veg tan lined taco holster

[Genzale]

I'm making a 357 holster like this and was wondering how the inside would work as the out side would need to to a larger piece of leather. Does anyone have experience with this style of holster that can lead me in the rite direction? Also would like to be able to find some of the hardware; such as the 1 inch plastic keepers and the plastic thumb snap guard?

 

Edited Monday at 05:35 PM by Genzale

[Dwight]

Cut out the pattern for the liner . . . and leave about 1/2 inch all the way around.  Soak it right real good . . . put your gun in a very thin plastic bag . . . or wrap it with saran wrap . . . and wrap the gun with the wetted leather . . . hair side to the gun.  Use your thumbs to mold it to the shape of the gun . . . and remember that the better the molding you do . . . the better it will fit . . . and the longer it will be a useful holster.

Ease the gun out of it . . . bring the edges together where your sew line would be.   Take a clothes pin and hold it together as though the sew line was holding it.  Hang it up and let it thoroughly dry  . . .  I just do 24 hours . . . so I don't have any worry.

The next day . . . cut the pattern again . . . this time allow about 3/4 of an inch all the way around . . . and this one you want WET . . . slobberly . . . sloppy . . . WET.  Actually do not use HOT water . . . but as hot as you can stand your hand to be in for 10 seconds is about right.

Put the gun back in the first piece you did . . . and wrap the new piece around it . . . hair side out . . . and fold it and mold it as tight as you can to the other molding . . . and once you are done . . . spend a good 10 minutes trying to make the shapes match . . . remove the gun . . . and then just sit it down on the back . . . with a piece of masking tape holding the sew line edges together.  Leave it that way for another 24 hours.

When you get ready to make your holster . . . get a small paint brush . . . I use acid brushes from Harbor Freight . . . and give both of the flesh sides of the two pieces a good smooth coat of contact cement . . . let it get just dry to the touch.  You can accomplish that in about 10 minutes with a heat gun or a hair dryer.

Put the gun in the liner piece . . . make sure it is where it should be . . . then lay it down into the outside piece . . . using the sight line for the first contact point.  Wrap the outside piece around the inside piece . . . and using your thumbs . . . or the rounded end of some of your wooden handles on the leather tools . . . try to make as much of the two pieces match up as you can . . . or if you have some tool that will squeeze the edges together . . . use it.  

That is the way you make a double thickness leather holster without a bunch of wrinkles going down the sight line on the inside liner.  Some will take the pattern . . . cut it twice . . . glue the pieces together . . . then get it wet and mold it.  It will not kill the looks of it . . . but you will always come up with wrinkles in the inside piece . . . mostly down the sight channel.

Also . . . remember that you need to mark and position the strap and the snap for your suicide strap over the gun.  Unless you are making this for a certain reason to keep it as the same overall shape . . . I would do away with the suicide strap . . . and put in a thumb break.  They are soooooo much better.

As for that little plastic pieces . . . I never use them . . . I use rectangle shaped metal loops . . . with the leather from the holster in one side . . . the straps in the other side.  Plastic will break . . . those will not.

The little piece you wanted for the thum lift . . .  you make them yourself . . . cut out the kydex piece . . . and holding it with two pieces of metal . . . rounded to the diameter you want . . . heat up the edges of the kydex . . . rub it on a board . . . and you can shape them as good as the mfg does . . . and a whole lot cheaper.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

Edited Tuesday at 12:42 AM by Dwight

[Brooks125]

Many of us have lost hours of sleep putting holsters and other item together in our heads before we do it in the shop.  Keep in mind that a lot of those features need to go in order.  The "stud" of the snap has to go on before you mate the liner/shell.  The thumbreak needs to go in before you fold it, etc.  I would stich all of that together with the exception of the trailing, trigger guard side, until the very end, then wet mold.

I generally stitch everything together while it's still flat.  That means your pattern needs to be dialed in.  I make "sketch" holsters with cheaper leather or scraps to make sure my sizing is right.  Then I move onto the HO finished stuff.  I always work the liner and exterior together once they've been bonded.  That includes a set of rawhide lined quick draw holsters I did.  (Those turned into a graduate course in trail and error.)  You'll also notice there's no welt on that holster.  Unless you have a heavy tack machine, you'd be asking alot to add one.

Some of the hardware you see is proprietary (hence the Galco logo) and you may have to make due with what you have, and adjust your design accordingly.  I use 1" metal loops, which can be had at Weaver/Ohio Travel Bag or Tandy, or a number of other suppliers.  "Metal Loops" is what you're looking for.  The buckle is a "parachute buckle."  OTB makes some metal versions.  The plastic can be gotten anywhere.

Good luck!  If this is your first, it's ambitious, but that's how you learn.  Some of these big, involved orders turn into a real journey.  I've felt like I'm sending a kid off to collge when I see them go out the door.

[billybopp]

I first read the title of this post shortly after having gone out to Taco Bell .... and well ... the places my brain went.....

-Bill

[chuck123wapati]

52 minutes ago, billybopp said:

I first read the title of this post shortly after having gone out to Taco Bell .... and well ... the places my brain went.....

-Bill

[chuck123wapati]

Is that a shoulder holster or a chest rig?

[Stetson912]

Everyone has their own way. Revolvers can ve tricky because of the cylinder. On youtube there is video by jason ingle and Michael Dale. Called getting the perfect stitch lines. It is for a 1911 but the process will work for revolvers too. Once you have your stitch lines you can make a pattern. Parker leather goods has a few videos sowing his method. He uses acrylic templates to draw the pattern but you can free hand it. Those are easier than trying to explain it all. 

Dwight method will work for you too. No guesswork there haha

[TonyV]

Dwight's method is spot on.  He forgot to mention, you will probably build a few holsters before you get it just the way you want.  They will certainly be functional, but perhaps not just how you want them to until you get your process down.  I have several of those  some I use, some I don't. 

I started using some 1/8 inch foam sheet (Amazon.com: MEARCOOH Black eva Foam roll, (1mm to 20mm) Premium Cosplay EVA Foam Sheet,2mm Thick,49"x13.5",High Density 86kg/m3 for Cosplay Costume, Crafts, DIY Projects : Arts, Crafts & Sewing) to model new ideas or patterns, which gives me a better idea how things will work.  It's a lot less expensive than screwing up your leather.

[Dwight]

3 hours ago, TonyV said:

Dwight's method is spot on.  He forgot to mention, you will probably build a few holsters before you get it just the way you want.  They will certainly be functional, but perhaps not just how you want them to until you get your process down.  I have several of those  some I use, some I don't. 

I started using some 1/8 inch foam sheet (Amazon.com: MEARCOOH Black eva Foam roll, (1mm to 20mm) Premium Cosplay EVA Foam Sheet,2mm Thick,49"x13.5",High Density 86kg/m3 for Cosplay Costume, Crafts, DIY Projects : Arts, Crafts & Sewing) to model new ideas or patterns, which gives me a better idea how things will work.  It's a lot less expensive than screwing up your leather.

I've never used that, Tony . . .  may take a look at it . . .  I buy cotton backed vinyl (like for tablecloths) from JoAnn fabrics . . . which I guess is not Michaels (??) 

It's 25 bucks a yard . . . but is like 48 inches wide . . . and if you check . . . there's usually a coupon out there for up to 50% off.

I like the vinyl . . . use it to develop patterns . . . and it works pretty darn good.  Ususlly have to add a 1/4 to 1/2 inch all the way around to make up for leather thickness . . .  but like you said . . . sure beats beating up good leather . . . especially at today's prices.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Genzale]

thanks for all the advice. will post when done