1st Holsters

[1Man]

I thought that I would post some pics of what I've come up with since I've started reading this forum. Please let me know what you think. I've picked up a lot of information here and I'm hoping to learn a lot more. Thanks!

[woolfe]

Very nice work. You offer allot of different designs. I see a couple different things that catch my eye that would concern me. I must point out I am also new at this.

1) Your draw retention device. I would suggest putting something in the holster while wet molding to create a thicker pocket opening. I use a wooden dowel between 1/4-3/8" thick...

2) Your throat reinforcements appear to come to a point far from the stitch line. It looks like they may peal up from normal wear. If you just trim that point back a little closer to the stitch line it would be perfect.

I really like some of your designs, you have a good thing going! keep it up!!!

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

Nice holsters. You might consider making your belt slots wide enough to easily accommodate gun belts (double thickness). There aren't enough people making revolver holsters these days. If you wanted to turn this into a business, it would be a pretty smart move to specialize in revolver holsters. A single pattern would work for multiple revolvers by only changing the stitch lines, and you wouldn't have as many dummy guns to keep up with (read: less operating costs).

If you carry a revolver yourself, you will gain a lot of insight that other makers won't (as the majority carries only semi autos as their main piece, or they don't carry at all). I have found that my designs have evolved to meet my needs as my experience with handguns has grown. I have found that some touted design features are actually a detriment, and at the same time I have pioneered my own concepts (although there is really nothing new under the sun) to meet my growing needs. At this point I can usually tell whether or not a holster maker actually trains or carries a firearm by the way they design their holsters. All this is just a suggestion, but it would be smart to specialize instead of spreading yourself too thin, especially when you are just getting started.

I also want to encourage you to come up with your own designs if you're gonna sell them. From a practical standpoint, you need to know why you are doing something. If you don't, you might miss the entire point of the design and not even know it. I recently saw where a new maker copied one of my designs and his customer posted pictures of the holster on a forum. People started asking why he designed it that way and even poked fun at it. He didn't have a good answer [because he didn't really understand the design], so he ended up looking like an amateur. If you are influenced by someone else's work, get permission from them or credit them as inspiration if they are no longer with us. It is just a form of courtesy that is all too often overlooked and ignored these days.

Anyhow, I hope you continue to learn more on this fine forum and contribute additional knowledge from your own experience and experimentations. Be sure to keep posting pictures so we can see how things go.

[1Man]

Very nice work. You offer allot of different designs. I see a couple different things that catch my eye that would concern me. I must point out I am also new at this.

1) Your draw retention device. I would suggest putting something in the holster while wet molding to create a thicker pocket opening. I use a wooden dowel between 1/4-3/8" thick...

2) Your throat reinforcements appear to come to a point far from the stitch line. It looks like they may peal up from normal wear. If you just trim that point back a little closer to the stitch line it would be perfect.

I really like some of your designs, you have a good thing going! keep it up!!!

Thanks for the feedback and I appreciate you suggestions. I was thinking about increasing the spacing of the pocket to allow for a tension device with greater range. It makes it a more effective device I suppose. And I had the same concerns about the throat reinforcement. It's just that when I'm putting together the drawing, I feel compelled to have lines that merge together and it can be difficult to view the design in 3D as opposed to the 2D image on the paper. The future builds of this model will utilize a different band where the corners are cut back to avoid an issues with the leather pealing back or creating catch points. Thanks!

[1Man]

Nice holsters. You might consider making your belt slots wide enough to easily accommodate gun belts (double thickness). There aren't enough people making revolver holsters these days. If you wanted to turn this into a business, it would be a pretty smart move to specialize in revolver holsters. A single pattern would work for multiple revolvers by only changing the stitch lines, and you wouldn't have as many dummy guns to keep up with (read: less operating costs).

If you carry a revolver yourself, you will gain a lot of insight that other makers won't (as the majority carries only semi autos as their main piece, or they don't carry at all). I have found that my designs have evolved to meet my needs as my experience with handguns has grown. I have found that some touted design features are actually a detriment, and at the same time I have pioneered my own concepts (although there is really nothing new under the sun) to meet my growing needs. At this point I can usually tell whether or not a holster maker actually trains or carries a firearm by the way they design their holsters. All this is just a suggestion, but it would be smart to specialize instead of spreading yourself too thin, especially when you are just getting started.

