Avenger - Glock 19

[particle]

Well, the pictures stink, but I finally did a holster for a Glock. I was amazed at how much I had to edit the pattern from the 1911 to fit a Glock. The trigger guard is HUGE. I forgot to take final photos before I shipped it out the door. These pics are prior to being oiled, burnished, and finished. Comments / critiques always welcome.

[BigRiverLeather]

Very nice. The Glocks gave me a ew fits when I first made holsters for them too. Their Block frame and large trigger guard made my first holsters for them come up short.

It is hard to improve on that one, but since you asked, if it were mine -

Just to improve the flow of the very nice lines you have created, I would round off the edge of the holster under the grip where it turns downward rather than having a squared off edge. But, maybe this is the look you are going for.

The other thing I would do is with your black airbrushed edging I think it would blend better or look more finished if your edging was done in black so it would fade from the edge.

Just my .02, but again, that is some quality work.

EDIT: One more thing, I would loose the boning line just over the trigger

Edited March 19, 2010 by BigRiverLeather

[particle]

Thanks BRL! I wish I would have taken final photos - especially since this was my first Glock. But, I did dye the edges black just before the final burnishing of the edges.

Which line are you referring to over the trigger? The one that rides along the frame where the leather is forced down toward the trigger guard? Or the recess inside the trigger guard for retention? I assume the previous, but not sure how I'd pull the leather in towards the gun otherwise - the leather has to stretch quite a bit in that area.

Regarding the hook on the grip area - I tried to be a little different there as most people seem to curve their cut line down, instead of leaving that hook/corner. Heck, maybe there is a reason they do that for technical reasons and I haven't caught on yet! LOL. Most of my patterns have it. Just so happens it's more pronounced on the Glock due to the trigger guard.

I had your "When I try new things, I always use a Glock" holster in mind when I was creating the Glock holster. Thinking to myself "man, I hope this turns out at least half as nice as his...". By the way, I'd love to know how you finished that leather. Not sure if you saw my reply in that thread. Did you oil it? What did you seal it with? I'm doing a natural, tooled Avenger right now... Take care, and thanks for the input!

[olliesrevenge]

Glocks are the only guns that I have made holsters for so far. Hearing you guys talk about it makes me feel a little better for having a couple of botched early attempts.

As usual I find myself admiring your work Erik. If you ever decide to do a wet molding / detail boning clinic for aspiring holster makers, let me know. I could use an excuse to go visit my mother and sisters down in Dallas. Aubrey is up near Denton right?

Anyway, I have discovered that at this point I am a better engineer than I am an artist (detail boning being the art). I actually destroyed my last holster build because of a boning job gone wrong. After some serious thought I have decided to take Monica Kuehn's advice to "get the leather wet enough". Then I will completely plan out my operation, decide exactly what lines I will make, and then follow my plan to the letter.

Am I correct in assuming that you are still doing it all by hand? (ie - no press or vaccuum bag)

Looks great - Take care,

Lance

[particle]

Glocks are the only guns that I have made holsters for so far. Hearing you guys talk about it makes me feel a little better for having a couple of botched early attempts.

As usual I find myself admiring your work Erik. If you ever decide to do a wet molding / detail boning clinic for aspiring holster makers, let me know. I could use an excuse to go visit my mother and sisters down in Dallas. Aubrey is up near Denton right?

Anyway, I have discovered that at this point I am a better engineer than I am an artist (detail boning being the art). I actually destroyed my last holster build because of a boning job gone wrong. After some serious thought I have decided to take Monica Kuehn's advice to "get the leather wet enough". Then I will completely plan out my operation, decide exactly what lines I will make, and then follow my plan to the letter.

Am I correct in assuming that you are still doing it all by hand? (ie - no press or vaccuum bag)

Looks great - Take care,

Lance

Hi Lance - thanks for the compliments! I am planning on making some more videos in the near future. Just have to borrow my sister's hi-def camera. Yep - Aubrey is about 10-15 minutes east of Denton, north of Hwy. 380. I would have to agree with Monica - too dry, and the leather just burnishes. While the leather is freshly wetted, you can manipulate the leather more to the shape of the gun. As it dries, you can start to add the detail lines -too soon, and they don't hold very well. I'm by no means an expert at it, but I hope I'm getting a little better as I go along.

Yep - still doing it all by hand. I would like to add the Vacuum bag to my arsenal though...

[BigRiverLeather]

That was not me who started the "When I try new things I always use a Glock" so I can't help you on your finish questions etc. That is a good rule of thumb though. I have some more Glock holsters coming up and my pile of "Damnit, well I can use that cutout pattern on some smaller gun in the future" leather is getting larger than I care to admit.

The line i was referring to was the line just above the trigger guard (the one that you line crossed over the stitching groove ). I use a press so it molds it pretty good in that area, but before I had the press and even still with it I use the back end of my stitching groover I use from Tandy to bone that type of stuff in. It is soft plastic and does not leave a groove or much of an impression. Then again, That's just me, it's not like it is a problem area.

