BOOMSTICKHolsters

McMaster-Carr is an excellent source for holster makers. You can get rubber sheets, rubber washers, t-nuts, screws, and all kinds of other stuff that folks constantly check for around here. Take a look: www.mcmaster.com

I like it. I hope it does fit, because that looks like a lot of work.

Thanks, guys.

Hey folks, here are some pics of my IWB rig. I'm especially proud of this holster design; It took me over a year to get this one the way I wanted it, but I can say that I started from scratch and this is my own design. This particular holster is for an HK45C. It is a two tone Black and Burgundy holster with genuine Elephant accents. I will also be offering Shark and possibly Ostrich accents as well, depending on how sales turn out. I designed this holster specifically so the butt of the gun stays tight to your body, but you can still get a full grip on the pistol while it's holstered. The angle of draw is adjustable from 11 to 23 degrees, in four degree increments. The snaps are Pull the Dot directional snaps that have a standard button so they are less conspicuous. Because the front of the holster is thin and flexible, the holster will break in quickly and conform to the shape of your body. The outside of the holster is rough out to help hold it in place during use (and allows a smooth-in interior surface to help the pistol draw quick and clean). The inside layer of the holster is lined with a plastic moisture barrier so sweat can't soak through and corrode your pistol's finish. The leather that is against your body is smooth side out so it won't irritate your skin (I will have protective coverings for the T-nuts soon as well, although none of my testers ever complained about them being uncomfortable). I just wanted to share some pictures with you guys 'cause I'm so excited to get this holster design finished (now all I have to do is catch up my back log and I can take orders for it). Thanks for looking; comments and questions welcome.

Hi David. I would suggest you get your feet wet making a few simpler holsters to start with before you tackle a paddle holster. It's easiest to start with a pancake style, and then move on to an avenger style. After you learn a few things from that, you'll have a better idea about what you need to do to make the paddle holster work right. I don't want to discourage you, I am merely giving you some friendly advice. Pancake holsters are one of the most difficult designs to build well. A lot of the companies that make paddle holsters exclusively don't even really get them right. When you are ready to start designing paddle holsters, try to think of ways to make sure the butt of the grip will stay in close to your body, and try to keep the pistol from leaning out too much (Also make sure you are wearing a good sturdy belt or the paddle holsters won't really support the weight of the pistol as comfortably as it should, and no design will prevent the pistol from leaning). Also remember that no matter how sturdy the paddle is, the holster will only be as strong as the attachment points to the paddle. You can line that with kydex or sheet steel to strengthen the holster at the attachment points. I personally use wet rawhide as my reinforcement; I shape the holster and attach the paddle while it is drying, so the rawhide hardens with the t-nuts aligned correctly with the paddle.

WHEEEEEEE DOGGY! That's some mighty fancy boning ya done there, Bruce!

You guys are nuts....

Here's another pancake style holster just for fun. This one is a 15 degree cant all black holster with hidden belt loops and a matching mag holder all for a P7.

I don't have any pictures of the part before I changed it. If you order directly from Artisan, I'll bet they would work with you enough to sell the machine with the parts you wanted.

Thanks again, guys. billsotx, your use of plastic has me intrigued (and maybe even a little bit frightened). I wouldn't have thought of that particular material, but I could see how much time I could save by using it....

I wouldn't go that route unless you want the material to slip and the stitching to get spaced unevenly. Still, the folks from Artisan know a lot more than me so see what they say about it.

I have a "Tim Taylor Complex" when it comes to guns and machinery, so I can't leave them stock. I ground the stitch setting ridge off of my needle bar and even rounded and tapered the edge of my walking foot so it doesn't leave a foot print. (I also upgraded the servo motor and replaced the lamp's bulb with a brighter model ). As Bruce mentioned you can clean it up while you're boning the leather, but I make enough holsters that I wanted to save some time by skipping that step. If you're gonna make anything from dense materials you should definitely use a stitch groover, but other than that you're good to go. If you're a little squeamish about cutting and grinding on your machine, Artisan sells a needle bar that's already flat on bottom, along with several plates and feet that will meet your needs depending on what you're trying to do. If you sew the holster before you mold and bone it, a stock plate and walking foot will work just fine. If you sew the holster after you shape it, then you'll probably want to use a holster plate and a slimmer walking foot (so you can get right up against the edge of the molding).