I also want to encourage you to come up with your own designs if you're gonna sell them. From a practical standpoint, you need to know why you are doing something. If you don't, you might miss the entire point of the design and not even know it. I recently saw where a new maker copied one of my designs and his customer posted pictures of the holster on a forum. People started asking why he designed it that way and even poked fun at it. He didn't have a good answer [because he didn't really understand the design], so he ended up looking like an amateur. If you are influenced by someone else's work, get permission from them or credit them as inspiration if they are no longer with us. It is just a form of courtesy that is all too often overlooked and ignored these days.

Anyhow, I hope you continue to learn more on this fine forum and contribute additional knowledge from your own experience and experimentations. Be sure to keep posting pictures so we can see how things go.

Great info, thanks! I was thinking about focusing primarily on revolver carry holsters...I really don't see a whole lot of them out there. I also understand the importance of creating/building a holster that has a reason and is not just a copy of what's already out there. Specifically, the IWB design for the snubbie that I have started similar to the IWB for the Kimber above it. The problem i ran into with the holster for the Kimber is that, although it functions well and would probably work well for some people (skinny people that is) it just doesn't keep the butt of the gun close when moving around. So, my logical solution was to add more leather to the bottom of the holster. Understanding that the pivot point is where the snaps hold onto the belt as the bottom of the holster is pushed out the top of the holster and butt of the gun are pushed in towards the body. Problem solved.

And, the snubbie owb design for the snubbie with the heavy cant was created by request of my wife who didn't like a straight up and down cant and wanted the gun to cant heavily forward like a SOB design. So i struggled with the design for a while because i could see how to attatch the left side of the holster but couldn't figure out an asthetically pleasing way to attach the right side until i let go of the idea that both front and back halves have to match. Plus, I think I saw your IWB design that uses a similar concept and I was able go from there. I had been searching for a way to change the inside of the holsters so it wasn't just a rough side in. I toyed with the idea of using different materials but, logically, the only good material is leather. I was looking for a contrasting color and like a side of tooling kilp that I found that had a nice cream color to it and thought it would go well with the light tan. So, I worked on the design to make sure my stitch holes line up when sewing the lining on and then attaching the front to the back. Also, since I'm hand stitching, I needed to make sure I took into consideration the back stitching that you do at the end to make sure it didn't end at a stitch hole that would be used again.

So, I just wanted to respond to your comment by saying that I'm not just copying designs. I've genuinely reinvented the wheel, so to speak, and am going through the though process on what's working and what isn't. As you mentioned, there really isn't anything new, mainly variations on the same concepts.

I agree with your comment on the belt loop holes. They could probably be a bit wider. I'm just trying to figure out a good way to make some clean holes. The loop punch works nice to make a clean cut so i may stick with the "punch" process but i may try other types of instruments to get a uniform look. Thanks again for the comments.

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

I wasn't trying to accuse you of copying designs or by any means question your integrity. I didn't even know if you were making holsters to sell or for your own use, and I had no idea how you reached the point you are now in your designs (via influence, coincindence, etc.). I just noticed that one of the IWB holsters you made was a lot like the VMII, and I see several newer makers copying that design for profit. I wanted to encourage you to develop your own style, but it sounds like you are already headed in that direction (and I commend you for it).

I know it is almost impossible to come up with something totally new. I freely admit that almost all of my work, both from a design and a craftsmanship standpoint, has been enfluenced to some degree by several makers out there: Bruce Nelson, John Bianchi, Tony Kanaley, Matt Del Fatti, Lou Alessi, Alex Nossar, Kevin Manley, Eric Larsen, Garry Brommeland, Mark Garrity, and the list could go on and on! (BTW, by no means am I comparing myself or my work to any of those makers I just listed).

[K-Man]

Taking influence is obviously inevitable. But as Jeff said, giving credit where credit is due will set you apart from a great many holster-makers.

With respect to the holsters you have pictured above, a few suggestions. It's not necessary to stitch where there's a single layer of leather. The only purpose it serves is for aesthetics. By leaving that off, it will save you time and labor (and sore fingers). Do as you did on a couple of the holsters - crease or groove a line around the edge. Don't bring your reinforcement bands to a point, unless you're going to stitch all the way over to that point. The way you have it now will leave you with a very hard point of leather that's going to have the great potential to peel away from the holster body. That won't sit well with the customer. As Jeff mentioned, make the belt slots a bit wider in order to accomodate a gun belt (double layer belt). Same for the tunnel loop on the back of the holster. Bring your stitch lines in closer to the gun - especially on the revolver sob holster. (Same for the magazine holders.) That holster is going to allow way too much slop of the gun in it in very short order. Allow for ample (and full) grip of the gun when it's holstered. A couple of those pics show that it would cause a fair amount of discomfort when the user goes to grab the gun because the back of their fingers are smacking the top edge of the holster. In addition, by not being able to get a full grip on the gun when initially drawn will cause the user to have to adjust their grip as they're drawing the gun - that's loss of control. IMO, you haven't accomplished what I think you're trying to achieve with the black IWB holster with respect to that front wing. Cut away some more of that front wing. The way you have it now doesn't accomplish much of anything with respect to comfort/function. By cutting away more of that, you'll experience a greater difference in both respects IMO. I bet it's a pain to slick that edge in that slot/groove as well.

