Molded Gun Holster Questions

[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.