Molded Gun Holster Questions

[Leather Bum]

I would guess these or similar questions have been asked before, but maybe everyone won't mind answering them again too much. . .

I've never made a gun holster (where do I start?), but I've wanted to for a while and am most interested in making a molded style holster similar to those pictured below (pictures from other crafters on this board and elsewhere, though I'm not sure I remember exactly who. . . I think Randy Cornelius); the carry style, etc. isn't critical right now.

The questions for now are these:

1. Are there any good books/videos that teach holster-making like this?

2. Is 8-9 oz. leather suitable for molding these; and will it make a long lasting holster?

3. Exactly how do you get those neat details from the gun onto the leather?

Thank you everyone.

L'Bum

[Jordan]

About the only things I can say are grab some paper, pencil and unloaded gun and start messing around with patterns, in general put your lines 3/4" outside the outline of the gun that will give you a pretty good idea of the size of the body (adds enough to mold around the thickness of the gun), then add your belt loop ears for a paddle style, or bend around the gun for a loop sewn to the back and an ear to the rear. There are some pretty good posts here with more details, most books and videos deal with revolver western styles. And there are pattern packs available. As far as molding goes it is basically wet leather that is pressed around the gun by using everything from your hands to smooth ball end tools and bone folders. Again there are lots of discussions about that too. Also there is a book by bianchi that is real good as far as history and tips, in the for sale section if someone hasn't already snatched up the great deal as it is hard to find at a good price, wish I had the money. Others will chime in because it seems that once you make a few you have a hard time passing up a opportunity to talk about them enough rambling on my part enjoy the adventure.

Edited May 24, 2008 by Jordan

[$$hobby]

i belive there is a sticky/post by the system admin that covers holster making?

I started making holster by using the book/craftool aid #40.

"how to make holsters" by Al Stohlman. it covers pattermaking, stitching and such. Mostly for western style holsters, but you get an idea on how to make one.

there are alot of books out there. another one that you may want to look for is:

"how to make Practical Pistol leather" by J. David McFarland

i have a new DVD. "Holster" by dusty Johnson. I got it for my sub to one of the leather journals. I havent looked at it yet.

the weight of leather you chose, is okay. how long it lasts will depend on its use/abuse.

i havet only done some light casing of the leather on the guns. my holsters are lined and it adds to the thickness so they arent as easy to mold.

[TwinOaks]

Hey Bum,

8-9 oz leather will make a pretty heavy grade holster that will last a very long time. If you have a chance to check out a gun store's selection, most of what you'll see ( in leather) is pretty heavy stuff and is labeled 'duty holster'. For a holster that will be worn on the belt heavier leather like that is fine. Thinner leathers come into play when planning a Inside (the) Waist Band hosters for concealed carry. That's because thicker leather is less comfortable to carry IWB than thinner leather.

As you know, thinner leather molds more readily and easily than thick leather. So, for 8-9 oz. you shouldn't expect to get quite as much detail as if you were using 5-6 oz. But, on the other hand, it should be stiffer and not require reinforcement bands around the mouth...

For molding, I case and press. I find it easier to strretch the leather into a general shape, then work on details. If you have some forming material, such as pretty firm foam, or rubber, you can stretch the general shape, then stack some weight on top of the forming material and just press the details in.

For added rigidity of the leather, and to help it keep the detail molding, I heat the leather. NO GUN IN THE HOLSTER FOR THIS! There's no "one set way", but I let the leather dry about half way on it's own, then pop it in the toaster (convection) oven (150 F) for about 10 min. to heat it well. Then, use a hair dryer to blow out all the steam, and dry the interior. Another 20 min in the oven at 100 deg F, and it's done. Oh, I almost forgot...THIS IS THE LAST THING I DO....ALL STITCHING, COLORING, LACING, ETC IS ALREADY DONE.

P.S. you might want to put a twist of paper towels in the holster to help absorb moisture.

Mike

Edited May 24, 2008 by TwinOaks

[Leather Bum]

Thanks everyone; this is great. So maybe a 6/7 or 7/8 oz weight would be better for detail molding? Or perhaps you can just add simulated detail with a bone folder-type tool in heavier weights. . .

How tight should a gun fit in the holster? I believe I've heard people here mention that their holster is tight enough that the gun will not fall out when the holster is shaken upside down. . . That sounds good. When is it advisable to have a strap at the back of the handle?