AWWW, guys...... You're makin' me blush....

abn, Thanks! That made my day! dbusarow, I use and test my holsters under some fairly rough circumstances - retention training, grappling, lots of drawing and reholstering, etc... I noticed that after continuous hard use a normal sweat shield tends to fold in and collapse. I decided that wasn't up to the standard I wanted so I began reinforcing mine with another layer of leather, and occasionally a steel band depending on the holster type. It also has the added benefit of placing smooth leather against the user's body if the holster is cincealed under a t-shirt, but the portion below the belt line is still rough out so it resists movement. It's probably a little over engineered, but I like the end results and I don't really know of anyone else that does it that way (and I like going that extra mile for my customers when I can).

Sorry, MADMAX22, but I don't know of anyone who sells it on line at a reasonable price. I occasionally see some of it on ebay, but it's hit or miss. I got all of mine from Springfield Leather, but they are totally out of shark now.

Thanks, everybody. That stitching is accomplished with a properly tuned Artisan Toro 3000. If I had my way I would have one or two more around, each set to do a different job (unfortunately, I'm a poor country boy trying to get a small business off the ground so I'll get by with the one machine for now).

Either one of these should work for you - http://www.sailrite.com/Snap-Fastener-Hard...-Plated-Key-SSB http://www.rochfordsupply.com/product_list...A_ProdId_E_3460

You won't be able to use a normal line 24 die to install the socket because there is a metal tab in them that get's in the way. You can get some dies that are made specifically for the "Pull the Dot" snaps, but they are very expensive. It is possible to install the sockets with a snap punch and an anvil, but you have to be very good to do it without collapsing the barrel of the cap. Personally, I have found the hard action snaps to be just as reliable as the directional snaps. People sometimes tend to close the directional snaps incorrectly and they fail to stay fastened, but I've never seen that happen with the hard action line 24 snaps, nor have I had one of them ever come open even during hard use and weapon retention training. Still, I offer the directional snaps because that is what my customers want. I personally use standard line 24 snaps or clips from comp-tac on my own carry gear.

I only close the bottom of the holster if the customer asks for it. There is no added benefit to closing a holster, and doing so makes them hold more lent, makes them harder to clean and maintain, and doesn't allow the holster to drain if you end up in the water while wearing your pistol (which does occasionally happen). I did not add metal to either one of these holsters, as nobody asked for it. Honestly, it almost never makes a difference in the holster's strength. I offer it as an option because some folks think they have to have it. I actually had to switch to a stronger steel because the shaped leather was so strong it kept pulling the steel reinforcement out of shape. Randyc, I would give the shark a try on the first go around, since it is easier to sew and more functional to use. If that goes well, try the Caiman next. Caimman is a little tricky to get right (but it looks really cool when you do).

Shark is easy to sew, and very resistant to scuffs and abrasions. It is also one of the cheapest exotics to buy,so it is a great place to start if you want to play with some exotic materials.

Hey folks. It occurred to me that I don't post many threads featuring pancake style holsters, so I thought I would feature a couple just for fun. This one is for a 2nd Gen Glock 19. The cant is 10 degrees and the throat is reinforced with Black Shark. I made this holster for my father in law's Kahr CW9. It is a 15 forward cant and the throat is reinforced with Grey Elephant. (BTW, my father in law has seen the error of his ways and now wears a real gun belt ).

I don't do many inlays, but I'm getting ready to do one or two with some stingray soon. One of them will be fairly bizarre (but you give the customer what they want, right?), so I'll be sure to post some pics. You'll probably get a good chuckle out of them....

That was a pretty big task to undertake for a first time holster! After that, I imagine a normal model might seem a lot easier. Dave at DC Knives does quite a few inlays. I'll bet he could offer some really good tips on how to make that process easier if you decide to try some more inlays.

K-man is on the money about the press you have pictured; It is useless for anything other than Kydex. Weaver has a pre-built press for somewhere around $300 if you aren't really handy or you don't have access to a welder.To be honest, a press is only necessary if you need to save time - All they do is expose the lines that you need to bone, and you can accomplish the same thing with your thumbs. I really recommend that you stick with doing it all by hand if you are persuing holstermaking as a hobby, because that is the best way to learn how to improve your skills. (I could see a press being helpful if you have a physical limitation that makes hand molding difficult.)