Not much going on here

[mike116]

I've done a little tanning work but prefer to leave it to someone who enjoyes it.   I prefer to work with the skin after it has been tanned.   I like the period look of those pieces Mazo.  They could be pics from a museum.

Here's something a little more contemporary I made a couple days ago.

[treadhead1952]

Nice stamping and lace work there Mike! 

It is always fun to check out original designs from fellow leather workers, you often get inspired to try out new things on your own bench that way.

[mazo kid]

That is NICE! Appears to be lined?

[mike116]

Nope not lined.  I stitched the top edge to help it keep it's shape.  This one went to a K-9 Police officer in texas.  He had the knife custom made.  It's a Damascus folding trapper model that is a little oversized.   I also made a holster for his S&W kit gun.

[treadhead1952]

Well, he oughta' be right pleased with his new knife sheath and holster then.  Reinforcing edges with a line of stitching or lace work is a pretty good idea.

I used Galco's design of a strip of holster leather wrapped around and stitched in place around the top of each on my two semi auto belt holsters for my Ruger P-90 and P-95 pistols.  It reinforces the top of the holster to keep it from collapsing when the pistol is drawn out making it so much easier to put it back once it has seen it's duty.

[mazo kid]

I agree, that K-9 officer obviously knows quality work! He chose Mike to make holsters for a couple of nice pieces....that custom Damascus knife wasn't cheap!
Jay, I used steel to stiffen the entry of my holster as all I had for leather was some Chrome tanned. I used a strip cut from an old return air register left from when we remodeled. As I recall, it is .022" or so, stitched in place with a strip of leather.

[treadhead1952]

I found a Galco design that uses a strip of leather the same thickness as the holster itself and stitched around the opening to do much the same thing.  I supposed the width of the strip as well as the stitching provide the required tension to hold the opening in it's preferred position.  I have been packing this holster around now for going on three years and it is holding up pretty well.  Every other week for daily wear with the holster and magazine pouch is pretty comfortable and wearing them on my also home made 1 and 3/4 inch wide western styled belt. 



You can see just how far around the strip of leather goes around the backside of the holster here.



On the off week that it resides in the gun safe my Ruger P-90, .45 ACP with a similar set up of twin magazine pouch and holster is what gets the nod.  I will also admit to packing some older iron in the form of either my Ruger Blackhawks or Uberti Hombre in more homebrew leather on my days off when I am going out and about to the desert to shoot or hunt yodel dogs or other fun and games.

With the single actions instead of magazine pouches I go with cartridge loops around the belt.

[mike116]

Good ideas guys.  I've found that a strip of rawhide sewn between the liner and outer leather or on the inside of an unlined holster makes the perfect stiffener.  Rawhide is just stiff enough, it holds any shape you want and can be much thinner than most other materials.  It goes back to the shape you formed it to even if you stomp on it and it can be used as a decorative part of the design. 

[mazo kid]

RAWHIDE! Now why didn't I think of that? I have LOTS of rawhide, from deer, bear, dog chew bones, to a half a cow!

[mike116]

It last forever too.  That's why saddle trees are covered with it.  Not many natural materials are stronger or lighter either.

[brazosdave]

This is a little pattern I came up with for .31 Remingtons and Colts.  The Colt rig is slightly larger than this one, which has East Texas's pocket Remmy in it.

[Saranac Sam]

  Well here's my contribution which I've posted before.  Leather that I had available with simple hand tools:



I would have preferred heavier leather, or lining, but it was intended as a make-do cowboy job...from whatever was available in the harness shop.

[brazosdave]

That is a nice, clean rig!  I like that.  Sometimes I will mess around with some extra leather I have lying about, and it's amazing just how cool of a piece you can make out of a leftover. 

[mike116]

  Well here's my contribution which I've posted before.  Leather that I had available with simple hand tools:



I would have preferred heavier leather, or lining, but it was intended as a make-do cowboy job...from whatever was available in the harness shop.

Sam,   Pretty good as a make-do cowboy job.  I've seen alot of so-called professional makers put out lower quality stuff and call it a "custom work of art."   I can see the attention to detail I'm sure you learned while running your custom woodshop business.