BOOMSTICKHolsters

Any lining that isn't stiff will eventually roll in and work loose from the body of the holster, due to repeated usage. The other problem I see is the same issue I have with suede lining: it looks great when it leaves the shop, but with use sweat and debri will build up and prematurely damage the finish of the pistol. Personally, I believe that pistols are tools that should be used and it doesn't matter if they get lots of wear , as long as that doesn't detract from their functionality. The thing is, anyone who would buy a lined holster probably doesn't see things that way, since the point of lining is to prevent wear. So far, the only good lining in my experience is veg tanned leather.

How are you applying your colored wax polish? That's something I have no experience with, but I love how your holster has that nice sheen (your edges look really clean as well - are you doing anything special to get them so clean?). How does this finish hold up to long term abuse?

I can get the same detail as the press by using my thumbs and knuckles, but it saves a lot of time (and soreness) to use the press. The press gets about the same definition as the holsters PeterK's holster shows above. For all intents and purposes, this is all that needs to be done for a good functional holster. I like the look of crisp clean lines, so I try to emphasize the more prominent angles with sharper boned edges, if that makes any sense. A couple of tricks - shape and bone the holster like normal, and the chase the shapes again with a smaller (but still blunt) boning tool - I actually use the handle for an antique thread cutting dye or the round edge of a bone folder make sure the holster is almost completely dry before chasing it with a finer edged boning tool (for this I use the narrow edge of a traditional bone folder) don't try to show every detail; only boning prominent features looks good and clean (this is of course only my personal opinion) don't run sharp boning lines all the way into other lines; leave a little gap between lines that would run together, and try to stop short with your boning lines instead of running them off the edge of your leather (or overlapping them with stitch grooves or edge creases) less is often more; learn when to leave well enough alone (the more time you spend on a piece of leather, the more opportunities you give yourself to screw things up)

Lobo is right about the detailing on the inside being the most important part, but it is possible to get a fairly high degree of detail on thicker or heavier leathers. The picture below is of holsters made from 8 and 8.5 oz. Wicket and Craig leather. This next photo is the kind of detail that I get out of 6/7 oz. Hermann Oak. The big difference is that it probably takes me longer to build a holster than a lot of you guys. I would love to see detailed boning in PeterK's holster with that nice coloring and finish. I think it would look fantastic.

So far, the magic number for my IWB holsters has been 23 degrees forward cant. It was necessary to balance my grip heavy P7, and it ended up being very comfortable and easy to conceal. I made a few for customers and they have all been very favorable towards it after trying it a few days. I don't like how much it "breaks" the angle of my wrist when I draw, but that's just part of the compromise of "covert carry" as opposed to "concealed carry". Anyhow, I am posting this to see if you guys want to give it a try and let us all know what you think. Again, very nice work, Brinyar!

Nice deep coloring, and good looking finish. They keep improving; Keep up the good work!

I most definitely agree with K-man on this - there are folks in certain lines of work who find one handed re-holstering very necessary. Also, keep in mind that a thin piece of leather would hold a steel reinforcement just as sufficiently as thick leather, without adding too much bulk. Finally, I would also suggest that anyone interested in building this kind of holster should respect the original designer (who is a member here), and only build this holster for personal use.

Little things here and there will need to be tweaked before you get things how you like them. Sometimes I make a new holster three or four times before I am satisfied with the pattern. It's just part of the process. I keep telling myself that someday I will get some clicker dies made once I'm happy with the patterns, but I still keep messing with things. OH well.... Someday I will get around to it.... maybe.... when I'm not to busy.... Whenever that is....

The blue lines should show you what I'm referring to. I also try to keep from putting leather on the mag release (at least the activating side; covering the opposite side could actually serve some benefits), since you don't want to inadvertently activate it with the holster, and at times during training courses you will want to be able to activate it while the pistol is holstered to induce planned "malfunctions" or perform administrative reloads.

That is the nature of this design to some degree, but there are things you can do to improve the situation. Try tweaking your pattern a little and move the tunnel loop as close to the top of the slide as you can get away with. You can also add a "wing" to the front of the tunnel that may snug things in a bit. Finally, the cant of the holster and the placement on your body will have a whole lot to do with how close it stays to your side. I wouldn't worry about it too much, since the most common part of the pistol to "print" is the butt of the grip, and this style does an excellent job of concealing that if you place the rear slot correctly (and it looks like you've done a fine job of that - always try to keep the rear slot as close as possible, but remember to leave enough bend to fit the holster on a stiff gun belt without distorting the belt's shape).