Finally, what type of thread do you all like to use on these?

Thanks again,

L'Bum

[Leather Bum]

OK, here are some pictures of what I have so far. How does it look?

I wrapped the gun in plastic wrap; yeah, it's just a BB gun, but I think it will work anyway. Two of the pictures show the leather thickness (7/8 oz. I think); you can also see the tool I've been using to shape it (solid surface scrap piece smoothed and polished).

How close to the gun should the stitches sit?

Have I molded as far as the leather will allow?

I'd like to hear everyones comments on what I could do differently to make it better.

Thanks all.

L'Bum

Edited May 28, 2008 by Leather Bum

[$$hobby]

Thanks everyone; this is great. So maybe a 6/7 or 7/8 oz weight would be better for detail molding? Or perhaps you can just add simulated detail with a bone folder-type tool in heavier weights. . .

How tight should a gun fit in the holster? I believe I've heard people here mention that their holster is tight enough that the gun will not fall out when the holster is shaken upside down. . . That sounds good. When is it advisable to have a strap at the back of the handle?

Finally, what type of thread do you all like to use on these?

Thanks again,

L'Bum

of course the lighter the leather, the more detail you can form/mold into the leather. on the flip side, it maynot be firm enough to hold its shape depending on how the holster is placed on the body.

tightness of the holster on the gun is up to the user/function. if your intent is to use it in the saddle, field or in a auto, then i would put a retention strap on it somewhere. again, its all up to the end user. if you decide to put a $1k Colt in it, i would make sure it wont fall out. If youre putting an inexpensive gun in it and dont mind some dings, then the strap is moot. However an AD could be deadly.

holster are personal items, like saddles, clothes or your mates. You or the end user will need to decide on whats best and how things are going to fit and its use.

I like to use nylon thread since it wont rot. i use to use cotton all the time, but decided to move to nylon. you can use whatever color you want, its your project. i probably woulnt use anything smaller then a #138, but thats me.

BTW. If these holsters are for your use, just make/finish it and use it. once you began to use what you make, you will have an idea on what you DONT and DO like for that particular gun/holster combo. Being able to make your own is a benefit and if you dont like what youve made, then you can make another one and so forth. Sometimes you just have to get in the saddle and go!

one comment on your holster. It appears that you have done alot of forming of the leather to the gun (great job too!). The front sight sits taller on the gun and if you dont make provisions for it sliding in/out of the holster, it will have the finish wear off and/or the leather will wear a groove. If you have too light a leather, it could weaken the form. just my 0.03

Edited May 28, 2008 by $$hobby

[Rhome]

OK here is how I make holsters, I use 8-9 oz. for OWB holsters, 1) I cut my pattern out 2) I trace my stitching lines in, they can be anywhere from 3/16" to 1/2" from the actual frame size of the gun. 3) I bevel the edges that are not sewen. 4) I glue the pieces together with Barge cement. 5) I then sew the holster following my stitch lines. 6) wet the leather and insert your dummy gun. 7) mold and bone to get the detail you want. 8) let the holster dry, I use a drying oven I made or you can just air dry. 9) finish bevling all edges and then dye the holster. 10) let dry. 11) apply the finish and let dry. 12) test holster with the gun for final fit. and thats it. Easy right ? Have fun.

Best,

Rhome

[Shorts]

L'Bum, looks good. I also echo the suggestion about leaving a sight track in the holster. This will help the draw stroke, as well as reduce the wear on the front sight and the leather. I'm using a dowel, cut to size, taped on the top of my pistols to mold the track.

For stitch placement, I use a pencil taped side by side with a pen, then draw the pines while holding the pencil perpendicular against the gun. If you're using the same gun, nothing wrong with making a pattern and just laying on the leather where you need it. This width will vary with the width of each gun, so, you'll need to experiment with that to find the sweet spots.

My process is similar to Rhome's.

