Leathersmiths.....show us yer stuff, (#1) THIS THREAD IS NOW CLOSED

[Willie Dixon]

Saddlerider, that's an amazing look rig you have going there!  Great look, I really like the combination between the tan and black.

[RollingThunder]

Well, it's about time that the Marshall shows off some of his handiwork! And it's real nice handiwork too! Bravo!

[JD Alan]

Will, to me one word sums up that holster, Classy. Clean lines, rich color, sharp in every way. Thanks for sharing that picture, JD

[Johnny McCrae]

Howdy Marshall,

Beautiful job! You have created a very clean and elegant looking holsterthe. Excellent workmanship! Many thanks for sharing your talents with us and for the great job in moderating this forum.               

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks pards. It was a fun project. It was almost hard to cut the hammer notch in it after the holster was finished. This is going to be used in a display of outlaws of the West so it needs to look authentic. This will be shown with an 1875 Remington and a Jessee James rig with Schofields.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

  8)Howdy Will

         Beautiful job, I guess this is the first time I've taken a good look at the Frank James holster, it really does have nice lines, and Thanks to Will  G. for making these stamps, the front part of the holster seems to be in two pieces, or am I not looking at it right, is there an overlap on the front, just below the top of the bucket?, your black dye came out well too, did you use vinegaroon or what, it has a nice natural sheen to it, WELL DONE Pard 


                                                          tEN wOLVES 

[JD Alan]

10 Wolves, thanks for asking great questions! I was looking again at Will's holster, and wondering how he got that black so rich and smooth looking (Sounds like I'm describing gormet coffee)

[Gun Butcher]

  Hey pards you guys are surely turning out some great stuff.
Welcome to all of the new members and keep the projects rolling.
MW that is pure class no other way to put it.
JD, that cutout is actually a cutout, its the hammer notch that Will was talking about hating to cut in the finished holster unless I am badly mistaken. And while I am addressing you I would like to say your stuff looks super. I don't think you have to take a back seat to anyone.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks, pards.

GB is right, that notch is cut out after the holster is finished, just like the original. Frank James did that so he could cock his pistol in the holster before he went into a situation where he'd need it.

The finish is vinegaroon, neutralized with baking soda solution. It got assembled after the dying process. After drying from wet molding, I gave it a light coat of EVOO and let that soak in for 3 or 4 hours. Then I put Lexol conditioner on it and gave it a light buffing after that had soaked in.

It was fun doing a pattern with the swivel knife then beveling both sides of every cut. I like the look it produces. I may need to try that again one of these days with another design. I have to make another holster for re-enactments. Maybe I'll do something for that. Maybe not, that holster has to be black and it would be nice to see how it looks in a light brown. Decisions, decisions.

[Wiley Desperado]

Good night nurse!! What a great bunch of good looking leather.  If this doesn't insipre some more cowboys to get involved in leathercrafting I don't know what will.  JD good looking belts you have got the right stuff nice work.  SaddleRider looks like you're on your way to a prosperous leather business nice work everything is well done.  RT nothing wrong with your work cowboy those are nice looking spur straps.  Marshal I can not tell you how much I like that Frank James holster pard, mighty fine leathercrafting, any cowboy would be proud to wear that one. Thanks for sharing pards.       

[JD Alan]

Thanks Wiley, I appreciate your encouragement. Will, after looking at the picture several more times, I finally understood the cutout. Sometimes I amaze myself by how slow I am to pick up on things! Old age? Tunnel vision? who knows. Thanks for explaining how you did that design. I don't know what Vinegaroon is, but I'll look it up.

Thanks for all you to for the forum Will, it's sure been a blessing to me. JD

[SaddleRider]

Johnny McCrae
JD Alan
Rolling Thunder
Marshall Will Wingam

Thank you kindly.  I wear that hat daily and its good "kind of free" advertising for my business too.  LOL  I found some other barbed wire stamps I want to get that I like better than the Tandy set and once I get them I'll make a new belt and hat with those.

