liveneasy

Great looking Cartridge holder. Thinking out loud, you might consider using a modified 'tuck an roll' along the bottom of the stock and integrate it into your design. Wet mold the holder and keep it in place with a washer or a custom made 'keeper' held down by the sling hardware.

I too like the lettering... looks good. One comment from an ereader owner... I'm not sure I like the idea of using a snap closure for this application, especially in it's current location. My thinking is that repeated pressing on the readers screen to engage the snap may be detrimental to the ereader. I have made several ereader cases for friends and prefer using magnetic or post style closures.

Yep.... Oiled walnut. Picked them up a few months ago and love em. BTW... Happy Birthday and nice Karma, sorry I missed it.

Late to the party... as usual. Good looking holster. I'm with Tac when it comes to multiple use holsters. One thing you may discover is that the belt your presently wearing may not be sturdy enough to hold the holster and gun upright after a couple of weeks of use. From the pictures.... we seem to have a similar build and I've found that lowering the balance point of the gun/holster on the belt will keep the gun closer to your body causing it to 'print' less. It would also provide a more stable platform for drawing and holstering the weapon. Just my 2 cents.

Several months back I came across some photos of old style holsters for the Walther semi auto pistol. The holsters were used by various military and police departments throughout Europe. While it isn't something you would see in use today the style is a classic and something I just had to have in my holster collection. Made from 7/8 leather, hand stitched with a neatsfoot oil finish. The black one is Fiebing's USMC black.

A little late on my comments... but better late then... I like the rig, you did a great job. I've been working on a similar style holster but haven't figured out the best way to attach the strap around the middle. Any pointers would be welcome. I'm curious why the cartridge holders you made hold 10 cartridges. I do have one revolver that only holds 5 rounds but it's the exception to my collection. My SA revolvers hold 6 and like most clones with the transfer bar addition can be safely loaded with all 6 rounds. As for the corrosion of the cartridges, I like to rotate cartridges through the business end of my shooten irons long before they have a chance to corrode... but for those who don't the cotton web sounds like a good idea. Nice dye job too.

I like it.... Simple and functional. I found a site that seems to have a good price on the knives. Check out Tyler Tool I'm considering a set of my own after seeing those. Thanks

I've been busy doing other things but needed to make a holster for my new SA-45. It's made from 7-8 veg tan which handles a lot different from the 4-5 I've been using. The holster was made from scratch and it took several revisions before I got the pattern correct. The holster is a cross draw and I also plan on making a strong side holster as soon as I finish the belt. I figured as long as I was back into leather mode, I'd make a new cross draw for my daily carry. This is made from 4-5 veg tan with an Eco Flow saddle tan dye and 2 coats of satin sheen. I constructed the front rough side in and the back rough side out. I've used the holster several days now and it's very comfortable and conceals well. As always comments and suggestions are welcome.

I love the belt... the past couple of days I've been struggling with various ways to add cartridge holders to the belt for my new western rig. I'd not even considered just carving the bullets on the belt... it would sure save a lot of sewing. Looking forward to seeing the finished belt.

Great concept... and well executed. As John mentioned, in a self defense situation that twist clasp could be a hindrance. While Snaps, Velcro or magnetic clasps may be a better method for securing the flap it would change the style.... so here's an 'out side the box' thought: Mount the back of the clasp on a rectangular piece of leather with Velcro sewn to the back, then mount/sew the second half of the Velcro to the purse. You could even get fancy and cut a rectangular piece from the bag so it would recess into the bag with a large Velcro strip sewn on the inside. The clasp would still be functional for everyday use but you would also have quick easy access to your weapon in a SD situation by tearing open the flap. Note to self: Don't mess with Shorts!

Good looking holster. My only concern with wearing a holster of this type would be weapon retention/security. IMO, because the holster doesn't extend to the end of the barrel there is always a chance of it hitting something when you squat or sit... which could dislodge the weapon. I know several people that carry in a yaqui slide that had retention problems and others who didn't. Dropping a concealed weapon in public is embarrassing to say the least. Looking forward to seeing more of your holsters.

Thanks for the pictures... not quite what I was expecting, I pictured a knife with a skinners blade. The other sheaths look great. Although not something I would carry... I like your choice of colors on the Red and Blue one. I would expect them all to sell within the first few hours of the show.

