My 5th holster

[particle]

Hello all - I'm working on another holster, but this time I hope to sell it to recoup some of my leather expenses and prepare for buying another hide. I'd like some input on how I could improve my next one, or even how to improve this one if it's not too late.

Sorry for the low quality photos - shot these with my phone on the way out the door this morning.

Is the burnished / darker area normal? I ran the holster under the faucet for a few seconds until all surfaces were wet, then sat it on the counter for about 10 minutes.

I still haven't figured out a good way to shape the trigger guard.

I think I can bring in the stitch lines a little closer to the gun - my previous attempt was much too tight.

I brushed on a coat of neatsfoot compound last night to the outer surfaces, and was planning on dying it tonight with Fiebings Saddle Tan Pro dye. Tandy didn't have Bag Kote, only Tan Kote. I asked the salesman if they had anything with a more dull finish than the Tan Kote, and he said Satin Sheen. I didn't think a water-based product would work over the oil dye and neatsfoot - someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyway, can anyone offer any further advise on how to improve my hoslters?

I'm hoping to buy a sewing machine at some point in the very near future to speed the process up and start making and selling holsters for the guns I have in my collection.

For reference, this is my previous attempt and what I'm hoping to make this one look like...

[Larry]

particle, I can't give you any advice since I just finished my fifth holster myself. I would like to say that you sure have done wonders for just your fifth holster. It looks like you have found your calling. Great work, keep it up, it's good to see pictures of fine holsters. Larry

[particle]

Thank you Larry - I certainly enjoy doing this, and hope to make a little money at it. My wife and I just had a baby, and my wife is staying home with this one, so we need to replace her income. Don't know if I'll have any luck at it, but it's sure fun trying!

[particle]

Well, here it is thus far. I started out by airbrushing it with Fiebings Pro, but the area around the trigger and the bottom of the slide did not take dye well - it was too heavily burnished by the boning process, and the dye simply pooled up on the surface. I don't know if it's from the Tandy 'Oak Leaf' leather, or a boning effort gone bad... After rubbing it down with a dauber for a heavier coat (hoping to get penetration into the burnished area), I finally put it in a zip-top bag and poured in the dye to slosh it around for about two minutes. I still need to burnish the edges, and apply the final finishing coats, but overall I'm pretty happy with it thus far.

For those that have never used the Pro dyes, this stuff really is better than the regular stuff... Every time I go back to look at the holster, the dye seems to even out even more. The heavily burnished areas seem to be coloring better as the hours pass by. However, it does take much longer to dry. Several hours after dying it, the holster still has a very strong chemical odor.

And, in case anyone is wondering, I did burnish (with water) the edge of the reinforcement piece before I attached it to the holster - it's fraying as a result of me rubbing down the dyed holster to remove the excess on the surface. Not sure what's going on with the dye at the stitching around the reinforcement piece.

I was thinking of posting this on my state's CHL forum - anyone care to suggest a fair asking price? It's for a 1911 Commander 4.25" barrel.

Edited December 16, 2009 by particle

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

When you bone the holster, you close the pores of the leather. This affects the holster's ability to absorb dye. Because part of the pores are closed and part of them are unscathed, the leather absorbs dye at different rates depending on where the boning is. Concerning the pattern around your stitching, sometimes the leather stretches when you punch the stitch holes which also closes the pores. It is more prominent on the throat piece because it is stitched on flat and stretches even more as the holster is shaped. You can alleviate the pattern somewhat if you make sure your awl is sharp and wax the tip before you punch your holes. The pattern probably wouldn't occur as much with a higher quality leather that absorbs more easily.

I personally dye my leather before I stitch or shape the holster so I don't have to worry about these issues. I recommend you try it once or twice and see how it works for you.

[katsass]

Particle: I have to agree with Boomstick. I always dye my leather prior to assembly, then oil and let dry. I do very little boneing, mainly just work the cased leather by hand after assembly and prior to finishing, but I also allmost always use two layers of leather in my holsters, that way there is a smooth inside to them . Mike

Edited December 16, 2009 by katsass

[rccolt45]

Particle: I have to agree with Boomstick. I always dye my leather prior to assembly, then oil and let dry. I do very little boneing, mainly just work the cased leather by hand after assembly and prior to finishing, but I also allmost always use two layers of leather in my holsters, that way there is a smooth inside to them . Mike

Hey Boomstick, when do you heat the leather in an overn to stiffen it? Before you dye or after?

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

Hey Boomstick, when do you heat the leather in an overn to stiffen it? Before you dye or after?

Let me be clear that you shouldn't just stick the leather in the oven to stiffen it. The faster that water evaporates from damp leather, the more tannins that are brought to the surface. Since the tannins are what keeps the leather flexible, removing a percentage of them makes the leather stiffer (the state that it would be in if it had no tannins keeping it supple and flexible, kind of like rawhide). Putting a dry holster in the oven can also certainly make it stiffer, but it will also severely shorten the holster'sservice life (because the fibers will be much more brittle, and therefore more likely to tear and eventually make the holster soft or even rip apart).

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

I forgot to answer your question - I go about construction in this order:

Trace and cut the pattern.

Dye the individual pieces.

Bevel and finish the single thickness edges.

Mark the stitch lines.

Rough up and glue the necessary areas.

Stitch the holster.

Wet the holster and insert the pistol, then let it set until it looks almost dry but is damp to the touch.

Press the holster with rubber to expose the lines.

Bone the areas that need to be close, and relieve the areas that need more room.

Pull the pistol out and put the holster in the oven on 115 to 120 degrees for 45 minutes.

Pull the holster out and set it in front of a fan to finish drying.

Sand, bevel, and finish the double thickness edges.

Dress up anything that needs it.

Apply acrylic and let it dry in front of a fan over night, or at least several hours.

[rccolt45]

I forgot to answer your question - I go about construction in this order:

Trace and cut the pattern.

Dye the individual pieces.

Bevel and finish the single thickness edges.

Mark the stitch lines.

Rough up and glue the necessary areas.

Stitch the holster.

Wet the holster and insert the pistol, then let it set until it looks almost dry but is damp to the touch.

Press the holster with rubber to expose the lines.

Bone the areas that need to be close, and relieve the areas that need more room.

Pull the pistol out and put the holster in the oven on 115 to 120 degrees for 45 minutes.

Pull the holster out and set it in front of a fan to finish drying.

Sand, bevel, and finish the double thickness edges.

Dress up anything that needs it.

Apply acrylic and let it dry in front of a fan over night, or at least several hours.

Thanks so much I will modify my methods.