Reaper

I'm a bit skittish about mentioning anything I use because of past responses. Check Tandys listing for open backed Chicago Screws in Brass or Black, you can use a counter sunk 8x32 for the screw matched up with this post and it will look like it belongs there and not half done.

Very nice, indeed. The only thing I might look at trying would be to have a little more leather on the back side of the Pancakes slots and also above the slots. Over time with use depending on the conditions the leather could wear and tear. Like when a belt wears out, adding just a little more would give it more time if it was to happen. They look very nice as they are, just thinking of long term usage and MTF (mean time failure)...

Living in Florida you don't do anything in the Garage without a fan on. I used to build cars in mine so I have a large shop fan (well two really) that pushes air out the back door and one that blows it cross corner so it keep the air moving and I never have an issue. One fan would be enough if you have it setup to keep fresh air pulled from outside moving where your working. Hell, even setup a drop cloth paint booth in there with the two fans working one pulling the fumes out and it work very well. You should be fine with a fan(s).

Using 3M number 70 Spray on Glue and 3M number 90 spray on glue together... One bonds well to Plastics and Rubber (make sure to ruff up the surface). I use a Metal Rasp to do this in a cross hatch pattern. Spray on Glue and let sit to get tacky. I Spray on the other to the flesh side of the Leather (2-3 oz Vegtan Royal Oak) and let sit to get tacky. Place the Kydex which is already cut to shape and lay on top of leather, glue to glue. I use a small pastry rolling pin and roll from the center out to the edges. This gets most for the glue spread evenly between the two. I let sit for a bit like that and then I place it into a manila folder (protects the leather from the steel (explain the use of this in a minute) and it also helps keep any glue pressed out from between from getting onto the leather, then between two steel plates. Then that is placed on a 12 tons press or in a large bench vise. Compress them and walk away for about 30 minutes, all air and excess glue is now out and it is not going to come apart unless you work at it for a while... Kydex can now be heated with a heat gun, shaped, cooled and assembled.... You now have a leather lined Kydex holster and are a jump ahead of those who are not lining them which keeps many from stuffing their Kimber, Sig, Colt and so on into a holster which would otherwise ruin the finish...

I've made two so far out of Kydex and Leather. Frankly speaking, they worked fine but I do not care to stuff my pistol into Kydex over and over again until it looks like a Duty Issue po-po weapon. I've been waiting a bit until I catch up on some things and then I will try an IWB. I have planned it out and have a good idea on how I will go about it.... Basically it will be in the style of a Three Persons outer Kydex 0.30 shell with a 2/3 oz veg-tanned Royal Oak liner with some KG silicon leather treatment rubber into it. This treatment makes the leather as slick as Kydex so the weapon will not get friction locked into the Holster. I've located an adhesive which is supposed to bond well with Kydex and not eat the leather. I'll be using some Clip's made out of a Kydex type material attached at the bottom to make it tuck-able, I've found some open end screw posts to use on it also. I'll post some pic's once done and I'll also post the templates if it all works out as I hope.

Book of Eli ..... 870 pistol pump over the shoulder in a modified saddle scabbard..?

Nice for sure. I don't care for the shoulder rigs myself because of blown discs in my neck for one thing. Though I can see the use for the Vertical rigs for larger Hunting handguns like the AutoMag 44, Wildly 45 Mag and the huge revolvers. I did a belt holster for a Automag and some mag pouches, the holster was a trial because of having to hang the damn firearm so low the tip of the barrel wanted to slap you in the side of the knee almost.. Though Billy has a nice vertical rig which is more of a holder you push the Wildly into and it pops in. Spring steel lines the vertical slot, you grab the grip and pull it out forward of the slot. Works well for what it does, though even that is a huge hunk of leather and weapon to have in your arm pit.

