Buck Stitch

[Davem]

I have done one holster with rawhide lace using a whip stitch. EZ enough, just tuck the tag end under 3 or 4 wraps and trim.  On a running stitch, or buck stitch, how do you handle the tags ends?  There are plenty of You Tubes that cover a buck stitch that encircles the project- like a wallet or belt- you end up back at the beginning.   On a holster or knife sheath that doesn't happen- there is a top end and bottom end.   What do you do with the tag ends?

[Davem]

Not to answer my own question but I got a reply on another site and I want to share.  On the tag end make a slit parallel to the lace length.  The big trick here is to run the needle through the hole on the top of the leather and then position the tag end so the needle passes through the slit and then into the bottom half of the holster edge.  This eliminates a lot of bunching up of material.  I had thought about the slit in the end but not positioning as stated,  Simple solution.
AND....on my first carved holster I did a wrap whip stitch around the edge- using rawhide. There are actual old holsters made this way.  What I didn't realize is the spacing of the slits has to adjust to curves.  If you have an inside curve the slits need to be a little farther apart. On an outside curve (like around the trigger guard) the wraps will be splayed out like spokes on a wheel and tere will be gaps between the wraps.   It takes some skill to create a holster with all the wraps right next to each other and neither bunched too tightly or splayed apart.  Which brought me to the buck stitch. I've seen a few photographs of original holsters laced this way so it is PC.  You use less material and you don't have to worry about the spacing between the wraps.  Rawhide usually ends up being a lighter color than the leather so the contrast is attractive.  Any rawhide stiffens up the edge which helps if the leather is a little on the thin side, The wrap method uses more rawhide and stifffens more.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

That's interesting information. I've never done it myself but there may come a day when I do. Thanks for that.

[Davem]

I'm actually trying to make a variety of styles of belts, holster- see what I feel was best.