Second 1911 Holster

[drummingpariah]

I finished my first holster (and first leatherworking project) in March, a simple IWB holster for a 3" subcompact 1911. It came out rough-around-the-edges and unfinished, as I only had a pocket knife, awl, and a couple of needles for tools. It's still going strong, even after wearing it every day since then. The stitching isn't as tight as it could be, the boning could be a lot better, the edges have 0 finish work, and most of the stitching is wobbly and wherever-it-lands.

Overall, I consider it a massive success. I used a lot of resources and recommendations from this forum, and I don't think I would've had a good result if not for you fellows. Thanks for that.

HOLSTER #2

Now I'm starting to plan out my second project, and would like to step up the quality this time. I haven't been able to find an OWB holster for a full-size 1911 with a flashlight attached. I toyed around with a few different types of leather, but haven't been able to find anything nicer than what i was working with for the last holster (ordered online through Distant Drums). I have a bit of that left, but don't want to waste it on mockups/test-fits. Since this will be a range holster (there's no way I'm concealing this gun anywhere on me), I'm also considering making it a drop holster with a leg strap.

I'm pretty excited, but would like to plan this out a bit better, and ideally be able to give the plans away to others as well. For the last holster, I just kept test-fitting and adjusting so I never made a proper pattern for it. I have a few rough measurements for this 1911 (thickness and height in several areas) but nothing too concrete yet.

The biggest problem I foresee is getting good retention out of it. The light is both wider and taller than the trigger guard, which is where almost all of the tension was on my last holster. I can't make the trigger-area smaller/tighter than the light, because then I wouldn't be able to fit the gun into the holster to begin with.

Any suggestions at all are welcome, including criticism on my first holster. I imagine there's plenty of room for improvement that I hadn't even considered yet, being such a novice leatherworker. When I started that project, I actually tried hammering a needle through the leather before I realized I was supposed to have an awl for that.

Thanks for all the advice so far!

[workingmanleather]

For your first holster it looks like you done pretty good. My suggestions would be get an edge groover for your stitch line that will help clean up your stitching. Also to clean up the edges of your leather get an edge beveler then a burnishing tool. Tandy carries these tools for relatively cheap. Your retention looks good nice tight line around your trigger guard and frame. That's a big cant for myself but to each there own. As far as the RIA with the tac light. Have you thought of trying your hand at a hybrid. I've had pretty good success out of kydex for a gun with a tac light. Actually done a full size SIG with a tach light using the hybrid style. And if its strictly for range purposes being a big gun you can make it with belt slots or even on the thigh/leg. Again kydex is also avalible through Tandy its about 7 dollars for a 12"x12" piece. There's some good in depth videos on you tube about forming and molding kydex. Anyway if you want to go the route of all leather most of the ones I've seen for mounted tac lights all have thumb breaks due to what you pointed out about retention. Although being that its for the range a thumb break wouldn't be an issue IMO. Hope this helps if you have any questions about the kydex or anything I'll help the best I can. Good luck with the next one.

[workingmanleather]

Oh and I'm not trying to promote any company by any means I've just had good luck with Tandy myself others may feel different. Seeing that ur located in NH. There's actually a Tandy in Boston Google maps puts you about 1 hr from there be worth your time to check it out. I'd suggest bringing your savings account lol because you won't wanna stop buying stuff once ur there. OK hope this helps

[Dwight]

I've made a couple similar to this, . . . so here's how I would do it;

You'll need a piece of vegetable tanned leather about 24 inches long and about 14 inches wide.

See the drawing for a rough idea of the pattern. This is a "Somewhat Rhodesian" pattern and only has two stitch lines, . . . both perfectly straight. Fact is, if you allow enough leather, . . . you can do the whole thing with rivets.

Leave the bottom open, . . . about 3/4 of an inch below the muzzle of the gun. The gun will lay in the holster, supported by the top edge just in front of the rear sight, and the handle, just behind the trigger guard.

Take your time, . . . make a pattern first out of manila folders and masking tape, . . . cut your leather large enough that you can trim back to the right size (cutting it down is easy, . . . making it bigger is a real challenge).

Contact cement the front sewing line and the sew line where you make the belt loop.

Also, . . . get in the habit of never making hard, . . . sharp, . . . square corners in leather working. 1: they booger up real quick, look like UGH !, and are a real pain to sew around most of the time. Also an inside square corner is an open invitation for the leather to break right there. Make all your corners rounded, . . . inside corners and outside corners. That also aids in the final edge burnishing and finishing of the holster so it looks really nice.

(Edit: In the drawing, I mentioned only one sewing line, . . . there are 2, . . . my mistake, . . . belt loop and front of the holster).

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited August 19, 2013 by Dwight

[drummingpariah]

Thanks guys! I started a bit of mockup with cardboard (I found a few other people doing that here, and thought it was ingenious), and got

... well ... nowhere. I'm going to try my hand at that pattern you just posted instead, Dwight. I hadn't used any contact cement previously but it certainly would've saved me a lot of extra hassle, and it would have cleaned up my stitching spacing. I've been using a fork on both halves to score spacing marks, then hoping that I can get the holes reasonably square with the leather. I've been relatively lucky so far, but don't expect that to continue. I've been pretty happy with the diamond-shaped awl I picked up from Tandy, but had to order another since I broke the first one

[NoName]

Spend some time sharpening your awl blade and you wont have to use so much force on it. The edges and tip of the awl should be knife sharp and the flat sides should be mirror polished. Once it is sharpened properly, strop it every time you use it and it will stay sharp. As Workingmanleather stated, a stitching groover will improve the look of the stitching as well as an over stitch wheel to mark out the hole spacing. The Art of Hand Sewing Leather by Al Stohlman explains it well.

Happy stitching!

[chiefjason]

If you are using the awl on a relatively flat piece, stack some cardboard or scrap leather under the piece to protect the point of the awl. You don't want it being forced into anything solid. If you have a drill press you can chuck the awl in there too. That's what I do.

Oh, and tac lights are hateful. And I need to get to building a hybrid for one. I'm not looking forward to it.

To get around the light issue, you might could more of an old school pouch holster with little boning and a retention strap on it. Just a thought. And make sure you leave enough space for the flashlight to draw out of the holster.

[Shadowsbane]

I second the stitching groover. I also have been known to use a stitching chisel as well. Especially when I sew up a double layered belt.