The less usual problems.

[Slowhand Bob]

Over a few months time I have had two related repairs that were less than the usual fair.  I'll describe the last one as it is more typical and would probably be more likely encountered.  At a recent match a pard presented me with a Slim Jim that had the bottom of the belt loop coming unraveled at a top corner.  This was a long barl unlined holster and the toe was open.  If you have tackled this before, how did you attack the problem?  If you have yet to run into this, what will you do when you do?  What has been some less than usual repairs that you have tackled, or wish you could have?

[Springfield Slim]

Repairs are a pain in the butt, I'd rather make something from scratch anytime. I hate it when a fellow shooter comes to me with one of those Leg O Mutton cases and wants me to repair it. Most of the time the thing is rotted out at the seams, and some of those things are mostly cardboard with a thin leather covering. Very difficult to repair without rebuilding the whole enchilada.

[Slowhand Bob]

Slim, about a year ago I had a pard bring me a rather nice looking, albeit plain, holster he had won at a match.  The leather looked nice, the design was attractive (Mexican Loop) and it was lined.  But alas the lining was where the problem lay.  The lining was bubbling up on most of the holster and there was no stitching except for the mainseam.  Looking between the plys on the skirt it appears that perhaps some type of thin spray adhesive??? may have been used to laminate the lining in.  Lots of times I will do freebys, and had done several for this pard in the past, but this time his mouth dropped open with my price quote.  It was equivalent to what I would charge for a new but similar, low end, holster to this one, done right.  Frequently time is a larger expense than materials and some do not consider this.  I ended up stuffing glue into the reachable areas for him, no charge, and politely letting him know that I did not want to see this particular holster again.  Who knows enough to produce a holster so close to well done, while ruining it with such short cuts?

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Gents

            I 've only been into leather work for two years now , but I feel fortunate, to have had good instruction, from Cowboy WC, when I first got into this , I've heard some people talk about useing the spray on adhesives, and I wanted to jump in and say something , but being new I chose to just listen, and maybe there was something I could learn, I've tried useing these spray on adhesives in the past ,long before I started in leather craft, and I think they are a waste of your time and money, I did everything according to the instructions, and it looked like it was going to work, but after a few weeks, it would start bubbling up just like your friends holster did , for some reason it tends to dry out and lose it hold , and if it gets too hot, it will also come apart, So if any of you nubees, read this , STAY AWAY FROM THE SPRAY ON ADHESIVES, IMHO, I took the new cans and what was left over in the other, back and got a refund .
            I don't mind doing some repairs on leather, but just like Slowhand Bob said , some times it would be easier to just make it over again, I also think their are limits as to what can and can not be repaired. Slim says it best , I'd rather make something from scratch anytime. and I agree


                                                   tEN wOLVES 

[ChuckBurrows]

At a recent match a pard presented me with a Slim Jim that had the bottom of the belt loop coming unraveled at a top corner.  This was a long barl unlined holster and the toe was open.  If you have tackled this before, how did you attack the problem?

1) The "hard way" - long nose needle nose pliers, cut my needles to half length, and a lot of cussing...

2) the "easy way" - take it to a shoe shop and have them sew it up on their patch machine.....

[Irish Dave]

Under the circumstances you describe, I'd cut the mainseam stitching. Open the holster. Repair the belt loop. Restitch the mainseam.

[Slowhand Bob]

Though it 'almost' requires a lockstitch, I use a small size jerk needle.  It actually can go pretty fast, under the circumstances, once you get used to the technique.  I clamp the holster, mouth up, between my knees with an overarm light focused into the holster.  A long pair of slender forceps are used to reach inside and hook the thread across the needles eye.  I couldnt be sure but there did not seem to be a stitch groove cut inside so I did dampen the inner stitch area with a dauber to allow pulling the stitches tightly below the surface.

At one time I was thinking about making a reversed jerk needle (kinda a push needle) to allow an easier saddle stitch technique to be used.  This would have looked almost identical to a tire plug pushing tool and made from a machine needle.  It would have been push a thread pull a thread.  I have become much more willing to accept the machine lock stitch now and consider it as not worth the effort.  Shux I even sew on one most of the time!