New Holster Challenge

[mattsh]

A friend of mine asked me to try to build him a holster like the one pictured below. I have never seen one in person. Can anyone shed light on how the front and back pattern come together with that front "wing" like it is. I can't seem to picture in my mind how the pattern works out.

Thanks for the help.

[BillinOK]

Try a search on IWB holsters. Here is a thread of one: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=22595

[Denster]

I think I know what you are asking. Haven't made one but this seems to be the way to do it. Glue and stitch only the front wing first. Fold it out flat to sew on the throat collar and where it reinforces the sweat guard the wing will have to be flexed out of the way as you sew around. I believe that would work. Then glue and stitch the back half. Anyone have a better way chime in.

[particle]

This one puzzled me, but the holster is from one of my favorites - BrigadeGunleather.com - they have a lot of photos of each holster, and you might be able to find some different views to give you more insight into how it's assembled.

[BigRiverLeather]

I've been building holsters like that. It was, and still is, a challenge. I tried the way Denster explained and it kind of worked for me. It does not lay as flat as one would like to make the stitching easy, but it is helpful to keep everything secure and in place while doing your work. If nothing else glue the front wing together.

First you need to do some work to get the shape and cut of the curve behind the reniforcement and the gap between that and the front wing. I ended up buying a VMII (the holster pictured) just so I could see how it was done after I had done a few and I was pretty much right one. I've been refining it over time and except for the miscalculation on the leather to cover the trigger on this one, I've pretty much got it down.

Mine rides a touch lower than the Milt Sparks VMII, more like the TT Gunleather Mike's Special.

Anyway, I'm working on one right now, my first one with steel reinforcement which I feel is completely unecessary not to mention a real PIA. I'll try to take some pictures tonight because I am right at the stage of sticthing on the reinforcement and I acn show you the cuts between it and the wing that can help you.

Mine are all hand stitched so if you are using a sewing machine, that may present some new challenges.

Plan on making one or two for yourself or prototypes before you get a presentable, rather sellable model. Here was my first one. It turned out pretty good and is my every day carry.

This style of holster is VERY comfortable. I'm not looking forward to spring/summer when I go back to wearing a tucked in shirt and go back to my tuckable holster.

[Denster]

BRL. I'll be really interested to see those pics. That was just a guess on my part as to how to do it. Good looking holsters BTW.

[mattsh]

BRL ---- thanks for offering to post pics. I am looking forward to seeing them.  I have looked at Brigade and all their pictures, but I am still puzzled by how the leather that wraps around the mouth and is reinforced does so without making a seam. At least in the pictures on Brigade it seems that there is not a seam where the front and back pieces of leather come together. I see that the the piece that reinforces the mouth also stitches to the back piece to reinforce and form the sweat shield.

Definitely looking forward to seeing the pictures. Can't wait to see them.

Thanks again everyone and thanks BRL.

[BigRiverLeather]

Thanks for the kind words, though I got wrapped up last night in pressing orders and spaced out the pictures. I'll either get them tonight or within the next few days for sure.

I looked at Brigades as well and could not see a seem. I even posted on gun forums asking for pictures of that specifice area but for those who were not making holsters, only enjoying wearing them, it was really tough to get them to understand what it was I was really looking for and could never get the right angle and/or lighting. Though you cant' see it, guaranteed, there is a seam in there. The Milt Sparks VMII I bought had one in there, but my hats off to them as they do an excellent job of matching it up. I am still working on the perfect cut to make that seam line up. I'm using 8-9 oz leather, the VMII appears to be 7-8 oz so it may be easier to get the short leather tabs (you'll see what I mean) to bend around and seam up. With my heavier leaver, I have to groove it to get that curve on the inside. Functionaly it is just fine, but for extreme details, I'd like to clean that up. I did try to skive my first one, and I should try that again now that I have more experience with all the other details and nuances.

I sure wish I was close to one of those manufacturers so I could ask to see how it was done, assuming they would be gracious enough to accomodate me. I recently emailed Matt Del Fatti and asked him if I could visit him in his shop and pick up some pointers. He was gracious enough to reply, though declined since he was so busy he could not make time for that (he is working on orders from 2007 right now and is not accepting any more orders). However, he did offer that I could send him some of my work and he would review it and offer up suggestions where needed. If I ever get time to make myself something or stock, I'd love to do that. But you know, the cobblers kids have no shoes.

Correction: I looked closer at the picture mattsh originally posted which I incorrectly identified as a VMII and see that it is the M11 Brigade. My bad, I did not look very close.

Edited March 4, 2010 by BigRiverLeather

[BigRiverLeather]

I didn't forget about you. I took pics this weekend and forgot to bring my camera to work to upload them. Hopefully Tuesday.

[BigRiverLeather]

Ok, here are the pics I took of the construction. I've got two of them going so I took pictures of both.

Top piece laying on top of bottom piece with reinforcement stitched on the backside. Wehn I cut the holster out I cut from the wing on the right straight across to the slide guard, then cut a slit down the side of the wing coming in to the center of the holster near the bottom. This is then trimmed about half way back where the two pieces will come together butted up for the seam as you will see in the next pictures. I hope that is clear enough -

another of an unstained holster which is easier to see. This one has a better fitting cut

The two pieces before being joined

Again, a clearer shot. You can see how I've grooved it just back a little bit so it bends easier to butt up. using 8-9 oz this was necessary to make this short radius bend

Pushed together

Steel reinforcement strap. inserted inbetween reinforcement and holster on the slide gaurd. Be careful not to glue the area where this will be sliding in to! Don't ask me how I know this.

Held together by hand

closer

again

After the leap of faith gluing it together hoping my prepunched holes line up like I checked them out to several times. I only had to get creative on my stitch once! Though you see a gap at the seam now, when it is pulled together it joins pretty nicely

I'll post the finished product when done.

Edited March 9, 2010 by BigRiverLeather

[BigRiverLeather]

...and the finished product on this one. I tried a different method on my belt loops this time. I saw 1" straps at Tandy that was about an 8-9 oz and I thought that would save me a little time cutting belt loops. I don't care for it very much. It wrinkled up on one side near the snap when I tried forming it for the belt. I like a little heavier belt loop just so they hold up, but this was a bit much and I don't like the hide it was cut from. Now I have about 5' of 1" strap with nothing to do