Holster revisited

Re: Holster revisited 2

Skip in Falls Church

>This is a close up of the boar on the flap.

Skip

Re: Holster revisited 2

Joe Rogers, Northern Virginia

>Truly nice work Skip. If(NO promises:-))you can make the meet could you bring the holster in so I can see it in person? JR

Re: Holster revisited 2

Skip in Falls Church

>I'll bring the holster and probably a few other things too. No idea what - but I'm sure I'll come up with something. Although I doubt that the dirk I made would be welcome. I bought the blade but made the guard, hilt (carved from black walnut) and sheath. Hey, I got some hand tool stuff in here even if it was carving.

Skip

Re: Holster revisited 2

Jack Guzman from Maine

>Hey Skip, I like that handle.Nice work on the plane sheath too except..The edges on the flap look unfinished.Isn't there some way to make that look less rough? Maybe burn the edge or lace it.Don't mean to demean your work.It is well done.---Jack

Re: Holster revisited 2

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>Why do you think the dirk wouldn't be welcome? We would be glad to show you how to regrind its bevels to make a terrific marking knife. There should be lots of expertise in that discipline at the breakfast.

Re: Holster revisited 2

Skip in Falls Church

>Thanks,I saw a picture of an early dirk on the internet somewhere and copied the design for the hilt from the picture.

Thanks about holster too. When I said complete, its sort of like saying your woodworking project is complete - except for the finish. The form is complete - but I haven't applied the finish yet. What I've done on my other holsters is wet the edge, round it then slick or burnish it smooth - then apply some Neatsfoot oil.

I just did finish the tooling Sunday afternoon and haven't had time to do the rest. Since my stepdaughter had the camera this week and I didn't have time to apply the finish, I opted for the picture as it is. (For some reason I couldn't convince her to leave her new toy here for half a semester. :) ) I'll probably do the finishing work tomorrow.

I must admit that there is one little nagging design question that I couldn't figure out: Since it's a shoulder plane, should I have made a shoulder holster? :)

Skip

Re: Holster revisited 2

Skip in Falls Church

>Hmmmm, I sort of figured that wandering into a restaurant with a 2 foot long knife - no matter how discretely sheathed, might create a stir among at least some of the patrons. :) I guess I could leave it in the car though.

Actually it's a great marking knife just as it is, whack or stab something with it and it leaves really nice marks. :)

Skip

Was that a stealth gloat on the daughter :)

Dennis in Atlanta

>

Re: Holster revisited

Dave Anderson Chester, NH

>Really nice work Skip. I'm looking forward to getting a chance to see BOTH the plane holster AND the knife a week from Saturday at the breakfast in Springfield. I don't think that anyone would really be upset having it in the restaurant. Heck, the cooks have cleavers.

Re: Holster revisited

Rob Lee

>Hi Skip -

An excellent job - we'll take 800... :)

Seriously - how about a short aticle to illustrate the stages of making/sewing tool covers in leather? It would probably be of interest to most here!

Cheers -

Rob

Re: Holster revisited

Dave (Arlington, VA)

>Hi Rob (and Skip) -

I absolutely agree. I love it and I'd be very interested in such an article. I read Bob Smalser's excellent article a while back on tooling (and "weatherproofing") a sheath/cast for his knife and all-purpose tool. It'd be fascinating to see Skip's approach, and also how he did his design work (I don't recall Bob putting a design on his case - though I may be mistaken). For those of you interested in this kind of work, you might want to search out Bob's tutorial on making his his leather sheath.

I'm looking forward to seeing this sheath in person at our breakfast in a week or so down in Springfield, VA. (All other Washington DC area woodworkers are welcome). I'm hoping Skip brings some of the tools he used to do this work. I would love to see them.

Thanks to Skip for posting this pics. And thanks to you, Rob, for suggesting the idea of an article.

Regards -

Dave

I concur

Dan Clermont in Burnaby

>How about a How To???

I got a plane for Christmas and it came with a Leather holster. At first I thought I would never use it but after trying it out I think it's prett cool.

Next I'd like one for my 604 1/2 ;)

Dan Clermont

Re: Was that a stealth gloat on the daughter :)

Skip in Falls Church

>Hmmm, gloat maybe - although gloat by proxy, so to speak. I suspect that there was nothing stealthy about it - I'm proud of her. :)

Skip

Re: Holster revisited

Skip in Falls Church

>Wow! At one every two weeks or so I should be able to fill that order in 7 or 8 years. :) Seriously, thanks Rob.

Okay, the good camera just left for Boston this morning. I'm reduced to the little web cam that I have on the computer. So, since so many people have asked, I *can* do it - although the quality of the pictures may not be the best.

The process would be a lot easier this time. The first time I was designing "on the fly" and had no pattern to work from not to mention not being sure if it would work. So, let me collect myself up and see what leather I have left and what I need to do. Who knows, if there's any surplus money after Christmas, maybe I'll even get a digital camera. :)

Skip

Re: Holster revisited

Skip in Falls Church

>Hi Dave,

Okay, I'll bring the holster, the dirk and my tool box of leatherworking tools. Virtually everything I use fits in one tool box so that is easy enough.

I'll gladly explain the process at the breakfast. It's really not too complicated. And for the actual construction, not too many tools are required. Tooling takes a few more. Although if you think one slope is bad, try two slopes simultaneously. :)

Skip

Re: I concur

Skip in Falls Church

>I got started with holsters when I saw them for sale in Garrett Wade, I think, some time ago. I had some left over leather and decided to give it a try. I had a couple of block planes that just kind of knocked around on my bench or got stuck in a drawer. So I just took a shot at making a couple of holsters loosely based on what I could see.

They worked out well and let me hang my block planes off the edge of the shelf over my bench so I could reach up with my right hand and grab them without even looking. It's proven very convenient. That really got me hooked on making holsters. I guess you could call it one habit feeding another? :)

Skip