Tac

Vast Improvement... Well Done!

JMorgan.... That is about the best written explianation of this topic as I have seen posted. Thank you for taking the time to post it here.

Bennadatto... The S&W model 442 is a "J-Frame" revolver... 5 shot, 2 inch barrel. Any j-frame S&W revolver will work as a mold, as long as the barrel length is the same (Some j-frames are offered with longer barrels). The Ring's Blue gun for a j-frame will also work, if a real gun isn't available. If you can't get ahold of a S&W, a Taurus model 85 with the same length barrel will also work, as the two guns are almost identical in demention. Hope this helps. -Tac

Scott... I do mostly CCW holsters for cops in my area (I am a working cop, so I know ALOT of people who carry guns for a living). I make the vast majority of my holsters for duty guns, or their compact versions... Mostly Sig P220's, Glock 22's, Sig P239's, GLock 26/27's, 1911's of every make imaginable and j-frame S&W .38's. I just got 3 more orders this week and 2 are for Glock 27's and one is for a J-frame Smith..... Hope this helps with your questions. -Tac

Greywynd, Not trying to answer for Lobo, but I can tell you my thoughts on a "magazine pouch on the holster".... Most "modern technique" shooting schools of thought teach that the support hand is used for the management of ammunition and it's handling, not the gun hand, as it will be occupied with the gun.... If the spare magazine is on the strong side of the body, (with the holster), then you would have to reach across your body to access it with your support hand.... A spare magazine pouch worn on the support side of the body is faster to access and spreads the load-weight/bulk out over the belt line, rather than having it all in one place (the strong side hip). Lobo.... I really line your latest efforts... any issues if I try my hand at one of that style for my Kimber Ultra CDP? (if anyone asks, I'll give you credit ) -Tac

Pete, below is a link to a knife sheath tutorail that Chuck Burrows put together. It is for a specific style of sheath (Mexican loop), but has all the elements of building a good knife sheath that would not require the use of rivets to re-enforce the edge of the sheath. If you use a "welt" to re-enforce the sharp edge of the sheath, the blade will have surface to bear against that will dramatically reduce the chance of it cutting through the sheath. Most sheaths that use rivets to re-enforce the edge are cheap, mass-produced sheaths made of low quality leather, and the rivets are there to keep the stitching from being cut by the blade. A couple of rivets at the corners to strengthen the sheath are not an immediate indicator of poor quality manufacture, but if you see them running down the length of the edge side of the blade, you can bet someone is trying to save money on the sheath. www.wrtcleather.com/1-ckd/mexloop/_mexloop.html Hope this helps. -Tac

Pete, I am not one for sizing by measurements, as I use the old "trial and error" meathod As long as the shank of the rivet will extend past the last layer of leather about a 16th of an inch, they should work fine. A "Double cap" rivet has a domed cap on both ends, so that you don't see the base and post opening. You can use them for items that the both sides of the rivet will be shown on, such as knife sheaths, decorative clothing items, etc. You need a dished "anvil" to set double capped rivets on, so that the base cap doesn't get flattened out during setting.

If your P226 has steel sights (all Sig factory P-series guns have steel sights from the factory), a small dowel rod (the diameter of a #2 pencil or slightly smaller), cut to fit between the front and rear sights and taped with painters tape to the top of the slide, will give you plenty of clearance for your sights. I tape the dowel to the slide, then oil the gun and wrap it in plastic wrap before I use it to wet mold a holster and it works well. As DC mentioned, if you are making the holster for a Glock or simular pistol with plastic (fragile) sights or those with fiber optic sights, you might want to consider a sewn in sight channel or you will risk the chance that you will break off your front sight during the draw from the holster. (or you will wear down the plastic and affect the accuracy of the gun over time, if it drags on the leather...) -Tac

Gicts.. The tention screw near the trigger guard on holsters is there to tention the gun in the holster (adjustable to the users preference) to prevent the gun from falling out during rigorous use.

That holster turned out nice. You will get better at all aspects of this hobby/craft with experience. I like your burnishing tool idea. I might have to make one for myself and give it a try. Most of my holsters I currently make, I just edge with an edging tool, wet the edges and burnish/slick with a peice of canvas material taken from an old pair of pants (works best if you rub the canvas in one direction rather than back and forth). -Tac

I am not aware of any pre-cut kits holsters out there, other than the cowboy revolver holster sold by Tandy... Sorry.

