Help for green horn

[drof99]

Glad I stumbled across this site. Looks like there is a lot that can been learned here. I have never done any leatherwork before. I was looking to buy a holster for my new handgun and found the lead time is just crazy. The prices are also a little high. I also like to do things for myself and thought I might give this a try. I have started to work on a holster for my Springfield but am having some trouble. I don't really know how to make my pattern. I can come up with something but it is not very flowing if you know what I mean. It just doesn't look very smooth around the corners and such. I'm looking for some suggestions as how to form the holster. I tried to do it with plastic around the gun and then soaked my leather and put it in a vacuum sealer. It formed very nicely to the gun. The problem I am having is after that how to shape the outside of the holster. I am trying to make a belt holster for concealed carry. After I get the hang of things I will try to make an inside the waistband holster. I couldn't get the back and front to match up perfectly like I would like. I don't know if I doing everything in the right order as well. If someone could list the steps they think are the best from beginning to end that would also be a big help. From reading some of the posts here I can see I need a few more tools as well. I do have a tandy store I can get too. Is there a better place online to order tools. I saw a tool made my Osbourne for rounded edges instead of the tandy tool that is flat. I prefer the osbourne and would like to find those instead. I know that I aske alot and am greatful for your help. Even though the holster I have been working on isn't that good it has been fun. My wife says that I am my worst critique. When I finish stiching it and edging it I'll try to post a pic.

[TwinOaks]

I hope Randy doesn't mind me doing this...

These are the steps I use to build a holster. I myself use an arbor press for my initial forming of the holster, then I use my hands and sometimes molding tools to complete the job. You do not really need the press. All of your molding/boning can be done by hand. Different holster makers use different steps in the building process. Some stitch the holster prior to molding and some stitch after molding.

For pocket and IWB Holsters I use 6-7 Oz. vegatable tanned leather. For belt holsters, I use 8-9 oz. vegatable tanned leather. Best advise I can give you is to study the postings on this forum. Theres some real good holster makers hanging out here with a wealth of knowledge.

1.After patterning, cutting, evening, edgeing,and dyeing, I glue the holster together with (Barges Cement)

2. I layout my stitch lines with a groover.

3. I stitch the holster.

4. I soak the holster for 15-30 seconds in hot tap water with a couple of drops of "Dawn" dish soap.

5. I let the holster dry to the point of the leathers natural color returning and the leather feeling cool to the touch.

6. I wipe the pistol down with a lightly oiled rag.

7. I place the pistol (naked without seran wrap) into the holster.

8. I mold the holster to my satisfaction.

9. I remove the pistol from the holster as soon as I'm finished molding.

10. I allow the holster to dry.

11. I finish and burnish the edges

12. I photograph the holster.

13. I post the photo on this forum for you guys to critique, praise, laugh at or write whatever you guys think of my holsters.

Good Luck!

Randy

Now number 8 is a little ambiguous, and here's how I do it:

Once the leather is cased, I start working it by hand, and pressing it along every ridge and valley. Then as it's drying, I'll take various things - mallet, blunt end of stamps, modeling tools, bone folder/creaser, and really push the leather to the pistol. You can get some nicely burnished effects this way. It won't be as pretty as something from horseshoe leather, but it's the same idea.

For the pattern, use a file folder. The fold crease makes a nice center line. (also credit to Randyc) Lay the pistol upside down, on it's sights on the center line then carefully pivot to either side for outline tracing. Then pivot to opposite side and repeat.....Randy laid all this out, but I can't find where he put it so I could quote him on this part.

Edited March 23, 2008 by TwinOaks

[Randyc]

Hey Guys

After posting the method I use to build holsters,I found that it is only necessary to outline around the weapon on one side. Once the pattern is cut out, the patttern is the same on both sides anyway.

