BOOMSTICKHolsters

Looks alright to me. Next time you might want to leave a little more room for your finger where the trigger guard meets the grip/frame. You need to be able to get a complete grip on the pistol while it is still in the holster for a good strong draw.

Hey, Kevin! I didn't know you were a member here. I plan on heading up in your direction in the next couple weeks. Did you ever get any information on the needles made for sewing stingray?

Most of the time, it is simply for the sake of looks. Functional reasons include putting a longer slot in a pattern where it otherwise wouldn't fit, or for adjusting how the holster rides on the body. For example, If I have someone that asks for a magazine holder that doesn't bite into their side, but that also doesn't have a sweat shield, I will angle the slots so the top of the slots are farther away from the magazine body than the bottom of the slots. This allows the top to have a little more give so the mag stands off a bit without really sticking out too much. Much can be accomplished by the angle, size, and placement of belt slots on a holster. It just takes some engineering and a little experience to use these features to get the results you want.

I was handling the 9, but I have fallen so far behind that I can't add anything else right now. This would be a good opportunity for someone who wants to get started in the holster business to specialize in something that has some guaranteed demand. I was handling the 9, but I have fallen so far behind that I can't add anything else right now. This would be a good opportunity for someone who wants to get started in the holster business to specialize in something that has some guaranteed demand.

Most folks use dowel rods of some sort for their sight channels, so they have to accommodate for the width and height of the rod for taller sights. I install a rail in my dummy guns. When I need to handle a model with a taller sight, I simply install a taller sight rail and add the height difference to the stitching placement.

That would probably be a good idea, and it might reduce the possibility of cracking in the future. I would just try to keep it off other areas if possible. I also use Bick 4 leather conditioner (for my belts), also as a result of Bo's recommendation.

What are you using the oil on? It works well on cowboy rigs or knife sheaths, but it is not a great idea to use on more modern holster designs (those that rely on tight boning and material stiffness for retention). The oil can soften the leather in the long run, affecting the holster's retention, as well as the ability to stay open and allow easy re-holstering. 'Just something to be aware of. If you are using the oil on another project, by all means carry on (and show us some pictures when you're done).

I like the initials. Your buddy is gonna be happy with that for years to come. Keep working on them and they will keep improving!

Nice work! Welcome to the forum. Pull up a seat and sit a spell!

It will probably take a little more pressure to form and bone, but I am willing to bet it will look cleaner/better when it's done. Post some pics when you get some more made. We'd love to see them, and posting pics and asking for constructive criticism is one of the best ways to grow as a craftsman.

I've tried using glue (elmer's, carpenter's, etc.) as a stiffening agent, and I was not impressed. I find that the best way to get leather to harden is by wetting it and drying it as quickly as possible without damaging the leather itself. One key thing is to get the leather wet enough to be pliable, but not so wet that you can see/feel moisture when you are boning it. It is common for new craftsmen to use may too much water and get the project far to wet, and then try to mold the leather too soon, or have to wait a long time before the leather is dry enough to mold. The time it takes to properly saturate the leather will differ depending on the wuality of leather you use. With Hermann Oak or Wickett and Craig leather, I dunk them in warm water for less than a second. With shoulders from Zack White it took about four seconds, and I used some Brazilian leather once that took 15 seconds in water that was 175 degrees before it became pliable enough to shape. Once you get the leather properly shaped, dry it in an oven at 110 to 115 degrees for 45 minutes. Don't give into the temptation to use more heat, as this will kill the holster in the long run. Once the "curing" process is finished, lay the holster in front of a fan over night. Sand and edge the holster as necessary, then apply whatever finish you prefer (I like acrylics). This will leave you with a nice firm holster.

Cool rig!

Bronson, this is what I would recommend for your purposes: http://www.eleatherworks.com/product.php?p...=503&page=1 It makes nice firm holsters, and it won't break the bank.

If you try to use normal size 8x32 screws in line 24 snaps, you will flare out the top of the stud making the snap very hard to undo. Pull the DOT snaps have even less room to accommodate the screw head.

Only 8x32 Flat Undercut machine screws will fit in the DOT snaps.

Most of the time it consists of a barbed T-nut, a countersunk washer, a flat head screw, and a short section of rubber hose from the automotive store.

