Metal/kydex Throat Stiffener?

[KAYAK45]

Prior posts speak of reinforcement and stiffeners. What IS the common added material, other than leather to shape, form and retain an extra stiff throat mainly on IWB holsters.

Aluminum.

Steel

kydex

plastic

rawhide

ETC.?

Oh..... and where to source whatever, at a reasonable cost?

[Steven Kelley]

I think leather is the most common added material, but some makers add steel or possibly kydex strips under the leather reinforcement piece to make it even stiffer. You can get spring steel from McMaster-Carr in various width, thickness, and lengths. I would think using spring steel, you can get by with a thinner piece, probably around .020"-.030", and have an overall thinner profile than using Kydex. I've never used it, as I don't really like that stiff a throat on my IWB holsters, but from just looking at holsters that do use a steel stiffener, that would be my guess.

[BigRiverLeather]

I've had my best luck using steel banding, though I've not used it much. Easy to get, usually free. I know others have some methods but that seems to be one of the best kept industry secrets in holster making. There are some that use kydex, which must be a real trick.