malabar

Hmm, In looking closely at this belt. Upon close examination, it appears that the suede ends about 1/16th of an inch before the edge of the cowhide and is feathered into the cowhide. The line is almost invisible, and has stood up really well. thanks for guidance. tk

I need to make a ranger-style cowboy belt for a client. The client had been using a rig by Sam Andrews for many years, but the belt is now as limp as a wet noodle. His old belt is lined with suede, and that is the crux of my question. What's the best weight/type pf suede to use for this purpose? And do you do anyhting special when finishing the edges of the belt? thanks for the guidance tk

I've made quite a few paddle holsters. In fact,they're one of my most popular models. My thoughts, for what they are worth.... -- Paddle holsters are best for small, lightweight guns, like, PPKs, J-frames, P938s, etc. -- Ultimately, it's not the paddle that supports the gun, but the waistband. -- My paddles are made out of kydex covered in leather. While the kydex backbone provides stiffness, the leather "ears" are flexible enough that they conform to the hips and keep the holster from sliding out of the waistband. -- Properly made, a paddle holster for a lightweight gun does not require a belt for support, but it does require a decent waistand. -- Within the pantheon of concealment holsters, paddles are the ultimate in convenience. tk

Cleanview, Pretty much ANY Question you have about that machine can be answered here or in the Leather Sewing Machine forum. These folks use these machines every day and know them inside and out. As you can gather from the comments, there are a bunch of ways of dealing with the same issues. Find what works for you. One bit of advice: It's really important to get the correct combination of needle size and thread size for the type and thickness of leather that you're sewing. As Denster said, stuffing too much thread into a hole will create problems. If you have issues with the bottom of your stitches and you can't cure it with technique, try moving to a larger needle. tk

Well at lest I'm not the only one.... tk

Lobo is right, of course. The best holster won't make up for the worst gunhandling habits. Check out the video of the fellow shooting himself in the leg while drawing a 1911 from a rigid Serpa holster. This has become so common that Serpas have been banned at IDPA meets all over the country. But the holsters themselves are perfectly safe when used properly. So a good holster will not make up for bad gunhandling. But a poorly designed holster can make concealed carry more dangerous. A couple of thoughts.... -- Holsters should be designed for the way that they are intended to be used. For example, why do we still make so many holsters that are canted when everyone today teaches a straight pull from the holster? One reason might be that it conceals better for certain folks. But be aware that it doesn't work well with most "modern" handgun technique. -- There's a big difference between holsters for concealment and open carry, and between holsters for semi autos and holsters for revolvers. The Tom Threepersons holster was designed for open carry of revolvers. Carrying any auto with an exposed trigger is a supremely bad idea. But I REALLY dislike the idea of exposing the trigger on ANY holster -- the concept dates from the antiquated idea that you should get your finger on the trigger as soon as possible, an idea that today would be seen as negligent at best, and criminally irresponsible at worst. -- Most big manufacturers use thumbstraps for one simple reason -- it makes it easier for them to manufacture a holster with adequate retention. If you put a thumbstrap on a holster, make sure you have a logical reason for doing so. As others have said, they're pointless -- at best -- on IWBs, and might be unnecessary on other holsters as well. tk

The neoprene is inside the two layers of leather. That should prevent any issues with allergies or the neoprene being uncomfortably hot. And that's one of the things I'm trying to avoid. Do sheepskin and felt pads "breathe?" I would think they would promote and collect sweat in hot weather tk

Dakotawolf, Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, of course, but some of the best makers in the industry would disagree with you on this. Most makers will reinforce the mouth on any IWB, because the stresses of being inside the waistband tend to crush the holster mouth closed (I've seen . Similarly, in an OWB, the forces that pull your holster tight into your body can cause the holster mouth to squeeze tight. That's not true of all holsters in all situations, but it's a pretty good rule of thumb. Keep in mind the techniques that are being taught today: A rigid, reinforced mouth enables easy, one-handed reholstering. And having a metal band in the mouth can provide a degree of adjustable retention. Generally, the reason that holsters with thumbbreaks don't have reinforced mouths is that the two features are the result of different design philosophies that require different degrees of retention. They can be combined -- I've attached a photo below of a holster I made that has both a steel band and a thumbstrap -- but it's not something you see often.

We've just started selling an ankle holster and would love some feedback. The pic is below. The holster itself is 8-ounce drum-dyed Herman Oak. The straps are black Hermann Oak Bridle leather. The pad is .25-inch neoprene sandwiched by two layers of chrome-tan upholstery leather. Some of the best ankle holsters I've seen have used heavy felt for the pad, but I'm afraid that will get hot here in Florida. I hate using straps for retention, but in this case I think it's essential. The snap head is recessed to minimize scraping. How are y'all making your ankle holsters? Got any thoughts you'd care to share?

