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What Leather are you Totin Today .
- Thread starter harronek
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got really agitated a week or so ago when I went to take this somewhere and didn't have a holster for it. The 640 Pro was a wedding gift from my brother in law.....in March. Hopefully it didn't leave him feeling under-appreciated going so long without. The holster I made sports a caiman reinforcement panel and has a new 1.5" lined and stiffened belt. Last belt I made myself was made in 2012, so it was time to start breaking in a new one for nicer occasions.
Nice rig :thumbup:
Can you explain " the belt is stiffened " , have you put something between the liner and the outer ?
Ken
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Ken, for heavy use belts or competition rigs that are toting a lot of weight I will stiffen them. Some makers sandwich pieces of kydex in there, some use metal strapping/banding like you ship things with, I've seen a lot of different things used. My pick is plastic pipe hangar/tape. It's lightweight plastic and stiff while remaining flexible and will not break like kydex will after getting twisted a lot. During construction I simply mark where it needs to go and glue it in before gluing in the liner. I like that it is roughly 5/8" wide so it fits between both rows of stitching and leaves the center with a 'raised' look you see on a lot of dress belts.
I released that option in May and have sold a couple dozen that way with rave reviews. This is a better example of one with something to compliment your rough out challenge.
Horsewright
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Hmm thats a good idea Eagle I've used nylon webbing in a leather sandwich for hobbles. Helps buckle holes tearing out when training a colt or if they get damp from grazing in a dewey meadow. Always enjoy pics of your work.
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Ken, for heavy use belts or competition rigs that are toting a lot of weight I will stiffen them. Some makers sandwich pieces of kydex in there, some use metal strapping/banding like you ship things with, I've seen a lot of different things used. My pick is plastic pipe hangar/tape. It's lightweight plastic and stiff while remaining flexible and will not break like kydex will after getting twisted a lot. During construction I simply mark where it needs to go and glue it in before gluing in the liner. I like that it is roughly 5/8" wide so it fits between both rows of stitching and leaves the center with a 'raised' look you see on a lot of dress belts.
I released that option in May and have sold a couple dozen that way with rave reviews. This is a better example of one with something to compliment your rough out challenge.
Whoever is the proud owner of that , is a lucky man .
Ken
PS - thanks for the belt explanation , is the stiffness require to spread the weight - load to make carry more comfortable , or is it to stop the belt deforming ?
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Hey Dave, I'm a nobody down in Mis'sip, but I appreciate the kind words. I'd never thought about such a thing for that application but from my walking horse days I can think of a few instances it would have come in handy.
Ken, thanks! That rig will actually be in next months 'Fall Special Edition' of Guns' Magazine, the article revolves around hog hunting with a 45ACP and holster was designed specifically to fit that customers needs with free reign on my end for design elements. From start to finish we had to have it done in 2 weeks which included my R&D
No problem on the belt explanation I hope that it helps someone. You hit both highlights on the reasoning behind it. A 1911 unloaded is appx 40 ounces, when you add in 2-3 loaded magazines, some folks pack, or 4-6 for competition use it is easy to lose your pants without a stiff belt to help distribute the weight.
Another place that method of construction really shines is on 1.25" carry belts. Folks that wear dress attire can't stuff a 1.5" belt onto most suit pants, so the reinforcement gives a little backbone to help prevent tip out of the handgun which is the #1 problem for folks that complain about a handgun printing.
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This is a bit off topic , but I know nothing about competitive Pistol shooting .
Is it a requirement to use a belt holster for these events or can a shoulder rig be used ?
Is the speed that you can draw and fire part of the comp which would put the shoulder rig at a disadvantage ?
Also which type of carry is the most discrete for a larger pistol that you recommend to customers wanting concealed carry ?
As I said before I know nothing about these things because pistols are highly regulated here , but I was thinking about it today .
Years ago on all the Cop - Detective movies and shows on TV that I watched , they all wore Shoulder holsters , now if you watch current shows on TV it seems that waistband type rigs are the most common that I see .
Is this just Hollywood or real life ?
As in all things in life does fashion and trends influence current favourite carry types or is there real functional advantages to what is currently popular .