That's impressive work for an x-acto knife. Shears have a skill set all there own; some can use them and some can't. The real key is to keep the cutting angle perpendicular to the surface of the leather. If you use shears and the cut edge is sloped, you aren't doing it correctly. The tricky part is keeping it perpendicular on the curves. Some concave curves will be too difficult to cut with shears, or for that matter with a knife. It is a great time saver to invest in various sized hole punches to make quick work of those. For that matter, it would probably be a real time saver to get some clicker dyes made, but I still don't have any experience with those.... You have a real gift for knowing where to put your detailing lines, and when to stop them so they look clean. I also noticed that you figured out it makes a much better looking and tighter fitting holster if you bone the outside edges sharply. Heck, you even left room on the pancake holster to get a full contact grip without obstructing the placement of your thumb (which leads me to believe you're a shooter). Your grasp of holster design really impresses me. How long have you been making holsters?

Another fantastic holster. Are you getting those shapes cutting by hand, or do you use a clicker die? They are turning out beautifully, and the edges look really nice.

Some people believe that the leather is weaker if you use a groover because it removes surface material. The thing is, the perforated line of holes you make when stitching would be more detrimental to strength in my opinion. Either way, I can't imagine what kind of force a hoslter would be subjected to that would result in a tear along the stitch line, and I'm curious how much of a difference either stylewould make in that kind of unimaginable situation anyhow. Now that that part is out of the way, I'll give you my opinions on the differences. Groovers are probably easier to use, and they definitely get a deep enough furrow to protect the stitching if that is your aim. Creasers are a little easier to make a mistake with, as you have to use more pressure and possibly make multiple passes to get the indention that you desire. Harder pressure increases the probability of slipping and marring your holster, and making multiple passes gives you more opportunities to slip. If we are talking about the decorative lines along the edges of a holster, I prefer using a creaser. In my opinion it makes cleaner lines, and they dye job will look more uniform (grooved lines show up darker). My advice is to try both and see what you like the best.

Very well done, sir! Better than a lot of the folks that get paid to make holsters, in fact. You have a future in holster making if you want it. Your designs are excellent. Plenty of grip clearance, a definite channel for the front sight to travel without dragging, nothing against the mag release, and the supporting leather on the sweat shield of the belt holster even stops against the top of the belt (if you did that on purpose, your understanding of holster design is ahead of a lot of professionals out there). The next time you make a holster, try to keep the rear slot closer to the pistol than the front slot (or loops in the IWB holster's case), and you will see the holster will do a better job of keeping the grip in tight to the side of your body and minimize printing. Excellent work.

It looks like you're headed in the right direction. If I could make a suggestion, you might want to figure out how to leave more clearance between the rear belt loop and the pistol's grip. It looks like the position it is in may interfere with easily obtaining a full grip on the pistol, which is important for a carry gun.

Nice work! 'Look forward to seeing more.

The majority of my holsters are built mostly for various 1911's and Glocks. Among those, the 5" 1911 and the Glock 19 are the most common. Other popular models include the Springfield XD and the S&W M&P in there various sizes and callibres.

Nice job, Randyc. I can tell you are making improvements in your craftsmanship. Keep up the good work!

Unless you want the vest to double as body armor, you'll probably want to try a different machine.

Very unique! I can tell at a glance it's your work; it has DCKNIVES written all over it. I do miss the bright green inlay, though...

Lookin' good!

It does kinda look like it had a sun burn, doesn't it?

Nice work!

Pasting is where the tannery adds a solution to the rough side of the leather and presses it down so it is smoother than it would normally be. It is very helpful to a holster, as it is very smooth on the inside once the holster has been shaped and boned (without having to line the holster with smooth leather). Plating is where the hide is put under a large amount of pressure for a certain amount of tiome, until it is denser and therefore stiffer leather.

Bree, I only skive my heavier belts made of an 8/9 oz. top layer and a horsehide lining - when I do skive I start about three inches before the first hole on the belt end, and the same distance before the first chicago screw hole on the buckle end. The belt you see here is my "Stitched Gun Belt". It has a top layer of 8.5 oz. W&C that has been sanded, pasted and plated (plating is only necessary if you're gonna carry a lot of weight on your belt, like a pistol and magazines etc., and you need the extra stiffness - otherwise I wouldn't spend the extra to have it done on a regular belt). The inside layer is from 6 oz. leather with the same treatment. I don't have to skive the buckle end because I stop the inside layer just before the buckle, so only the top layer folds back over (so it isn't as thick as belts that fold both layers over). I don't skive the belt end because I use an oblong punch that allows the belt to lay flatter even though the buckle tongue is sticking through it. Again,I do it this way because I need the extra strength in a gun belt. I would make heavy duty dress belts much differently, if that was my goal. Making the belt the way I do now does make a nice and sturdy attractive belt, but it is a bit expensive to build this way.