Still working on them holsters...

Tinker

Looks like your leather crafting skills are coming along nicely. Still get a smile out of seeing your snubnose Remington!

Not bad my friend. The holster compliments that revolver nicely.

What are you using as a hole punch? If you don't have a 1/8" multiple hole tool(1/8" holes, 1/8" apart. Tandy's), a 2" common nail, filed to a knife edge works extremely well. It's 1/8" wide when filed and makes a cleaner hole for thread vs a round punch. The nail is really good for over 1/4" thick projects too. And rubber cement to hold the pieces together.
Been using phone books as a backer for eons.
You'll find black dye comes out more even. And regular shoe polish as a finish. Hides the thread well too.
And trauma/EMT shears(these https://www.mec.ca/en/product/4015-898/EMT-Shears. No idea where you'd get 'em Stateside. Bought 'em in a Dollar store, I think, years ago.) cut leather easily and cleanly.

A friend has made holsters for some time for his own use, and made me a few, hes made some very good ones, they look very consistent. He uses an overstitch wheel I believe, to lay out the hole spacing evenly, and an edge grooving tool to make a line to follow and make the thread be below the surface level. He also uses a drill press to make his holes. Glueing in the welt and edges helps keep it all even while stitching, and a drum sander in the drill press makes a nice even edge when done stitching. An edging beveler (like a little skiver) helps get the edges cleaner looking, and a burnishing tool chucked in the drill press makes the single thickness edges very clean, I believe he also puts a touch of beeswax on the edge hes burnishing.

I made a few, but didn't go to the levels some have. Its fun making your own holsters though. Youre doing pretty well. Like anything, the longer you do it, the more you learn.

Michael, just pretend they are sheaths; your personal Seax sheath was enough to put most holster makers to shame. Granted the shaping is a bit different, but looking at this one, there's no problem with that. Nice work!

Very nice sir, probably close to period correct and made the way they were back then...minus the drill press. Love the wheelgun, looks great.

I would strongly suggest punching your holes with a diamond shaped awl instead of drilling them. Not only is it always really an obvious eyesore to see them drilled but an awl results in a better stitch. The drill bit removes material, whereas the awl does not. The diamond shaped awl leaves a hole that will close up around the stitch once it's done. You can still punch them with the drill press with an awl blade chucked in it, you just don't turn it on. I would also strongly suggest three basic tools, an edge beveler, an overstitch wheel and a stitch groover.

Which hole punch you use is mostly about speed. Plus a certain amount of 'pretty'. The Tandy's tool I've used for 30 some years(lotta Medieval leather clothing, pouches, etc. too. Used the nail for a sword scabbard.) punches 4 holes at once. They sell tools that do 8. Never used anything else myself.
Drills and awls are too slow. Not as big a deal when making holsters, but a scabbard or jerkin needs a whole lot of holes.

Yes, lots and lots and lots of holes!

I make all my own holsters.

bannockburn said:

Tinker Looks like your leather crafting skills are coming along nicely. Still get a smile out of seeing your snubnose Remington!

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Gotta agree with bannockburn: that Remington snub (& the holster combo) is sweet!!

Sam

Im no expert but it looks like you did an excellent job imo.

Creaky_Old_Cop said:

I make all my own holsters.
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Your holsters looks very good to me.Nice job you do.