Sight Channels

[Hicks02]

I am wandering how you all mold sight channels. Some of the holsters I have made the front sight drags. I have thought about a stiched channel, I am not sure how to go about it. Any help or insight would be great. In the past I have taped a dowel rod to the top of the slide, that did not work to well as the rod would move when I applied pressure.

[MADMAX22]

What I have done and I picked it up here at LW is to use a dowel of some kind and tape this to the top of the gun along the site channel that you want. You can get some wood rods at craftstores and cut a length necessary to fit between the two sites. I do it after wrapping the gun in saran wrap then Ill tape the rod to the proper spot. Then wet form the holster.

[Denster]

I am wandering how you all mold sight channels. Some of the holsters I have made the front sight drags. I have thought about a stiched channel, I am not sure how to go about it. Any help or insight would be great. In the past I have taped a dowel rod to the top of the slide, that did not work to well as the rod would move when I applied pressure.

Here is how I do it. For use with a dowel. Groove the dowel to slip over the front sight then tape in place. For stitched in take two 1/4" wide strips of veg tan 5/6 or 6/7OZ as long as the distance from the front of the ejection port to the end of the barrel. Mark a centerline inside the holster and glue the strips on either side about 1/4 inch from the center line. Stitch in place then take a fairly aggressive edger and go down both sides of each strip. With pancake styles your centerline is your forward stitchline.

[Hicks02]

I think i will give notching a dowel rod a try. Is a stiched channel better than a molded one? I know the stiched channel would add another step, but is it worth it? Also do the extra pieces of leather ride on top of the slide? Sorry if I am asking so many question, it's just I have never looked that close at a stiched sight channel. Thanks for the input, Jeremiah

[Denster]

I think i will give notching a dowel rod a try. Is a stiched channel better than a molded one? I know the stiched channel would add another step, but is it worth it? Also do the extra pieces of leather ride on top of the slide? Sorry if I am asking so many question, it's just I have never looked that close at a stiched sight channel. Thanks for the input, Jeremiah

Yes the outside edges ride the top of the slide. When you get done edging them each will look like a triangle with a flat top. They are not much trouble to do once you have done a couple. I like them beter than those done with a dowel.

[particle]

I'm working on my second holster with stitched sight channels. Here is a pic from my first attempt for an example of what you're after. I actually make mine 3/8" wide instead of 1/4", but I might try 1/4" next time - I was afraid 1/4" would be too hard to stitch so I did 3/8".

[BigRiverLeather]

+1 on the dowel. I've even been using square stock, groove cut for the front sight. With wide packaging tape I tape it down in the front and rear. I've yet to have one move on me.

[mattsh]

Hicks - you might look at the Holster Design post pinned in this forum on the second page, post #25. It might give you some guidance. When I do my sight channels I saran wrap the dowel in place. I have not had issues with it moving. You typically do not want your sight channel to run the full length of the gun as this can cause issues with having a secure fit and over time will cause the holster to not fit very tightly.

[JoelR]

I do the same as particle but I skive the leather to a finer taper, keep the channel narrower and deeply groove the stitching groove. Probably better to keep it wide though for certain guns to prevent breaking the site off in the event of a quick and awkward draw (think 1911 with a narrow pinned sight). Personally, I prefer the look and I think it adds that extra bit of detail but I have had people request the molded channel because they prefer that look. Once you do a couple, it adds minimal time to the overall project. I size the 'rails' based on the width of the slide so that very little if any of the 'rail' rolls over when molding.

[Hicks02]

Thanks for all the help! I will try both ways soon, My Kimber needs something new to wear. I guess is was over thing the stiched channels and under thinking the molded. Again thanks for the help. I'll try to post some pictures when the holster is done. Jeremiah

[KY23]

Thanks for all the help! I will try both ways soon, My Kimber needs something new to wear. I guess is was over thing the stiched channels and under thinking the molded. Again thanks for the help. I'll try to post some pictures when the holster is done. Jeremiah

I saw a company called High Noon Holsters that uses rubber stitched in sight channels. Does anyone here use a similar method? It looks like it would be effective:

http://highnoonholsters.com/_Questions/Molding_on_front_of_holster/Foward_Cant/0__Cant/_Lining/sight_track.html

Eric

[Denster]

I saw a company called High Noon Holsters that uses rubber stitched in sight channels. Does anyone here use a similar method? It looks like it would be effective:

http://highnoonholst...ight_track.html

Eric

Ahh! The power of advertising. Denigrate others methods and sew in a piece of weatherstriping. Probably works after a fashion.

[BigRiverLeather]

Wow. Suddenly I've lost some respect for High Noon.

[Denster]

Wow. Suddenly I've lost some respect for High Noon.

Well they do make nice holsters, but a little pricey. Some of their add content is reminisent of the old Herter's catalogs.

[BigRiverLeather]

Well they do make nice holsters, but a little pricey. Some of their add content is reminisent of the old Herter's catalogs.

Agreed, they do make a quality product, but to use terms like "hate" and saying that proven designs "just don't work" is not very savy. For instance, to claim that anyone that uses leather strips for their sight cnnels is using a poor design because the slide will rub on the thread and wear it out. He should know better. Any reputable maker is going to put a stitching groove in those strips. Ahh, whatever. It just seemed tacky. I've been in sales for 20 years and my philosophy is brag up your product, show the benefits and let the customer make his decisions.

Sorry I blew up :D

[Denster]

Agreed, they do make a quality product, but to use terms like "hate" and saying that proven designs "just don't work" is not very savy. For instance, to claim that anyone that uses leather strips for their sight cnnels is using a poor design because the slide will rub on the thread and wear it out. He should know better. Any reputable maker is going to put a stitching groove in those strips. Ahh, whatever. It just seemed tacky. I've been in sales for 20 years and my philosophy is brag up your product, show the benefits and let the customer make his decisions.

Sorry I blew up :D

No problem a little blow up is good for the soul. I understand though it is irritating. I don't know if he was refering to the stitchline wearing on the slide or the other but did you note that his stitchline is above ground and naked to those sharp raspy front sights that tear out wads of leather? Hmmm! probably has a proprietary thread made just for that. Ya think?