JD

I don't actually make saddles.  I repair and replace leather and other parts, as well as clean and oil them mainly.
 

Willie Dixon
Wiley Desperado

Thank you kindly as well.  The saddle rig was and is my first attempt at a rifle scabbard.  I wanted it darker to match the saddle and so did the customer, but my teacher who guided me in making it had other ideas, so I had to make it his way.  I, nor the customer were happy with the end result, but he bought it anyway since he needed one to fit his M1 Carbine to go hunting.

Now that I'm on my own, I'll do it the way the customer wants, not the way my teacher wanted things done.  LOL

The pic of the guitar strap isn't the best.  The color came out to be something close to a mix of Cherry & Brown.

Thank you all for the positive motivation on my own business and my work.  I do appreciate them all kindly.

I am truly inspired by all of the work I've seen you all have posted.  Truly incredible and extremely professional works from you all.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I don't know what Vinegaroon is, but I'll look it up.

Here's Chuck's thread that explains it. http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,11991.0.html

Now that I'm on my own, I'll do it the way the customer wants, not the way my teacher wanted things done.  LOL

How about giving him a call and offering to re-dye it? It is a good item and would really look outstanding with a darker color on it.

[cowboy316]

dont know what im gonna do with it but i thought it turnd out cool

[JD Alan]

Thanks for the link Will.

Cowboy 316, if I squint I can just barely make it out. I can't advise you, but there is a section on this thread about posting pictures that will come out larger when you click on them. With just a thumbprint it's hard to make out.

From what I can see, it looks great. WC makes something similiar that he fills with bird shot, and uses to hold leather in place when you're working on it. I use canvas shot bags with some, but not a lot of shot in it, but WC's, and now Will's looks much better.

[cowboy316]

well i need to get batteries for my digital camera and quit tryin to use the web camera lol
ill get some tonight  and take some better pics
              Cowboy316

[RollingThunder]

Hey ya'll, remember them heavy-leather cuffs a few pages back? Well, I got them done. Here's a little WIP and some finished pieces.

The right cuff ... dyed and then rubbed -- did that a few times on each.


The left cuff, dying, let it soak in and then rubbed it. Looked like an oil slick at first!


A detail of the rub. I call that stamping "Oregon Lace" ... sounds fancy, don't it? LOL.


Did I mention that I hate lacing?


Mark turned out well enough, though.


Finished, and assembled with bloodknots and leather conchos.


The Finished cuffs on my Aussie Saddle


Let me just say that before I work with leather this heavy again on a project like this, will someone please shoot me? LOL

Seriously, though I learned SOOOO much working on these cuffs. And considering they are destined for a mantle, at least all the imperfections won't be pointed out with use.

Now on to make ANOTHER set ... this time for using. Less detail and more bunkhouse!

[Willie Dixon]

what dies did you use to make those colors the color looks amazing!
great job!

[RollingThunder]

Eco-Flo Dark Cocoa Brown. It's almost black when you dye it in and leave it there, especially after a few coats. I dyed the leather, let it sit, then rubbed it with a soft cloth. Sort of like you would with antique finish. I did that ... oh, three or four times, then put the dye on and let it sit overnight. After that, I put a light coat of Carnauba Cream on it, and rubbed it down good. Then I put a couple light, light,light coats of EcoFlo Super Sheen.

There's probably a lot easier way to get this color though. That was a lot of wiping and dying. Then again, I always do take the long way around the barn. LOL.

Speaking of EcoFlo Super Sheen, anyone ever use that stuff? Is it just me, or does it smell like KFC Cold Slaw?

Thanks for the compliment, too Willie. I appreciate it.

[cowboy316]

hey thunder very nice work would love to have those on my mantel lol
i love the rich dark color and the design did you design them your self
id like to get a pattern of them if i could make a great mantel or wall piece in my house
       Cowboy316