BOOMSTICKHolsters

I think you're off to a good start (except for that whole "Broomstick" thing..... ). If you want to keep your holster looking cleaner, handle it as little as possible, and do as little as you can manage to shape it. The more you touch it, the easier it is to mess it up. Set a picture of the gun down next to your work bench so you know where the lines are, and then push the "definition spots" in with your thumbs or your knuckles (make sure your nails are trimmed!). When the basic shape is there, chase the lines with a smaller, harder object like a bone folder, a rounded end from a dowel rod, etc.. Just make sure that whatever you use doesn't rust, and won't leave scratches. Also remember not to intersect the lines you are making with others, or it starts looking messy.

Superglue in leather working: When you are building and exotic rig shark, elephant, etc. doesn't sand down at the same rate cow or horsehide does, which makes it difficult to get an even edge. When that happens, I saturate the edge with Superglue and let it harden before sanding it even. Be careful with this, as 1) it can make a real mess of your leatherwork if you don't pay close attention where the glue is going, 2) it can cause some discoloration or white edges, and 3) when it is setting the Superglue can get super hot! Squeaking: Most typically, holster squeaking can be solved by using baby powder on the back or the holster. and a little candle wax in the belt slots (these are the two most likely places where the leather from the holster will rub against leather from the belt, which is the most common cause for holster squeaking). Occasionally a design in and of itself will cause squeaking because of the way it is made and the source can be very difficult to track down. This can usually be solved with a light dusting of baby powder, but it must be applied then wiped free, or there is a very remote possibility of locking a pistol up solid (don't believe me? try covering the slide of your favorite pistol with baby powder and see how many shots you can fire before your slide locks up so hard you can't work it free by hand). The final source of squeaking is when the leather doesn't stay bonded or is never bonded in the first place, and squeaks whenever the holster flexes with your movement. This is a bad thing with a CCW holster, as it may be difficlut to explain why your hip squeaks like an old door hinge every time you move - hardly inconspicuous. ( NOTE: While I have never tried to use a surringe and glue one back together after construction as another member suggested, I doubt it would be easy, and it might not work since the glue wouldn't be allowed to get tacky and "set"... I imagine it would also be difficult to get the glue everywhere it needed to go. )

Sorry, but it kind of seemed like the original post implied the suggestion to switch to Elmer's for the cost savings.... If, in fact, it was merely an observation, then truth be told so was my last post, so take it for what it's worth. John Bianchi definitely knows his stuff, and I very much value his opinion and experience. He has probably forgotten more about leather than a lot of us will ever know. He pioneered some of the concepts in modern holster making. I would suggest that anyone be careful with some of his practices in relation to ccw holsters, though, as some things like saturating the holster in hot oil is more applicable to cowboy rigs, and would be detrimental to a ccw holster in the long run.

Well, it certainly sounds like it would be suitable from your description, Denster. I have thought about it, and I still probably won't ever switch from Barge's or Master's cement, myself. For me, it isn't worth taking the chance on the other product just to save money, especially when there is unparalleled evidence from thousands of holsters made by the best in the business that traditional cement works well. I do appreciate you sharing this information, though. Thanks again.

Ring's Blue Guns

Thanks again, Denster. That is what I wanted to know. I do have one more question regarding both the Leatherweld and the Elmer's Glue-all; how does the glue respond to sanding edges even on your leather projects? Does it ball up, or can you tell it is there at all?

Have you called Ring's yet? I read on here somewhere they would possibly be making a dummy gun for the LCP. It is possible they might consider the LCR as well, although that is pure speculation on my part.

That's the kind of information I was looking for in the first place - Thanks Denster. I would like to hear about it if you ave any similar comparisons between Leatherweld and Barge's, or for that matter the Elmer's glue Lobo was using. It sounds like the Elmer’s Glue-All would hold over time even after being exposed to water, and might be a viable alternative to cement (as long as there is no loss in quality, of course). The faster cure time could be handy for holsters, although I could see it possibly being a detriment when gluing belt blanks. How easy is it to apply, and does it spread on light or heavy? Does it absorb quickly or just set on the surface of the leather? Since you have been using it for a while, have you found the flexibility of the Leatherweld (after it sets) to be adequate for things like belts that will bend and flex repeatedly, or do you think the bond would crack when the glue has set for weeks? If you're not sure, does the glue act more like rubber or hard plasic once it has dried in open air?

