BHPshooter

I think it depends a lot on what your market is. I don't think it's the same for everybody. My most used (not in any order) are the Browning Hi power, full-size 1911, and commander-size 1911. It drops steeply off after that, but use the K-frame S&W mold and Glock 19/23/32 mold a fair amount. I have several that I've only used one time, and I even have one -- a S&W J-frame mold, of all things! -- that I haven't used at all. Ever. My point is, it can be really hard to determine what particular demands you will see.

It looks to me like you're ready. I have had pieces of Hermann Oak that were better than others, but the worst HO I've seen was still better than anything I've seen at Tandy's. I can say that Hermann Oak made a HUGE difference in the results I have seen in my own work.

Here is an update to this project, if anyone is interested: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=59263

I finally got around to remaking the holster that didn't turn out very well (In this thread: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=57836 ). Previously, I used Angelus 505 Black for the trim, and Fiebing's Pro Oil Saddle Tan for the body of the holster. This time, I used Angelus Jet Black for the trim, and Angelus Tan for the body. It isn't perfect -- the two-tone thing is still a new process for me, but it did turn out much better this time. It appears that Fiebing's Saddle Tan was the problem, for whatever reason. Question, for those that use Angelus dyes: do you find that pieces dyed black don't accept water very well? I have noticed this with both Jet Black and 505 Black. Pieces I've dyed Tan, Russet Brown, and Cordovan take water just fine.

I understand where you're coming from, but there are a lot of good reasons to be able to reholster one-handed. You might have the other hand holding a phone to your ear while calling 911, or holding a child. That, in my opinion, is all secondary to the fact that when using your off-hand to open up a collapsed holster, it is difficult (if not impossible) to avoid pointing the gun at your off-hand. Worse yet, some folks like to try to wedge the muzzle into the mouth of the holster and pry/twist/wiggle the gun into place, which frequently results in pointing the muzzle at your innards. It's undeniably true that there is a tendency in the gun world to do things "because the Police/SWAT/SEALS/Arnold Schwarzenneger does it that way." However, that doesn't mean that those practices might apply to normal folks in some situations.

Well, let's be clear -- I'm not saying that it couldn't ever happen, I'm saying that it hasn't happened to me. Just for demonstration's sake, here are some pics. I even cinched my belt an extra notch for these pictures. The holster in the first pic is 2 years old, the holster in the second pic is 1.5 years old, both made with 6/7 Hermann Oak. One-handed reholstering is a requirement for me, and these two meet that requirement. Also, in pic #2, the dog says hello.

Agreed. I'm a big believer in the reinforced mouth. Everything I make these days has a mouth reinforcement. That has not been my experience. I make some IWBs that have the mouthpiece wrap around (like the Sparks VM2), and I make some that don't. I haven't ever had the mouth collapse on any of them... and I carry IWB all day, every day. It's not everybody's thing, I get that. But I'm a believer.

Luckily, I haven't completely botched one in a while, knock on wood. My recent mistakes have been along the lines of cutting a pattern right-handed instead of left-handed, or for a Commander-sized (4.25") 1911 instead of a 4" 1911. In those cases I completed them later, and was able to sell them without issue. Those are the kinds of mistakes that I can live with. For me, the biggest lesson is not to rush. That's when I make the vast majority of my mistakes.

I got a Cowboy CB3200 this summer, and it has increased my productivity by a lot. It has been more than adequate for the things I do (holsters and mag pouches, going to do belts soon). I had absolutely no sewing machine experience prior to this, and it was difficult (and incredibly frustrating) for me to get everything adjusted. I seriously considered just going back to Stohlman-style hand stitching a time or two. Once I figured out some things -- like proper needle size, and the fact that white thread and black thread need different tension settings -- it has been a huge help to me. It is a pretty big purchase, though, so I completely understand why it's hard to decide.

I bought it about 2 years ago at a local Tandy shop. I know that it has never been frozen since I bought it (it's stored indoors) but I suppose it isn't impossible that it could have frozen before it was in my possession.

Yes, that's what I meant -- the glued areas, not the glue itself. I understand what you mean. I have yet to try Lincoln dyes (can't find anyplace that carries them), but I have had far fewer headaches since I started using Angelus dyes. I actually ordered Angelus' Tan color to try this project again, I just haven't had the spare time to re-make the holster. I'll post the results when I get the chance.

Thanks very much for all of the feedback, folks. I really appreciate it. I agree, I have had much less frustration with Angelus products. I have already switched over to Angelus dyes almost exclusively -- with the exception of this one Fiebing's dye, because I liked the color so much. However, this kind of throws a big wrench in the works. Looks like I'll be replacing that color with the Angelus equivalent. I've had this bottle for about a year and a half, so I doubt they're from the same batch. After this mess, I dyed a couple of scraps to mess around with, and it seems to be the water that causes the discoloration. If I had to guess, the areas that are glued don't let the water penetrate the leather as readily, which might explain why those areas don't discolor as badly.

The Resolene actually seems to have made it look a little bit better. This is what it looked like before the resolene: This is the kind of result I usually get from this color (center):

I attempted to make my first two-tone holster recently, and I'm not sure why it turned out like this. My construction process has always been to glue, stitch, mold, then dye and finish, but two-tone finishes are impossible that way. This is the first time that I have dyed the pieces first, and then glued, stitched, etc. When I got the holster wet to do the molding, it darkened. I expected that to happen, but what I didn't expect is that it didn't completely lighten when it dried. The "wings" sort of returned to the proper shade, but the pocket didn't... For those of you who dye the leather before molding, is this normal? Or is it something particular to that color, maybe? The mouth reinforcement piece is Angelus Pro Oil Black, and the body is Fiebing's Pro Oil Saddle Tan. Luckily, this holster is for me. It's still functional, and I can live with the blemish... but I really want to figure this out before I offer two-tone finishes to customers. If anyone can offer any help, I'd greatly appreciate it. Wes

I'm not sure what to think about the sight rail. It would save about 60 seconds, but I like being able to use different sized dowel rods for different sized sights, etc. I would definitely want the ejection port and trigger guard to NOT be filled in. I guess I'd prefer not to have the sight rail either, when it comes right down to it. I really like that Multi-Mold makes models that Ring's doesn't, but not being able to mold the trigger guard or ejection port has always been a deal breaker for me.