Yeah, the more I look at it the more I like the hook on the corner. I'm doing an IWB that has a similar shape and had that same type of corner. the one I just finsished has always had a sharp corner like that and on this last one I rounded it off a bit just so it would not dig in. I did not know if that was an issue or if yours would ever do that, but that is why I do it, just in case. I'll post pics of that when I'm all done, hopefull tonight I'll have my kydex clips I ordered.

Regarding the molding, I agree, get it wet enough. That does not mean soak it, but it does mean hit it with more than a sponge. I run mine under water for about a 2 count (hot water), then let it case for a good 1/2 hour, put it in the press or do the major hand boning, then another 1/2 hour or so later I'll case the lines with a detailer. I just bout a molding tool from Tandy and my boning lines, like around the dust cover etc have improved greatly.

Edited March 19, 2010 by BigRiverLeather

[Denster]

Hi Lance - thanks for the compliments! I am planning on making some more videos in the near future. Just have to borrow my sister's hi-def camera. Yep - Aubrey is about 10-15 minutes east of Denton, north of Hwy. 380. I would have to agree with Monica - too dry, and the leather just burnishes. While the leather is freshly wetted, you can manipulate the leather more to the shape of the gun. As it dries, you can start to add the detail lines -too soon, and they don't hold very well. I'm by no means an expert at it, but I hope I'm getting a little better as I go along.

Yep - still doing it all by hand. I would like to add the Vacuum bag to my arsenal though...

Erik

Once you try the vacuum bag you'll wonder how you lived without it. The biggest advantage is being able to bone the details right through the bag. Just don't be cheap get the poly instead of the vynal. Since it is the external air pressure working for you when you bone a line in the air pressure over the bag holds it just as you boned it. No waiting for just the right moisture content. I have a sink of warm water with a touch of dish soap and dunk 5/6 just in and out heavier I give it a three count. Wait until the moisture has all been absorbed then open the holster with my forming stick and put the gun in. Start the leather with my hands in the right direction and pop into the bag seal it and go to town. All of the forming tools you have now work just fine. The only thing is that after awhile( 100 holsters or so) the surface of the bag looses some of it's lubricity. Just hit it with an ArmorAll wipe and your good for another 100 or so.

[ps0303]

Particle you are rockin-n-rollin those avengers. Do you always put the sweat shield on them? Seems like a little extra for a OWB holster. Just curious. Great job though!

[particle]

That was not me who started the "When I try new things I always use a Glock" so I can't help you on your finish questions etc.

Oops - don't mind me. Been around too may fumes lately.

[Rayban]

Particle you are rockin-n-rollin those avengers. Do you always put the sweat shield on them? Seems like a little extra for a OWB holster. Just curious. Great job though!

I was wondering the same thing....hope to see his response soon.......but I'm really liking his work!

Also, about the vacuum bag......where to get one, etc......I'll go ahead and do a search, but if anyone comes along and points me in the right direction, I won't mind. Should be good for knife sheaths too, right??

[Denster]

I was wondering the same thing....hope to see his response soon.......but I'm really liking his work!

Also, about the vacuum bag......where to get one, etc......I'll go ahead and do a search, but if anyone comes along and points me in the right direction, I won't mind. Should be good for knife sheaths too, right??

Do a search for vacuum in this topic. I posted pictures of my setup and links to the suppliers awhile back.

[olliesrevenge]

"When I try new things I always use a Glock" was Bruce Gibson in this thread...

http://leatherworker...showtopic=22871

Denster's Vacuum molding thread...

http://leatherworker...&hl=vacuum&st=0

Where Denster bought his vacuum bag...

http://www.veneersup...s/Vacuum__Bags/

Other good molding threads...

http://leatherworker...=1entry140746

http://leatherworker...p?showtopic=346

http://leatherworker...=1entry143367

http://leatherworker...=1entry143769

If you were to accuse me of spending too much time reading these forums... you'd be right!

Lance

[particle]

Particle you are rockin-n-rollin those avengers. Do you always put the sweat shield on them? Seems like a little extra for a OWB holster. Just curious. Great job though!

Sorry - I missed this question. I don't always put it on - I have an option on my website for people to add it if they wish. Most seem to add it, so that's what most of my pictures are of. I'm working on one right now that is natural with no sweat shield, with tooling on the reinforcement piece. I'll try to post pics as soon as the finish is dry.

[Rayban]

Thanks Lance!! Your efforts are appreciated....if not rewarded......appreciated.

[Rayban]

Sorry - I missed this question. I don't always put it on - I have an option on my website for people to add it if they wish. Most seem to add it, so that's what most of my pictures are of. I'm working on one right now that is natural with no sweat shield, with tooling on the reinforcement piece. I'll try to post pics as soon as the finish is dry.

I haven't made many holsters, do you believe the reinforcement piece in necessary for a smaller gun, like the PPK?

[particle]

I haven't made many holsters, do you believe the reinforcement piece in necessary for a smaller gun, like the PPK?

For IWB, yes as you're fighting against the belt and waste band trying to collapse the holster.

For OWB, no - it's not really necessary as there is little, to no outside force trying to close the holster. Personal preference really. I just like the way the reinforcement piece looks - adds a little detail to the holster. But, it also adds thickness. It obviously adds strength, but like I said - for OWB, it's not really necessary.