What Shorts said..... I usually dye after I mold and the leather is dry, but I have dyed first on a couple of holsters, using oil dye and I found that I did not get a good detail to the mold... so I stuck with "mold then dye". As for where to start... I usually start around the trigger guard, as it is easiest to find. I run my boning tool around the front and back of the trigger guard on both sides of the leather to help give it a good friction fit and move on to the ejection port on autos or the cylinder of revolvers. As for "finding the ejection port"... if you press on the leather with your thumbs (using 7/8 or thinner leather), you should be able to feel most of the details of the surface of the gun, to include the ejection port, pretty easy. If you are using really thick leather it will be harder to find the details and you will get less detail in the wet mold process. Drying the molded leather with the gun in the holster over night has worked best for me. After an evening drying at room temp, I take the gun/mold out of the holster and it's usually still damp inside the holster and I let it air out and continue drying with the gun/mold removed until it's completely dry before I move on in with dying the leather. Don't be afraid to ask questions... thats how we all learn from one another. -Tac

Wow... That's fantastic. I am seriously impressed with the design and the detail wet molding. How in the world to you get your detail wet molding done so sharp and "crisp" in appearence? Mine always turns out like a 3 year old rubbed the holster with a stick..... -Tac

Thanks Dan. It's a cheap investment if you have a compressor already! Harry... I appreciate your concern for my health! I would seriously be interested in the answer to the question you pose to Fliebings. I have pretty good vetilation in my garage, where I would be using my air brush, but if added precausions, (like a mask/filter) are needed, I would consider the cost and go from there. -Tac

Mike you will find a wealth of information and expertise on this site. There are many "Masters" of this art on this site and they all support and offer great help and advise when ever asked. Welcome. -Tac

Wow... I love the braid used on the sling for the sheaths. I also love the decurative Paw cut-out. The knives are nice too.

Thanks Randy. Yes, I made the mag pouch and cuff case as well. I sell a complete set of mag pouch, holster, cuff case and badge holder to Police Officers. It works well for plain clothes carry as well as concealed for off-duty. This customer is a Detective Sergeant and she already had a badge holder in brown, so she just wanted the holster, cuff case and mag pouch. I used the dye at full strength. I have never diluted any of my dyes before, as I have never had the need. I did not use any form of "spray booth". I just hooked the air brush to my compressor in the garage, turned the pressure WAY down and tried it out on a scrap piece of leather... it worked well enough that I tried it out on the mag pouch, then the cuff case, then the holster. As for holding the pieces. I wore laytex gloves and laid out a few pieces of news paper on my bench (with a few more covering the area to prevent my tools from becoming brown). I shot the back sides first, with the pieces laying on the news paper. Because there is so little dye used and it was warm, (mid-70's in Phx. today) they dried very fast and I was able to pick them up, turn them over and do the face sides of each piece. I let that dry, then held them in my hands as I got the edges, inside the holster and mag pouch and any area's I had missed with them laying flat. The whole process took longer to set up, than to actually do. I cleaned the air brush with some paint thinner and was done. I picked up the air brush at "hobby lobby" for $22.00. I already had a small air compressor in the garage that was set up with a regulator so I could adjust my air flow pressure. It was suprisingly simple and quick. The effect it had on the final finish and color was well worth the $22.00. -Tac

Rather than hi-jack another thread.... I have been reading several posters comments regarding the use of Fliebing's Lt. Brown Oil Dye and it splotching and coming out inconsistant. I have been struggling with the same problems for as long as I have been trying to make Lt. Brown gear... I recently had a customer request a Lt. Brown holster set and I tried something I have never done before with the dye process. I tried using an air brush to apply it. It turned out pretty well. Usually I use a wool dauber to apply my dye, after I have wet molded the item and let it dry. The only thing I changed this go around was using an air brush to apply the dye. Since I am not experienced in using an air brush, there was a learning curve for me, but I think I could get better at it with some experience. When I use a wool dauber in the past I found that I ended up with a holster with dark spots, streaks and it was ALWAYS darker than I wanted it to be. This newer method seemed to give me a consistant color, with no dark spots, splotches or streaking. I like the shade of the color too. I do not normally de-glaze my leather (about 90% of my work is done in black and I have never needed to de-glaze in the past). I might give that a try in the future with my lighter colors of dye. I hope the picture turns out ok. I am not very handy with a camera. Let me know what you'all think. -Tac

Pete, I have seen the imprinted cow hide at Tandy.... Most of it I have seen is reletively thin, but would work well for an accent piece. -Tac

Well done! Keep up the good work. I like the finish on the 1911 holster almost as much as the P225 holster!

