Leather Rig

[Whiskey Hicks]

Here I present to you the holster I bought from a local artisan that is a range officer at the nearest shop.  Then there's the basic tool belt I picked up from Tractor Supply.  Finally is the jar of vinegar and the rusted nails I pulled from a neighbor's throwaway pallet to make a vinegaroon.  Hopefully I'll be dyeing the belt in a few days after treating it with acetone to strip any treatments off it.  

 

Once I get a second big iron, I'll have the guy match the first holster he already made.  I'm also thinking of trying my hand at adding some cartridge loops if the dye is successful.  As for all of your suggestions on costuming earlier, I've found a few basic cheaper pieces off of ebay and goodwill for a starter costume that won't break my budget.  Thank you everyone for all the comments and advice!

[Alpo]

Two questions.

 

First, what is the purpose of the rusty nails in the vinegar?

 

Second - well I guess this isn't really a question - Google says a vinegaroon is a species of scorpion.

[Pat Riot]

Side Bar - Ladies and Gentlemen, we now have proof that Alpo does in fact have and apparently uses Google. 

 

Sorry Alpo. Couldn’t help myself. 

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locklear24, Welcome! 

 

What Alpo said - What’s a Vinegaroon? - see below @Alpo

 

I don’t mean to be a wet blanket but I would not put a lot of time into that belt. The quality of the leather matches their price. The leather will become too pliable to hold the weight of your guns within a couple of months of use. You may find that it is inadequate as a gun belt in short order. Also, because the belt is the quality it is you may just want to get yourself a pouch or a slide to hold extra ammo. 
 

Why not have your leather crafter make you a matching belt? Such a nice looking holster deserves a quality belt. 
 

VINEGAROON FOR LEATHER:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Vinegaroon-Black-Leather-Dye/
 

Thank you Locklear24. I learned something today. 

 

[Chief Rick]

Welcome!

 

Be careful with belts not designed as gun belts.

 

My daughter's belt broke during a match.

 

Use that one until you can find a used one in your size for a good price but keep an eye on it.

 

I recommend you inspect it before every match until you replace it.

[Choctaw Jack]

Locklear,

Be careful using acetone on leather.It will strip the oils from the hide and can make it brittle.If you get it dyed successfully, be sure to use a good leather preservative to keep it pliable. 

You can also have your belt lined with suede or a thin split cowhide to make it a little "stiffer"to hold a holster.

Choctaw Jack 

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

For what it's worth, I suspended my old-style (as in Large and Heavy) Blackhawks from an Orchard Supply leather tool belt for several years .  Looked like the one above.

 

Heck, it was designed to lug around a much heavier tool pouch and accessories - and indeed did for quite some time before I "re-purposed" it.  

[Whiskey Hicks]

Alpo, the rust in vinegar is supposed to be a method for creating a black dye.  

 

Choctaw, the dyeing instructions I was looking at said I could use acetone to take any treatment off so the dye would stick.  I'll admit this whole thing is an experiment for me.

 

Hardpan, thank you for the anecdote.  It gives me a little faith that this belt might work until I can afford better!

[Flatwater Monte]

15 minutes ago, locklear24 said:

Alpo, the rust in vinegar is supposed to be a method for creating a black dye.  

 

Choctaw, the dyeing instructions I was looking at said I could use acetone to take any treatment off so the dye would stick.  I'll admit this whole thing is an experiment for me.

 

Hardpan, thank you for the anecdote.  It gives me a little faith that this belt might work until I can afford better!

 

Locklear, I have used vinegaroon several times for blackening leather. I make mine by taking a package of steel wool, spreading it out on the shop floor and touching a lighter to it. The steel wool will "burn". This actually strips off the oil that is applied to keep it from rusting. Then I pack it all into a quart size mason jar and fill with white vinegar. Into a dark closet it goes for about a month. Why dark, heck if I should know, but the 90 year old saddlemaker who taught me to make it said it had to be kept in the dark, so that is what I do. Once it has sat for a month, I strain it though a paint filter (a coffee filter would probably work as well, just slower). I then use a wool dauber to apply it to veg-tan leather. The vinegaroon reacts with the tannins in the leather to darken it. It usually takes several applications, days apart to achieve a black finish. Once the last coat has dried, I apply atom wax to the leather, then let it cure for a few days, finally finishing with neats foot oil. 

 

Good luck with your project! 

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Um... you might want to hold off on the neat's foot oil.  Remember ~ that's what we used to soften up our baseball gloves when we were kids.  Uh... and still do.  

[Trailrider #896]

10 hours ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

Um... you might want to hold off on the neat's foot oil.  Remember ~ that's what we used to soften up our baseball gloves when we were kids.  Uh... and still do.  

Neat's foot oil was intended to treat or prevent cracking in the hooves of cattle and horses.  Like our fingernails and toenails, the animals' hooves are living tissue, which renews itself.  But tanned leather is dead.  Using neat's foot oil will destroy the fibers in the leather, which won't regenerate.  If you want to treat your leather products, use Lexol(r) Leather Conditioner or Care4(r).  But use them sparingly or you can damage the leather permanently.

Stay well, Pards!