Great Looking sheath, would like to see what the knife looks like... I'm curious about the lower edge, can't see it clearly in the photo. Is it laced or stitched with a ragged edge?

Good looking holster. I like the color. After seeing the picture of the pattern before it was assembled I guessed that you were going to sew around the edges of the belt loop. I was surprised to see that you stitched the middle. Does the holster hug your side? From the looks of it, especially considering the weight of the gun, I would think it would want to flop forward away from the body.

The belt loop for the mag holder is a simple fold over. I cut the back piece of leather a bit more then twice as long as the front and folded it smooth side out. I stitched a double horizontal row at the bottom of the belt channel, then stitched thru all three layers around the bottom half of the case and used curved needles to stitch thru only two layers of the top half. I built it from 4/5 veg tan, it makes a nice compact case that rides close to my side.

Thanks for the response. I used cold water to mold the holster. I stitched one side, then did some molding to make sure I left enough extra leather to compensate for the molding. I also wanted the holster to have a flat back. After the initial molding I let the leather dry and finished gluing and sewing the other side... then wet the leather again to finish molding. I've ordered several tools including a couple of hole punches... but didn't have them when I cut out the belt slots. I'll remember to leave more room between the belt slot and edge next time as I'd like to get another row of stitching around the belt slots. Thanks again, Greg

Here is my 3rd holster. It's a strong side OWB and a separate mag holder. This is my first attempt at forming leather and I think it turned out pretty good. I still haven't received my edge tools, punches, stamps or other misc tools yet so I'm trying to wing it with what I have. I finished the edges with bees wax and a dremmel buffing wheel. I'm so glad I stumbled across the forum and want to thank everyone who has provided feedback, answered all my questions and give so freely of their expertise. I can't wait until my stamps arrive so I can try my hand at tooling. Greg

Great looking holster... what a shame to hide it behind a belt. As I'm just getting started on making holsters for my guns could you provide some specs on the holster... weight of leather and what kind of finish you used. It looks like the belt snaps are on a separate piece of leather sewn between the two pieces of leather. The reenforcement looks good, was it added after molding? Greg

Thanks for all the positive comments and answers to my questions. jt... the box stitch is a patented process that I developed several years ago. But in reality it happened by accident. The holster is hand stitched. When I finished stitching the bottom belt loop the thread ended near the middle of the holster and I didn't want to tie it off there.... I thought that repeated drawing and holstering of the gun would eventually wear down the knot.... So I needed a way to get the thread to end under a glue point. I figured this was the best way to do it. So starting on the lower row I stitched to the top of the upper row then across the back ( \ ) to the next hole on the bottom row. I just kept repeating the stitch until the thread ended on the right side of the holster under the glue point. From the outside it looks like a box stitch.... viewing it from the inside it looks like a Z stitch. I don't recall reading anything about doing or using this kind of stitch nor can I recall ever seeing it done on a holster. Remember you saw it here first... so if you see it done on any other holsters you'll know they are shameless copies of my originals. Greg

