Pancake Holster Making

[Lobo]

I am presently engaged in e-mail discussions with a very promising new holster maker, and I have sent a rather detailed summary of my methods for making and finishing the pancake-style holsters that he is pursuing. The gentleman's early efforts are very reminiscent of Roy Baker's original pancake holsters, and it appears that his grandfather was acquainted with Baker years ago, which explains the influence.

The gentleman has very limited working space and only the most basic tools, so I have tried to keep the discussion on very basic methods. There are a few omissions (such as edge burnishing, which the gentleman has demonstrated good skills with), but the main points seem to be covered. Experienced makers will have moved far beyond these basics, and some will undoubtedly disagree with me on various points based on their own experiences.

After reviewing this message it has occured to me that others might find this of interest, so here it is.

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There are a few tricks to pancake-style holster making that will make each project go much easier.

1. Whenever possible, use the same pattern for both inner and outer holster panels. This will make your pieces fit together as closely as possible.

2. When your pieces have been cut, assemble them with a water-resistant cement applied in the "wing" areas (where the belt slots are located), and either clamp them together, or place a weight on the piece while the cement sets up. "Barge" contact cement is excellent.

3. After the cement has set up (10 to 15 minutes typically) you can cut the stitching grooves, lay out your stitch pattern, and stitch the piece up. I use the groover only at the edges, not for the stitch pattern; others like to cut a groove for all stitching. I think that my machine provides plenty of thread tension to suck the stitches in firmly.

4. After stitching I like to dampen the piece lightly (a quick dunking in water works). Then I dress the edges off with a drum sander and/or belt sander. The moisture prevents leather dust in the air, with the damp material falling quickly on the workbench or table. This makes clean-up easier, you won't be breathing a lot of dust, and there won't be a lot of dust in the work-space to mess up your finish work later.

5. The sanded edges will tend to have a modest "roll" of leather around the edges, which is then cut off cleanly with the edge beveling tool. A sharp tool works very quickly and easily on the damp leather. NOTE: If you will be tooling the holster, that can be done easily at this point. I prefer to tool after assembly and stitching, which avoids the tendency of a tooled piece to expand in size during the tooling.

6. Belt slots can be cut next. For simplicity, I recommend first marking the upper and lower ends of the slot by tapping with a 3/8" drive punch (about $3.00), then cutting both sides of the slot using a wood chisel (1-1/4" works perfectly for 1.5" slots, 1.5" works perfectly for 1.75" slots; about $8.00 each) driven straight through on the lines. After the straight cuts are made, go back with the 3/8" drive punch and cut the slot ends. Very neat result every time. Back side can be beveled, then a 3/8" wooden dowel can be used to burnish the cut edges neatly.

7. Forming comes next. I dunk the piece into cool water for 5-10 seconds, allowing it to absorb quite a bit of water and become soft and pliable. Then the handgun (or dummy) is forced into position in the holster pocket. I use a cylinder-shaped tool rolled over the exterior to compress the leather and locate the details of the handgun's shape. The outline can then be worked with a rounded tool (like the handle of your edge beveling tool) to closely form around the pistol. The rounded tool can also be applied at the ejection port, trigger guard, cylinder flutes, etc. Set the piece aside to air-dry for 30 minutes or so.

8. As the moisture content drops and the leather begins to set into shape, you may want to use a bone folder or other smooth tools to model and define the details of the handgun. "Boning" requires that the moisture level be relatively low so that the leather will retain the impressions of the tool. Practice makes perfect.

9. When the holster has dried sufficiently to retain its shape the handgun can be removed and complete drying can be done. Air-drying typically takes 8 to 12 hours. When the piece has completely dried the finish process can be done.

Advanced techniques:

1. Wet-forming, usually done with water, can require long drying times, and boning work may require monitoring the piece for hours as it dries so that the boning work can be done properly and retained by the leather. Another process can be used to cut this time down considerably. Instead of using water, wet-forming can be done with isolpropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol, about $2 per quart at WalMart). Soak the leather as usual for wet-forming with rubbing alcohol, then begin the forming process. Alcohol evaporates very quickly, so you can usually do the entire forming job in about 20 minutes or so, then the piece will be completely dry in about an hour. Alcohol also has the effect of activating collagens within the leather fibers, which results in a very rigid final form.

2. Wet-forming with water can be speeded up considerably by using heat to dry to piece. A drying cabinet (enclosed box with a 40-watt or 60-watt light bulb in a fixture to generate heat) or a convection oven can be used. The optimum temperature range is about 120 to 130 degrees F, which will completely dry a wet holster in about 30 to 60 minutes (depending on ambient humidity, etc). With a timer set at 8 to 10 minute intervals, the piece can be removed for boning every few minutes, then returned to the cabinet or oven. The heat also activates collagens in the leather fibers, and the end result will be a very rigid form. CAUTION: temperatures above 130 degrees or so will scorch the leather, causing the surface to wrinkle and crack; contact with metal racks can result in scorch marks. Trial and error with scrap pieces will guide you to a perfect result every time.