Congratulations that is great to read, troop. very nice looking leather too btw!

mlapaglia, something you might consider is checking your local hobby shop, art store or drafting shop. Look for the Curves and other templates. Your getting it down and it takes time so keep on keeping on with it. Something else you might consider is the lower grade shoulders while teaching yourself the do's and don'ts. Helps keep costs down and you still get a good looking holster, but if you muff up it doesn't hurt the pocket so much. I went through a full side of Herman Oak and it seems every holster or mag pouch ended up changing in the middle because The design just didn't work like I thought it would. I wish I had that Side back now.. lol

Actually, if you wanted to use an actual Purple Heart as a Concho or wanted to lace it in place. You could pick one up and take it to a Jeweler and have the threaded post soldered to the center, or have loops soldered onto the edges for lacing. Something else you might consider is an Embroidered Purple Heart which you could glue and laminate then cover with Resolene. Or as suggested, Carve one or have one carved. I know there are plenty here who could do a very nice one and would probably work something out with you.

Very nice indeed. I laminate the t-nuts also and use a leather circular shim I cut between the holster and strap. I'll use grommets from the elc area of the Auto parts store if using top down metal or kydex belt loops.

Absolutely Beautiful !!! Your going to be sought after for sure.

Kiwi actually makes a great conditioner which should soften up the top layer. I also use some other Boot conditioners on IWB's so they do not try and chaff your skin off.

Sweet, liking the design as being very functional and simple. Thank you for sharing, it gives me an idea to try it out... Actually I can see where Horse Butt and Veg could make a very comfortable Large Pistol IWB for sure.. looking good

Dremel Belt / Disc Sander mdl 1731 combo for some, Dremel Roto for some, hand for some and also a Sanding Sponge set I picked up from Discount Auto in three different grits. Being Sponges these work really well for rounding edges evenly before burnishing.

Living in Florida I do not know how anyone would carry without a shield between the body and firearm... I don't think they need to be some huge hunk of leather which extends all the way up for the hammer when carrying cocked and locked. Mine only go as high as the slide and or beaver tail and no further, though I do have it wide enough to extend to the top of the rear sight. Working Leather Balm into the back side of the holster and then hitting it with Resolene 50/50 seems to do just fine at keeping the body salts off the firearm and the firearm from digging in. I do notice there seems to be some who do make it so there is a huge flap of leather as a shield which is not cut in such a way that a person is not going to lock the weapon into the holster upon attempting to draw. Seen it more than a few times with Revolver leather and quiet a bit with Pistol leather. My brother carries a Sig 230 SS up front IWB and it shows that Body Salt does in fact have an impact even on high grade Stainless. Threw a deep cover together for him with a shield and he hasn't had an issue since.

You know I never thought about mentioning this before, happy you did think of it. I've been using my Ball Joint Press for about two years now, it is cool how many Automotive tools and others actually adapt very well to leather work.

The swastika (Sanskrit: स्वस्तिक) is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing (卐) form or its mirrored left-facing (卍) form. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient India as well as Classical Antiquity. It remains widely used in Indian Religions, specifically in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

I've been thinking about going up to a local Meat Cutters and seeing if I couldn't get some pieces of leg bone then shaping some. Dunno about treating them though, I guess I could just let them sit in the Sun and Oil them now and then as they cook and harden... hmmm...

Very good of your Eric and nice complete and informative videos too...

Just wondering why you would break a functioning firearm when making sure it is unloaded works just as well and you still get to shoot it?

Slugs are a hard one to come by these days.

Looks very nice indeed, the main thing I would consider is cutting the length down to about 1/4 inch from the Muzzle, it will be less likely to print that way, unless your also carrying a 3 1/2 - 4 inch in it also? Edge sanding and burnishing so the two layers have an edge that the seam is hidden with would be the second. That said, it is something you should definitely be proud of.

I ordered a 2 x 1 foot sheet of the rubber foam from www.knifekits.com which is used in pressing Kydex for holster making. Place it between two 1 x 12 x 12 pieces of oak I had laying around and clamp the corners with some vise grips. Works pretty well and I can put it all up in a drawer when not using it.

nice