IWB with thumb break

[ps0303]

A friend of mine requested I make him a IWB holster but he wants a thumb break added. I haven't seen any IWB's with a thumb break.

From my reading here I have gained the following info. Am I on the right track with this? Reinforce the backside of the holster where the snap will be. I have thin Kydex so that is what I will be using.

The strap itself doesn't need any reinforcing.

As for the snap, the cap portion of the snap is what would be on the back side of the sweat shield, right?

Any suggestions on the thumb break?

[troop]

i did an inside the waist with a thumb break.....i try to talk people out of them since the snap is against the body as it is, but people want what they want. i only did one like that but no complaints yet. (sorry no pic of it. it wa my first one, before i started thinking about taking pictures)

you are on the right track with the reinforcing.....here's what i do and it is very sturdy and works well... i support the thumb break with a piece of kydex. .062-.080 inch is sufficient. any thicker and you'll need to shave it thinner to accomodate your snap post. i then cut a piece of leather (if you're using 8/9oz for the holster you can use the same thickness for the back support piece or reduce to 5/6 oz.) to be placed over the kydex strip.

on the holster thumb break i punch a hole where i want to put my snap with a 1/2 hole punch. then i use a smaller punch on the kydex and back support cover piece just big enough to accomodate the snap post. glue the kydex strip onto the holster. (make sure it's narrow enough to allow you sew around it.) once it dries, glue the support piece onto the holster and kydex. once the glue is dry i sand the two pieces even and then sew it on.

another thing i have learned is when figuring out where to put the snap on the thumb break, put it as high as you can against the gun. don't put the strap snap in until the holster is completely dry. once it's dry put the gun in the holster and bend the strap over and holding it at a pretty tight point press the thumb break snap against it so that it leaves a round mark on the strap. make a mark just about 1/16 to 1/8 inch from the center of that round mark (toward the barrel end of the holster) and then punch your hole for the strap snap.

it will hold snug but not overly tight and will release with the least amount of pressure.

if you have any questions just ask and post picks when you are done.

hope the pics i sent help a bit... i used .062 kydex under that back piece. course its a paddle style, but i had no pics of iwb with thumb break.

[Lobo]

I recommend against the use of a thumb-break on IWB holsters. The holstered pistol is drawn very tightly into the body making it somewhat difficult to release the thumb-break, especially when the body is in certain positions (and we can't always be in the position we might like to be when we need to draw the weapon). Any potential obstruction to accessibility must be carefully examined, and the customer has to be made aware of potential conflicts.

[troop]

whole heartedly agree.

[Ross]

i did an inside the waist with a thumb break.....i try to talk people out of them since the snap is against the body as it is, but people want what they want. i only did one like that but no complaints yet. (sorry no pic of it. it wa my first one, before i started thinking about taking pictures)

you are on the right track with the reinforcing.....here's what i do and it is very sturdy and works well... i support the thumb break with a piece of kydex. .062-.080 inch is sufficient. any thicker and you'll need to shave it thinner to accomodate your snap post. i then cut a piece of leather (if you're using 8/9oz for the holster you can use the same thickness for the back support piece or reduce to 5/6 oz.) to be placed over the kydex strip.

on the holster thumb break i punch a hole where i want to put my snap with a 1/2 hole punch. then i use a smaller punch on the kydex and back support cover piece just big enough to accomodate the snap post. glue the kydex strip onto the holster. (make sure it's narrow enough to allow you sew around it.) once it dries, glue the support piece onto the holster and kydex. once the glue is dry i sand the two pieces even and then sew it on.

another thing i have learned is when figuring out where to put the snap on the thumb break, put it as high as you can against the gun. don't put the strap snap in until the holster is completely dry. once it's dry put the gun in the holster and bend the strap over and holding it at a pretty tight point press the thumb break snap against it so that it leaves a round mark on the strap. make a mark just about 1/16 to 1/8 inch from the center of that round mark (toward the barrel end of the holster) and then punch your hole for the strap snap.

it will hold snug but not overly tight and will release with the least amount of pressure.

if you have any questions just ask and post picks when you are done.

hope the pics i sent help a bit... i used .062 kydex under that back piece. course its a paddle style, but i had no pics of iwb with thumb break.

how did ye set the "nut" in the leather to screw into?