Dan, you have the "gift" brother..... please keep up the fantastic work and share your photo's often! I like all of them, ans love the pancake for the Thunder ranch 1911... I'll bet Clint would approve.... as well as Ed Brown. Your progress from first to last is a time-warp compared to mine.... There is some talent there.

I have ordered a few from The Shooter's Box. About $35.00 each is about average. If you are finding them cheaper than that, let the rest of us know where! http://www.theshootersbox.com/store/index....main_page=index

Shorts... I have carried a gun "professionally" for 19 years and as an "amature" for several years before that. I usually carried in what I was issued or what I could afford. I tried ALOT of other maker holsters over the years, most of them mass produced type holsters. I only had one "custom" holster from Mitch Rosen before I started making my own. I revisited my leather interest (first played with it in an "industrial arts class" in Jr. High School) when I had a holster that I loved that was wore out and needed repair. I found the Tandy store and picked up what I needed to fix the holster I had, and while I was there I started looking around, asking questions and picking people's brains... I came home and started reading on the subject, surfing the web and digging throught my closet full of old holsters to figure out what I liked, what I didn't and how they were put together.... Then I decided to try my hand on a couple of knife sheaths for knifes that I owned that didn't have a good sheath... eventually I decided to make a holster for a gun that I couldn't find factory leather for.... It's been down hill ever since! Once I got the hang of it, it became a hobby and I started making all kinds of holsters for my guns. I am a full time Police supervisor, Range master, Armorer and firearms instructor... so I have quite a few pistols.... After a couple of years, folks started seeing my handywork and asking me to build them holsters too.... Now I build on average 6-10 holsters, 5-6 magazine pouches and 4-5 handcuff cases a month for people at work or those that have contacted me by word of mouth. I keep my prices reasonable and try and make my turn-around time decent and that has caused me to end up with a steady stream of work.... Who knows? maybe in a couple of years when I retire, I can call it my "second job"? As a result of my experience and trial and error, I have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't in the "real world".... Since I can make my own rigs for which ever gun I want to carry, I can't bring myself to pay for someone else's holsters. The exception being uniformed duty holsters, which are mandated by my department by make and model. Plain clothes and concealed carry is un-regulated by the department and as a result, I have outfitted a large section of my department's detectives and officers with holsters. I do compare my work to other holsters I see on the market, and I have learned a great deal about what to do and even more about what NOT-to do. I love seeing other peoples custom holsters, as it gives me good ideas and gets me to thinking. Most of the things we see in the hoslter world have been done before by others and re-inventing the wheel is unlikely, but putting your own spin on things or custom touches can help improve an already good design. I have "combined" styles from different brand holsters to create a holster that works for me on a couple of occasions. I am still learning this craft and do not take credit for anything other than my craftsmanship. I am always looking to improve in one area or another and the easiest way I have found is to try different things I see in other's work and to practice. Anyway.... I hope I answered your questions.

If you use an oil based dye, rather than a gel type stain, the color will be water resistant and withstand the wet molding process. If you don't wet mold the holster it will not retain its shape and the shape of the gun, and will look very generic and un-finished (in my opinion... not that it means much). If you wet mold the holster first (without stain or dye) then add your color, it will cause you to miss areas of the holster that most will never notice, but a trained eye will pick up on. Also, those areas will become more obvious as the holster wears and breaks in, since it will shift around in the "skirt" that the loops are formed from, and may expose un-stained areas of the leather. One thing to consider with stains vs. dyes is that a stain is a very thin layer of color that, when scratched or scuffed will show the bare leather under the stain. Where as dye penetrates deeper into the fiber and wears much better over time. For articles such as holsters and gun belts, where the items will be used, dyes are a better choice. Stains work great on decoritive items or items that have alot of carving or stamping, but are not very practicle for "working gear". "Your milage may vary"...

Yes, even cross draw holsters have the thumb break on the back of the holster. It's made the same as the holsters that are pictured, the strap just rides between the cocked hammer and the back of the slide. With the thumb break on the back side of the holster, when the shooting hand grasps the gun in the draw, the thumb leverages off the snap, freeing the "thumb break" and releasing the gun to be drawn from the holster. If it were on the front of the holster, it would have to be released prior to the draw, or somehow leveraged off by the trigger finger, either of which is slow or an un-natural motion. One bit of advice when cutting your leather from your pattern, in regards to the strap/thumb break; cut the straps larger/longer than you think you will need them. It's easier to trim them to fit once the holster body is created, than it is to try and stretch them because they were cut short or shrank during the wet molding process. Good luck and have fun experimenting... thats what makes it interesting.