I want to make a holster for my desert eagle to take out hunting. I've kind of been pricing up leather and it seems I'm going to have to buy an entire shoulder and that looks like it will run me around $90. I only need enough to make a holster and I really can't justify buying that much excess leather mostly because it will just lye around and collect dust; not to mention I can buy a holster for around $100 for it. Is there anyplace I can buy leather at in smaller quantities? In order to justify this to myself I don't want to spend more then around $60 on materials, is this a feasible project?

I've used Tandy Leather in the past and they seem to have good prices if I remember correctly. My dad and I used to make bow-hunting equipment and it worked well.

I picked up a single shoulder at Tandy for $20 a couple years ago. It is their cheap grade, but it goes on sale ever so often. Call and ask them if and when you can get it cheap. Sometimes it is only advertised in store.

Online knife making websites will usually sell square foot quantities, but you'll pay primo (~$10-12 plus shipping) for it.

Buy the shoulder, make your holster, roll up and store the rest.  Youll need it when SHTF!
C

I don't subscribe to SHFT

Weaver Leather are a good outfit - look them up online for ideas too: I'd rate them as better than Tandy for tools & fittings

Ya can also try the CAS forum - they have a leatherwork section on there - and most folks will sell/give you enough suitable hide to make what you want to

If I was not in a different country I'd send you what you need, as I can buy remnamt one-off hides quite cheap from one of my suppliers which are more than good enough to make up a few holsters & scabbards etc with...

DO get back to me if you want any construction tips, ideas on various hand-sewing options, How-To ideas for getting the size right, etc.

Good luck with it

Contact the following firm:

Landwerlen Leather Co
317-636-8300
365 S Illinois St Indianapolis, IN 46225

They're an amazing firm.  Walking into it is like walking into a turn of the twentieth century store (late 1800 early 1900)s.  It's been that way for over a century there.

Tell them what you want to do and that you want some thick leather, an awl (you can drive a nail into a screwdriver handle and sharpen the end to make your own), a needle and thread.  They'll supply you with all you need.  

Are their prices comparable to the other bigger places like Tandy? I'll make a road trip to Indianapolis to check them out, looks like Tandy has a store there too so I can hit them both up. I'm definitely going to need to do a little searching or talk to you guys about what kind of sewing stitch to use though. I have a galico fletch holster I'm thinking of using as a example to go off of.

I did a search for the CAS forum and didn't find anything, what does that acronym stand for?