Glock 19 Holster

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

Hey guys. I just thought I hadn't posted any holsters in a while so I decided to put some pics up of a plain jane Glock 19 holster. The cant is 23 degrees at the request of a customer who likes to carry at around the 5:30 position. If you have any suggestions to help me improve, or any questions as to why I did something a certain way, feel free to comment. Thanks,

Jeff

[Tac]

As always, your attention to detail is inspiring Jeff..... I like the cant, the detail boning and the double stitching. The edges look perfect.... Between you and Monica, I am begining to feel like I need to redouble my efforts to raise to the next level of craftsmanship! (Or craftWOMANship, in Monica's case )

Please continue to post picks of your work.... they really do inspire those of use still working on our technique to improve.

-Tac

Edited July 17, 2009 by Tac

[MADMAX22]

Wow that is super clean and great looking. I cant find anything wrong with it. Im sure your customer was very happy.

[Rock76]

Very nice, Jeff! I always look forward to seeing your holsters.

-Adam

[rybord]

That looks great!!!!! I like that you shortened the draw which I'm sure would make a 5:30 draw easier. I'm sure your customer will be very happy with it.

Does the belt loop on the trigger side being closer help with the grip printing?

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

Thanks guys! I can still see some flaws, but that's usually the case when you look at your own work I guess.

Rybord, the slot placement does definitely help with printing, although aestheticly speaking I would actually prefer the front slot to be closer in (but it serves a purpose so that's how it stays). I used to think that the bigger the holster, the more it would print. Now I know that's not necessarily the case. The front wing is also pre-bent, and the rear wing is almost straight (except for the deformation to allow easier threading of the belt through the slot). That helps the grip stay in against the body also. With the slot placement and the angle of the draw making the grip more vertical, it actually conceals nicely for an OWB carrying a thicker pistol.

[rybord]

Thanks Jeff, I appreciate your sharing your work and knowledge as I know everyone else does too. It's a well thought out design including the reinforced sweat guard. The holster just makes sense. Pure function and eye appeal.

What is your finish process?

Ray

Edited July 18, 2009 by rybord

[10x]

Is that the rough side out on the rear side? I like that.

[Bronson]

Your holsters always have such a nice clean look to them.

Thanks for posting.

Bronson

[brinyar]

Beautiful work. I really like that 23 degrees of cant in a holster. You suggested that in an old thread and it has really worked out well in my own holsters I've made.

My only very minor suggestion would be to use a strap or belt not stitched yet to mold with on the backside of the holster. That way the stitches won't be molded into the holster.

[DCKNIVES]

Looks great Jeff. Boy, that's alot of cant, 99% of my customers want zero cant( mostly LEO's).Dave

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

Bronson, Rock76, MADMAX22 & Tac - Thanks! I keep trying to improve an it sure feels nice when somebody appreciates my efforts.

rybord - Thank you for the compliments. I put a lot of thought into my designs so they are as functional as possible. The reinforcement of the sweat shield is cut so that it will not only be clear of the belt (and therefore closer to the shooter's body), but also theoretically it will help support the holster if the belt sags any (assuming the customer is wearing a poorly designed belt that wont support the weight of the pistol ). As to the finish question:

To get this finish I buffed the holster on a cloth wheel, then I brushed Angelus 600 onto the holster with a foam brush until it won't absorb any more. I then wiped any excess acrylic off and buffed the hoslter again. Once that is done I spray a fine mist of Angelus 600 over the whole piece with an airbrush to get that matte finish. If you want to at this point you can go back and brush Resolene on the edges for a smooth, glossy finished look that contrasts with the rest of the holster.

10X - Thanks. That is the rough side out on the rear side. With the rough side against the belt, it helps resist movement or shifting of the holster (plus it makes the front view of the holster look really slick). No rough leather is against the wearer's body if the shirt is covering the holster because the sweat shield reinforcement is smooth side out.

brinyar - Thanks for the constructive criticism. I wondered who would notice that . I was shaping the holster and I couldn't find my normal belt blank, so I used an actual belt, thinking 'what's the worst thing that could happen?'. I won't be doing that again. Please let me know if you notice anything else that could use some improvements. As to the draw angle - I don't know if I mentioned it before, but I started doing the 23 degree grip angle to support the weight of a loaded P7 in the 4:30 to 5:30 position in an IWB holster. It worked much better for me than I had imagined it would, so in certain situations I recommend it to customers with specific needs. So far, they have all been really pleased with it.

DCKNIVES - Yeah, I don't do that many holsters in such a deep can't, but occasionally it fits well with a customer's shooting/carrying style. It seems like I can classify my customers into of certain groups;

Uniformed LEO's that wear their pistols right behind their pants seem, and civilians with classic weaver stance training are often the ones who ask for stright draw holsters (usually a Bruce Nelson style holster).

