Chuck Burrows DVD for beginner

Rube Burrows · April 15, 2020, 09:40:07 AM

With all the stay at home time I have been thinking about trying my hand at making holsters for some of my guns that don't have any. I have never done any leather work but have admired nice holsters for as long as I can remember. I have had a few made from people in this group.

I purchased Al Stohlman's book last year but never jumped in. I have seen lots of people suggest the Chuck Burrows DVD set. Is there a link other than Amazon that sells these? Amazon is showing a very long delivery time to me under the current circumstances.

I have also read over lots of the beginner links on this forum and have a few cheap tools picked out to start with that will hopefully get me by for now till I figure out if its something I will enjoy and can continue.

I learn better seeing things in person so that is why I was hoping to find a good video set since I have no real experience with holster making whatsoever.

Thanks.

1961MJS · April 15, 2020, 01:03:32 PM

Hi

Artisan Ideas

https://www.artisanideas.com/product/654640/Frontier-Holsters-with-Chuck-Burrows-2-DVDs.html

This is where I got my copy. If you haven't carved leather before, I"d suggest getting some cheap thin leather to play with first. Making a holster looks pretty easy, but doing it RIGHT is harder than it looks. Don't ask how I know that.

Later

Capt Quirk · April 15, 2020, 04:25:42 PM

I agree with 1961MJS, some folks make holsters look easy. I ain't one of them

1961MJS · April 15, 2020, 04:57:24 PM

Hi

Hint 1, first things first. Read up on Casing the leather, very very important and if you don't do it right, the tooling won't be sharp. That's one thing, I didn't learn until this March and I've been playing for a long time.

Later

Rube Burrows · April 15, 2020, 07:02:00 PM

Thanks for the info.

I know its much harder than it looks. I don't assume I will grab some leather and make a few holsters. I know it is not something mastered in a day or even years. I just want to see if I can make something I am happy with. Trying to find a good place to start.

Capt Quirk · April 15, 2020, 07:33:02 PM

Well, while you are waiting for the DVDs, Weaver Leather has a mess of videos, for various leather working, and YouTube will have plenty on holsters in general. As for me, I jumped in with a bag of leather scraps from Hobby Lobby, needles, thread, a hammer, and a finishing nail. I learned what I know, through trial and error (of which there were many of the latter), and then looked for the right way. I guess it's a good thing I didn't take up explosives as a hobby

Rube Burrows · April 15, 2020, 09:02:59 PM

Quote from: Capt Quirk on April 15, 2020, 07:33:02 PM
Well, while you are waiting for the DVDs, Weaver Leather has a mess of videos, for various leather working, and YouTube will have plenty on holsters in general. As for me, I jumped in with a bag of leather scraps from Hobby Lobby, needles, thread, a hammer, and a finishing nail. I learned what I know, through trial and error (of which there were many of the latter), and then looked for the right way. I guess it's a good thing I didn't take up explosives as a hobby

I know what you mean. Thanks for the weaver video direction. I had not heard of them.

Capt Quirk · April 16, 2020, 06:55:51 AM

Weaver isn't a bad place to get supplies. The prices are ok, and they usually ship free on orders of $100 or more.

Johnny McCrae · April 16, 2020, 07:37:03 AM

I purchased Chuck Burrow's DVD on Holster Making back in 2006. It is excellent and it took my leather working up to a higher level. Unfortunately I borrowed it to someone and he disappeared.

Practice makes perfect. Just jump in and start making Holsters. Each one you make gets better and better.

Rube Burrows · April 16, 2020, 08:06:41 AM

Thanks. Ordered the DVD set and have a few tools coming. Now to find some leather.

1961MJS · April 16, 2020, 07:49:09 PM

Hi, in the video, Chuck uses a Western style Edge Beveler to bevel around the dip for the Trigger and the other tight curves. Springfield Leather carries four sizes. I'm not sure how much to bevel a holster, how rounded it should be. I"m buying a few things from Springfield anyway since the local Tandy is closed for the 19. I've made a few knife sheathes and haven't really beveled anything more than a #2. I"m not sure if that's good, bad, period Correct, or what.

Suggestions? I just flipped through Packing Iron and the pictures I saw were all from the front, so who knows how much beveling there is.

https://www.springfieldleather.com/Edge-Beveler-WesternStrght-2

So, I have three questions.

1. How much should the sides of a Basic 1870 to 1900 holster be beveled?
2. Is it worth the $35 or $40 to get a Western Style Beveler to go around curves etc?
3. If 2 is a yes, what's the best tool for the job?

Thanks

Marshal Will Wingam · April 20, 2020, 12:02:17 PM

I don't know what others use, but this is my approach.

For your question 1, I don't know what was used in the 1800's.

The answer to your question 2 is a yes. It is worth the expenditure to have a couple good edge bevelers.

To address your question 3, this is assuming you use good quality leather. With belly leather, I've found stuff so soft that no bevel will work correctly on it. Anyway, I use a #2 for the most part. On things with thicker leather, I will use a #4 but with two thicknesses of 8-10 oz leather, I find a #2 is sufficient. That said, I will occasionally use a wider one on holsters but not generally. Your #2 should do fine for most things.

Remember that your edge burnishing will round things over and the bevel mostly keeps it from mushrooming out. If it isn't mushrooming along the burnished edges, you are probably good.

Hope this helps.

1961MJS · April 20, 2020, 12:14:04 PM

Hi, the one I linked to is supposed to be better for doing curves and such. I have the basic Tandy ones, but usually use #1's on belts. I did a holster a few decades ago and didn't own a edger then, I think I just sanded the edge down a little bit.

Thanks

Holsterguy · May 02, 2020, 02:22:17 AM

1961MJS- give the "master tools" edgers from Weaver a try. Best I've ever used. One thing is they are really sharp right out of the box.
Weaver has a short video showing the different sizes and their uses.

1961MJS · May 03, 2020, 05:29:06 PM

Hi, just ordered edgers from Springfield Leather, got Osbornes, #2 Western and a bissonnet. Ordered before I saw the post.

Thanks though

Marshal Will Wingam · May 03, 2020, 07:59:09 PM

Good. You'll be glad you ordered those.

Graveyard Jack · May 11, 2020, 12:48:09 PM

I thought I already replied to this one. The Chuck Burrows videos are great. It's the primary source of my learnin'.

I use the Barry King bissonnette edgers for everything. Mostly the #2 and #3.