How to wetform a holster.

[wovef]

A new customer came in today.  He wants something I have never tried.  It is a molded holster for his Ruger 100 this thing is double action with a large frame.

I am going to use 10oz. vegetable tan with a natural finish.  What is the correct method of wet forming this project??

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. My email is in my profile.

[Dwight]

Best way is to put said gun in a sandwich or freezer bag . . . wrap it in the leather for the holster that is the next thing to sopping wet.

Stick it in a vacuum bag . . . turn on the vacuum pump . . . use your fingers to mold it as tight or as simple as you and your customer want.

That's how I do all my holsters.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Bert03241]

You probably dont have a vac pump , soak the leather and work it by hand, keep going over and over it till its molded to  the gun and has sharp lines. watch this

 

[Bert03241]

So please come back and tell us how it went, don't be a 1 post wonder, theres lots of people here willing to help and maybe you can help some of us. Come on back be a contributing member, by helping or being helped. Hope you got the help you needed on wet molding.

Edited August 3, 2022 by Bert03241

[Widnerkj]

I’m following this as well. As I have a ruger GP-100 that I want to make a pancake holster for it. 

[Bert03241]

well so much for coming back and telling us how it went

[Widnerkj]

Heh, he's been quiet a while.  Scheduleing a visit with a coworker I used to work with.  He does really beautiful western leather work.  So hopefully he can get me going in the direction I want to go.

[Widnerkj]

I went ahead and ordered the pattern from slickbald.  And used some 8oz tooling veg tan.  It came out ok.  But I seriously need to soak it, add a tightening row of stitching, and wet form it a bit more.  It will hold a GP-100.  But needs some more work.

The pattern was this one

https://a.co/d/5U1ICcW

 

And here's how my first try came out.

 

 

[Dwight]

For revolvers like that . . . your front piece was way too small.

It needs to go up to the back side of the cylinder and 3/8 to 1/2 inch above it . . . and the trigger needs to be covered.

When you do that . . . the friction of the molding . . . will make it a really good holster

Slick bald sold you a junk pattern.  It should look a lot more like the image here.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Widnerkj]

I appreciate what you have to say Mr. Dwight.  Honestly I do.  That was the pattern that I found for this pistol.  And it was my first try at it.  I'm very certain that I didn't follow the directions well.  I'll try again here before long.  If anything I did learn a little by trying it.

[dannyd]

3 hours ago, Dwight said:

For revolvers like that . . . your front piece was way too small.

It needs to go up to the back side of the cylinder and 3/8 to 1/2 inch above it . . . and the trigger needs to be covered.

When you do that . . . the friction of the molding . . . will make it a really good holster

Slick bald sold you a junk pattern.  It should look a lot more like the image here.

May God bless,

Dwight

I use that pattern too.

[PastorBob]

I have the Avenger pack from slick bald and have had to make adjustments to the patterns.  Here is one I designed and created for a client.  It is not wet molded, but is a great friction fit.

[Dwight]

48 minutes ago, PastorBob said:

I have the Avenger pack from slick bald and have had to make adjustments to the patterns.  Here is one I designed and created for a client.  It is not wet molded, but is a great friction fit.

And there is the proof in the pudding . . . the cylinder is covered . . . triggerguard is covered . . . and even though there is not a lot of wet molding . . . it stays put.

Thanks Pastor Bob . . . good lookin job there.

May God bless,

Dwight

[PastorBob]

22 hours ago, Dwight said:

And there is the proof in the pudding . . . the cylinder is covered . . . triggerguard is covered . . . and even though there is not a lot of wet molding . . . it stays put.

Thanks Pastor Bob . . . good lookin job there.

May God bless,

Dwight

Thanks Dwight!  Appreciate your kind words and input.   My Redeemer Lives!!