First Leather Holster

[BlueOx]

While working a commission for a company, one of the employees asked if I could do holsters. I had never made one so I did my best to find out if I could. I see many mistakes in my part, especially messing up the last bit of stitching of the entire piece. But for a first try im pretty pleased with myself. I'll have to use it for awhile before I'd be comfortable trusting one I made enough to sell though. 

[AlZilla]

49 minutes ago, BlueOx said:

especially messing up the last bit of stitching

That's a great holster, first one or not. I think I see where you're talking about on the stitching but it's no big issue. 

Julia Child said don't tell your guests what's wrong with your food and they'll never figure it out.

The height of the belt loop slots might keep the top of the firearm from torquing out. I suspect this is more a fat guy problem

 

[BlueOx]

Thank you, the few people I've shown didn't notice the stitching issues. So you're probably right that I should just not point it out. But since I made it it seems so obvious. 

 

So far it does carry a 45 1911 pretty well, even with my extra weight. So I think the height does help a bit. 

[dikman]

For a first effort that's pretty impressive - and ambitious. One of the problems with being the maker is that you notice all the little flaws, things which others won't see. Which also means you can see where improvements need to be made.

I'd call it a success.

[BlueOx]

I figured the more ambitious the project, the better excuse I'd have when I failed 😅 

 

Just got lucky that it turned out better than I expected. 

[DoogMeister]

Looks good.  You may want to burnish your belt slots which will eliminate some of that fuzz.  Much better than most first projects.

[Thadrick]

Nice job, I wouldn't even consider showing my first holster.

[MarshalWill]

For a first one, you nailed it. The leather bunched up along the part where the stitching isn't perfect. The issue doesn't look so much like your skill at stitching as it does possibly indicate a soft part of the leather, like you would find closer to the belly of the hide. Belly leather seldom stitches nicely. I burnish all the edges to give a nice finished look. A soft part in the leather won't burnish well, either. I always make holsters from the better part of a hide for this reason. Keep making them, you are doing very good work.

[MarshalWill]

Here's a holster I made out of belly leather to test a pattern. Notice the stitching along the lower curve did the same thing yours did. I would never use that quality leather for anything other than a test piece.

[AlZilla]

Since we're talking about stitching, I wonder why a few random stitches on the lower part of the loop have bottom thread peeking through. But not the top part. I wonder if something on the machine is slightly misadjusted. Almost like the tension drops away for 1 stitch.

Maybe something about making a sweep in one direction and not the other?