but strictly as a hobby. I hadn't done any since college some 45 years earlier and decided to get back in to it. I mainly do it when I'm in AZ during the winter. My problem was, once neighbors discovered I did leather work, all of a sudden they were showing up wanting holsters made, etc. They evidently didn't understand the word "retired"! LOL

Your cartridge holders look great. I admire anyone who has the patience to hand sew cartridge loops - labor intensive for sure! I did a few and now I use the slot punch and thread the loops rather than sewing.

Nice border on your holster and your basketweave looks fantastic! The sheath and holster certainly make a nice matched set! Thanks for posting the great pictures . . you can be very proud of your work!

Jim

[Old Scribe]

Years ago I did a lot of leather work and even worked for a saddle shop. Then I got into carving leather and added that to my work.
20 years ago I started scrimshaw and I've been working in that since. You have a great feel for leather work and your pictures show it. Very nice!

[JWT]

Love the holster. Nice work.

[1989toddm]

Thank you all for the kind words! I do enjoy it, love making things that can be used. Since we got rid of our wifi and since we don't have tv I am much more motivated to stay busy in the evenings and weekends. One of the better decisions we have made.
Here's the latest, not trimmed up and oiled yet but the sewing is done. This one is a gift for a buddy who just received his first Winny 30-30 recently.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/26/6b59516a3aed398a005251478f8cfdd2.jpg

[Blackwater]

Good work! Thanks for the pics. I've done a little leather work, but never advanced to the embossing like you have. My hat's off to you, sir!

There's just something about carrying in leather YOU designed and YOU made yourself, down to the smallest details, that provides a satisfaction nothing else can. This is good, because it IS a lot of trouble deciding what to do and how to do it, then executing the design, and hoping for the exact effect and performance you were aiming for. When you get it, there's nothing more satisfying, and ya' done good! REAL good!

[1989toddm]

Very nice Todd! All of your work looks great!

I also do leather work - mainly holsters, gun belts, etc. but strictly as a hobby. I hadn't done any since college some 45 years earlier and decided to get back in to it. I mainly do it when I'm in AZ during the winter. My problem was, once neighbors discovered I did leather work, all of a sudden they were showing up wanting holsters made, etc. They evidently didn't understand the word "retired"! LOL

Your cartridge holders look great. I admire anyone who has the patience to hand sew cartridge loops - labor intensive for sure! I did a few and now I use the slot punch and thread the loops rather than sewing.

Nice border on your holster and your basketweave looks fantastic! The sheath and holster certainly make a nice matched set! Thanks for posting the great pictures . . you can be very proud of your work!

Jim

Quick question Jim, when you thread the loops for cartridges, how well do they hold there shape? Do you have to wet form them with shells in place?

[Djones]

I usually get the loops really wet and then place cartridges in the wet loops overnight

[bedbugbilly]

Djones - I do the same as you when doing cartridge loops. I burnish the edges and use one of my Osborn edgers to put a line along the top and bottom edges to dress them up. I leave the cartridges in for a day or two until I'm sure the loops are completely dry. Then I use a Q-tip and oil (I use Virgin Olive Oil) and oil them inside and out. They are dried out from the wetting and the oil replaces what natural oils were lost - swells the fibers a little and insures they are putting some pressure not the casings when slid in to keep them in place.

[cuzinbruce]

Nice basket stamping. For what I have done, I used several books from Tandy Leather, and some sample projects to teach myself the basics. Not expensive and they have good illustrations to show you what to do.

[John Allen]

Thank you all for the kind words! I do enjoy it, love making things that can be used. Since we got rid of our wifi and since we don't have tv I am much more motivated to stay busy in the evenings and weekends. One of the better decisions we have made.
Here's the latest, not trimmed up and oiled yet but the sewing is done. This one is a gift for a buddy who just received his first Winny 30-30 recently.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/26/6b59516a3aed398a005251478f8cfdd2.jpg

Todd, I really like this. it is a nice job. I wish I had more time I would love to learn to do this.

[rintinglen]

I like making holsters, but my carving and stamping is nothing to write home about. You do indeed have the knack. I HATE sewing belt loops and my hat is off to you. Those are probably the hardest thing to get right in gun-related leather work and yours are excellent..

[Bzcraig]

Nice work indeed

[paralaska]

I've been making leather holsters and cartridge carriers for the last few months . . .

http://www.drakehome.net/leather-work (http://www.drakehome.net/leather-work)

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[1989toddm]

I'very been making leather holsters and cartridge carriers for the last few months . . .

http://www.drakehome.net/leather-work (http://www.drakehome.net/leather-work)

Pictures!!

[5Shot]

Looks good. My only critique would be to find a better leather supplier. Zack-White, Sheridan Leather and Springfield Leather carry better quality of leather than Tandy, etc. Ask for something that has buffed flesh (if you can get it pasted as well, even better). Get Wickett & Craig or Hermann Oak if you can afford it.

[paralaska]

Edited my post and added Pictures . . .

[lobogunleather]

I started doing leather work about 1971. By 1972 I was a young police officer making house payments and feeding two kids on skinny paychecks, so if I needed something I learned how to make it. Guys I worked with saw what I made for myself and started asking me to make items for them. It became a little part-time business for many years.

In 2007-2008 the economy started circling the drain and my other business interests were shrinking. So I started making a few holsters each week and selling them on-line, basically trying to replace some other income. Within a few months I was receiving a steady stream of orders and had no time for anything else. Moved out of the house and into a commercial building, then to a larger space, then to my own freestanding building. Put up a website and orders kept growing. Found myself working 7 days per week to keep up. Hired and trained an assistant. Orders continued growing, so I was still working 7 days per week.

Finally pulled the plug, announced my retirement and stopped taking new orders on August 23. Along came a father-son team wanting to buy the business to expand their own leather business (other product lines). I am about 2 weeks away from finishing my last commitment and turning the business over to the new owners (in exchange for a nice pile of money!).

I'm not complaining. The business was hard on me in terms of time and effort, but consistently provided a very good income, and the sale will certainly help with retirement. All I'm saying is to be careful what you wish for because it can happen to you!

Best of luck!

[1989toddm]

I started doing leather work about 1971. By 1972 I was a young police officer making house payments and feeding two kids on skinny paychecks, so if I needed something I learned how to make it. Guys I worked with saw what I made for myself and started asking me to make items for them. It became a little part-time business for many years.

In 2007-2008 the economy started circling the drain and my other business interests were shrinking. So I started making a few holsters each week and selling them on-line, basically trying to replace some other income. Within a few months I was receiving a steady stream of orders and had no time for anything else. Moved out of the house and into a commercial building, then to a larger space, then to my own freestanding building. Put up a website and orders kept growing. Found myself working 7 days per week to keep up. Hired and trained an assistant. Orders continued growing, so I was still working 7 days per week.

Finally pulled the plug, announced my retirement and stopped taking new orders on August 23. Along came a father-son team wanting to buy the business to expand their own leather business (other product lines). I am about 2 weeks away from finishing my last commitment and turning the business over to the new owners (in exchange for a nice pile of money!).

I'm not complaining. The business was hard on me in terms of time and effort, but consistently provided a very good income, and the sale will certainly help with retirement. All I'm saying is to be careful what you wish for because it can happen to you!

Best of luck!

If you care to share, did you sell on eBay at first or set up a website right off? I'm definitely looking at this as a way to supplement our income.