Old project, next step

[Slowhand Bob]

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This is for one of my pards of in North Carolina and has most of the options I wanted but the problems being encountered are still considerable.  The metal liner is light aluminum and offered no problems BUT I think stainless or heavier aluminum would be better.   A nibbler was used for the metal cutting and if a jig is created this should be a relative quick operation but I think I need to get some chain mail gloves.

The sight track hit just right BUT it is to much a hit or miss process with my set up so some changes need to be made here also.  The front sight on the Gold Cup clears by at least an eighth to three sixteenths if not more so it should do for many custom guns used in Modern.  I will readdress the whole sight track mold process at a later date.

The problem that is unacceptable is the main seam and I am not sure how I can resolve it reasonably.  The holster packs four layers of 7-8oz body leather plus a 11-12oz filler into the total main seam thickness.  Guys the foot just want even rise high enough to get under it much less thing about trying to run it.  I seed this main seam by hand BUT am unable to even consider a machine fix without finding something with a full inch or preferably more under the foot!  As is the almost finished holster looks pretty good and the various problems were addressed without affect on this individual example.

[Biscuit Joe]

The problem I have had with welts that thick is needle breakage. Even on big needles!
I use a cobra 4 long arm.
To make the welt a little thinner to get your presser foot over it I would use a smooth face hammer to carefully compress it just enough to make it work.
But a broken needle can screw up the whole project.
I have even had needles come out at an angle and mess up the holster.

I'd personally do it by hand. It isn't that much anyway.
Joel

[Boothill Bob]

You can prepunch the holes on the face of the pouch. Then the needle "just" have to work the welt and back of the pouch.
It works when I handstitsh so why not with a machine?
//BhB

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

   Bob, I think you did a great job on this holster, fine tuning it should be fun, and I know you will make it come out the way you want it to.

       tEN wOLVES 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Nice job on this one. It looks like the ultimate WB holster.

[Slowhand Bob]

BB, it is surprisingly further from going under the machine foot than I can explain.  With this one being the forth version I have made, this hasn't happened before.  I gauged the leather  and it read 7-8, like the earlier ones, and I did go from an 8-9oz filler to a 11-12oz to be sure things would be open enuff fer the addition of the metal skeleton.  As the muzzle view shows, this was not necessary due to the open space visible but it is hard to believe that 3oz of leather made that much difference under the foot.  I definitely can not buy a bigger machine than my TORO 400 for these seams but hand stiting sure is a bummer with a machine that has handled most heavy fillers so well in the past.

Ten Wolves, certainly been drawn out but I fear that most of it has been caused by distractions (aint life fun  ).  Except for something suitable on that main seam I have the rest figured out, I think??  One other addition I will need to address will be a safety strap.  I have found a great example on an older competition holster but it is a little funky and I will need to get a rules interpretation before trying it.

Marshall, it actually looks good and when the top coat goes on it should really improve even more.  This is actually not my personal favorite style, this is for those guys who like a little drop to match their competition cowboy style draw.  Being a fan of the California Slim Jim, my holster preference is high and tight.  I am also almost through with what I hope to be the mag pouch to match it.    Going to stay pretty simple with a matching belt and will do a photo when it is done and ready to ship.  That will be at least a few days as I got to spend all day tomorrow at the hospital and other business on Tuesday. Somewhere in all this I am hearing a voice whisper in my ear, "spring is here and the fish are biting'.     

[Slowhand Bob]

WOW, I can not believe how far behind I got on this one, but it went out in todays mail.  Really looked good to me and was not quite as shiny as it appears in the flash photo.  Hope you guys do not mind a link but it has not been reduced to fit here.   
http://home.comcast.net/~gakracker/site/?/page/1911-1/

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Looks good, Bob. Very nice work.

[Slowhand Bob]

I now have probably a dozen or more of this particular one floating around out there and consider everyone to be flawed in one way or another.  The owners have seemed happy enuff with them though?  Several changes that have been tried have caused me to need to back out and rethink the whole process.  The last batch had four in it and only one actually turned out really close to (almost) perfect while another fell prey to a brain fade on the top coat.  The last two were primarily sewing machine problem children.  I am going to back out again now and try a couple of new ideas on assembly techniques.  When I get one pretty close they are a really great design and I salute the genius of its original designer.  I am guessing that the reason he did not revisit this design with the SASS shooters in mind is the reality that this holster lends itself to factory assembly techniques and he sold that!

PS:  70% of all design/assembly problems are related more to the sight trac step than to anything else.  I have made a couple of reduced width versions, no stainless liner or sight trac, and they looked and worked great for the small sight early style guns.