If I'm doing a 8/9oz Pancake style:

1. Trace and cut pattern from leather

2. Mark stitch lines on inside of holster. Scuff area to glue with 100grit. Apply glue. Set to dry 30min-1hr

3. Even and bevel edges

4. Mark stitch lines around perimeter of holster, then mark stitch lines of gun. ( I use set patterns for consistency)

5. Punch holes w/awl

6. Stitch

7. Apply snaps/hardware or cut belt slots

8. Wet holster, insert gun, mold & form by hand

9. Within the hour bone the holster, leave to dry

10. When back to natural color, carefully pull gun from holster

(drying is the step I change up sometimes, depending on my time <-- read: impatience)

11. Place holster in oven for 1hr at LOW temp 30-1hr OR Use hair dryer and test fit OR leave sitting out another 6-10hrs to air dry. Test fit - should be tight.

12. Dye (inside and out), dry, buff

13. Burnish edges

14. Topcoat (inside and out), dry, buff

Edited May 29, 2008 by Shorts

[Srigs]

My process is very similar to Rhome and Shorts.

I use 7/8 for OWB and 6/7 IWB. I stitch with Toro 3000 because it saves the fingers and is much faster.

[Jordan]

Yup pretty much covers it. Empty Gun! or Dummy

[Leather Bum]

Ok everyone, I finally finished my first holster. It felt tight enough (I thought) at first, but as expected with leather, it has loosened up somewhat.

So I'm wondering, how tight is "tight"? How tight should it be in the end -- after the holster is "broken in," so to speak? I've looked at pictures of other holsters, and the stitching doesn't really look closer to the gun than mine (some of them look farther than mine even), so I'm not sure how you holster-makers make sure the gun is tight enough in the holster. . . I don't need the gun to be so tight you have to really pull hard on it to remove it, but on the other hand, I do want it to be secure.

And again, I have no experience with this at all; I've never really even seen other holsters to be able to try them out. Maybe someday I will be able to see how tight other people's holsters really are. . .

Thanks for the help,

L'Bum

Edited July 23, 2008 by Leather Bum

[Shorts]

I prefer my holsters to be tight enough that if held upside down and shaken the gun does not fall out - like a DQ Oreo blizzard :D

Everyone has a different retention preference depending on gun and holster and carry position. If its too loose, build it tighter. I think it makes for a tighter fit from the beginning if you stitch first, then wet mold. I noticed you molded before stitching. For a good fit of the leather, be sure to press it to the contours of the gun both front and back, and bone the lines as well. This will give a nice fit.

btw, I really like your stitch lines - they're nice. Is that by hand or are you using a machine? If so, which one?

[Leather Bum]

Thanks for the reply, Shorts.

I prefer my holsters to be tight enough that if held upside down and shaken the gun does not fall out - like a DQ Oreo blizzard :D

That sounds like what I want too, but I'm not sure how to do it.

Everyone has a different retention preference depending on gun and holster and carry position. If its too loose, build it tighter. I think it makes for a tighter fit from the beginning if you stitch first, then wet mold. I noticed you molded before stitching. For a good fit of the leather, be sure to press it to the contours of the gun both front and back, and bone the lines as well. This will give a nice fit.

OK, this is sounding a little different than what I did. Yes, I molded the leather to the gun before stitching. So the front of the holster is completely molded and the back is flat. Is that a good way to build a holster, or are they supposed to have molding done on both sides (resulting in the gun sitting further from the body)? Yeah, I'm crazy; I just don't like the idea of soaking the stitches in water or applying a finish to the leather on top of the thread.

Besides, how can I tell how much leather is needed between the stitch lines before molding? I mean, you must leave enough room between the stitches directly along the top of the gun and the stitches along the bottom to allow the gun to fit between the two pieces of leather, right? And then you wet the leather, insert the gun, and start molding?

So is the back of a holster supposed to be flat, or should it be molded halfway and the front molded halfway? You see, mine seems tight enough when it lies flat. However, once it is bent, the gun becomes quite loose.

btw, I really like your stitch lines - they're nice. Is that by hand or are you using a machine? If so, which one?

Uh-oh, Shorts. How can you see the stitch lines before I post a picture?? I used a saddle stitch punch, and sewed by hand. Yeah, I thought they turned out all right too.

Now here's a picture:

I would appreciate all comments on how I can do this better.

Thank you.

L'Bum

[Shorts]

Thanks for the reply, Shorts.

That sounds like what I want too, but I'm not sure how to do it.

