Sam Brown Button Studs

[johnggrg]

Hi everyone. I have a question. I am making a shoulder holster and decided to use a button stud for the pistol keeper strap. My question is what size would be best? 3/8 base, 5/16 base,7/16 base? I was thinking the small one. They are screw back so wondering which would work the best. Using a 1 inch strap for keeper. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. john

[katsass]

Hi everyone. I have a question. I am making a shoulder holster and decided to use a button stud for the pistol keeper strap. My question is what size would be best? 3/8 base, 5/16 base,7/16 base? I was thinking the small one. They are screw back so wondering which would work the best. Using a 1 inch strap for keeper. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. john

From my experience I wouldn't use a stud on the retention strap. I'd use a thumb break. Think about it, you'll already be reaching completely across your body in an effort to reach your shooter, but when you get there, first you have to grasp a piece of leather and pull it off the stud to get to your gun. You then have to go back and get your fist into the grip of your shooter and pull it from the confines of the holster. Remember, you will, quite likely, will be in one hell of a hurry to get to that thing and get it into action. With a thumb break all you will have to do is grasp the weapon, flick of your thumb, release it, and go to town. JMHO. Mike

[johnggrg]

From my experience I wouldn't use a stud on the retention strap. I'd use a thumb break. Think about it, you'll already be reaching completely across your body in an effort to reach your shooter, but when you get there, first you have to grasp a piece of leather and pull it off the stud to get to your gun. You then have to go back and get your fist into the grip of your shooter and pull it from the confines of the holster. Remember, you will, quite likely, will be in one hell of a hurry to get to that thing and get it into action. With a thumb break all you will have to do is grasp the weapon, flick of your thumb, release it, and go to town. JMHO. Mike

Thank you for your reply. The t=retention strap is a new thing to me by itself. I am not sure how I would do that. Would be nice your right about that. I just don't know how to do it. John

[katsass]

Thank you for your reply. The t=retention strap is a new thing to me by itself. I am not sure how I would do that. Would be nice your right about that. I just don't know how to do it. John

Well John, the best way to describe it is with a pic...I think. The back side is reinforced with a thin metal tab then the snap part is attached. The front is a simple strap with the other half of the snap attached to it. Years ago I made the metal tab from old hack saw blades.... with the teeth ground off. The tabs are now comercially available. I got mine from High Desert Leather in Utah. I don't do many of them, but here is a recent holster I made with a thumb break installed. Hope this helps Mike

[johnggrg]

Well John, the best way to describe it is with a pic...I think. The back side is reinforced with a thin metal tab then the snap part is attached. The front is a simple strap with the other half of the snap attached to it. Years ago I made the metal tab from old hack saw blades.... with the teeth ground off. The tabs are now comercially available. I got mine from High Desert Leather in Utah. I don't do many of them, but here is a recent holster I made with a thumb break installed. Hope this helps Mike

You do some nice work!. Looks great. The pictures definetly help. But my shoulder holster is already cut out the only extra is for sewing it to the harness. That was why I was going to go with the strap and button stud. Would never use a snap. Not to say snaps are a bad thing it's about knowing one's own luck mine can be bad at times. The next one will have the thumb break for sure. But have to finish this one first. One problem I am having is lining up the strap to see where I need to punch the oblong hole for the strap. I want to make sure I have the hole for the strap punched out just in the right place. Having a little trouble or I am second guessing myself. So if you were to do a shoulder holster and were going to go with a button stud. Which would be better the larger or smaller base? This is the screwback style I am referring to. Don't get me wrong i really like the idea of the thumb snap. But it is already cut so I would not be able to make it like the one you pictured. John

[johnggrg]

So can someone reccomend a size for the button stud? Would it matter if it were a screw back concho style button stud or not? Please let me know. Thank you. john

[katsass]

So can someone reccomend a size for the button stud? Would it matter if it were a screw back concho style button stud or not? Please let me know. Thank you. john

Good morning john, as in most things being built, constructed, or assembled, the better the foundation the stronger the finished product. I'd go as large as will fit well. I use them occasionally, but only for a 'flap' closure as in these two holsters. Both of these are 'range' or transport' holsters.... no belt loop. Mike

[johnggrg]

Mike those look sweat!. Like the way you made the snake skin rap around like that. Those look like they just have a hole. Do they have a slit comming off the hole in the flap? That is what I was thinking of doing. Thanks for all your help with this and taking the time to load pictures for me. Got all the information I needed and then some. John

[katsass]

Mike those look sweat!. Like the way you made the snake skin rap around like that. Those look like they just have a hole. Do they have a slit comming off the hole in the flap? That is what I was thinking of doing. Thanks for all your help with this and taking the time to load pictures for me. Got all the information I needed and then some. John

Yes john, there is a very thin slit going up from the hole. The hole should always be at bottom of the slit and afford the security needed, to run it the other way allows tension to open up the slit and loosen. The hole should be just a slight bit larger than the shank on the button and not as large as the max diameter of the button itself. Mike

[johnggrg]

Thank's Mike for all your help. The more I look at it the more I think I could still use a thumb break on this holster. I could just sew the side with the stiffener in it and the female snap on the holster. Then put the male end of the snap on the strap. Need to find a stiffener plate for it. I have some kydex? Not sure if that is how it is speld but hope you know what I mean. I wonder if I could cut a piece and make the stiffener out of that. I would have to drill two holes but cutting it would be the hard part for me. No tools for that except a razor knife. Rather have a steel one. Where can I buy one? Are they cheap? john

[katsass]

Thank's Mike for all your help. The more I look at it the more I think I could still use a thumb break on this holster. I could just sew the side with the stiffener in it and the female snap on the holster. Then put the male end of the snap on the strap. Need to find a stiffener plate for it. I have some kydex? Not sure if that is how it is speld but hope you know what I mean. I wonder if I could cut a piece and make the stiffener out of that. I would have to drill two holes but cutting it would be the hard part for me. No tools for that except a razor knife. Rather have a steel one. Where can I buy one? Are they cheap? john

Good morning john, I have never played with Kydex, but from what I have heard, it might just work out for a thumb break tab. I bought my steel ones from High Desert Leather in Utah (highdesertleather.com). Don't remember what I paid for them, but I know I felt that they were reasonably priced. Mike