Ken
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Ken, you'll never see a shoulder holster on a competition range for a simple reason: To draw those around you will get muzzle swept by a loaded firearm.
Shoulder holsters and variants are a necessity for larger guns due to size, weight, and just being able to even draw them. People that prefer shoulder/chest rigs for small guns typically spend a lot of time driving where a strongside belt holster is not accessible. I currently am working on a nice shoulder rig I'll post up in a week or two for a long slide 460 Rowland Glock. The length is probably the same as an 8 3/8" revolver, your only real option there is some form of shoulder rig it's longer than most folks chests' are wide. Here's an example of my first one I like to use on the tractor, fourwheeler, etc:
Some really fancy leather work on display here... Eaglestroker ... those holsters are just works of art - almost too good to use. As Ken said earlier Firearms is general and Pistols in particular are highly regulated here in Australia. Regular citizens can't get a licence for Handgun other than to use on Target Range and even then there are lots of hoops to jump through. I'm very envious of both the handguns and the fine rigs you have to carry them.:thumbup:
This is a little experimental project I am working on. Most days I am out in the 'bush' so carry my knives on a belt sheath and often into town as well. But if I want to be a little more discrete about it I'll use a pocket slip. As I've gotten more and more really nice traditional folders I am paranoid about loosing one, a couple of times I've had stuff slide out of my pockets when sitting in a low-slung seat. More than once I've had to fish something out from down the back of the couch cushions.
This is just a simple pocket slip but attaches to my belt via a key clip.
Worn this a few times now and the conclusion is ... yep the idea has merit ... but the 'dangler' attachment is 'maybe/probably' just a little too bulky.
This is a little experimental project I am working on. Most days I am out in the 'bush' so carry my knives on a belt sheath and often into town as well. But if I want to be a little more discrete about it I'll use a pocket slip. As I've gotten more and more really nice traditional folders I am paranoid about loosing one, a couple of times I've had stuff slide out of my pockets when sitting in a low-slung seat. More than once I've had to fish something out from down the back of the couch cushions.
This is just a simple pocket slip but attaches to my belt via a key clip.
Worn this a few times now and the conclusion is ... yep the idea has merit ... but the 'dangler' attachment is 'maybe/probably' just a little too bulky.
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i second the sentiment about eaglestroker's work and it's the same with firearms here in germany
i really dig your pocket slip/dangler idea... might be onto something there... also because it will keep the sheath/knife upright in the pocket...
today i am wearing something extra in addition to the belt
but first i have a confession to make... over the last one and a half weeks i have only been wearing my sak/victorinox as a knife... and it is sufficient....
really, i kinda feel like cheating and like it is not a proper knife, especially as this was a trade show give away, so i didn't even pay anything for it... anyways, as not just to show glaring successes in here
i freely admit that i messed up making my very first and own "Harronek special". Not the sheath per se, but it is simply to short to wear beltless. i started without measuring and during stitching i realized that it wouldn't fit due to the smaller sak and flashlight... well, still a decent pocket sheath.however, this is actually the first time i am somewhat pleased with the stitching... actually both sides are saddle stitches, however differently executed.
it's from the crappy leather i posted in the other thread of mine, with this section being rather soft and floppy. also no dye, just the leather, fiebing atom wax, and a first timer for me fiebing's carnauba wax/cream. i have to say, so far i am really pleased with that combination, but only time will tell.
so here are the pictures:
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Ken, you'll never see a shoulder holster on a competition range for a simple reason: To draw those around you will get muzzle swept by a loaded firearm.