OK, this is sounding a little different than what I did. Yes, I molded the leather to the gun before stitching. So the front of the holster is completely molded and the back is flat. Is that a good way to build a holster, or are they supposed to have molding done on both sides (resulting in the gun sitting further from the body)? Yeah, I'm crazy; I just don't like the idea of soaking the stitches in water or applying a finish to the leather on top of the thread.

Besides, how can I tell how much leather is needed between the stitch lines before molding? I mean, you must leave enough room between the stitches directly along the top of the gun and the stitches along the bottom to allow the gun to fit between the two pieces of leather, right? And then you wet the leather, insert the gun, and start molding?

So is the back of a holster supposed to be flat, or should it be molded halfway and the front molded halfway? You see, mine seems tight enough when it lies flat. However, once it is bent, the gun becomes quite loose.

Uh-oh, Shorts. How can you see the stitch lines before I post a picture?? I used a saddle stitch punch, and sewed by hand. Yeah, I thought they turned out all right too.

Now here's a picture:

I would appreciate all comments on how I can do this better.

Thank you.

L'Bum

Ah! I was looking at the picture of the brown holster in your original post. But then it made no sense as to how the Glock in the photo turned into what is in your molding pics. But the stitching on this one you posted are exceptional as well!

The method I use to lay down stitches is I use a pattern drawn on a piece of paper. If you look at my pic, the pattern is what I use each and every time to trace the shape onto my leather before I cut it from the shoulder. Then I glue the pattern together and do the edges. If you look closely you'll see little holes in the stitch lines on the paper. When I'm ready to groove I lay the paper on top of my leather and I use my small scratch awl and poke each hole (not deep - very lightly!) to mark the leather. Remove the paper pattern and connect the dots with the groover. Wet the grooves and run your stitching wheel, then punch your holes and stitch. (I usually wait to punch holes until the leather has dried from the stitch wheel step.

Once it all stitched, its ready to wet mold.

To make the paper pattern, draw the shape of the holster you want. Then lay the gun on top of the pattern and trace along the top and bottom of the gun....or vice versa, just get lines drawn A typical distance between the gun and stitch line is 1/2" (may need more if it is a wide-bodied). To make it consistent, I tape a pen side by side to a pencil then used that for my spacer.

For the back of the holster, I don't make mine flat, but its up to you how you want yours to be. I let the leather take the shape of the pistol. I do not bone the backside, but I hand press the contours. For the front side, I bone. I have not found a holster uncomfortable from this method.

Edited July 24, 2008 by Shorts

[Srigs]

Nice stitching, color and finished holster.

The holding power of the holster is usually based on the molding on front and back. All the controls on the back, trigger guard front and back, ejection port and any rails. The shake test works well but the type of holster when on can pull the leather tighter so one that might not pass the shake test off will work perfectly on because the bend of the leather.

[okie44]

I'm new to the forum, but I thought I'd add my 2 cents.

I like your holster, and the stitching looks great. I still have problems with stitching straight, but thats not important to this discussion.

My method of making holsters for my own use is different from what I see described here. I have made both one and two piece holsters using the following method.

I mark the outline of the gun on paper, then allow for the thickness of the gun along the spine of the holster.

I lay out the stitches about the thickness of the leather, from the outline of the gun. I glue with barges cement, then stitch it all together.

This results in a holster that is too small for the gun to fit in. I soak the leather with either water, or alcohol, and force the gun in the holster. This requires a little working to stretch the leather, some times using a bone folder or popsicle stick in with the gun to work around humps and bumps etc. After I get the gun to fit, I go over the outside with the bone folder to emboss the gun paterns. This results in a holster that is a pretty tight fit. After the holster is dry, I pull the gun in and out several times, until it is easy enough to draw, but tight enough and formed to the gun well enough that it doesn't fall out.

I like to use the alcohol because I can leave the gun in over night if necessary, and not get rust, and so far it has not caused me any problems.

By stretching & forming this way, the leather doesn't tend to stretch much with wear. I also like to heat the holster in my toaster oven to harden it.

The risk in sizing this way, is that if I misjudge the amount of streatch in the leather, I will end up with a holster that I can't use. So far, I have been lucky, but sometimes get nervous when begenning the stretching process.

I usually use 7/8 oz for belt holsters. I have a few that I have used for a few years, and they have all given good service and wear well.

I hope this helps.