Be kind, don't laugh too hard. It's my first effort

[Bugscuffle]

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I posted on another thread that I wasn't going to post photos of my SASS rig here, but I feel that I need the constructive critisism enough that I can take a little ribbing about my leather crafting abilities or lack thereof. Here is a link to a photobucket album with four photos of my first effort at a gun rig. My only other real experience in leathercracfing was a purse that I made for my wife. I would appreciate any CONSTRUCTIVE critisism. Here was my thinking on the design. I shoot only SASS and in SASS you only reload from the belt for the shotgun, so I don't have a need for rifle or pistol ammo loops. I see a lot of guys using separate shotgun ammo belts, and the pistol belt is all loaded upwith pistol rounds that are not needed. The rule says that you must wear the shotgun ammo belt at or below the navel (that's a belly button for the rest of you). If that's where they are wearing them then about half of the men on the firing line must look like thay have three nipples when they take off their shirts. In order to avoid this in myelf, I incorporated the shotgun ammo belt into the pistol belt. Now full disclosure, I did not make the holsters, but rather modified the way that they mounted to the belt. Originally they had very simple and flimsy loops to hold the holsters on the belt. Quite frankly I didn't save any labor at all doing it that way. Of course i now have grandiose plans for another rig, but I'll have to wait untilmy wife quits hollering at me for what I spent on this one. I tried to explain that most of it was one time expenses for tools and such and the next one will be MUCH less expensive. Her response is unprintable here. Please take a look and let me know whaere I can make improvements.

http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p155/JiminTexas/Gun%20Rig/

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

 

     That's a dandy  Buggscuffle, for your first rig you did well, and thanks for sharing with us, keep up the good work pard, you have your start, it will only get better as you go along.

     tEN wOLVES 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

That's a cool rig, BS. I like the Mexican Revolution style belt. It's quite practical for SASS. Good job, there.

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

That rig shows great imagination and execution.  The tooling looks fantastic, so be proud!

[Springfield Slim]

I've never seen a keeper riveted to the front of a belt before, I like it, and may steal that idea from you.

[bedbugbilly]

That's a great looking rig - any feller would be proud to wear that!  Thanks for sharing with us!   

[Bugscuffle]

Man alive I did learn A LOT building this rig. I learned that the order of assembly is critical and takes some thought before you start glueing and sewing stuff together. I learned that you do ALL of your dyeing before you start assembly. I learned that if you leave an open bottle of dye anywhere on the workbench that you WILL eventually spill it. And then there are the things that I would do differently next time. I'd round off the ends of the keepers and not leave them square. I'll spend a lot more time rounding and smoothing edges. I'll do a little tooloing on the keepers and the other small add-on parts just so that they wont look like they are add ons. I'll use just one kind of leather so that everything comes out the same color even if it wasn't the color that I though that it would come out. I learned that I reallky like EVOO instead of Neats Foot Oil.

[KidTerico]

Bugscuffle Dont complain. You did a nice job. Dont stop now. KT

[Marshal Will Wingam]

He's right, pard. It's a good-looking rig. If there are things you would change, make another one with the changes. Then you'll learn MORE things you'll do differently next time. It's part of leatherworking. We all still think, "Next time I'll..."

[GunClick Rick]

Man Bugscuffle i agree,you used the old noodle and imagination,tried a design of your own
Tooling is great,i mean i sure as heck can't do it,i will try at some point,but mine will end up boiled between a couple slices of bread.

Looks like it does what it is supposed to do,hold guns and ammo I say GOOD ON YA!

[GunClick Rick]

"but I'll have to wait untilmy wife quits hollering at me for what I spent"

My wife starts that crap i tell her yea let me see that make-up and dresses and shoes bill you got in your wallet..

and by the way you old blister you sure are using alot of make-up these days! I told here the other day that
the make up she wore was comin from rendered leather and fat squeezed from a dead cow.. She spent a good hour readin the labels after that..

Carry on Bugster,Carry on!

[Johnny McCrae]

Howdy Bugscuffle,

I would not laugh but commend you for jumping in and making a Rig with your own ideas. You did a great job and put a lot of thought into this Rig. You will learn and greatly increase your skills with each project you do. Many thanks for sharing this with us. We look forward to seeing your future projects.

By the way, while traveling to Florida last month, I noticed a town south of Nashville, Tennessee called "Buscsuffle".

[Slowhand Bob]

Good work and an inventive mind.  Right now you need to be working on those ideas you have that creates practical use leather.  This inventive bend reminds me of our friend Lone Rider, a very creative individual.   Use it for a while, make note of the changes that will make it more practical, then start making those changes.  Several great ideas there and I just might need to borrow a few of them, I have been known to borrow on occasion.   

[Bugscuffle]

I can't take credit for the general design. I saw a posting on this forum a while back. I don't remember who put it up, but it was a very old Mexican style rig that was built in more or less the same way, just no shotgun ammo loops on the center piece. I remember complaining that someone had stolen my idea about 150 years ago . I am trying to curb my ambition to get started on another. I'm pretty sure that a little time and thought and practical use of this rig will go a long way in improving my next one, and besides now that I have two rigs I have to think up a realy good reason as to why I need a third one. I may need help with that one.

[GunClick Rick]

Buy another gun

[Slowhand Bob]

Got that right Rick.  I want one of them new miniature Browning 1911-22s real bad and now I think I know why.  It is more about making a miniature WB rig for it than anything else!  I'm thinking two layers of 4-5oz leather and beer can metal for the skeleton.  Now, how to get that empty beer can?   

[Bugscuffle]

Thanks everyone for your kind comments and encouragement. I'm starting today on an OWB holster for my Bersa U.C. .45, in alligator. It'snot CAS, but at least I don't have to give the wife unit any excuses.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

... now that I have two rigs I have to think up a realy good reason as to why I need a third one. I may need help with that one.

That's easy. Because you don't have a third one yet. Everyone knows you have to have odd numbers of these kind of things.

[Bugscuffle]

That's it!!! I'll use the old "pair and a spare" defense.

[Biscuit Joe]

I find it best to have a different rig to go with each different hat.   

[KidTerico]

No way I dont want to get rid of 100 rigs because I dont have enough hats. KT   

[Drayton Calhoun]

No need to apologize Bugs, that is one sharp rig! I like the arch on the shotshell loops. Keep it up!