- The best place I have found is the website you have already shown. - You will have to buy the pieces separately. Of you are using them in belt loops, you can get away with the shorter .240 posts. Be sure to get the longer ones if you plan to go through more than one layer of leather. Also, you can use normal caps that don't say "Pull the Dot" if you prefer the plain look (which is my personal preference). - You can get a Pres-N-Snap Installation Tool for a more economical way to install your snaps, but you will also have to buy dies made specifically for directional snaps. The dies that work with this model don't put a dot in the cap like a professional snap press will, so this is one more reason to use standard caps instead of the Pull the Dot variety.

You're off to a good start. USP's are tricky to make holsters for IMO. The flared out trigger guard is deceptive when it comes to designing patterns; the angle of the stitching has to angle out more as you get closer to the grip, and it raises the rear belt loop higher than you originally intend unless you account for it. - At least that's my experience. Since you are gonna make another one with some changes, here is something to consider: The farther away a loop is from the pistol, the more give the leather between the two will have. With your current design, the rear loop is mounted much farther away from the pistol than the front loop is. Because the rear loop has more space, it has more flex than the closer front loop, meaning your pistol will tend to stay more in line with the closer loop. What all this amounts to is that the butt of your USP's grip is more likely to stick out with your current configuration, making it harder to conceal. I hope that helps with your next design. Be sure to post some pictures and let us see how the next holster turns out.

That sounds like a step up from the days of sewing a washer or a silver dollar onto the top of your cap...

Great looking inlaid sheaths, and gorgeous knives!

Kevin has some pretty sage advice on this topic, Randyc. Maybe you should shoot a PM his way and see if he will share his thoughts on this subject. You might also look into pre-paid legal representation if a liability policy proves too costly. note: I am not a lawyer, nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Lobo, I asked a simple question and offered advice based my own experience. You still haven't acknowledged the concern I brought up, which was whether the glue you used will be a problem in the long run. Instead you made insinuations about my products and my methodologies, and I don't understand why. You also accused me of an "in your face" response. My question was and is completely legitimate, and relevant. I was in no way terse or negative in my first post, and I believe my second post was very civil. You, sir are the one who chose to "attack and antagonize" with your response to my post, and I think you would see that if you looked at this thread objectively. I would also like to point out that I do not want to impose my opinion about holster construction "as the only authority on any subject". I will share my experience whenever I believe I have something to offer, and I will even tell people why I do things the way I do them. If someone has a different way to do things that proves to be better, I will look into it and change my methodologies if I am able. More than once I have had to change my ideas about holster making when I thought I had a good grasp on things, only to find I have so much more to learn. In fact, I admit I didn't realize there are differences between Elmer's Glue and Elmer's White Glue until reading this thread. I still don't know whether either or both is water soluble or not, or how long they last after wet forming. You might be able to shed some light on that matter based on your experience, and I would still very much like to hear your thoughts on the jubject in relevance to my original concern. If I am incorrect in my thinking, I will gladly admit it and add one more helpful trick of the trade to my repertoire. I apologize for offending you with my initial post, although I honestly can't understand why it upset you. If you like, I will refrain from asking questions or commenting on any of your threads in the future. I would, however, like to leave one final piece of advice: If you came here to learn, you would probably do well to swallow your pride and take any constructive criticism that is offered to you at face value without taking it too personally. If you came here to teach, then I hope you will find a better way to respond to challenging questions than to antagonize the one who asked them. - You made it clear that when you got started, you had no access to the internet or to the advice and guidance of other experienced professional holster makers. You do have those things at your disposal now, and it would be a real shame not to utilize them.

Lobo, I have to admit that I am fairly offended by your response to my inquiry. Attention to detail is why my holsters look the way they do, not for the sake of appearance. While I strive to meet the quality of craftsmanship that is put out by the holster makers that I admire most, function over form is my priority, and will always remain so. In fact, I spend a lot of time and money to prove a holster concept before I make it public. I get opinions and suggestions from multiple volunteers and beta testers with months of real world use of my designs, then take their feedback and revise the design if necessary (which often occurs multiple times before I decide they are ready). I also carry everyday, and I have even opted to carry larger pistols in new ways for months at a time just to test the viability of my holster designs. I use my holsters to practice retention training drills, make thousands of draws, test their functionality in force on force training and more, just to ensure that I am utilizing the best design I can. I also draw from the opinions and advice of others who have much more experience than me, in regards to both leathercraft and handgunnery. Bottom line: I believe in my products, and I will put my holsters up against anybody's regarding their functionality, comfort, and durability. According to some experienced holster makers, the squeaking I am refering to can happen when two peices of leather are sewn together without a proper bond. It doesn't show up right away, but it can develope over time and make a holster unusable for concealed carry. I asked you a legitimate question regarding this possibility because I was both concerned about the long term issues that might come up as a result of the glue you are suggesting, and I wanted to hear what your thoughts were on this matter based on your 37 years of experience. I am not trying to run you off or undermine your suggestions. This is a public forum dedicated to learning a craft and making improvements. I will continue making an effort to improve my work and help others when I can, knowing full well that not everyone will agree with my methodology. I suggest you do the same.

