Denster

Vacuum press with a poly bag and bone your details right through the bag.

No it would not. We may be getting the cart before the horse here anyway. The OP said it was an avenger style. That means two belt attachment points that put tension on the weapon when on the belt. How loose is too loose? Does the OP mean that off the belt the holster will not retain the weapon when inverted? This is a used holster, possibly well used, but if it retains the gun well when on the belt not necessarily ready for retirement.

You can't shrink it to fit. Leather does not work that way. That style of holster puts tension on the weapon when worn and probably holds the weapon fine when on a belt.

Exceptionally well done but then we have come to expect that from you.

You can use Tandy's Leatherweld or Elmers white wood glue which is about the same thing. It works OK but not the same grab that Barge's or Master's contact cements have. It does take longer to dry. Or you can just put a fan behind you while you are glueing.

I use a cheap convection oven from wal-mart and use the warmer selection and a thermometer inside although it's not hard to build a warmer box with some blue board a 60watt light bulb, meat thermometer and rheostat. It does not take long at all for damp leather to reach the oven temperature. It also doesn't take long at over 150 to ruin a holster. The anology with the turkey is not really valid.

One ounce weight of leather equals 1/64 of an inch thick. Example 8oz is nominally 1/8in thick. Since you used four layers you have a grain side in and out which is a good way of making holsters if you don't over do it. In any case when you wet it dunk it in warm water with a few drops of dishwashing liquid in it to help break the surface tension. With your four layer a 4 or 5 second dunk should get it plenty wet. Wait until the outside of the holster starts to return to normal. Then open the holster in the barrel and triggerguard area. I use a forming stick but a hammer handle works good also. Then insert the gun, skip the saran wrap, with blue guns I wax the outside with stainless don't worry about it. If you can't get the gun all the way in work on the tight spots with the hammer handle until you can get it in. Once it is in start moving the leather around the major details with your thumbs you can then bone in the fine details with whatever boning tools you prefer. Once it is done immediately remove the gun and put in into an oven or heat box. If you are using an oven have a cooking thermometer inside because the dial temp are notoriously inaccurate. You don't want the oven to get hotter than 135 degrees at max. Leave it in for twenty to thirty minutes at least, longer won't hurt. After you take it out let it air dry a fan does help. Side note temperatures from 150 to 190 will give you a large cowrind something llike a pork rind but not as tasty.

I punch a lot of holes through thick 8 to 10 oz vegtan and generally ruin the supposed heavy duty rotary punches in 4 to 6 months. Last week I decided to bite the bullet and get one of the Osborne heavy duty punches. I went to Springfield leather's site and ouch $80. Then I noticed an imported punch that looks identical to the Osborne and even takes the Osborne tubes. I figured what the heck if it's junk I can send it back. I got it yesterday and it is every bit as well made as the Osborne if not better and only $36. I tried it out on some old dried out 14oz skirting and it was a breeze. Anyone looking for a rotary punch this is the one to get.

K-Man makes good points. Would we expect anything less:). I tend to go with neutral can't with the tiny guns. Larger guns I use cant as the barrel length and balance of gun requires. How about a pic of an example of yours K-Man.

Randy OK now I understand what you mean. A matter of taste I suppose I think it looks better this way. YMMV:yes:

Thank you. Wish I could take credit for the concept but several makers make BB&WB this is just one of my iterations of the concept.

Shooter You may hate making them but it doesn't show in the finished product. That is tea tottaly awesome!

Exactly. Yes demand is pretty good for the reasons you stated and the versatility of carry positions. One hand reholstering is no problem with the wrap around reinforcemnt it doesn't close up.

Mike, Nick thanks for the comments. Mike by the way I tried your mop and glow finish method on a bunch of mag pouches the other day. That works really well. I'd have to say it's, well, the kats ass.

Thanks Eric. I think carrying LH OWB it would have the same faults as any single loop belt holster. For OWB pancake or avenger is really best, but then you know that. This design really needs the belt passing over it to pull the gun in.

The design is allready somewhat dependent on belt loop positon on the trousers. Adding a rear wing would serve no purpose functionality wise and make it more dependent on loop position.

The main reason is because I didn't want and IWB. A lot of folks, myself included, find carrying that way uncomfortable. Not sure what you mean by extra leather under the trigger guard?

This is a design I came up with today for the Sig P238. My usual method of making between the belt and waistband holsters wouldn't work due to the Sigs size. This one is made of 6/7 Hermann Oak. With the neutral cant it carries well from 1:00 to 5:00 strong side and is useful crossdraw over to about 10:00. It rides fairly high so it should clear the hip swell with the ladies. Let me know what you guys think. See anything I need to change?

If those are your first holsters I'm humbled. If they are not your first then I'm just impressed. Very good design work.

I bought mine with the laser and night sights for right at $600 after tax. Used I have seen them without the laser and night sights for as low as $380.

Eric I've been making them for a few weeks now. Both with and without the laser. I bought the real steel at a gun show recently. There is still some significant discounting going on as SIG gets over the problem of the early guns with the trigger reset. Kind of a neat gun reliable and very accurate. Terrible trigger and could really use a mag extension as it is only a 1&1/2 finger grip and it is heavy for it's size. A lot of guys must like them though as holsters are selling well.

Another yes. I frequently buy the real steel when a new gun hits the market that appears to make sense and will be popular. I will buy the gun to get a jump on having holsters available.

I use a vacuum bag to form the holster and bone the details through the bag while it is under vacuum. The tools I use most are a polished deer antler tine, and a rounded end bent tip real bone folder. Detail boning through the bag reduces the amount of pressure I have to use to bring up the detail and there is no problem with burnishing. Without useing the vacuum, the way I used to do it, was to dampen the leather and when the natural color started to return open the holster and insert the gun and form the gross details with my thumbs. Then I put it between two gum rubber pads in my shop press and pressurized it. This brought up some of the finer detail that I accented with the same tools I mentioned. If the leather is still too damp you will have burnishing. Most folks use way to much moisture and that causes a lot of problems. No matter the method when I wet the leather I have a sink full of warm water with a couple of drops of dish washing liquid to breeak the surface tension. With leather under 8OZ I just give it a one second dip. Heavier leather gets two seconds and drum dyed gets five seconds. I then let it sit for four or five minutes until the surface color comes back. The soaking that a lot of folks do may have some use in molding for cases over forms and such but not for holsters. YMMV

Shooter That is satin sheen applied with a damp sponge.

Particle and Eaglestroker The more I look at it I think you guys may be right. I think I'll carry it on down the perifery of the weapon and put my mark on the tag end of the tunnel loop. Thanks Guys!