By now I can typically eyeball a pattern and get pretty close freehand. There is still occasionally some trial and error involved, but for the most part I do pretty well. When I want to make a pattern and I am unsure how the pistol's shape will affect the design, I mock one up first by wetting and pressing some belly leather around the dummy gun and boning the leather close to the mold, and then using a marker to draw out the shape of the holster how I want it to be and marking where I want the stitch lines. Then I flatten it back out and cut out the pieces so I can transfer the pattern to paper and make any adjustments that are needed. You will notice when you do this that the shape of the pistol dictates the distance of the stitches from it, and that a uniform distance from the stitching to the pistol might not be your best option.

I like the LOGO, LOBO.....

I use 6/7 oz. or two layers of 3/4 oz. Hemann Oak on my IWB holsters, and 8 oz. Wickett and Craig on my belt holsters. I try to keep my stitch lines within 1/8th of an inch from where my boning lines will be. I attempt to find the happy medium between not having any extra room for the leather to bend [and weaken] and not stressing the stitches.

I wasn't trying to accuse you of copying designs or by any means question your integrity. I didn't even know if you were making holsters to sell or for your own use, and I had no idea how you reached the point you are now in your designs (via influence, coincindence, etc.). I just noticed that one of the IWB holsters you made was a lot like the VMII, and I see several newer makers copying that design for profit. I wanted to encourage you to develop your own style, but it sounds like you are already headed in that direction (and I commend you for it). I know it is almost impossible to come up with something totally new. I freely admit that almost all of my work, both from a design and a craftsmanship standpoint, has been enfluenced to some degree by several makers out there: Bruce Nelson, John Bianchi, Tony Kanaley, Matt Del Fatti, Lou Alessi, Alex Nossar, Kevin Manley, Eric Larsen, Garry Brommeland, Mark Garrity, and the list could go on and on! (BTW, by no means am I comparing myself or my work to any of those makers I just listed).

I've been using Yankee wax with the plastic weaver slicker, and water with my wood burnisher, both at ~1100 rpms. I would love to give one of these rosewood burnishers a try and see how it works for me, especially since the wood slicker from weaver is starting to get chewed up from chucking it into the press multiple times It would be great to see some close up pictures of the edges accomplished with this slicker, if anyone has the time.

Nice holsters. You might consider making your belt slots wide enough to easily accommodate gun belts (double thickness). There aren't enough people making revolver holsters these days. If you wanted to turn this into a business, it would be a pretty smart move to specialize in revolver holsters. A single pattern would work for multiple revolvers by only changing the stitch lines, and you wouldn't have as many dummy guns to keep up with (read: less operating costs). If you carry a revolver yourself, you will gain a lot of insight that other makers won't (as the majority carries only semi autos as their main piece, or they don't carry at all). I have found that my designs have evolved to meet my needs as my experience with handguns has grown. I have found that some touted design features are actually a detriment, and at the same time I have pioneered my own concepts (although there is really nothing new under the sun) to meet my growing needs. At this point I can usually tell whether or not a holster maker actually trains or carries a firearm by the way they design their holsters. All this is just a suggestion, but it would be smart to specialize instead of spreading yourself too thin, especially when you are just getting started. I also want to encourage you to come up with your own designs if you're gonna sell them. From a practical standpoint, you need to know why you are doing something. If you don't, you might miss the entire point of the design and not even know it. I recently saw where a new maker copied one of my designs and his customer posted pictures of the holster on a forum. People started asking why he designed it that way and even poked fun at it. He didn't have a good answer [because he didn't really understand the design], so he ended up looking like an amateur. If you are influenced by someone else's work, get permission from them or credit them as inspiration if they are no longer with us. It is just a form of courtesy that is all too often overlooked and ignored these days. Anyhow, I hope you continue to learn more on this fine forum and contribute additional knowledge from your own experience and experimentations. Be sure to keep posting pictures so we can see how things go.

I dye mine before I assemble them, but I know a lot of makers don't. It all depends on your build process and what you are comfortable with. Keep us posted!

If you are making a formed and boned holster, tell your customer no. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Offer to make him two holsters that fit well. Explain to him that it's obvious by the handguns he chose, he wants the best options available, and that you want to help him make the same kind of choice when it comes to how he will carry those firearms. Realistically, anyone who has both a Sig and an H&K can afford a decent holster for both (and a belt, and a magazine holder, light pouch, etc...).

Which ones?