Best General Use Leather Weight?

[Deanimator]

My first piece of leather from Tandy was 5-7oz. The next was 8-10oz.

The first was maybe a little light, but worked ok. The second worked, but is probably much thicker than it needs to be.

A guy on another forum uses 6-8oz., which I'm thinking of standardizing on.

I'm probably going to get myself a piece of good leather in the near future, instead of the remnants I've been using and want to avoid wasting money, by buying what I really need.

Also, for the cover that's sewn over the belt clip to hold it in place, what's a good weight? I suspect something lighter than the 5-7oz. that I used for my first IWB.

Thanks.

Edited July 28, 2010 by Deanimator

[King's X]

This may or may not help, but I believe I got this off of this site. It is something that will provide you some general guidelines. As for Holsters, I think a 6-8 oz should be plenty once you line it (if your going to). I believe and some may correct me that do this for a living, but you want it to safe and secure. I know when I carried for a living and made my own detective rigs, security was my primary concern as an amatuer maker. Anyways, this helps you out.

Good luck.

[Deanimator]

This may or may not help, but I believe I got this off of this site. It is something that will provide you some general guidelines. As for Holsters, I think a 6-8 oz should be plenty once you line it (if your going to). I believe and some may correct me that do this for a living, but you want it to safe and secure. I know when I carried for a living and made my own detective rigs, security was my primary concern as an amatuer maker. Anyways, this helps you out.

Good luck.

Thanks.

I have no plans for lined holsters, although if somebody actually wanted one, I'd do whatever they were willing to pay for.

[gregintenn]

I like 7/8 oz. for most holsters. Once, the store was out of 7/8 oz. and let me have a 9/10 oz. double shoulder for the same price. I used it , but it was really heavy and hard to detail mold. It did make good, durable holsters.

[Deanimator]

I like 7/8 oz. for most holsters. Once, the store was out of 7/8 oz. and let me have a 9/10 oz. double shoulder for the same price. I used it , but it was really heavy and hard to detail mold. It did make good, durable holsters.

My Glock 22 holster is 9-10oz. You could use that thing as a brake shoe!

[CliffFendley]

I use 8-9 oz for 90% of gun leather and knife sheaths since most of my gun leather is period stuff and is not lined. If it's a lined pouch I will use lighter weights to get 8-10 oz when I'm finished

[hidepounder]

7/8 oz leather is a pretty good middle of the road weight to use. It is pretty versaltile for a lot of different types of projects.

Bobby

[katsass]

My first piece of leather from Tandy was 5-7oz. The next was 8-10oz.

The first was maybe a little light, but worked ok. The second worked, but is probably much thicker than it needs to be.

A guy on another forum uses 6-8oz., which I'm thinking of standardizing on.

I'm probably going to get myself a piece of good leather in the near future, instead of the remnants I've been using and want to avoid wasting money, by buying what I really need.

Also, for the cover that's sewn over the belt clip to hold it in place, what's a good weight? I suspect something lighter than the 5-7oz. that I used for my first IWB.

Thanks.

FWIW, I use TWO layers of lighter leather (bonded together so that the inside and outside are both smooth) for almost all of my holsters. Basically, almost all holsters are then lined. You end up doing a bit more stitching, however, I feel (rightly or wrongly) that the final molded holsters are firmer, and retain that rigidity longer, than a single thickness of heavier leather. That said I probably use more 4/5 oz leather (shoulder) than anything else. Mike

Edited July 31, 2010 by katsass

[Deanimator]

FWIW, I use TWO layers of lighter leather (bonded together so that the inside and outside are both smooth) for almost all of my holsters. Basically, almost all holsters are then lined. You end up doing a bit more stitching, however, I feel (rightly or wrongly) that the final molded holsters are firmer, and retain that rigidity longer, than a single thickness of heavier leather. That said I probably use more 4/5 oz leather (shoulder) than anything else. Mike

I'm not going to be doing any lined holsters for the foreseeable future, but that's definitely an interesting way to do it.

I've never owned a lined holster. Of course the best holsters I've ever BOUGHT were the Don Hume IWBs I use. For my purposes, the ones I'm making now are better, and neither are lined. That doesn't make it a bad idea, just not something that currently justifies the effort, although that could change. When I make an OWB for my 4" S&W Model 29-2, I might consider try that technique just to see how it works.

[mdmorgan]

I like 6/7 although I found that some suppliers 6/7 is thinner than others.

[Deanimator]

I bought myself a 7-8oz. double shoulder today, along with 4-5oz. for clip covers and a few more tools and some Eco-Flo glue.

I hope to get my first M1911 tuckable done toward the weekend, then a replacement Glock 19 holster to replace the one I sold to a friend. I hope to get the final clip attachment arrangement done on this holster.

[gregintenn]

Deanimator, You seem like a very nice guy, but your avatar absolutely creeps me out!

[Deanimator]

Deanimator, You seem like a very nice guy, but your avatar absolutely creeps me out!

Not THAT nice.

It was Pinhead from "Hellraiser" or Joaquin Phoenix. I figured Pinhead was a lot less creepy!