Thanks very much for the advice, everyone. I think I may have it sorted out. The top thread tension was way too tight, and it was in fact jerking the needle sideways. I never did find what the needle was hitting, because I don't have any visible scars on anything, but you could actually see the needle jerk to the left. Right you are!!! Thanks, that helps a ton. You're not kidding, the instructions are pretty vague. Thank you for the video -- very helpful! So far, things are a TON better. I'm very surprised how smooth and quiet the machine is. This forum is awesome! Thanks again, everyone. I truly appreciate all of the help.

Before I get into this, a few warnings: At this point, I'm a little bit frustrated. I don't know an awful lot about sewing machines. My Cowboy CB3200 got here this week, and I managed to get it put together. I gathered some scraps to practice with, and attempted to start sewing. The first thing I noticed is that the flywheel is REALLY hard to turn. Is that generally the case with these? I started running a few test stitches, and I would only get a few stitches in before it started to skip stitches. For some reason is isn't always picking up the thread from the bobbin. I noticed the needle that was in the machine had a blunt tip. I changed it and tried to stitch two more test scraps (same results -- skipping about 1 in 5 stitches), and then noticed that the tip of the new needle had again been blunted. I can't see what the tip of the needle could be contacting to cause this. Can anyone offer some help to a sewing machine newbie? In the meantime, I guess I'll be riding the stitching pony again. Wes

I had that happen with bargain-bin leather, tanned in Mexico. That particular piece was also not tanned all the way through... there was a layer of rawhide running through the center of the leather. That piece was what finally convinced me to try Hermann Oak, so I guess something good came out of it.

Thanks for the info, guys. I appreciate it. I may just have to borrow a friend's Model 19 to get it done.

I am fairly inexperienced with making holsters for revolvers. Nearly all of my holsters have been for autoloaders. I have someone that wants me to make a holster for their model 19-5 Smith in .357. Ring's makes a mold for a K-frame in .38 special, but I don't know if there is a difference in cylinder length between .38 and .357 models, and if so, I don't know if that difference is significant enough that I should be looking for a different mold. Can anyone shed some light on this for me? Wes

I also sweat heavily, especially in the summer, and I've gone to some fairly ridiculous extremes to try to mitigate that. I've even tried applying Rustoleum Never Wet (search for it on YouTube) to the side of the holster that goes against the body. Although it did help, the coating is very fragile, and ugly as sin. For me, the best thing I've found is to make sure that the holster dries completely. I have a "carry rotation" of holsters. I'll wear one for a day, and then set it aside to dry while I wear the next one in the rotation. It means I have several identical holsters, but it was good practice. Wes

I like to have some leather wrap around the muzzle, so that probably won't work... but (and correct me if I'm wrong) isn't there a difference in the length of the frame dust cover between the 5" and the Commander, anyway? EDIT: Sorry, Dwight, I didn't see your post. I suppose modifying a mold is an option, if all else fails.

I am trying to find a mold for a 4" 1911. I can find a Colt Commander mold, but it's a 4-1/4" barrel, not a 4". Can anybody help?

Hybrids have never been my personal taste, but wow -- those are the best-looking hybrid holsters I've ever laid eyes upon.

From what I've read, weight of leather seems to vary depending on use and preferences of the builder. For the IWB holster, 6-7 seems about right. I can see myself trying 7-8 or 8-9 for OWB holsters, though. I'm not at all unhappy with 6-7 for OWBs, but I'm going to be experimenting in the days ahead. I do use a press for the initial forming, but it really seems to do little for the detail that shows on the exterior of the holster. Rather, it seems that this part really seems to form the inside of the holster to the lines of the gun. It's a 12 ton shop press from Harbor Freight. I put the mold (or the actual gun) in the holster, then squeeze it between two 12"x12"x1" sheets of 40 durometer rubber. I don't sqeeze the life out of it, just moderate pressure. Only some of the basic details of the gun will show through. After that, I make sure my hands are clean, and then I begin to use finger pressure to mold the general details. This is what really helps me find the lines of the gun. Then I start using the molding tools. I've found that the tools I use most are the handle of my leather edger (sanded very smooth), my Tandy wooden edge slicker (also with ends sanded smooth), and a bone folder/creaser that I use for smoothing places like slide flats and for making the actual boning lines. Also, casing leather properly beforehand really makes a difference -- and I mention this because it took me a long time to really get it. When you get the leather wet to insert the mold, it takes some time before the leather will really hold the details. I've seen lots of descriptions on here about recognizing when the leather is ready, but for me, it's this: When leather is really wet, it seems to take on the look (to my mind) of that gray/brown clay from Ceramics class. I usually let it sit for a while until the leather takes on more of a golden brown color, and doesn't seem to "squish" like wet shoes when you touch it. It's totally possible to get some good boning detail around a Glock, but their lines are unique. It takes some experimenting. I just made one recently for a High School buddy's G21, but like an idiot, I didn't take a picture of it. I'll see if he can send me a pic. BTW, I saw your thread, and I have to say, you're a lot farther along at your 7th holster than I was! Keep it up! Wes