Couple of holster making attempts
- Thread starter Y-T71
- Start date
Thank you for the pictures, fantastic work!
I really like the chest holsters and pretty much look like what I have pictured in my mind! (Right down to the color)
Your tooled holsters are amazing and I see a different design element every time I look at them
Thank you both for your kind words!
WestKentucky
Member
Those are flat out gorgeous. I don’t care for heavy tooling like most people like. I really dig simple, functional, purpose built, no-frills stuff. Anything even thinking about hunting in Africa had better be all of that with some heavy duty thrown in for good measure. These are among the best looking rigs I have ever seen. If you have a picture of them being worn I would love to see it.I've done three chest rigs. It's definitely a different critter. This was the prototype:
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The final iteration in elephant hide for a gunwriter. It went to Africa on a Cape buffalo hunt. I used 1/4" neoprene to pad the shoulder strap.
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The third was a black one for myself for a Ruger 22/45 with a red dot, light/laser and suppressor. It's weird looking so I never took a picture.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Thanks, I couldn't find a picture of one being worn.
To be honest, 99% of the time I'm a plain, no-frills kind of guy too.
For whatever reason the Hand of God holster just resonated with me and I'm glad I gained the experience of trying to replicate it.
doubleh
Member
That fits me to a "T" except when when it comes to excellent floral carved leather. I never cared for border stamping or basket weave although Craig C has won me over on border stamping with his excellent work but I remain unchanged when comes to basket weave. I would rather have plain leather than that.
Inspired by Craig I made my first ever border stamped holster last year using my tools on hand which includes no special border stamps. I was happy until I found I had boo-booed on my pattern and it was too tight to accept my revolver. What a waste of Herman's Oak 8-9 ounce leather, upholstery grade leather for lining, glue, and thread. Throw in all the work including hand stitching and I was somewhat POed at myself.
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Before I tried my hand at this, I didn't even have many holaters.
Of course I had a couple of CC holsters but they weren't work of art; #1 function over form and #2 the whole idea was that they weren't supposed to be seen!
My recreational range trips always consisted of more than one firearm so I put multiple ones in large plastic cases for transport.
Now, I see leather holsters, belts and accessories a little different.
Aa far as basketweave specifically, I, like you, just can't bring myself to appreciate it visually however, I now see that the work and care that goes into the straight and consistent patterns is much more than I ever realized.
While I don't care for the basket weave, others have expressed their lack of interest in floral pattern or elaborate borders.
Like I always say, if everyone just liked vanilla, it would be a very boring world!
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
I'm real selective about basketweave. I think most people associate it with duty rigs. I like the pattern that I duplicated from one John Bianchi (Frontier Gunleather) made for Dennis Adler.
Then there's always Odin's Raven.
Then there's always Odin's Raven.
doubleh
Member
I'm real selective about basketweave. I think most people associate it with duty rigs. I like the pattern that I duplicated from one John Bianchi (Frontier Gunleather) made for Dennis Adler.
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Then there's always Odin's Raven.
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While being great work the first two don't excite me at all. Now Odin's Ravin is a different story. I would like to try it with a little more defination but then it would not look like an antique holster. We all have our preferences.
Archie
Member
I make most of my own holsters. Most of them to fit me. Generic holsters do well, except for ... (fill in the blank).
Most of mine are belt holsters, quite the same as the one you show. Most of them are not particularly made to look snazzy, and I don't make many now. Being retired and old, I only have a couple for my person concealed use.
Heretofore, I did make some that were quite dressy. Most of those from the days of my Cowboy shooting. One or two looked good and most looked like a monkey with a dull spoon.
Most were functional, but every once in a while, it didn't work.
Yours look nice - business like - and functional. That in itself is worthy.
Thank you very much for your kind words.
Thank you also for the picture of your patterns.
That's one area that I haven't been very aggressive on improving.
@Archie
I would like to see your holsters.
Craftsmen of any skill level (or age
) have always been an inspiration for me no matter what the field.
jmorris
Member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2005
- Messages
- 26,453
For the new guys, I'll add this. After making my first left handed holster, I learned to write down what side of the pattern is going to be inside and outside.
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For the new guys, I'll add this. After making my first left handed holster, I learned to right down what side of the pattern is going to be inside and outside.
I'm doing the same thing!
I'll admit to screwing that up once!
I’ve made a few of these errors as well!For the new guys, I'll add this. After making my first left handed holster, I learned to write down what side of the pattern is going to be inside and outside.
All my patterns now have in red ink “this side up for right”!
Again, same here!I’ve made a few of these errors as well!
All my patterns now have in red ink “this side up for right”!
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
I mark all my patterns which side up is right handed. However, for the symmetrical patterns like Slim Jims, I can still forget when I go to stamp it out and do that on the wrong side for a lefty. My next holster is a lefty for a Dragoon. We'll see how many tries it takes to get it right. 
flightsimmer
Member
Beautiful work. Leather craft is so satisfying.
I started it in highschool many decades ago. It's not as common as it once was.
I started it in highschool many decades ago. It's not as common as it once was.
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