BOOMSTICKHolsters

WARNING: I'M ABOUT TO GO OFF TOPIC OK guys. This is just my opinion, but I believe carrying a 1911 cocked and locked is much safer than hammer down, safety off. Mechanically speaking, a cocked and locked 1911 is even safer with the trigger exposed than a pistol with a decocker only. Sound funny? Think about this: When the 1911 is cocked and locked, not only is the hammer physically locked in place away from the firing pin, but the drop safety is engaged. With the hammer down, if you were to drop the gun from the holster, there is a good chance it could go BANG! Also, an exposed locked trigger might get snagged and possibly reposition the gun in the holster. If the same thing happened to an LDA, DAO, or even some DA/SA triggers, it is within the realm of possibility that the pistol could discharge in the holster (YIKES). I believe a lot of the fears associated with SAO firearms is due to a lack of training/familiarity with the platform. The other problem with them is due to fear of liability for using an SAO pistol for self defense or duty, and being sued for wrongful death as a result of a neglegent discharge. This has been a successful civil suit by the families of deceased criminals, against police officers who were even deemed justified in the use of deadly force at the time of the shooting. The claim is, while deadly force was justified, the officer/s in question unintentionally fired their SAO pistols before they ment to. That's why a lot of depertments have actually stopped allowing the carry of SAO pistols, although the reasons are often said to be the superior design of DA/SA pistols. Modern training methods have gone a long way to helping folks stay safe civily, after the threat is over. Especially with prctices like always keeping you finger outside of the trigger guard until the sights are on the threat and you have made the decision to fire, and to keep firing exactly as long as the threat exists (no more and no less). For the record, I'm not biased toards the 1911. I've never even owned one. I shoot Glocks and Kahrs most of the time. BACK TO TOPIC-- Interesting holster, Bighearn. Do you think it would be a little more comfortable with a wider shoulder strap? I guess it's not like the Bersa is too heavy though, huh?

Thanks for the reply, Kevin. I'll check them out.

Does anyone have a source for horsehair wheel brushes or leather burnishers like the kind found on autosolers or proffessional finishers? I would like to make a buffer and the only brushes I've found are mounted on bayonets, and they are ridiculously expensive. Thanks.

Wow. Nice work, Tom. How much longer does that take than your normal holsters?

Barra, that's awesome. Way to scrounge! I'm totally impressed. That stuff looks factory mad. How did the plastic jug work as a stiffener? Let us see the results if you decide to canibalize your chair.

Nice job, especially for a first timer. For finishing, you might try a little gum tragacanth to rub your edges down, and that's all I would do before applying the super sheen. Anything else will probably darken the leather or soften it. If anyone else has any tricks up their sleeves about this, I'd love to hear them.

Sure. The spring clips and the convex washers are available from Ohio Travel Bag (unfortunately, I think they need a federal tax number to set up an account for you). The bugle head hex screws, lock washers, and t-nuts are from a local "Hirsch" farm store.

Hey, Bighearn. Holster making is a tricky business isn't it. Sorry for the slow response. I've been a little preoccupied with my own holster dilemas, so I waited to answer any posts 'cause I thought some other folks would step in. I would make two changes to improve your next holster. First, I would cut the leather about 1/2" or 3/4" lower on the trigger guard side, so you can get a full grip on the pistol while it is still in the holster. Next, I would cut a 3/8" dowl to length and tape it to the top of the slide to form a sight channel, so the front sight doesn't scrape leather as you draw your gun. After that, it's just down to your own creativity and a bunch of trial and error. Do you own a drill press? You can use a 1/32" or a 1/16" drill bit to punch your holes. I have read recently on another forum that their are a couple of guys who use a sharpie marker to bone their holsters. In other words, try a bunch of stuff and let us know how it went. Definitely post pictures of your next holster. I bet you'll see a lot of improvement in each build. BTW, is that a S&W 645? I can't tell by the handle alone.

Thanks guys. The back is rough side out, though my future tuckables will probably be smooth side out. I'm just used to making rough side out backs for normal IWBs. Rough out is great when there is a shirt between you and the holster, but it's not for everybody if it is up against the skin. Jordan, the attachments are just regulat t-nuts with bugle head hex screws and counter sunk washers.