As Jeff mentioned, too, concentrating in a somewhat specific area will help tone your craftsmanship, as well as keep you focused. Too many times new holster makers want to do it all, so to speak. There's a saying that in essence touts that if you do too many things, you're not good at any. While I don't personally subscribe to that theory, it does hold some amount of truth for a lot of folks. As you do repetitive work, most people become better at it. Not in every instance, but for most. By not trying to fill every potential order that comes your way, you'll find yourself better served in the long run IMO.

When it comes to design - think outside the box to some extent. Don't be afraid to experiment. Sometimes, too, the simplest changes make all the difference in the world. By moving an attachment point slightly one direction from it's current placement can equate to large differences in function and comfort.

With respect to holster design - concentrate on function first. I think you'll find by doing that, that the aesthetics will follow right along with very little effort.

Best of luck to you.

[1Man]

Thanks guys, I appreciate your comments.

Now that I look at some photos again the stitch lines do look a bit far from the gun. But, in person and when I'm forming the holster, those stitch lines feel pretty tight. I think I'll try bringing them in closer next time and see what happens. I think it will definetely look more sculpted. Depending on the holster I am either using 7-8 oz or 5-6 oz plus 2-3 oz lining. So, does this weight allow for stitch lines to be closer? I guess I'll find out. What are you guys using in terms of weight?

With respect to the holsters you have pictured above, a few suggestions. It's not necessary to stitch where there's a single layer of leather. The only purpose it serves is for aesthetics. By leaving that off, it will save you time and labor (and sore fingers). Do as you did on a couple of the holsters - crease or groove a line around the edge.

I don't actually have any places where I have stitched a single layer. All of the holsters pictured are lined with 2-3 oz tooling kip with the exception of the IWB for the J-frame. Plus, I think the tips of my fingers are starting to calice (sp?). I definetely have a few permanant ink spots where I've got my finger in the way. I guess I'll always learn the hard way.

[K-Man]

Did not realize you were lining the holsters.

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

Depending on the holster I am either using 7-8 oz or 5-6 oz plus 2-3 oz lining. So, does this weight allow for stitch lines to be closer? I guess I'll find out. What are you guys using in terms of weight?

I use 6/7 oz. or two layers of 3/4 oz. Hemann Oak on my IWB holsters, and 8 oz. Wickett and Craig on my belt holsters. I try to keep my stitch lines within 1/8th of an inch from where my boning lines will be. I attempt to find the happy medium between not having any extra room for the leather to bend [and weaken] and not stressing the stitches.

[1Man]

I use 6/7 oz. or two layers of 3/4 oz. Hemann Oak on my IWB holsters, and 8 oz. Wickett and Craig on my belt holsters. I try to keep my stitch lines within 1/8th of an inch from where my boning lines will be. I attempt to find the happy medium between not having any extra room for the leather to bend [and weaken] and not stressing the stitches.

So, how do you go about finding where the stitch lines should go? For a new model that you are creating a design for do you trace the gun and then add half of the width of the gun to the outline? Or, has it just gone through trial and error like I'm going through until you get a good pocket template for each gun type?

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

By now I can typically eyeball a pattern and get pretty close freehand. There is still occasionally some trial and error involved, but for the most part I do pretty well.

When I want to make a pattern and I am unsure how the pistol's shape will affect the design, I mock one up first by wetting and pressing some belly leather around the dummy gun and boning the leather close to the mold, and then using a marker to draw out the shape of the holster how I want it to be and marking where I want the stitch lines. Then I flatten it back out and cut out the pieces so I can transfer the pattern to paper and make any adjustments that are needed. You will notice when you do this that the shape of the pistol dictates the distance of the stitches from it, and that a uniform distance from the stitching to the pistol might not be your best option.