Lobo, did you keep that holster or sell it? I'm curious whether it squeaks or not by now. I know using normal cement that if you don't bond the leather together wherever it touches, eventually it can allow a holster to develop a squeak that can't be fixed. I think Elmers glue is water soluble, isn't it? I wonder if it will break down later as a result of the wet forming, or over time from sweat. When I tried using Carpenter's white glue and Elmer's glue as a stiffener when I was making a lot of exotic holsters, it never yielded permanent reesults so I scrapped it. Any thoughts?

The color of your holster turned out beautifully, dickf. If you want to give dip dying a try without spending a fortune, by a 9x14" sealable tupperware type container at your locale supermarket. Also get a funnel, and a 32 oz. bottle of dye (while I know it's not cheap, it's a lot cheaper than a drum of dye). Pour the dye into the container, and dip your cut out pieces of leather into the shallow "dye vat" before you edge or sew them. Finish the process I mentioned earlier, then assemble the holster in your usual manner. If you like the results, seal the container and use it again whenever you like. If you prefer a different method, you can use the funnel and pour the leftover dye back in the bottle and use it how you see fit. Anyhow, that should give you an idea about whether or not you like dip dying without spending a lot on it first.

I almost always dye before wet molding. In my experience, boning a holster will typically close pores in the leather to some extent. This will result in the leather absorbing dye at different rates (regardless of the penetration abilities of said dye) and making the color or shade uneven. Of everything I have tried, the process I wrote about above has yielded the most consistent results.

Try a dip/spray combination. I use both Angelus and Feibings dyes (as well as others), and this works with pretty much everything. Dip your piece into the dye quickly - no more than a second. Hold the piece so the run off flows towards an area that won't show, if that's possible. Wipe the excess dye build up off on to the edge of your dye vat. Now flex the peice you just dip dyed to open up the pores, so any excess dye that isn't easily wiped off will be absorbed into the leather. Go work on another project and let the leather air dry for a few hours. When it is dry to the touch, use your airbrush to even up the finish if you have any streaks or dark spots. Use multiple coats to achieve the desired shade. Any time I make something that has to be brown or tan, this is the method I use to get ab even color. It took a lot of time, money, and experimentation to come up with this method, believe it or not. Give it a try and see if it will work for you.

Nice looking holster! Air brushing looks great, but it will show flesh color quickly with wear, and scratches will stand out like a sore thumb. You might consider trying a quick dip dye job, and then apply a final finish with the air brush. The tone will still be even, and the color will have enough depth that the flesh color won't stand out if it gets scratched.

I mean the vertical stitching on the far right in photo #1.

Nice looking belt, Lobo. I know you're new to belts, so I thought I would warn you - never sew perpendicular to the belt, either on the belt itself or a billet. The stress on the bekt may eventually cause it to "tear along the dotted line". One way to spot a quality ranger belt is to look whether the billet is sewn in a V or U shape, or if it is sewn straight across.

Scott, I use 8 oz. for my belt holsters, and 6/7 oz. for my IWB holsters unless multiple layers are involved.

NOPE!

There are benefits and detriments to either type. "Blue Guns" are cleaner replicas, so they won't take any real work to put to use. The down side to them is that they will wear out and sometimes break when used in a press if you're careless. Be sure to order them directly from Rings and ask for non-painted models or you'll get lots of blue flecks in your holsters for some time. The aluminum casts will last and take a lot of abuse, but they typically require quite a bit of clean up before they are usable (and you have to invest in the tools to be able to do it yourself, or pay someone to clean them up for you). What I mean by "clean up" is they may have casting lines, excess material in the ejection port, improperly sized trigger guards, and all sorts of other deformations that will make them unusable for holster making until they are worked over.