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Old February 4, 2012, 09:44 PM   #1
IDAHOMIKE
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My first two attempts at tooled holsters

These are far from perfect, but I wanted to play around making some tooled holsters. Hope y'all enjoy!

"Aces and Eights" '51, in keeping with the theme of the gun, I put 8 spade and club conchos around the belt.

[IMG][/IMG]




Something I worked up for a snubby 1860.

[IMG][/IMG]
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Old February 4, 2012, 09:50 PM   #2
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Very nice work IDAHO.
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Old February 4, 2012, 09:57 PM   #3
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Thanks Shortwave. Been playin' with leatherwork for some time now. Never did the tooled stuff as it looked like a PITA. I must say I was wrong, these were a helluva lotta fun to put together.
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Old February 4, 2012, 10:00 PM   #4
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I like them! Good looking work.
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Old February 4, 2012, 10:53 PM   #5
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I make holsters as a retirement business and those impress me. You did good Mike.
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Old February 4, 2012, 11:26 PM   #6
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Very nice. I especially like the conchos.
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Old February 5, 2012, 01:13 AM   #7
IDAHOMIKE
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Thank you all for the kind words. Hopefully one of these days I can make this my full time gig. I have a '62 Colt I want to do something up for, but I haven't quite figured out what type to build. I'm thinking something with a flap so as I have more room for tooloing.

Denster-Wish I had some orders to fill, I keep eyeballin' that '58 of yours for sale, but I'm pretty muzzleloader poor right now.
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Old February 5, 2012, 01:54 AM   #8
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Since y'all seem to like those other ones, here's a few of the non-tooled ones I've done.

Cimarron Model P, .44 Special, or Elmer Folt as I like to call it. With a bullet loop to top the gun off if I'm goin' into a saloon in Dodge City or somethin'.

[IMG][/IMG]

This one here now belongs to bbqbob from here, who some of you may know. This was the first holster I shipped out.

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Old February 5, 2012, 07:29 AM   #9
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You do very nice work but is there a reason you use that flat top design so much?
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Old February 5, 2012, 08:22 AM   #10
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Yes....This is nice work

....How many hours does it take to make one like the one in the first photo, in comparison with a more simple design.

I am trying to get a handle on the time involved.
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Old February 5, 2012, 11:13 AM   #11
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Thanks Hawg and Doc for the kind words.

Hawg- I used the same basic template for the two cap n' balls, mostly because it gave me a little more room for tooling, and I personally like the looks. When talking with bbqbob about the Single Six holster, he had asked that I cover the trigger. The pic below shows the prtotype of "The Stringbean". So it just kinda stayed that way and turned into my two "Holster with No Name" examples.

Doc-Build time on a simpler holster would be somewhere in the 3-4 hour range, give or take an hour either way. The rig for the '51 took I'd guess 10-12 hours, didn't really keep track as I worked on it here and there over a week or so. It was a long ways across that belt and it was a pain leaving the untooled potion down the center and around the conchos. The holsters are much easier. The lil' 1860 one went real quick, more like a simple design.

[IMG][/IMG]
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Old February 5, 2012, 11:14 AM   #12
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Excellent work !!!

Could tell, right off that you are not new to Leather-Craft. ....
I use quite a few basket-weave tools and folks should appreciate that each weave is an individual stamp. If a person doesn't get the right alignment, the piece will look bad. Yours look great. Are you using a stitching awl or double needle? Thank you for you pictures and post. .....


Be Safe !!!
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Old February 5, 2012, 11:20 AM   #13
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Since you sell these, I hope it's not impolite to ask about how much they cost? I don't know the first thing about prices for hand-tooled holsters/belts, but with 10-12 hours of labor alone in the rig for the '51 plus materials, I'm "guesstimating" $600-800?

(Again, I have no experience with handmade holsters & such, so if that's way off, please don't be offended.)
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Old February 5, 2012, 11:27 AM   #14
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Quote:
Yours look great. Are you using a stitching awl or double needle?
Not to hijack the post but I can't get a tight stitch with an awl to save my life.
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Old February 5, 2012, 11:41 AM   #15
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More kind words, I appreciate them. Its shocking to me, I guess because I see all the little imperfections in them. To answer about the stitching, I use the double needle, a press to punch the holes, and my two hands is all. I do this partly because thats how I've always done it, and I like to make the stitching on the back look pretty too.

Pahoo-Yes, one stamp at a time does take some time doesn't it? The little "dots" on the 51 really eat up the minutes and I did it mostly freehand, no reference lines and what not.

Scott-Honestly, I have no idea what I would charge for that rig for example. I find pricing hard since as I mentioned above, all I see is the stuff thats wrong with it. Heck, I was considering sellin the rig with the gun for 5 or 6 hundred, but haven't quite decided yet.

Hawg-I tried the awl for a bit, as in about half a holster. that was on the 1st one I did, and I couldn't tell you where the awl is now. I cheat a bit and chuck my punch in a drill press to poke the thread holes. I tried tapping them through with a mallet, but I tend towards thick leather and I'd have to beat the snot outta them to get them through. Drill press is so much nicer.
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Old February 5, 2012, 11:56 AM   #16
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You say they are not perfect,but I think they are pretty darn good for sure.
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Old February 5, 2012, 12:12 PM   #17
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Don't sell yourself short. Your work is very good. You see the imperfections because you know where they are and to you they probably look like huge glaring mistakes but I could probably own one of them and never see a mistake anywhere. My work is nothing compared to yours but I use a dremel to make holes.
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Old February 5, 2012, 12:30 PM   #18
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Very nice shape and form, you have a good eye for what ''goes'' with the arm...
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Old February 5, 2012, 03:23 PM   #19
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To be honest I am humbled by all the compliments. I was expecting so-so reviews. There are some naysayers close to me that think holsters are a silly venture, I would sure like to prove them wrong. Again, many thanks to everyone.
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Old February 5, 2012, 03:29 PM   #20
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Holsters

How long does it take to make one? They look GREAT! Looks like you are on to something here.
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Old February 5, 2012, 03:42 PM   #21
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Docmurphy-The build time varies from piece to piece, but the tooled rig for the '51 took 10 or 12 hours. A simple holster takes between 3 and 4. I make more "pancake" holsters than anything, those I can do in a couple hours. And thanks for the kind words.
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Old February 5, 2012, 03:55 PM   #22
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to DocMurphy

Welcome to the forum.

You came to the right place.
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Old February 5, 2012, 09:23 PM   #23
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IDAHO - beautiful holsters! I love the basketweave! All of them are very nice and you should really be proud of them! Thanks for sharing the photos with us!
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Old February 5, 2012, 09:34 PM   #24
IDAHOMIKE
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Thanks bedbug! I wasn't sure if the basketweave would go well with a cap n' ball Folt, but I was itching to use the stamp on something so I just went for it.
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Old February 5, 2012, 09:42 PM   #25
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ooooooh. I like the Folt. I'd put a powder measure in the bullet loop.
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