Plain clothes Officers or investigators and civilians that side with more recent shooting styles, like the modern isocolese, tend to use the FBI cant holsters (about 50/50 between the Roy Baker pancake style or Bruce Nelson scabbard style holsters in this case).

The rest of the angles I make holsters in are customs at the request of the customers, ranging from 4, 11, 19 or 23 degrees to who-knows-what. I try to make sure that they know that the cant and the postitioning of their holster will affect their hand and wrist positioning during the draw, and that their wrist should be as locked out as possible during the draw so they won't lose the gun while running or in a close quarter struggle. Most of my customers already understand this concept thuroughly and adhere to it unless they have specific physical limitations that require certain circumstances are met, or they need to sacrifice a stronger drawing postion for better concealability. The customers that have never taken thest things into consideration usually appreciate that I am trying to help them determine what fits their "needs" more than their wants, and most of them are very open minded when it coumes to helping them decide what will serve them the best.

[BigRiverLeather]

Very nice! I have a question on Pic #2 showing the backside. under the reinforced sweatguard it appears that you have two sticth lines rinning accross the center of the holster. do you have reinforcement stitched into the inside of the holster or am I seeing things?

[Jared]

For the record he loved the holster. And its function was excellent today

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

Very nice! I have a question on Pic #2 showing the backside. under the reinforced sweatguard it appears that you have two sticth lines rinning accross the center of the holster. do you have reinforcement stitched into the inside of the holster or am I seeing things?

That was from using a stitched belt as a forming blank when I was shaping the holster (I couldn't find my normal belt form and I was in a hurry). Oops...

[rickybobby]

Jeff, Great job on this one and thank you for the tutorial. It is always a huge help to the rest of us to read your posts and explination of why you do a certain technique of fit of the weapon or carry comfort.

Thanks, I always enjoy your posts!!!

Rick Jorgenson

[Shorts]

Jeff, excellent work. I love how your blacks come out a nice dark matte satin finish.

I do have a pondering about the trigger guard and leather on Glocks. Do you find the square shape of the front of the trigger guard to be a bit of a pill when reholstering? Sometimes mine hit the top edge of the leather and catch. I'm not quite sure how I'd go about correcting this behavior. The leather is beveled, edged, molded and stitched to allow some room for that large trigger guard. All the "right" things seem to be done. Just that pesky corner still catches. Thoughts?

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

rickybobby - Thanks!

Shorts - I definitely know what your talking about. There are two viable solutions that I know of. First is to cut the holster pattern so the leather is at a diagonal angle from the rear the to the front & top to bottom, if that makes any sense. Of course you need to adjust the angle and the cut so the trigger is fully covered. Technically, the sharper the angle the better. This holster has a minimal angle but it is still there if you look closely. When you get the angle right, the slide of the pistol will open the trigger guard up a little while it is being holstered (but I think that is only because people tend to get the insertion angle a little wrong when they reholster their pistols).

The other solution I use is to "lift" the edge of the holster with a bone folder while you are shaping the holster so it flares out a bit - not much, but enough that the front of the trigger guard doesn't bump into the leather when the pistol is reholstered. This is why I don't fully bone the front trigger guard area on holsters for certain pistol models. I want the trigger guard area to act like a ramp; with a smooth transition and the a bump at the end that acts as a catch. This results in a bit more retention than you might get otherwise, and it also allows the holster to make a small "pop" when the pistol is fully seated (and that's so cool ). Well, there goes another ultra secret trick of the trade!

[Lobo]

Very nice workmanship, excellent design work. I'm sure that your customer is very pleased with the result.

[Shorts]

rickybobby - Thanks!

Shorts - I definitely know what your talking about. There are two viable solutions that I know of. First is to cut the holster pattern so the leather is at a diagonal angle from the rear the to the front & top to bottom, if that makes any sense. Of course you need to adjust the angle and the cut so the trigger is fully covered. Technically, the sharper the angle the better. This holster has a minimal angle but it is still there if you look closely. When you get the angle right, the slide of the pistol will open the trigger guard up a little while it is being holstered (but I think that is only because people tend to get the insertion angle a little wrong when they reholster their pistols).

The other solution I use is to "lift" the edge of the holster with a bone folder while you are shaping the holster so it flares out a bit - not much, but enough that the front of the trigger guard doesn't bump into the leather when the pistol is reholstered. This is why I don't fully bone the front trigger guard area on holsters for certain pistol models. I want the trigger guard area to act like a ramp; with a smooth transition and the a bump at the end that acts as a catch. This results in a bit more retention than you might get otherwise, and it also allows the holster to make a small "pop" when the pistol is fully seated (and that's so cool ). Well, there goes another ultra secret trick of the trade!

You're a true gentleman craftsman for sure.

Thank for the insight, the angled cut and lifted edge makes perfect sense. I was fixin' to go on a Glock holster moratorium

[dickf]

As usual, Jeff, it's top-notch.

I'm always humbled when you post photos and I always learn something when I read your posts.

Just when I think I've almost figured it out...