Need to Ask a Question

[Reverend]

           I've been reading this site for awhile. One of the best for information. You cowboys make some of the best  looking holsters. My wife(Kat) & I have Ned Buckshot Rigs. We wear those the most. They are our favorites. But I have a question for the group.

          After I dye the leather, I let it dry, I use Acrylic Resolene to seal it & dry. Then when I start sewing with white thread the dye  comes off on the white thread. How do you all keep the  The thread clean.


Rev

[Arizona Cattleman]

I am no expert, but I  let the dye and leather completely dry, then seal the leather.  After that is completely dry, I then punch the stiching holes and test with some thread to see if there is dye transfer.  If not then stitch the project.  Or you could always use dark thread......   Hope this helps.  The hardest thing about working with leather is waiting to do the next step.  Maybe another Pard will chime in with there sugestions.


AZ Cattleman

[GunClick Rick]

I agree with Reverend,everybody has thier own style and i am partial to Ned,but i think Ned makes the best working rigs you can get.I have seen a few and have not seen them all but the ones i have are fantastic pieces that will be around for the next 100 years.I am a little bias and that is not knocking at all anything you can find here,I have been telling my cousin at the PD to have a look over here if he or his men need something special,i think anybody here can make anything a feller could want or need.Looks like i am getting a very nice holster from Cowboy 316 and i will be very proud of it,boy it sure looks sweet..My goal is to get something from everybody here$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Gun Butcher]

 Reverend, are you waxing your thread. If not that will help keep the dye off.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Reverend, are you waxing your thread. If not that will help keep the dye off.

+1
   what GB said, you need to wax your thread, if any color gets on your thread it will easily wipe off, mine usually comes clean when doing my finishing, oiling with Neatsfoot and then Skidmores.

              tEN wOLVES

[Reverend]

           Yes, I do wax  & use waxed thread from the Leather store. I will punch my holes after I dye from now on. Do most of you all use Acrylic Resolene to seal your leather. Or something else.
            I grew up bugging the local Boot, shoe repair saddler in the town where I grew up. 95% of the leather works I did over the years are Neat-lac covered or natural. I just pulled down the Leather tools in the attic when I inherited a 111W151 Singer 2 years ago & got back into it. I have a 99k Singer. I have always hand sewn. I just finished my Reloading/Leather Shop out back @ Thanksgiving. Don't have Electric installed yet.
            Here is pictures of holsters for my oldest granddaughter(16) that I made this past year. I had to restitch them with new white thread. Sorry about talking to much.


Rev

[cowboywc]

Howdy Reverend
That is a good lookin pair of holsters.
WC

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

   Those holsters are looking good Rev, I bet your Granddaughter really likes them, if I use a dye, I always do my hole punching after the dye has dried thoroughly, when I use natual dyes that I make myself, like walnut pecan or coffee, I do my sewing and everything but burnishing before I dye, then I let my leather piece soak in the dye for set number of hours or days, but natural and the other are two different types of dye, and the methods are different too.

               Welcome to the forum pard, we hope to see more you  and your work.

                                        Regards

                                   tEN wOLVES     

[Reverend]

Thanks guys,

        She(Kissin Carolina Carley) wanted Black & . Pink Lining . I haven't done the belt yet. I was hoping to find one somewhere in black w/pink . I have already done her Bullet caddy 38spl/32 S&W longs per Brazos Jacks patterns. She wants a Knife scabbard now in black w/pink of course. There is not enough hours in a day. Still want to know what you all for sealing your dyes in the leather.

Rev

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Reverend, I use Bag-Kote or Tan- Kote, I prefer the Bag Kote if a sealer of this type needs to be used, I dilute it  BK 40%/ Water 60% this give me a softer satin look that I like, if a customer want a shinny look I use the Tan-Kote, I live in California, so my choices are limited, but I still prefer what I use, aside from that Neatsfoot oil and Skidmores Leather Cream is my most popular, Skidmores does a great job of protecting and conditioning the leather. this is what I use the most, others have there favorites too.

               Regards

            tEN wOLVES 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Howdy, Reverend. I always let my dye dry completely before punching the holes and stitching unless I'm going to stitch first and dye after. I don't seal the leather as a rule. A good conditioner and a light coat of oil gives a nice rich finish.

Those holsters are very good. I like the simple lines of them. The pink is a nice touch for your granddaughter. She must be very proud of them.

Welcome to the forum. Looking forward to your posts.

[Ned Buckshot]

Great lookin' holsters Rev!

Do you know Pinky Jo? She's the cowgirl from over by OKC that wears an all PINK rig I built for her several years ago. Pink outside, pink inside and a bunch of silver!

Ned

[JD Alan]

I'll bet you had fun with that one Ned! I have a buddy who ended up with a pink rig. He had paid for a rig to be made by a local guy, and then they had a falling out. (The maker had a falling out with everyone, but that's another story!)

After waiting a year for the rig it finally showed up in the mail, even though they live in the same town, and it was pink. It was well built, and exactly what Bob wanted, except for the pink part. This happened before I was doing leather work. He got someone to dye it black, but around the wear marks you can see pink. Whoever dyed it did not do anything to remove the pink before making it black. Everyone thought it was funny except Bob  

[GunClick Rick]

I hope she keeps them forever,she will treasure them later..Real nice holsters Rev..

[Reverend]

Thanks guys,

        I take old holsters & Belts that we find in Flea Markets, or people give us & , lighten ,redo them, add to them,change the thread color. Give them new life. I'll wear them for awhile. Then someone comes along & if they are down & out ,don't have the cash for a rig or I feel the need to cheer up their day up . I'll give it to them. Usually when I get blessed with some holsters from somewhere. After I'm thru with them I always pass them on. I'm putting a rig together for buddy thats been out of work for a year. He's been around when I needed anything. Well back to designing Buildings for the Tulsey Town Cattlemens Assoc. We built the first 7 buildings last year, 14 still to go. I'm home cause I tried to cut my left thumb off last Thursday. So sewing ain't going to happen this week according to Nurse Good Body or is it Nurse Crachet(Kat)? Thanks for all the good help & advice. GCR & Terry I got your e-mails.

Rev