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Good looking holster.

Thanks guys. It is an HK P7M8, which is also one of my favorite pistols. The elephant came dyed that color. It was included in one of those exotic scrap packs you can get from Springfield Leather.

I've never worked with elephant before and found that I love the way it looks. The customer is a close friend who want a "BBQ rig" that was "snazzy".

I've never worked with elephant before and found that I love the way it looks. The customer is a close friend who want a "BBQ rig" that was "snazzy".

Very very nice work!

I only do custom work although I have some patterns folks like and I make quite a few of them. My customers know I have a full-time job and I give them a lead time depending on how many orders I have when I take theirs. Unless I'm really slammed it's three to four weeks.

I agree with Red Cent. The rear slot on your holster is too low. Find the balance point of the pistol you are working with. It will be different without the loaded magazine in the gun. Be extremely cautious and ensure there is not a round in the chamber then find your balance. Because you have that extra weight in the grip of the pistol when you put the belt loop as low as you did on that holster, probably 80% of the weight of the gun is above the belt line and it will definitely flop. Like Kat said, the holster can only do so much for concealed carry with the primary goal being a secure rig and fast access to the weapon when needed. You have to dress around your method of carry.

I use double shoulders from Weaver and ask them to make the flesh side as smooth as possible. I have never had a problem with Weaver.

I use a bone folder and a modeling spoon to mold my holsters. I use warm water and drop of dish soap. I dunk the holster and bring it right out, flip it over and dunk it and bring it right out again. I dunk it just enough to let all the leather change color. Then insert the gun and begin molding. Sometimes I use an arbor press and other times I use my fingers but I always detail everything with the bone folder and the modeling spoon.

Another style in case he doesn't want a western style holster. Sorry I don't have a picture of the back.

I don't use the oven or a dry box, and I let mine dry overnight.

I also use t-nuts pushed through from the backside of the holster. Then secured with a screw through the belt strap. When I install the screw I use blue loctite. And I have also found you have to really pay attention when ordering the male parts of those Pull the Dot snaps!

I always get mine from Dot Fasteners.

When I was hand stitching the one, two, and four prong stitching punch was the trick for me and I was very happy with my stitches. I tried an awl but was never good enough to get the hang of it. It seemed like I stabbed myself every third or fourth hole.

I would be interested. I'm from the Upstate but live in Barnwell now.

I wet my leather jsut enough so that it changes color all over, inside and out. I reckon for about 8 - 10 seconds in the sink filled with water. I like to start with the trigger guard. Otherwise I have found if you do that last the leather will shift on the gun when you push down to get a nice mold in the trigger guard. Not much, but enough that I don't like it. So I start with the trigger guard and then go to the ejection port. These two places are where I get the retention I want on the holster. The line between the slide and the frame is next and then any other lines on the gun I want to accent. I let the holster sit with the pistol inside until the outside of the holster is dry. Then I will remove the pistol and let the inside dry, being careful not affect the fit when I remove the gun. Once the holster is dry I dye it. I prefer oil dye as it penetrates better. I have found that depending on the detail I put into the holster the boning will close the cells on the leather and regular dye will take several coats to penetrate those closed cells nicely. The tools I use to mold my lines in the holster are a modeling tool sold by Tandy and that black edging tool that is rounded on one end and looks like a knife on the other. For my edges I use glycerine soap and a wooden knitting needle I found at Wal-Mart and cut the top part off of. It is tapered at one end for getting into tight curves and about 3/8" wide throughout the thickest part. I've found it is reall good for edges.

I use the same technique as Supercub.