Dumb Question

[cowboy316]

Ok guys really dumb question i need to punch hole for stitching in a holster im doing but do have anything like an awl or what not what else can i use or or do i have to get punches or an awl

[Ned Buckshot]

A small finising nail will do the job but it will be tedious to say the least. If you have a drill press cut the head off the nail and chuck it in. Do not turn on the drill just use the up and down to punch and it will go a little quicker.

But you will most likely end up buying at least an awl and needle if you're going to do any amount of work at all.

Ned

BTW: The only dumb question is one that is never asked!

[cowboy316]

Ned
   Thank you for the  info i would have never thought of that  so i can now finish my first ever holster for my dads little 22  ill have pics up later tonight
     Thanks again
         Cowboy316

[Ned Buckshot]

That's great Cowboy. Glad to hear your going forward. I started with no "real" leather tools more years ago than I can remember!  I even still use some of them because that is what I got used to. 

Ned

Can't wait to see the pictures.

[cowboy316]

Ive been doing leather work off and on since i was 9 or 10 cant remember im 36 and ive got a lot of tool just not everything i need YET but will have them soon

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Looking forward to seeing your first stitch job, Cowboy. Ned gave you good advice, there. My first awl was one I made from a screwdriver. It took a lot of filing and shaping but it got the job done. Using a nail never occurred to me or I'd have done that. I picked up a stitch awl when I could.

[Ned Buckshot]

Started about the same age as you Cowboy but now I'm 54 !

Ned

[cowboy316]

my wife is sitting here waiting to see just how fat my thumb gets for hitting it while punching the holes LOL
and now iv got to buy her the new food saver machine cuz im comendeering her old one just to make holster LOL
she also told me i had to buy my own table shes tired of swapping back and forth from my leather stuff to her quilting and sewing stuff
      Cowboy316

[Dr. Bob]

Cowboy316,

You're one lucky fellow.  Your wife said buy your own table, not "Don't go spending more money on that leather working stuff!   Go for it!

[cowboy316]

Bob
It just so happens monday depending on the weather im taking a trip to the next town that has a tandy shop and oh boy i got a list of things i need to get like a stitching awl and maybe get a good deal on some live oak leather but till then i just keep hitting the local saddle shop scrap bin can usually get some good sized chunks that have a few flaws but for starting out their fine to work with and if i do need good leather ill buy it then do need to get some and make a bible cover to show the preacher at my church make start something there lol
      Cowboy316

[JD Alan]

A Bible cover started me off Cowboy, only it was one made for me. I liked it so much I decided to give this a try, after thining about it off & on for years. I usually had too many other things going on, mostly music related, to try working leather. I sure am enjoying it a lot.

The guy who invited me to the local CAS club's wife does leather. She attends our church, he attends the Catholic church in town. Her work has given me a lot to live up to.     

[cowboy316]

Verey cool cover JD i like the style  ill have to get crackin and get something done LOL
     Cowboy316

[santee]

Wow! How do you guys get the darker colored dye in the background without it bleeding into the other tooling?

[cowboy316]

Santee
  I always use a small paint brush and every place its backgrounded is where you paint in the dark and with the surrounding work it contains it in the backgrounded area just like coloring  LOL
     Cowboy316

[Marshal Will Wingam]

The small paintbrush works good as long as it doesn't have too much dye in it. That's what I use. If i'm going to color in the middle of a blank or somewhat blank area, I make a slight knife cut and use a modeler to smooth it off. Then the dye will color up to the cut and tend to not cross unless it's fairly wet

[cowboywc]

Howdy
I use a long fine tip brush to dye my backgrounds. Always start in the middle of the area and as the brush
gets drier get closer to the edges. The dye can bleed past the cut if the brush is too wet.
WC

[Angel_Eyes]

Going back to the hole punching idea.
When I first started, I used a 1mm drill bit turning in my drill press through both thicknesses of leather which I used to superglue together.
This was quick, accurate and easy to do and didn't allow the holes to become mis-aligned when stitching.
Speeded things up no end!

Angel Eyes

[JD Alan]

Just to be clear once more, that Bible cover is not my work. It was made for me by Jay Weedman, a woman in our church. Her husband got me started in CAS. She told me she did that by using a very small brush, with very little dye. I'm sure it took her quiet a while. The back, spine, and inside are all done real nice. I've looked it over carefully many times, and I can't find a flaw or bobbble anywhere. That's the result of 30 plus years of leathercraft.

[RollingThunder]

LOL. Mine's just happy that I moved all my stuff out of the living room and into the dining room. Er. Leather shop. Yeah, that's what it's called now. LOL.

I saw on Wil Ghormley's site that he backs his Awl/needles with a big hunk of beeswax, wrapped in leather and secured by wrapping copper wire around the end so it doesn't muschroom out. Maybe get a wax sealing ring for a privy from the hardware store and cut that into chunks large enough to work?

[cowboy316]

RT
   was trying to find your info bout using the bees was with your awls on Will Ghormleys site  and not finding it could ya point me in the right direction please
            Cowboy316