bearcat holster

[plowboy 45]

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[plowboy 45]

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[plowboy 45]

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[vancelw]

Nice, simplistic design. What price range?

Sure wish I had the craft to at least do my own stuff like that.

[SJPrice]

Nice, simplistic design. What price range?

Sure wish I had the craft to at least do my own stuff like that.

Good leather, a good clear pattern, a steady hand, a decent leather sewing machine and really really really sharp tools. Or if you can not afford the sewing machine at first you can get by with a good leather punch and rawhide or latigo leather laces in place of stitching. Did I mention the real trick is keeping your tools really sharp.


That appears to be nice work. Congrats on the new holster. How does your Bearcat shoot. I always thought one of those would be handy.

[vancelw]

Nice, simplistic design. What price range?

Sure wish I had the craft to at least do my own stuff like that.

Good leather, a good clear pattern, a steady hand, a decent leather sewing machine and really really really sharp tools. Or if you can not afford the sewing machine at first you can get by with a good leather punch and rawhide or latigo leather laces in place of stitching. Did I mention the real trick is keeping your tools really sharp.


That appears to be nice work. Congrats on the new holster. How does your Bearcat shoot. I always thought one of those would be handy.

You don't understand...I could make a holster that functions....but it wouldn't LOOK like THAT
I can can fix most things and fabricate a lot, but the ART form just isn't in my blood.

[Chuck 100 yd]

There is no need for a sewing machine. Very nice work can be done with very simple hand tools. If you want to make a holster,don`t let the thought that you cant afford the tools that are REQUIRED to do it because they are NOT!

Along with simple tools found in most homes, $10.00 worth of thread and needles and a stitching awl will do the job very nicely. Use two needles and a thread. Don`t buy one of those hand stitching tools with the little spool of thread on it. They are junk and only good for sewing up potato sacks. IMHO

[plowboy 45]

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[pwl44m]

I have been cleaning My Garage some more (unpacking after 2 1/2 years). Yesterday I came across a Case full of Leather and pieces and bunch of Tools. I don't have the foggiest what some are used for.
That Holster should fit a Colt SA 22 should it not ?
Perry

[vancelw]

I traded a knife I built for it he said it would be around 125 normally witch seems high 2 me the bearcat shoots every time I pull the trigger but its missing the front sight I doubt I could hit with it if it had one I've never been able 2 hit with my fixed site six shooters

125 sounds high to me, too but it's not way out of range. A simple El Paso holster like that runs 89 to 99 without the concho. I can see a custom guy charging more. I tend to dig though the bargain piles and never turn loose of a holster. If I can get a thick leather holster for $20 or less I tend to hoard it. Not as pretty though

[rjohns94]

Chuck, do you have a picture of the other side of that holster? The stitching is alluding me how it works. Thanks

[Ysabel Kid]

Very nice holster!

[765x53]

For those who want to learn to saddle stitch leather, here is a video. http://springfieldleather.com/321/Video ... ful-Hints/

[Chuck 100 yd]

rjohns94, I do and will post it.
Saddle stitch is very simple. You use one piece of thread with a needle on each end.
Punch a series of holes or you can drill them, as I do, on the drill press or with a dremel tool and a 1/16" drill. Run the needle and thread through the first hole and center it so equal lengths of thread are on each side of the project.
Now the front needle and the rear needle will pass through the next hole(one at a time).
Pull both threads to tighten that stitch and repeat as before.
The link above shows it better or go tandy`s web site and there are videos there showing it.
Very simple to do and the stitch is super strong because there is two threads going through each hole. I use heavy thread and think it looks better. Some guys use thinner thread as it is easier to do.
Wear a pair of those blue surgical gloves when sewing to give a good grip on the needles.
The pic of the other side does not help. What it is is a thread coming out of each side with a needle on the end of each,ready for the next stitch. both needle will pass through the next hole.

[AJMD429]

There is no need for a sewing machine. Very nice work can be done with very simple hand tools. If you want to make a holster,don`t let the thought that you can't afford the tools that are REQUIRED to do it because they are NOT! Along with simple tools found in most homes, $10.00 worth of thread and needles and a stitching awl will do the job very nicely. Use two needles and a thread. Don`t buy one of those hand stitching tools with the little spool of thread on it. They are junk and only good for sewing up potato sacks. IMHO

Yep.

Even the tools-with-spools are good enough to 'get started', but I found that a couple good needles and a good needle-nose pliers actually worked as well or better.

[plowboy 45]

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[92&94]

Drill the holes.... never even thought of that

Here I've been using that stupid speedy stitcher as a punch awl - way sharper than anything else I have handy. They are indeed useless for everything else.

[Hagler]

Gents,

Here are a couple of pictures showing the two-needle saddle stitch:





I do not sew that way. I prefer the single-needle stitch, going through all of the holes, in one direction, then back through them, on the way back to the beginning. I use lineman-style pliers, to pull the needle with. I often break needles, too. I wear heavy sewing gloves, to minimize the damage to my hands. Drilling holes works, but piercing the leather allows it to contract a bit, keeping the stitches a little more securely. Sewing heavy leather, or welted layers, is very tough. Contact cement helps to hold together these layers.

Shawn

[plowboy 45]

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[Chuck 100 yd]

92&94 , Yes,drilled holes CAN be the only way when you are sewing a holster made of very heavy leather and it has a welt also. The seam can be 1/2" thick.
Saddle stitch is very strong and looks good also.
If you look at my picture,those holes were first drilled with a 1/16" drill and then enlarged using a stitching awl giving them that diamond shape. If you lube the awl`s blade with some bees wax it works a lot easier. Go here and check out the FAQ section for great ideas and loads of info.
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index. ... board=57.0
That is a great bunch of guys there and they just love to help a newcomer. Most of them were newcomers not that long ago but just look at the wonderful leather goods they turn out. I have lots of pictures of holsters and belts there too but not recently. Do a search for Chuck 100 yd and see.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Hagler I have been sewing up holsters for several years and have NEVER broken a needle.
I have bent a couple but never broken one and only need to use a pliers when back stitching to end a run.
When sewing both threads at the same time,you can grab the needle and the thread that is already through the hole together and the thread will give you traction on the needle and it will pull easily by dragging some of the first thread along with the needle trough the hole. Of course you have to have loose thread on the other side to do that. Pull the thread tight only after both needles are through a particular hole..
If you are using pliers on every stitch I think you are making the holes too small.