Thanks Jeff, just found your site and channel. No, this stuff ain't hard to do and it's refreshing to not sit through a hour video to find it. I just bought out a gun leather business and am trying to figure out how to do holsters. Wallets and belts have been my thing. Thanks for offering the patterns and theories. Hope you're liking MN.
Good news -- if you can make belts and wallets, then holsters will be downhill for you- nothing to it. I try to make videos which get to the point. Personally, if I was gonna sit and watch videos, instead of getting some leather done, then gimme the girls in a Greg Allman video ;) There will be more videos, but I'll try to keep 'em on point. Welcome to the party (leather)!
As I sit here burnishing edges, your reply gave me the best laugh of the day. Good to know I've already tackled the hard part. We like that faded antique look here, I'm going to shop for an airbrush setup.
Glad I could help. Some of them leather girls go out of their way to make this look harder than it really is, and certainly harder than it needs to be.
Thanks for sharing great video. And I saw one of replies that you did use alchol basis leather dye below, then can’t I use oil basis leather dye for airbrushing?
Thanks, Phillip. While I like an "attaboy" much as the next guy, the video says it --- not that difficult! :J) Sad part is, SO many people trying to make this SEEM hard to do .. Glad I could help!
Great video. I'm just starting to learn the airbrush and I kept thinking I'm supposed to aim at the edges but from the inside pointing out, instead of from the outside pointing in. So, thanks for that. Question: If you only use patterns for things like over-spray, or wiping, then what do you use to draw out the image of the holster onto the leather prior to cutting it out? Just freehand it? I'm thinking there must be some kind of basic outline, no?
Mike - Learn to toss out the "sposed to's". Have to learn how your tool works... air, color, mixing ... but then go at it and do it YOUR way. If you spray "straight" at the surface, it will be different than if you angle "in' or "out", but not necessarily better or worse - just different. Simple way to think of it, turn off the lights and point a flashlight at the wall. The more angle you put on it, the longer and more tapered your "beam" will be, and so it is with this. As for the patterns, yes - there is a method in there - I was ALMOST making a joke ;)
@@jlsleather5581 Hey JLS, Thanks for your reply. I'll definitely keep these things in mind as I go along. I totally missed the joke. It's because I'm only almost smart, but i do give it my best : )
Sorry, I missed this one! Those are Paasche VL airbrushes. Double action brush isn't a requirement - I've seen some STUNNING art work done with very simple tools. But the double action is quicker for me, possibly just because that's what I'm used to. The compressor is just a pancake type from the hardware store. Anything with a regulator on it, so you can get about 15- 40 psi STEADY flow. And you should have a moisture trap or other means of taking the water out of the lines (compressed air condensates). I'm a "smart shopper" - I got that compressor FREE with a nail gun at Menard's, added a coupling for the Paasche hose (about $5) and a moisture trap (I think around $15 at the time). I use multiple brushes, all the same model. One is used ONLY for spraying acrylics, a couple of others are used for these alcohol and oil based dyes - but they have different size tips and needles for broad coverage or for detail work. What would constitute "detail"? Some of this was relatively fine lines ... www.jlsleather.com/leather-craft-gallery/more-leather/
Nope. The dye in the airbrush is also "full strength" - NOT thinned or reduced. The edges are done painted in just for the fast application of heavy dye.
Financial Analyst here -- I think I can answer the cost per application question. Using the figures supplied ( 1/8 oz application , 4 oz bottle, $5 cost) the cost per application is ~ 16 United States Cents . However, if this were a true cost analysis, you would add sales tax and shipping costs. You would also apply a factor to account for waste, spoilage, and overage to acknowledge that you never achieve 100% yield on production inputs. In that case I would be inclined to use a more conservative yield figure of, oh.... 80% feels about right That works out to 25 applications at a cost of 20 cents each. Then add to that another 10% for ancillary costs like taxes and shipping. Let's call it an even 22 United States Cents per application. Mind you that's the incremental cost at a pro shop in a production environment as performed by a highly skilled master craftsman with decades of experience and aided by the best stopwatch money can buy -- none of which applies to anyone watching this video. Your cost, the fumble fingers hobbyist, is much different. Let's say you are just now committing to do and spend whatever it takes to put a bad ass fade on a kick ass holster you will make someday after a bunch of failed attempts that you give away or throw away. Starting from scratch with no equipment and not a clue except this one video, on the low side that bad ass fade is going to cost you... $250 and the holster another two grand. Before you scoff and say that's way too expensive for you and move on to some other hobby, let me remind you that all hobbies are expensive and that Leathercraft is among the best value as hobbies go. Do you have any idea how expensive it is to fly helicopters just for fun? It's outrageous, like $500 per hour to rent one. Do you know how expensive a bass boat is? Try $15 - $30 thousand. Heck, it's $11,000 bucks just for the permit to climb Everest. You would spend a fortune on these and most other hobbies., But the sad fact is that when it was all said and done you still wouldn't have a bad ass fade on a totally cool holster that you made yourself.
Your calculations make me smile, you forgot to include in them, the cost of electricity, tool depreciation, the cost of the tool washing solution and other hidden costs.... you, as a financial analyst, only took into account the price of the paint and you have divided dry by number of applications .... as a driver I say, nothing more fake!
That effect is just WAY over the top, and looks totally unrealistic. The key to aging leather is subtlety and realism; neither of which is achieved here. There are various other ways that can achieve a much more realistic aged effect, which would not have taken that much more time, and would produce a much more convincing final result. It's a shame when people are too lazy to go the extra mile or so. It devalues the piece.
This look was done deliberately- not accidentally or on the way to something else. There was no attempt or desire to "age" anything here. had you purchased one, we'd give you a full refund. had you improved on it, we'd gladly display yours. in the absence of either of those things, I guess we'll just ignore and move on? 🤣
@@Finn-pe7uj I can't see any way of attaching pictures of my work. And I can't be bothered to enter into a lengthy explanation of my methods. But, suffice to say, my various "aged" effects (even as a relative newby) are WAY more impressive and realistic than what we see here. There is just no subtlety at all with this method. It just serves to cheapen the whole effect. Airbrushing has it's place in leatherwork, but not like this!
@@jlsleather152 So what WAS the intended effect, if not to "age" it? I can't see any other purpose this spraying might seek to achieve. What would YOU call the effect of the finished work? 🤣🤣
Still at it, and meaning to add more content soon! Those of you who have seen me know that i don't "add content" just for the sake of having more content -- anyone who has seen y-tube (as in 'y' exactly did i need that?@!) knows that more minutes does NOT necessarily equal more information. Now if I could just get somebody to complete all those sewing tasks so I could make the vid ... ;)