Shoulder holsters and variants are a necessity for larger guns due to size, weight, and just being able to even draw them. People that prefer shoulder/chest rigs for small guns typically spend a lot of time driving where a strongside belt holster is not accessible. I currently am working on a nice shoulder rig I'll post up in a week or two for a long slide 460 Rowland Glock. The length is probably the same as an 8 3/8" revolver, your only real option there is some form of shoulder rig it's longer than most folks chests' are wide. Here's an example of my first one I like to use on the tractor, fourwheeler, etc:
Your work just continues to astound me :thumbup:
Ken
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Some really fancy leather work on display here... Eaglestroker ... those holsters are just works of art - almost too good to use. As Ken said earlier Firearms is general and Pistols in particular are highly regulated here in Australia. Regular citizens can't get a licence for Handgun other than to use on Target Range and even then there are lots of hoops to jump through. I'm very envious of both the handguns and the fine rigs you have to carry them.:thumbup:
This is a little experimental project I am working on. Most days I am out in the 'bush' so carry my knives on a belt sheath and often into town as well. But if I want to be a little more discrete about it I'll use a pocket slip. As I've gotten more and more really nice traditional folders I am paranoid about loosing one, a couple of times I've had stuff slide out of my pockets when sitting in a low-slung seat. More than once I've had to fish something out from down the back of the couch cushions.
This is just a simple pocket slip but attaches to my belt via a key clip.
Worn this a few times now and the conclusion is ... yep the idea has merit ... but the 'dangler' attachment is 'maybe/probably' just a little too bulky.
Dave ( Horsewright ) makes a similar sheath to that , but I think the dangler just loops back through itself to attach to your belt .
Cool idea and nice work .
Ken
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i second the sentiment about eaglestroker's work and it's the same with firearms here in germany
i really dig your pocket slip/dangler idea... might be onto something there... also because it will keep the sheath/knife upright in the pocket...
today i am wearing something extra in addition to the belt
but first i have a confession to make... over the last one and a half weeks i have only been wearing my sak/victorinox as a knife... and it is sufficient....
anyways, as not just to show glaring successes in here
however, this is actually the first time i am somewhat pleased with the stitching... actually both sides are saddle stitches, however differently executed.
it's from the crappy leather i posted in the other thread of mine, with this section being rather soft and floppy. also no dye, just the leather, fiebing atom wax, and a first timer for me fiebing's carnauba wax/cream. i have to say, so far i am really pleased with that combination, but only time will tell.
so here are the pictures:
If at first you don't succeed Try and Try again
Your not the first to make a mistake with the overall length of these Beltless sheaths ( I wont tell you how I know
)It is the best excuse ever to make version 2 that you will ever have .
I wont go into detail here but if you want PM me and I will give you a few hints about what I have found after making a few of these things now and how to set them out distance and spacing wise .
Nice stitching , and even though I'm biased this design is really successful and functional , you must try another one .
Ken
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If at first you don't succeed Try and Try again
Your not the first to make a mistake with the overall length of these Beltless sheaths ( I wont tell you how I know
It is the best excuse ever to make version 2 that you will ever have .
I wont go into detail here but if you want PM me and I will give you a few hints about what I have found after making a few of these things now and how to set them out distance and spacing wise .
Nice stitching , and even though I'm biased this design is really successful and functional , you must try another one .
Ken
oh, i will most certainly try another one! now that i started this i will not relent. btw, the leather with the two wax finishes has a really nice "leathery" smell...
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Hey Brumby - I've had a few rifle leather customers in Oz, and one for handgun leather. There are a lot of things not so good going on in our country but my gun safe is a constant reminder of something I'd rather not do without. Thanks for the kind words and nice work yourself!
i second the sentiment about eaglestroker's work and it's the same with firearms here in germany
I've had a couple German rifle gear customers as well! My real job involves performance cars and there is a trend with foreigners in guns, knives, and particularly American cars : they are really proud of them. Interesting the things some of us just don't really consider in a day.
Hey Ken, I can't make anything you can't. Appreciate the kind words though!
Horsewright
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Ken, another pair of the roughout spur straps sold:
On his spurs, And on his boots:
On his spurs, And on his boots:
Dave, how are you attaching the buckles on the spur straps? Depending on how you are attaching the buckle, it seems they could be fairly simple to make where they could be rough out or smooth out (until the break in of course). Unless I am missing something, which is entirely possible.
Chris
Chris
Horsewright
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Chris the buckle is attached with a slot and a billet through the slot and then rivetted. So couldn't be reversable, at least how I make em. These are lined with that bridle leather so they would look good the other way around too. Maybe a chicago screw instead of a rivet? Hadn't ever thought about. Heck till last week hadn't ever even thought about rough out spur straps.