1st tooling job...slow & steady

Magnum Wheel Man · September 27, 2010, 08:26 AM

( pics later... sorry didn't get any this week )... this project started as a Hunter holster that was hand tooled, that I bought cheaply a while back, it didn't really fit anything I owned, but it was as new, & was deeply tooled...

it had a kind of scalloped pattern about 1.5" from the bottom, which worked just right in length with my stainless Single Six in 32 H&R Magnum, so I cut off the bottom 1.5"...not liking open bottomed holsters, meant I'd need to rip the stitching, so my thread would match... the cut out for the trigger didn't fit like it should, so I did some trimming there, & made it a speed holster & then did some ornimental stiching there... the belt loop ( this was the tradidional fold over with a strap that snapped in front ) was only about 2.5" wide, & I like more support on my belt, so I cut & added a piece the width of the holster, sewing it on the folded over part, but also stitching it on the topabout 1" down from the fold, making the holster cant a little, & ride about an inch higher... I hate plain straps over tooled holsters, so the top strap & wrap around straps were replaced... the top strap is now wider & has a barb wire strand stamped into it, with a cresent shell type shape on each side inbetween the barbs... the wrap around strap wears the same barbed wire pattern, with a smaller "dot" inbetween the barbs... I used an Eagle 50 cent piece Concho instead of a snap on the wrap around strap, & a plain nickel snap on the top strap... in the lower corner of the holster is one of my cartridge head buttons reading 32 H&R Magnum... the straps, added leather for the belt loop, the inside of the holster, & the edges are all dyed medium brown ( darker than the original holster ) to add some contrast... still need to do some burnishing of edges, but I think this one turned out looking much nicer than original, & fits my polished Single Six like it was made for it... together they look really nice...

Mrs Magnum has done some leather tooling when she was younger, & still has the tools... I added the barbed wire tools... I don't think I"m ready to start carving yet... but I'm working up to it ( anyone else play with tooling / carving leather ??? )

I also did up a flap holster I'm making for a buddy for Christmas, from an old holster I got for a pattern... the old holster fit large frame top breaks ike the 38 S&W, I trimmed about a 1/2" off most of the way around, to make it fit the smaller frame 32 S&W guns... this was my 1st expirimenting with antiquing... I used some tools, & sand paper along with medium brown dye to create a holster that looks 100 years old for my buddys lil S&W top break 32...

I'll try to get some pics up soon...

September 27, 2010, 08:26 AM	#1
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	1st tooling job...slow & steady ( pics later... sorry didn't get any this week )... this project started as a Hunter holster that was hand tooled, that I bought cheaply a while back, it didn't really fit anything I owned, but it was as new, & was deeply tooled... it had a kind of scalloped pattern about 1.5" from the bottom, which worked just right in length with my stainless Single Six in 32 H&R Magnum, so I cut off the bottom 1.5"...not liking open bottomed holsters, meant I'd need to rip the stitching, so my thread would match... the cut out for the trigger didn't fit like it should, so I did some trimming there, & made it a speed holster & then did some ornimental stiching there... the belt loop ( this was the tradidional fold over with a strap that snapped in front ) was only about 2.5" wide, & I like more support on my belt, so I cut & added a piece the width of the holster, sewing it on the folded over part, but also stitching it on the topabout 1" down from the fold, making the holster cant a little, & ride about an inch higher... I hate plain straps over tooled holsters, so the top strap & wrap around straps were replaced... the top strap is now wider & has a barb wire strand stamped into it, with a cresent shell type shape on each side inbetween the barbs... the wrap around strap wears the same barbed wire pattern, with a smaller "dot" inbetween the barbs... I used an Eagle 50 cent piece Concho instead of a snap on the wrap around strap, & a plain nickel snap on the top strap... in the lower corner of the holster is one of my cartridge head buttons reading 32 H&R Magnum... the straps, added leather for the belt loop, the inside of the holster, & the edges are all dyed medium brown ( darker than the original holster ) to add some contrast... still need to do some burnishing of edges, but I think this one turned out looking much nicer than original, & fits my polished Single Six like it was made for it... together they look really nice... Mrs Magnum has done some leather tooling when she was younger, & still has the tools... I added the barbed wire tools... I don't think I"m ready to start carving yet... but I'm working up to it ( anyone else play with tooling / carving leather ??? ) I also did up a flap holster I'm making for a buddy for Christmas, from an old holster I got for a pattern... the old holster fit large frame top breaks ike the 38 S&W, I trimmed about a 1/2" off most of the way around, to make it fit the smaller frame 32 S&W guns... this was my 1st expirimenting with antiquing... I used some tools, & sand paper along with medium brown dye to create a holster that looks 100 years old for my buddys lil S&W top break 32... I'll try to get some pics up soon... __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...