renegadelizard

sew a sight channel into it...if you are concerned it with tearing, i would recommend sewing in so .060 kydex ...you will have to hand sew and debur each hole, but it wont tear...ever...

Great looking holster George...top notch!!..

Hey Jake, 2 things for whats it worth...watch your tool marks when molding...if you slip and get a line thats not exactly right, rub it out with your fingers until the leather is smooth again or use a modeling spoon to smooth it out, and fingernails are hell on wet leather, so trim them stupid close to the quick...the second thing is the stiching groove...ive played with making the stitching groove all the way around the holster, and it just looks odd to see a groove with nothing in it...even if its nonfuntional, throw some stitches in there to make it look finished..

I think you are right, or a combo of both the soap and leather...with the "super hard" HO, I would have to soak it sometimes for 30-40 seconds just to be able to spread the holster open to get the gun in...this was an 8 second duck and it came out sloppy wet....even after I let it dry out a bit it was still pretty stretchy...and of the two holsters, one was much firmer than the other after baking it...cant figure that one out either.. i think after i use up what I have left, im going to take a page out of Katsass's book and start going with 2 layers of 5 ounce glued together...it will cost more, but I think it will make a better holster and it will allow me to start playing more with inlays...

I used the angelus Rose dye, cut 1:1 with mineral spirits...it was just the shade of pink my wife demanded...i should have charged her more for th etrouble..lol..

kydex maybe...or a piece of milk carton...lol

they are a bit on the ugly side...other than that, maybe too bulky...

I usually end up doing 2 stitch lines for blocks as I can never get them to seat all the way in...in fromt of the trigger guard I usually sew a little block shape after forming...

Here they are!! All pink and frilly...but my wife and her friend loved them so I guess I done good...Im not real happy with the stitch lines, too far away, but it seemed the leather stretched more than usual..i used a few drops of dish soap when i go them wet for molding..maybe that did it, as i usually don't use it...it also might be because the last half dozen holsters I made before these were with some of that really stiff HO that everyone has been experiencing lately...anyway, they work and they are "pretty", and if they loosen up, ill run another stitch line...enjoy and please don't take my man card away...lol..

One more thing before I forget George, if you are going to dyr the holster, i would do before you stitch and mold it...the dark areas on the one you posted will not take dye very well as it is pretty burnished...

We've all been there before George....Homer Simpson moments...hope it all works for you...

dont take away leather from the trigger guard, just add leather to the wing...take your existing pattern, lay it out on the leather, and on the wing portion, grab a compass set to about 1 inch ...its easier to show than to explain..look at the black line for the pattern refinement or the red line as an alternative.. also, remember when your making revolver holsters, you usually need to move your belt slots further away from the gun than with auto's...i cant remember who passed that trick on to me, but it helped me tremendously..good luck and i hope you get it all worked out...make sure you show us when its done

George, for a 15 degree cant, your belt tunnel looks a little on the low side...try moving it up 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch...either that or move your rear belt slot (the whole wing actually) down some....either way, i have a hard time concealing an avenger without a heavy coat...so it may not be anything you are doing, it may just be the inherent nature of the design...

I used to use the hook blade, before i got a round knife...the hook blade always cut off camber for me...this bothered me because depending upon the direction of the cut, my patern could be off by quite a bit after trying to even up the edge...even with the really hard sides, which i actually prefer, i find the round knife to be much easier for me...for inside curves, especially tight ones, i have found that a good 1/2 hole punch works wonders...

Mine just kind of spits..it will fan fine for a minute or two, then it will spit a little, then go back to fanning...i need to spend some quality time playing with it, but there are only so many hours in a day...but it was a harbor frieght special, so i think im gonna save up my play time till i get a better one...

Hey Particle, I do seal it up after i gum it..i started gummimng it after i had a mishap with gum trag and edging..i got sloppy with the gum trag and later when i tried to dye the piece, the dyd wouldnt take..so i figured i would use up the rest of my gum trag just doing the interioirs, it lays any nap down pretty good, but i doubt ill buy more...i still mop and glo after it dries unless i vinegaroon the piece, the groon makes it almost completely waterproof...Im still working on airbrushing...i cant seem to get the spray atomized enough..what airbrush are you using?

I usually dye the inside...no issues of it bleeding out...i seal my isides with gum trag and/or 50/50 mop and glow and water...

I think you might be right...midway usa is now selling pink rangebags and shooting glasses...its everywhere..

Call SLC, they have a bonding agent that will stick to kydex...ask for Ben, he knows what it's called...

Thanks all...I guess my first pass will be to try the dye...if that doesnt work, ill order up some of the hot pink ostritch and do somekind of flambouyant reinforcement piece on it, that way if i lose the quill marks, ill still have a good two tone look......i really want to avoid using kydex,..i make kydex holsters as well, but seeing as how these will be free holsters, i want them to not only be functional, but i want them to be bling..they are going to wear them to an all woman ccw class, and im hoping to snag a few orders, and kydex to me, well, its functional, but not very eye catching, not in the way a good piece of leather is...oh, and if anyone has any tips on boiling leather to harden it, please let me know...i feel the need to make some armor for my battered Mancard....

Hey all..disturbing topic here, but my wife and her best friend are getting matching guns next week, and obviously they want matching holsters as well...not just any holster..if you guys are familiar with Thirty-One, the purse company, you know that they have an affinity for the color pink..since they both work there, its only (un) natural that they want pink holsters...hot pink...grrr.....anyway, i though maybe Angelus rose dye, but i dont tink that will give me the color they want...then i though acrylic hot pink paint, but im not sure how hardy it is, then i was thinking cover it with some hot pink ostrich print SLC has...my question with the overlay is this though...will it mold well?...I was thinking pancake holster, cut the front panel, glue on overlay, mark and stitch, wet and mold...will this process work or will the glue stiffen it up too much to mold?...any ideas?

Here is another tip...go to springfield leather and order the 5 pack of horsehide belt blanks...this are thin enough for catridge loops, and quite firm...get them really wet for forming so they dont crack...when they dry they are rock hard...

It wont fit..3mm wider and 1 mm taller is the problem...longer you can get away with, but width and height you cant fudge.

Thanks sylvia...any idea where i can get it?.also, do you know what it is dyed with?

Hey all, I have a customer who want a holster made for a glock, with a light attached..he wants a kydex shell/leather back outside the waistband hybrid...the leather he wants is the same leather found on the desert boots...anybody have any idea what kind of leather that is and where to get it?