Randy

[drof99]

Thanks for the responses guys. I have a couple of more questions for you. Is using the file folder to get the shape of the gun? What do you use to get the outside of the holster, if that makes any sense. Not the part where the gun is but the general outline or shape of the edge of the holster. The one I made just doesnt have the right roundness to it I'm looking for. Hopefully you are getting what I'm saying. I actually used a vacuum sealer to get the shape of the gun. It formed the shape of the gund perfectly. Do you guys gouge your lines for the stiches before you assemble the two sides? Do you also use the overstitch wheel before assembly also? What about the edges themselves? Are they formed and beveled before assembly again? I think once I can figure out how to form the shape of the holster (not where the gun goes) then I'll be doing alot better. I also need to work on my stitches. Some of them didn't come out quite right. I think I didn't go straight through and got off on an angle. What kind of point should be used on the stitching awl? Right now I am using just a plain round one. Should I be using a diamond tip instead? Thanks again for all the help. I'm sure I'll be asking alot of questions.

[TwinOaks]

Okay, I understand the question a little better now.

For the body of the holster- that which isn't formed to the gun's shape- you just have to arbitrarily decide a shape. You can trace the pistol and just draw shapes to see what you like, and use the gray matter to think about how the body of the holster will effect concealment (i.e. a pancake style will pull the holster closer to the body, and for IWB, especially, a bit more leather 'under' the muzzle of the gun will help to flatten the shape by pressing the clothing out just a little). Use a ruler or other straight edge to line up where the belt line will be, and mark the holster with a light scribe line top and bottom of the straight edge in the approximate belt slot areas. You'll want to consider and allow for placement of retainment straps, rake (cant of the holster), and general comfort issues like sweat shields.

For the assembly, it works well to use contact/rubber cement to hold the pieces together. Once you have glued the front and back together, use a overstitch wheel to lay out your holes. If you have a stitching groover, use it before the wheel. This makes a nice little channel for the stitch to lay in and avoid abrasion. Having the leather glued really helps keep it in line for hole punching. If you're set on using the awl, go for it, but I've started using a 1/16 drill bit to make the stitch holes. You should adjust the drill bit size to you're thread, of course. For the edge, let the piece dry a good bit, and double check your alignment. Little bitty variations might be covered by burnishing, but if it's a lot, you should dress the edge with a skiver, dremel with sanding drum, regular sand paper (600 grit, I think), or a file. Once you've got an even edge, remoisten run the edge beveler (Unless you rounded the edges with the sand paper) and start burnishing. Having the glue right to the edge will help keep the layers together here as well, and the seam should disappear. If you're going to lace it instead of sew it, do the same thing, but use a lacing chisel in place of drilling the holes.

Hope this clears up the process a little (at least my version of it).

Mike

Edited March 23, 2008 by TwinOaks

[drof99]

Alright guys here is the holster I have been working on. I like the shape and fit around the gun but would like to improve on the edges and the general overall shape. Like to make it a little more uniform and smoother.

[drof99]

Hey twin that does help alot. I didn't cement the two halves together. Sounds like that is pretty important. Can I just buy any contact cement or do I need to use something made for leather? I would also like to have round edges instead of the beveled edge that the tandy tool gives. I don't see that tandy has a round bevel tool though.

[TwinOaks]

I use Barge contact cement, but others also recommend using rubber cement, as it is moveable once set. Barge can be repositioned, it just takes little convincing. And recoating once you've peeled it apart. The thing about using a contact cement between layers is that it keeps the leather in place for stitching/lacing, and keeps the leather from 'creaking' later on. The trick to a rounded edge is to bevel with the edger, then use a rounded boning tool or something with a curve for burnishing. You can also make multiple very light passes along the same edge to give a 3 angle bevel that very closely resembles round. Tandy sells some nylon edge slickers that work pretty well, but personally I like wood. Don't laugh too hard at this, but one of my best burnishers is the peg off a coat rack. I don't have a piece of antler/bone, but I hear that it works very well, and was one of the 'original' designs.

If you'd like to take a look at one I did, follow this link, post #60: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...40&start=40

[Randyc]

Drof

Nice job on your holster. My first holster sure didn't look that good.