Red, I'd like to agree with you, but.... ever seen the video of the fellow shooting himself in the leg with his 1911 as he videos a demonstration of proper shooting technique? No gun or holster is so good that a determined shooter can't injure himself. This is the stuff I use.... http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-825/Steel-Strapping/1-2-x-020-x-3087-Standard-Grade-Steel-Strapping tk

Renegade, The simple answer is, that one-handed reholstering is taught at every competent defensive firearms school in the country. I've been shooting pistols for 40 years. I've seen vast evolution of technique over that time period, largely because of the evolution of action pistol sports. Pistol technique is far more efficient and effective than it was when I was a kid. I'm certified by multiple groups as a firearms instructor. I know of no school or agency that does not teach one-handed reholstering, and it has nothing to do with being "tacticool" -- it has to do with safety, speed and efficiency. The most common self-inflicted gunshot injury occurs while drawing or reholstering. Having a rigid mouth on your holster minimizes the chances of snagging the trigger and ensures a smooth draw and easy reholstering. Using one hand eliminates the possibility of muzzling your support hand. It's a key part of an efficient system of safely drawing and engaging hostile targets with a sidearm. Skill with a sidearm requires significant practice, and there's a huge difference in practicing with a holster that has a rigid mouth. There are about 10 times as many civilians out there with CCW permits as there are LEOs. If you're a civilian and you have the misfortune to have to lawfully shoot someone, then you do not want to be holding your pistol in hand when the police arrive, because you will immediately be identified as a threat. tk

The list on RMB's site is pretty good. The most commonly requested models I get are: 1.) SIG P938 2.) SIG P 238 3.) XDS 4.) M&P Shield 5.) 3" 1911 6.) Glock 19 7.) 2" J-Frame 8.) 1911 9.) Glock 27

The advantage of using a "patch" is that it will pull the holster tighter to the body, gives you control over the height of the holster's ride, and enables you to reinforce the attachment point.

Here's a design that has no stitching in it at all. It's made from a single piece of leather that's folded and held together with screws and t-nuts. http://www.malabargunleather.com/sites/default/files/quick-detachable-back.png

But isn't that true of any enclosed trigger design? tk

First things first: I think you'll find that holster with that pistol will have a tendency to tilt away from the body. There's a lot of weight above the holster and the belt is essentially a fulcrum. You need a good inch or more below the bottom of the belt to prevent it from camming outward. As far as reinforcing pieces go, you have to know your audience. Most pancake holsters do not have reinforcing pieces at the mouth. Some do. I'm a firearms instructor and I build all of my holsters keeping in mind proper technique for presentation and reholstering. That's one reason why kydex is popular with the tacticool set -- proper reholstering is easy. Most of my holsters have a mouth that is reinforced with a steel insert -- but they're not pancakes. tk

Excellent work!

I like how you handled the sweat guard. The mag release is nicely exposed. This is a left-handed IWB, correct? A better location for the clip is on the main body of the holster. In it's current location, it's going to interfere with proper grip. And you may find that it has a tendency to tilt forward because the clip is offset. You need to work at making your boning a little sharper. It not only looks better, but it makes re-holstering "crisper." Your stitch line around the trigger guard could be a little tighter, but this is one of the harder things to get a feel for. tk

Go back to the original question: As long as the trigger itself is covered, there is no danger in having a gap over the trigger guard -- unless it is large enough that a foreign object could engage he trigger. OTOH, boning around the trigger guard, or flimsy leather around the trigger guard, can be dangerous. tk

I've had the issue with HO. One real strong stiff pieces.

Try Angelus Leather finish No. 650. Much better than any dye, no bleeding, no need for a topcoat. tk

My understanding from the good folks at Horween is that virtually every part of every horse is spoken for before it ever gets to the tannery. Various specialty manufacturers -- from Major League Baseball to luxury shoe makers -- have contracts for the various parts of the horsehide. The reason that horsebutts are such an odd shape is that they are cut around the two oval pieces directly over each cheek of the horse's ass. Those two pieces are coveted as "shell cordovan" -- the ne plus ultra for making high-end men's loafers.

This is one I made for a client's judge, so the shape would be pretty good for a Model 28. tk

I started showing off some products in marbled horsehide on my website and at gunshows, and the demand really boomed. The fly in the ointment is that there's a shortage of horsehide. I sent back more than half of the order I got in May from a reseller, because the quality was so poor. So, in desperation, I contacted Horween, and they directed me to their direct sales team. They'll sell horsebutts in small quantities by the pound, at 11.50 per pound. So I ordered 25 pounds of the soft-rolled, 7-9 ounce horsebutts and crossed my fingers. There was nothing in stock; I was literally waiting for a lot to come out of the tannery vat. Can take up to 12 weeks. The butts arrived today. They look gorgeous. All of them have some degree of marbling, and many have extravagant figure. I'll post a picture of a holster as soon as I make one from this stuff. Gee, maybe I'll make something for ME out of one (my kid will probably sell it out from under me. He once sold the belt I was wearing, during a gun show <g>). So how does it do costwise? I had been paying $20 per butt for seconds from the resellers. Sometimes the quality was very good, sometimes it wasn't. There was a lot of inconsistency in the thickness of the hides. Buying first first quality from Horween is about 10% more expensive -- it works out to about $22 per butt. But shipping also was high -- it added almost $3 per butt to the cost. OTOH, these are beautiful butts. Very consistent in color and texture, and lots of beautiful marbling. Can't wait to make something. tk

I guess it's slowed a bit, but we're still doing 3-4 a day. But we do a fair bit of marketing at gunshows around the state, and we're constantly updating and adding models.