Pancake Holster Pattern

[yehagirl]

Hi,

I am trying to make a pancake holster. I have access to a Glock 19 - 9 mm, XDM 9 mm, and a Walther P22. I found the holster pattern from Springfield Leather, but it does not have any of the guns that I have access too. I have made a few holsters for single actions using the AS holster book. I am currently playing with a holster to hold the Glock, but it looks like the cowboy holsters (not the pancake style) . I am trying to fine tune it, I have cut and pinched and prodded it , so its really UGLY. Anyway, It is still a western holster and not a pancake. Is there anywhere that sales one of the three gun patterns that I have in pancake style? I am not sure how to make my own pattern for the pancake. (I have watched the video and read many post on here and the web on how to put it together, just not giving me the pattern.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Big O]

Pancake holsters are probably the EASIEST type to make your own pattern for.

All you need is:

File folder or other stiff material

pen/pencil

ruler

compass (optional but helpful)

scissors

pin/needle/other sharp pointy implement

My procedure:

draw belt on material

place pistol on top of belt lines at the height/angle you want to carry it

trace outline of pistol

measure width of pistol

draw your stitch lines at a distance 1/2 the width you just measured away from the pistol

pick locations for belt slots along the belt line and outside the stitch lines, and mark them in

draw the outline of your desired holster shape, outside the belt slots

cut out the shape

That's your pattern right there.

Now, put it on top of the leather and trace the outline. Flip over the pattern, put it on a different area of the leather and trace the outline.

Cut those pieces out. Put the pattern on top of each piece and use your pointy thing to stab through the pattern into the leather in spots to mark the locations of the stitch lines and belt slots.

Done with the pattern.

[katsass]

Hi,

I am trying to make a pancake holster. I have access to a Glock 19 - 9 mm, XDM 9 mm, and a Walther P22. I found the holster pattern from Springfield Leather, but it does not have any of the guns that I have access too. I have made a few holsters for single actions using the AS holster book. I am currently playing with a holster to hold the Glock, but it looks like the cowboy holsters (not the pancake style) . I am trying to fine tune it, I have cut and pinched and prodded it , so its really UGLY. Anyway, It is still a western holster and not a pancake. Is there anywhere that sales one of the three gun patterns that I have in pancake style? I am not sure how to make my own pattern for the pancake. (I have watched the video and read many post on here and the web on how to put it together, just not giving me the pattern.

Any help would be appreciated.

From the grumpy old man: Big O has said it as succinctly as it can be said. Just two pieces of leather in mirror image, a little artistic endeavor, cement, then stitching, and off you go. Mike

Edited March 8, 2011 by katsass

[Big O]

Here's a photo of a pattern I just drew today, for a Glock 17/22/31 pancake to be worn behind the hip:

[yehagirl]

Thanks for the detailed instructions. I think I can follow that! I was thinking that the pattern had to be a set shape...

But what you are telling me is that it can pretty much be any shape that suits my fancy? Like a big pair of lips, a heart or some other girly shape?

Thanks again - both of you. I will post my girly holster when I get it made!

Here's a photo of a pattern I just drew today, for a Glock 17/22/31 pancake to be worn behind the hip:

Wow. THanks for that...

[Shane in Baton Rouge]

Thanks for the detailed instructions. I think I can follow that! I was thinking that the pattern had to be a set shape...

But what you are telling me is that it can pretty much be any shape that suits my fancy? Like a big pair of lips, a heart or some other girly shape?

Thanks again - both of you. I will post my girly holster when I get it made!

Wow. THanks for that...

Hi all,

Any input please on a pancake holster that has a more or less flat back. I am working on patterns, and I am looking for a molded front, curved / non molded back.

How do you account for the additional leather on the front side to provide for that?

Thanks,

Shane

[Shane in Baton Rouge]

...

Edited March 20, 2011 by Shane in Baton Rouge

[TwinOaks]

Leather stretches. Or, instead of trying to account for the extra leather on the front, just subtract some from the back. When the edges line up, it'll curve.

[Big O]

Hi all,

Any input please on a pancake holster that has a more or less flat back. I am working on patterns, and I am looking for a molded front, curved / non molded back.

How do you account for the additional leather on the front side to provide for that?

Thanks,

Shane

I have NOT done this, but others here have, and have posted about it. What they generally seem to do is to wet-mold the front piece before stitching the pieces together.

It seems to me (again, I have not done this) that the way to do this would be to draw the pattern for the outer piece, making your inside stitch lines the FULL width of the handgun away from the drawn outline, cut your leather, do your molding, and then use the front piece as a template for the back piece, if that makes sense.

[Shane in Baton Rouge]

I have NOT done this, but others here have, and have posted about it. What they generally seem to do is to wet-mold the front piece before stitching the pieces together.

It seems to me (again, I have not done this) that the way to do this would be to draw the pattern for the outer piece, making your inside stitch lines the FULL width of the handgun away from the drawn outline, cut your leather, do your molding, and then use the front piece as a template for the back piece, if that makes sense.

Thanks Guys.

I will split the difference. What I am going to try is to a normal pattern for the back based on the gun. I am going to add a little over a quarter inch to the width on the front piece, but add it at the depth portion of the holster. I plan on wet moulding the front in a vac press, and I will leave the back piece dry during the process. It seems to be close on a dry run with paper.

I have a galco that looks to be constructed this way, based on the apparent D shape of the gun pocket. I am an absolute novice at this, but hopefully the measure twice, cut once rule will apply here. Maybe.

The vac press I built may be very well suited to Big Os suggestion. Mine is more of a vac table, so that may work. Imma try it.

[particle]

Hi all,

Any input please on a pancake holster that has a more or less flat back. I am working on patterns, and I am looking for a molded front, curved / non molded back.

How do you account for the additional leather on the front side to provide for that?

Thanks,

Shane

Let's assume you are offsetting your pattern's stitch line 1/2" from the firearm. To get the flatter back, you'd offset the back (for example) 1/4" and the front 3/4", or something along that line. When you're ready to assemble, line up the registration marks and glue. That being said, I've never done this and don't know if you need to adjust the offset differently as you progress to wider/narrower portions of the gun.

[Shane in Baton Rouge]

Let's assume you are offsetting your pattern's stitch line 1/2" from the firearm. To get the flatter back, you'd offset the back (for example) 1/4" and the front 3/4", or something along that line. When you're ready to assemble, line up the registration marks and glue. That being said, I've never done this and don't know if you need to adjust the offset differently as you progress to wider/narrower portions of the gun.

Eric,

In case you missed another post in the "show off" section of this forum..

Thank you for your videos, and advice I have read here. All the forum members that share information are keeping an art from dying.

I look around at the plastic holsters everywhere, molded in Asia, and I am grateful to be doing this.

Please check out a few of my photos at evansgunhide.com

Thanks again....

Shane

Eric,

In case you missed another post in the "show off" section of this forum..

Thank you for your videos, and advice I have read here. All the forum members that share information are keeping an art from dying.

I look around at the plastic holsters everywhere, molded in Asia, and I am grateful to be doing this.

Please check out a few of my photos at evansgunhide.com

Thanks again....

Shane

Eric, I forgot to mention.. I have been typically using a 1/4" offset stitch line on the back piece and 1/2" on the front. Once I got the pattern making down pat, I have been doing fine with those numbers until this Glock 21 I am battling with right now....

[slam]

Thanks for the help

Here's a photo of a pattern I just drew today, for a Glock 17/22/31 pancake to be worn behind the hip:

Thank you for sharing your design! now I need to get to work... cool site.