Hey guys. I just finished what I hope is my final prototype for a tuckable IWB holster. It goes out for testing this weekend. Let me know what you think.

You really have an eye for attractive color combinations. That's a really nice looking piece of work there.

Sweet. I can't wait for pictures.

Well done, sir. When you added the sight welt, did you skive it down towards the front?

Oh yeah....I have to rib you a little for the title too... A clip is one of those nifty pieces of spring steel that holds a holster on your belt or pants. The device that assists in feeding ammunition to the firearm is a magazine. :jump:

Jordan makes a good point. Make sure the front sight won't have any chance of snagging the magazines floor plate. And don't be afraid to turn down a request if you're not sure about it. You may upset someone by turning them down, but it can be even worse when they have a ridiculous design and they blame you when it doesn't work.

Yep, that's what I meant. It's never really good to leave any sharp corners on a holster. They either poke at you or wear out too fast.

Very nice, RSG3. You might round the edges of the snap loops next tie so they don't wrinkle prematurely, but that is a good lookin holster. Keep up the good work (and keep posting pictures of it ).

I can't wait to see this one either. If you would just go out and get one of the CC models, you wouldn't have to worry about that sight channel at all, though. :D

Nice job! Every holster you make is an improvement over the last one. BTW, a plain old q-tip goes a long way towards reaching those areas that seem impossible to get to.

I actually don't have my tension that tight. Maybe you have too much tension to your bobbin? If you don't get it figured out soon I'll try to get a pic for you. You're welcome for the water trick. That's actually something I figured out all by myself. You know what they say: "Even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while".

Hi Barra. I'd like to see pics of your holster when you finish it. While I love working with leather, I also make kydex holsters and nylon halters, leads and harnesses. Don't tell any one though, or I might get shunned.......SHHHH!

When I hand stitched I used much heavier waxed thread and locked the stitch by hand (which got pretty rough on my hands and fingers after a while). I'm using a Toro 3000 to stitch these days. I don't really have any problems with the stitches not locking where they are supposed to. Maybe you need to increase the tension on the top stitch? Another thing you might try is to brush warm water where the stitches will run on the back of your work before you stitch it. I do this when I am using denser hides and it works pretty well to sink the thread into the surface of the leather.

If I decide I need to mold before I stitch, I mark my stitch lines on the molded holster and wait for it to become dry to the touch. After that I brush a light coat of saddle glue on the inside surfaces I want to join. When they become tacky I push them to gether and "set" the glue by tapping the leather with a smooth faced hammer. This will hold the pieces together while you sew them, and it can also keep the holster from squeeking and creaking excessively later on.

Hi Hilborne. First of all, that's a nice job for a first attempt. My first holster didn't look nearly that good. As far as molding then stitching goes, I don't think that is always the best way to do it. Depending on your machine and how it's set up, you may be very restricted on how closely you can get your stitches to the molding (at least with out marring the holster's finish with the walking foot). Secondly, if you mold before stitching you may scratch the bottom surface of your holster quite a bit, even if you have de-burred the plate and screws on your machine (a holster plate might help here, but I can't definitively say so because I have never used one). I personally almost always stitch then mold. If it doesn't turn out well, I refine my pattern and try again. On new designs or new molds I will often use belly leather to test my pattern out, and make the necessary changes before I try it again on good leather. I'm not saying one way is definitely better than the other. I suggest you try both methods and see which works best for you. Concerning the finish for the inside of the holster, I recommend starting with a hide that has a sanded back, and if you can afford it, a mossed or pasted back is really nice to use. These go a long way towards making a smoother surface on the inside of the holster. As for an actual finish, I use Angelus 600 on both the inside and outside of my holsters. After that has cured I wrap the dummy gun I used to mold the holster in waxed paper and force it in and out of the holster half a dozen times or more, depending on tightness. 'Hope this helps.

Regis, I like using 277 top and bottom on all of my holsters, whether OWB, IWB or pocket. I know of several makers who use 346 on top and 277 in the bobbin. I would say since you already use 346 to try that first, and work your way down if you find it's necessary.