As far as patterns, Mike (Twinoaks) about covered it. I would like to add the following: After I trace the pistol outline onto the file folder, I carefully cut out the outline of the pistol. If you centered the pistol sights on the folder's crease and carefully layed the pistol on it's side, traced around the pistol, then cut out the tracing, your cut out pistol pattern should automatically compensate for the thickness of the pistol.

I can then use the cut out pistol pattern on as many new file folders as needed to achieve the holster design I need.

Randy

[Warren]

Drof, I have to agree with Randy, that's a pretty nice holster for a first time. Shoot I've seen some second and third tries that didn't look that good. The only thing I see is you might get some round hole punches and punch the ends of your belt slots. This will keep them from tearing as easily. Other than that Twinoaks covered it all about as good as it gets. After you have all the steps down the only thing that makes your holsters (or anything else) better is practice, so keep at it!

Warren

[TwinOaks]

AHHH I forgot to mention something!!!

You might try adding a stitch line around the belt slots, too. That will help reinforce the leather at the slots, so that it doesn't separate. Having the pieces glued helps of course, but that stitch will really improve the life of the holster.

Thanks, Randy, but as you noticed I pasted your instructions. I'm just passin' on what I've learned here, my friends.

Edited March 24, 2008 by TwinOaks

[drof99]

Thanks for the comments guys. I've got another questions for you. Twin, I looked at the link you posted for the holster that you made. It looks like a different holster completely. You are folding the leather around the gun from what I can tell. I'm doing something a little different. I'm making two seperated halves and then putting them together. I like both styles. I've got enough leather to make one like you did. I'll give that a try in a couple days when work allows. Do you find one advantage over the other? I take it that is what you are using the file folder pattern for. Placing the sites in the crease and then tracing that on side of the folder then the other. Then you decide on the overall shape and draw that on the folder as well. Am I understanding this right? After that you just place it on the leather and cut it out. Hopefully I'm gettin this right. When the holster is together the place where the sites where is at the very front side of the holster. What is the extra leather on the top. Not the sweatshield but the piece that wraps around from the front to the side? Is that to help keep the holster open after drawing or does it even serve a purpose? Thanks again for answering all my questions.

[okiwen]

RandyC,

What is the drop of Dawn for?

[TwinOaks]

Hi all,Pardon the absence, but I was workin'. Drof, the piece of leather around the mouth is to help keep the holster open when the pistol is out. Yes, it is a wrap-around style that mimics one made by member JORDAN, and is kin to the Aiskin (<---did I spell that right?) (if you didn't, you should read the entire thread I linked) and there are advantages to both, but the most important thing is your preference. Pancake hosters usually lay flatter against the body, and IMO conceal better. The type I made (again IMO) makes for an easier grab and draw. They also use a bit less leather than a two piece...but just a bit. Sweat shield is optional, and doesn't make sense to me on a belt holster. Primarily, it should protect the pistol from you, and provide a little comfort if your pistol has sharp corners ( think 1911 with a spur hammer). The carry position on the body also GREATLY affects how well a hoster can conceal a pistol. I made a holster for my wife's M&P compact, using the one linked as a basis. I wear it about 5:30 and the whole rig disappears. I wear it any further forward, and I need a heavy jacket to conceal it. If my wife wears it at all, it sticks out at an odd angle, and she can't draw the pistol with anything resembling smoothness- so back to the drawing board for hers. Keep body shape in mind for holster design!

Okiwen,The drop of dish detergent acts to break the surface tension of water, and helps it penetrate leather better. Other alternatives are Lexol, and Procarve.

The file folder patterning can be used for both holster types.

Edited March 27, 2008 by TwinOaks

[Shorts]

Don't laugh too hard at this, but one of my best burnishers is the peg off a coat rack.

I've been needing to get something for my edges, I've been using a halfbrained1/2" wooden dowel I crudely shaped with a round file. I'm going downstairs to cannibalize a peg from the coat rack