Pancake Holster/belt Rig With Badge Holder For Glock 22

[BanjoMan]

This is a pancake holster for a Glock 22, a belt, and a badge holder that I recently completed. The holster is made of 8 oz. veg. tanned leather and is lined with glazed pigskin. It is hand stitched and hand boned. The belt is made of 2 belt blanks (approx. 8 oz. each) that have been hand stitched together to make one strip for added strength. The badge holder is made of 2 seperate pieces, the front piece with a recess to allow the badge to sit flush with the face to prevent snagging. It also has a metal belt clip on the back. All items were dyed with Tandy eco-flo cocoa brown and finished with satin shene. I used a stitching groover on all items prior to stitching and the edges of the holster were beveled front and back. The saddle stitching was done with natural color artificial sinew. I am fairly new to holster making and I still have a lot to learn, so ANY input would be appreciated. Thanks!

[BanjoMan]

I forgot to mention in the post above, does anyone have any experience with using glazed pigskin to line a holster? I've researched it and found that a lot of people advise against using suede, but I can't find much feedback regarding pigskin. Any info would be appreciated!

[marine mp]

BanjoMan,

Very nice, indeed. I don't know anything about holster lining, but I'm sure someone will chime in. Nice work. Semper-fi and Merry CHRISTmas from the Smokies in NC. MIke

[Haystacker]

Wow. Glocks are sooooo ugly. The only thing that can help a Glock's looks is a nice holster. Man you have done it. That is a good looking holster. As far as the lining. The only tried and true rule that i have heard in holster making is veg tanned leather only. All other rules may have an exception, but not that one.

[BanjoMan]

Thanks for the compliments Mike and Haystacker! Like I said, I'm new to this and am still trying to work out the bugs, so it's good to get some positive feedback. Haystacker, as far as lining holsters goes I've heard the same thing. Some people even say that no lining is better because the flesh side of the leather will naturally burnish with use at all of the contact points on the inside. I considered using a 1 1/2-2 oz. veg tannned leather for the lining, but you can get pigskin for a fraction of the price. My main concern is that it will weaken and eventually tear over time. I guess if it does I can just consider that a lesson learned! Thanks again for the compliments and the advice!

[Tac]

Very Nice Banjo.... I can't think of a thing that I would change or improve upon. The holster looks clean and well thought out. I like the badge holder and the belt looks like you could use it to tow a truck if you need too!

As far as the lining goes... I don't have any experience with "glazed" pig skin, but I have used veg-tanned pig skin on several occasions with very good results.

-Tac

[BanjoMan]

Thanks Tac! It took a few tries with posterboard to get the holster just right, but I finally got it like I wanted it. As far as the pigskin goes, I don't know if glazed and veg-tanned are one in the same but I really like the look of it. It seems pretty strong and it has a grain side that I was able to use as the interior for a really clean look, so I am pleased with it. Thanks again for the compliments!

Very Nice Banjo.... I can't think of a thing that I would change or improve upon. The holster looks clean and well thought out. I like the badge holder and the belt looks like you could use it to tow a truck if you need too!

As far as the lining goes... I don't have any experience with "glazed" pig skin, but I have used veg-tanned pig skin on several occasions with very good results.

-Tac

[Ellen]

Glazed pigskin is chrome tanned, as far as I know. Unless it was clearly described as vegtan by tannery. I have a piece of both from Tandy, vegtan and glazed pigskin, they are different. But it's good that it was able to conform molded shape without wrinkles.

[Randy Cornelius]

As far as the pigskin, the crome tanning process my be harmful to some gun finishes, but not the glock, the tennifer finish on the glock will stand up to just about anything. Maybe ugly as someone said but they work when they should, carried and trusted one for over 20 years everyday. If I may suggest a smaller thread on the badge holder. It looks like you hand sewn it and done a good job but a smaller thread will give you a neater, cleaner look and hold just as good. I sew all my belts and small projects with 277 thread.RC

[BanjoMan]

Randy, what exactly do you mean when you say 277 thread? I am still new to hand stitching and have a lot to learn about different threads and such. I would like to try some different things, but don't know where to start.

As far as the pigskin, the crome tanning process my be harmful to some gun finishes, but not the glock, the tennifer finish on the glock will stand up to just about anything. Maybe ugly as someone said but they work when they should, carried and trusted one for over 20 years everyday. If I may suggest a smaller thread on the badge holder. It looks like you hand sewn it and done a good job but a smaller thread will give you a neater, cleaner look and hold just as good. I sew all my belts and small projects with 277 thread.RC

[Leather Bum]

That's a cool-looking holster, gun belt, and badge holder, BanjoMan.

I believe Randy is referring to #277 sewing machine thread; #207 is smaller than #277, and #346 is larger. Check The Thread Exchange for some size comparisons and other information about thread. I was slightly surprised to learn that size #346 (considered a rather heavy thread) is actually smaller than the regular hand-sewing thread I normally use(d) -- which was smaller than what I had been previously using! From what I've gathered, many holster makers, like Randy, do not even always use size #346 for stitching a holster.

[BanjoMan]

Thanks for the clarification, Leather Bum. I need to learn more about thread types. The belt, holster, and badge holder were actually all hand stitched using artificial sinew. I am curious about different thread options for hand stitching, though. I like how the sinew feels, looks, and stitches but I don't know how well it will hold up over time. Is there anything else you would reccomend for hand stitching?

[Leather Bum]

Actually, I haven't even found how to get my hand stitching to look how I would like it to all the time, so I'm not exactly qualified to advise on what's best to use or anything. However, from looking around here, it seems a lot of people like to hand-stitch with linen thread, as Al Stohlman's book The Art of Hand Sewing Leather mentions. Campbell Bosworth sells linen thread, as does Royalwood Ltd.. I haven't ever used linen thread, but other people definitely seem to prefer it to synthetics.

Maine Thread Company sells a good selection both in size and color of waxed polyester cord. It works well, but it has a rough look to it (it's called "cord," after all). I actually prefer the appearance of the twisted strands of machine thread stitching, and since polyester thread is said to be as strong as nylon with superior sunlight resistance, I've been experimenting hand stitching with polyester machine thread. . . This thread is usually bonded (lubricated), so it does not act the same as when hand stitching with regular waxed thread (and when I've tried to apply wax to it, the wax does not stick very well.)

Check this topic for information on hand stitching (scroll down for links to some cutting and stitching articles by The Capgun Kid): Hand Stitching Guide.

Edited December 31, 2010 by Leather Bum

[ramrod]

it looks awesome, banjoman! nice job.

the only thing you might want to think about is to use a larger circumference holder for the badge holder. your stitches are a tad too close to the edge - although there isn't much stress on a badge holder. very nice work altogether.

leatherbum.....i'm like you. i've been stitching with polyester machine thread for a while. it's relatively slippery without wax. (i've bought tandy waxed thread and it was waaay too waxy - clogged up everything.) i bought their 3200 yard spool of machine thread thinking it would work for the machine that i have. nope. too big. so, instead of returning it, i'm using it to stitch with. i like the diameter also.