3. Wet-forming involves considerable stretching of the leather fibers. Drying will always result in some shrinkage, and the fit to the handgun may become objectionably tight. This can be overcome after the finishing process by placing your pistol (or dummy) in a plastic bag, then forcing it into the holster and leaving it overnight. When the bag is removed the fit should be nearly perfect. NOTE: You can also apply Johnson's Paste Wax to the outside of the bagged pistol, then work that into the holster's interior; the wax will be taken up by the leather fibers and remain there as a lubricant at contact points. Paste wax does no harm to leather or handgun finishes (actually, it is a very good preventative for moisture protection).

Finishing leather holsters:

There is considerable debate over the best ways to achieve a durable finish that protects your finished product from the elements and provides an attractive result. "Attractive result" is an entirely subjective term, meaning something different to every person.

First, consider that the vegetable tanning process dries the hide thoroughly, with very little residual moisture content. Second, wet-forming and drying will further reduce moisture content in the leather. Third, the stretching, molding, and modeling of the leather during the wet-forming process builds stresses in the fibrous material of the leather.

Wet-formed vegetable-tanned cowhide is typically quite rigid, extremely dry, and subjected to stresses of the fibers. Repeated flexing of the leather (which are normal in the daily use of a holster) can result in cracking of the leather, particularly at stress points like the holster mouth and belt attachment points.

For these reasons, I recommend the use of neatsfoot oil to replenish natural moisture in the finished piece and provide some flexibility with reduced risks of cracking. Neatsfoot oil is rendered from the feet and lower legs of cattle, and is a completely natural substance that is secreted by cattle in their lower legs to prevent freezing during cold weather. One of the best ways I have ever heard of refering to neatsfoot oil is "cow oil".

A modest application of neatsfoot oil is my first step in the finishing process. I apply it with either a soaked rag or a 1" paint brush, only to the exterior (hair side) of the leather (applying to the flesh side results in very rapid absorption and it is easy to apply too much oil). The oil will be absorbed within a few minutes, but will require 12 hours or more to migrate through the fibers and "settle" into the leather. Neatsfoot oil does not dry; it remains there permanently (it can evaporate from unsealed leather left exposed to the elements for extended periods, but this is beyond the scope of this discussion).

Oiling is done after dyeing, but before any other surface finishes.

Leather holsters benefit from being completely sealed to avoid or minimize the tendency to attract and retain moisture (from precipitation, from perspiration, etc). I use a heavy application of acrylic sealant (Fiebing's Leather Sheen is good, and believe it or not, Mop N Glo floor treatment is very good for this, although the odor is something to deal with), applied to all surfaces of the interior and exterior. The holster can be dipped into a pail of sealant, then allowed to drip-dry. Full drying will require 12 hours or more.

After the sealant has completely dried the final exterior finish can be applied. My preference is for a satiny finish, rather than a high gloss, and I don't care for the "plastic" feel of some of the acrylics (like Resolene). I prefer a durable wax-based finish, and I have developed my own mixture to produce the finishes I like. For your situation, I recommend either Fiebing's Bag Kote or Tan Kote, which can be applied with a damp sponge.

As an optional final treatment, a light application of neutral shoe polish can be done.

From start to finish, expect around 3 days to produce a finished holster. Trying to rush the finishing work can result in disappointments, and destroy all the work leading up to that point.

I hope this helps with your next project.

[Rick Pen]

Great post

Rick

[Rayban]

I was hoping to get your take on making the pattern, everyone seems to have their own way of do it.

[marine mp]

Wow!!! I've been reading up on the art of holstermaking, and have produced several of my own. A lot of time was spent looking at a gaszillion different operations and tutorials, (all of which were excellent pieces), but this puts it all on one plate. Thanks Lobo. Being a machinist/toolmaker, I find a lot of older hands don't want to share their knowledge of "how its done". Meaning the tool and diemaking. Its like "I learned it and its mine, you can't have it". Here, you all are open about "how its done" and thats re-freshing. Again, thanks. Semper-fi MIke

[Lobo]

Wow!!! I've been reading up on the art of holstermaking, and have produced several of my own. A lot of time was spent looking at a gaszillion different operations and tutorials, (all of which were excellent pieces), but this puts it all on one plate. Thanks Lobo. Being a machinist/toolmaker, I find a lot of older hands don't want to share their knowledge of "how its done". Meaning the tool and diemaking. Its like "I learned it and its mine, you can't have it". Here, you all are open about "how its done" and thats re-freshing. Again, thanks. Semper-fi MIke

Mike:

From an old US Army Airborne Infantryman and Pathfinder, I would like to express my respect for your service as a Marine. In Vietnam I relied upon Marines regularly and I was called upon to support Marines regularly. Definitely a formative process in a young person's life, as I'm sure you will agree.

As for my little post here, all it amounts to is a bit of distilled knowledge that some may find helpful, and others will criticize freely. If there is something that you find useful, I am happy to have been of help. For those who choose to criticize, that is their prerogative.

For me, the bottom line is that I continue to receive 30-plus orders every week for my products, and about 30 percent of my orders are repeat customers. Maybe I am doing something right, once in a while.

Life is good here. I wish the same for you.

Best regards.

[gregintenn]

Great tutorial! That's as simple, yet as thorough as anything I've seen so far. Very nice of you to share your knowledge with others. You've sure taught me a lot.

[yepod]

Thanks Lobo for the great tutorial!