My first holster

[Jared]

My very first holster, I saw the slip on the stitching. Otherwise any hints, tips, or suggestions would be wonderful. The sunburst was also on purpose.

Jared

[troop]

nice job! i really like that coloring.

[tomcat]

I think it looks great, especially for a first holster...

[dbusarow]

Great job. I like the coloring too.

For your first holster it's pretty amazing. Hints. The boning around the slide lock pin, rather than making a circle all the way around it, bone in a U with the open part of the U joining the line you're making along the underside of the frame. The boning where slide and frame meet could be stronger. The leather moisture content has to be just right for boning. Form the holster wet but wait for it to dry until the color comes back and looks dry, cased is the term to look for. It looks like you may have boned a little too well around the ejection port, at least for my tastes. If you get a sharp corner in the leather where it meets the front edge of the ejection port it can be tough to draw until the slide actually scrapes some of the leather away. I'm still learing myself, it's a real balancing act to get enough boning to look nice yet not so much that it starts hampering function.

Dan

[rybord]

Looks really good for the first holster.

The color looks like red hot metal in the center.

Looks too hot to touch!!!!!!!

[TwinOaks]

Everything everyone else has said and the belt slot needs to be a little bit smaller....unless you wear a belt that thick. Don't worry about the leather, it'll flex and whatnot to accept the belt. Having an oversized belt slot can give the holster unwanted 'play'.

[BigRiverLeather]

That is a very nice job! I like the sunburst too. I've not tried to do that yet.

What is really nice is that each one gets better and better after you learn from each project.

[Jared]

As to my boning.. it worked perfectly in an advanced shoot today.. though it took a good beating. I felt a little bad abusing it so hard.. rolling in the rocks and what not scratching it up.. and will post some new pics soon. It took the beating well.. funny thing.. it caused the slide to automatically drop when holstered.. I liked it.

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

We really put our holsters (and ourselves) through their paces today. It was a long day but we had a lot of fun shooting carbines, pistols and shotguns. It was a great opportunity to test out some holsters (including the Glock holster I just posted - it was for one of the instructors at the class). We really did crawl over rocks and dirt to get some pretty awkward shots from cover. I had to laugh when I saw Jared [and his holster] completely caked with dirt. I wish I would have brought my camera. It was also really funny whenever Jared holstered his H&K with the slide back only to have it fall because he boned it so tightly.

Anyhow, I thought this was pretty nice for a first holster. Jared did all of the work and occasionally asked a few questions. It was also his first time using a stitcher, and I think he did a good job for never having done anythig wuite like this before. There is a little room for improvement, but this one definitely puts my first holster to shame. I can see Jared making some really nice holsters as he gets more experience under his belt.

GOOD JOB, BUDDY!

[Jared]

Thanks for the input Jeff.. had a blast.. and am looking forward to some more advancement in punishing my holster.