Using what I've learned on the forum, here's my attempt at a Cross Draw holster for my Bersa. This was made with 4/5 oz veg tan leather, it was what I had available and after asking questions about leather weight decided it would be fine to practice on. I started out with a concept drawing on graph paper. I traced the gun and sketched the holster. I added a second layer... combination sweat band, thumb straps and belt loop. The components and edges were glued, stitching grove cut, holes marked, punched with a 1/16" dremel drill bit and hand stitched. First thing I discovered was that even though I added 1/4" to the pattern the fit was still tight. My measurements were precise but the thumb strap spacing was off. I think I should have also added 1/4 to 1/2" to the middle (center line) of the pattern to compensate. I had planned on wet forming the front of the holster but because the fit was so tight I ended up adding a 3 layer spacer (????) of 10 oz belt leather to the sewn edge. Question: Is there a formula that's used for determining the amount of extra leather that should be cut to allow for wet forming and to compensate for things like straps? I glued the combination sweat band/thumb strap/belt loop to the body of the holster. I used scotch tape to cover the area under the belt loop where I didn't want glue. Note to self: 1. Never use scotch tape. 2. Don't forget to form a tunnel in the loop for the belt before gluing. After gluing I cut a stitching groove around the holster and used one of them pointed wheel things to mark the holes. Note to self: Don't forget to also groove the inside of the holster. Questions: 1. Is there a preferred number of holes per inch that should be used for holsters? 2. what's the recommended distance from the edge for the stitching? 3. For those that do hand stitching, do you use a stitching all or needles? I don't have a bevel tool for the edges so I used sandpaper and a steel burnisher from my silversmith tools. After stitching the holster together, I touched up the edges and then as an after thought dyed the holster medium brown. After applying the first coat of dye I noticed lots of places that didn't take the dye as well as others. I didn't use any type of treatment or cleaning prior to dying so I think part of the problem might be from dirt and oil from my hands while working with the holster. Question: What do you do to insure good uniform dying of leather? Overall I like the way the holster turned out.... On the positive side the holster is a good fit for the gun and the design allows for an adjustable cant which is what I was looking for. The negative is that either the design, location of the belt loop or weight of the leather is causing the grip of the gun to move away from my body when it's adjusted to the grip down position. My edging tools, treatment, resolene and satin sheen are on order. I've also ordered some stamping tools, punches and a few different weights of leather. Can anyone suggest a good holster making book, I'd hate to wear out my welcome here by asking so many basic questions. Thanks in advance for your comments and answers to my questions. Greg

The holster looks great. I like the natural color. I'm just getting started making my own holsters and have a couple of questions. What weight of leather did you use and is the belt loop part of the sweat band? I can't see any stitching so I'm curious if it's a folded and glued flap thats part of the sweat band or holster body. Finally, what type of finish did you use on the leather? Keep up the good work. Greg

Thanks... I got essentially the same response from another forum member via email so I've decided that since I only have a small piece of 4/5 anyway I'd construct the holster from a single piece, leave it unlined and stitch on a wide top sweat band that will incorporate a rear belt loop and thumb break straps. Not sure how it will turn out but it will give me a chance to incorporate all the construction steps I've read about on the forum while gaining a bit of experience. I'll post some pictures when I get it done.

Thanks for the welcome and information. Today was the first trial of the holster in public and it worked just fine. The holster did a good job of concealing the Bersa in my pocket with only minor printing (I was probably the only one that noticed) and practice draws were smooth. I tried it with several pairs of shorts, it's hot here, and the pocket retention of the holster and ease of drawing the weapon was better then I expected. I will try dressing the edges but will probably keep the finish natural. Any suggestions on a 'top dressing' that would aid in keeping it clean and stain free, or is that the purpose of the acrylic resolene? I recall reading on the forum that someone dips their holsters in a 50% resolene solution. That would be a major mess/waste for only one holster so I assume brushing it on would be the best method for me. Thanks again, Greg

I'm working on a pattern for my next attempt at a holster for my Bersa. I have read the discussions about lined vs unlined and the best leather weight to use. The Bersa is a fairly light gun and I would like to make a lined, molded, OWB holster for it. My question is would two pieces of 4-5 oz leather, glued and sewn together smooth side out, produce a sturdy holster with a good service life. Unfortunately the selection of veg tan leather in this area is very limited. It's either 10 oz bellies or 7 oz and less hides and I've got enough 4-5 oz to make the holster. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Greg

I'd like to start out with a big thank you to all the forum members for sharing their expertise. I stumbled upon this site a couple of weeks ago while searching for a leather holster for my Bersa .380. I've had this particular gun for a couple of months now and found the choice of holsters lacking.... especially because I like to carry it cross draw and nobody makes one in a cant that I want. After reading all the posts and checking out the pictures in the holster forum I decided to try making my own. So this is my second attempt at working with leather, the first being way back when I was a cub scout I put together a wallet kit. I figured I'd start with something easy.... and if I made a few mistakes it wouldn't show quite so much because the holster would spend most of it's time in my pocket. Here's what I came up. The black dots were to highlight the stitch holes, all I had was a pen but I thought the stitching would cover them up.... my bad. My next project will be an attempt at a concealed OWB cross draw holster for the Bersa. Suggestions and comments please. Greg