Leather for a lined, carved holster...

[Skeeter Lewis]

To carve you need a minimum thickness of leather. For a lined holster, what would be a good thickness if the combined thickness is about nine ounces? Can I get away with, say, 6-7 ounce and 3-4 for the lining? What do pards do in this situation? I don't like really thick, stiff holsters.

[cowboywc]

Howdy Skeeter
That is about what I use. Most of the time it depends on what the customer wants.
WC

[JD Alan]

I'm just the opposite Skeeter; I want the holster to stand up to a mule sittin on it. Personal choice I guess.

[Boothill Bob]

God I hate Ounce. In Sweden we have mm so when You are talking ounce I'm lost 
Can anyone help me convert ounce to mm I would be greatfull.........

[Skeeter Lewis]

 

3 ounce........1.2 mm
4 ounce........1.6 mm
5 ounce........2 mm
6 ounce........2.4 mm
7 ounce........2.8 mm
8 ounce........3.2 mm
9 ounce........3.6 mm
10 ounce........4 mm

Hope this helps!

My question was really whether 6 ounce (2.4 mm) was getting too thin for carving.
   

[Boothill Bob]

Tanx Skeeter, now I´m on the track again

[Boothill Bob]

I have tryed to carv in 6 ounce leather now.. I think the stamping becomes shallow, Its no 3D effect

[ChuckBurrows]

My question was really whether 6 ounce (2.4 mm) was getting too thin for carving.

No - I carve 4/5 oz for hatbands - it will not have the "depth" of course that thicker leather can have, but then again period holsters were carved with different patterns than those of today and generally did not have the depth we see today.

FWIW - Here's a hatband in 4/5 oz carved with a wild rose pattern.......

[Boothill Bob]

Nice hatband

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

     Good example Chuck, that's a nice looking and aged looking hat band, I agree that the carving of yesteryear wasn't near as deep as today, Packing Iron shows that, designs were simple and flowing, and nice to look at. I think 4/5 ounce leather is my limit on carving, I've tried 3/4 ounce, and wasn't able to control my depth, and had some areas where my stamp would almost go through the leather, so I stay with 4/5 and up now, but then again I'm no pro when it come to carving.
     Skeeter, I use 8/9 ounce leather as a rule for my holsters, and the same for gun belts, and I have found  4/5 ounce leather works fine as a liner for my gun belts. but the bottom line is what you want, it's a personal choice, some like a nice thick heavy weight belt and others like them light in weight and thickness, I have a few belts that are two pieces of 7/8 ounce, and that makes a fine belt to.


                       Regards

                   tEN wOLVES  

[Skeeter Lewis]

Thanks, pards, for all the advice.

[JD Alan]

This has been an interesting thread. I hope some more guys will weight on on what they do. JD

[Wiley Desperado]

Well the real pros have spoken, so just in the sprite of group participation... I have been using 7/8 oz for holsters, and belts.  I like to carve and that thickness seems to work for me.  When I use lining I use 4/5 oz and also for bullet loops. 
WD

[Boothill Bob]

what´s 4/5 oz in mm?? I´m using 2.5 mm to bulletloops, but I think its to thick, it dont turn out
as I want it

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

     BH, 4 to 5 ounce in mm, is 1.6 mm to 2mm


             tEN wOLVES

[Boothill Bob]

Tanx TW.. Then I´m using to thick leather
Its hard to do woven loops with 2.5 mm

[JD Alan]

2.5 would be 6-7 oz leather, maybe a little heavy for loops, but then who knows what all people do.

[Missouri Half Breed]

I know im new to lether makeing but my brother Missouri Marshal is a old hand and he has told me to try to keep it finished at about 10 so i use 7/8 for holsters and 2/3 pig skin for lining dont knoe if its right but it seems to work for me

[MontanaSlick]

I use 3-4 oz for my liners n' loops, and 5-6 for the holster,that gives me a 10oz thickness, I like my belts a litlle thick using 2 1/2 " sturrip strips.

However, a 10 oz. works great too, depending on the length, it's the weight factor on the belt.

My thick wallet keeps my rig from falling down over my seat meat.

Happy leather time,
MS