First Holster, Tips?

[matthew91188]

This is my first holster made after my technical first but dismal attempt. Made it for a friends ruger P89, he's a bigger guy and needed more cant to reach behind him, which is why it's at such an extreme angle. Any tips or tricks from you more experienced guys would be lovely, I know it's no where near perfect.

Sorry... adjusted for size.

[katsass]

This is my first holster made after my technical first but dismal attempt. Made it for a friends ruger P89, he's a bigger guy and needed more cant to reach behind him, which is why it's at such an extreme angle. Any tips or tricks from you more experienced guys would be lovely, I know it's no where near perfect.

Sorry... adjusted for size.

Well Matt, from the grumpy old man .......'tain't too bad. You need to work on your edges, and I'd use a heavier thread in the stitching. It looks like you may be using Eco-Flo dye, and if so, I'd switch to a good solvent based dye like Fiebing's or Angelus. If using a solvent based dye, you need to get your application down better for an even color ..... unless that's the appearance you were working for. Overall a very good way to start. Keep at it. Mike

[TwinOaks]

Getting the stitch line a little closer to the outline of the gun would look better, and keep the gun in the exact position better. You'll find that with time, the leather will stretch a bit and allow some wiggle room to develop.

The right side (first pic) drops lower than the left, which makes it look a little odd. For your corners, get something with a fixed radius, like a cup. Measure 'x' from the corner down each side and lay the round thing to where both marks are covered. Use that same measurement (and same round thing) on all corners and you'll have the same radius on each.

The thread looks a bit thin for this application, but I'll presume you're working with what you've got. If you don't have access to some 277 or 207 (or thicker) pick up some waxed linen from Hobby Lobby or Michael's. I've tried the stuff from wally world, but the last two times I tried it, it was dry and brittle.....so I've stuck with HL and had no problems. It looks pretty good at 6 spi, and is sufficiently strong for IWB holsters.

[TwinOaks]

Also, when you upload pics, please use the 'standard email view' size of 800x600. For members using a workstation and a cable modem the large size is fine, but for us poor folks, who are using a 6 year old laptop and DSL, they're a bit oversized for the screen and take a few minutes to load. It's worse for folks using dial up.

[KAYAK45]

I don't mind the size. My DNA scan said that's Angus.

[matthew91188]

Thanks for all the tips guys, I did use eco-flo dye because that's all I had in the color he wanted, I hate it. I have picked up fieblings in a few colors and hope that fixes my dye problems. I'll pick up some thicker thread before my next project, where would be the best place to look for some thicker thread? I don't have any leather stores near by so everything I buy is online, I will try michaels if all else fails. Thanks for the cup idea on the corners, and I see what you mean on the right and left side, can't believe I missed that. The stitch lines i tried to get close, but if you notice at the trigger gaurd somehow this ended up too close and prevented the gun from going in the last 1/4" or so. Thanks again for your suggestions guys And I'll try to resize the pictures a little smaller next time the first one came out really huge and thought the next 2 were better.

[Dwight]

I have a lot of trouble with making stuff if there are parts that are supposed to be the same, . . . as in rounded corners. I get some kind of aggravated when three rounded corners look like each other, . . . and their illegitimate 4th brother looks different.

That's why I built this little device, . . . it may not make em all perfect, . . . but at least they are uniformly imperfect.

I said 1 inch in the post, . . . but they can be of any size you need, . . . my smallest is made from 1/2 inch conduit, . . . and is the most used.

And if my guess is correct, . . . the owner of that holslter said it is very comfortable to wear even for extended periods of time. That is the benefit of the extra leather that spreads the intrusion over a greater area.

May God bless,

Dwight

corner cutter.bmp

Edited June 6, 2011 by Dwight

[matthew91188]

Thank you for the tip dwight, I'll have to make some of those

[katsass]

I have a lot of trouble with making stuff if there are parts that are supposed to be the same, . . . as in rounded corners. I get some kind of aggravated when three rounded corners look like each other, . . . and their illegitimate 4th brother looks different.

That's why I built this little device, . . . it may not make em all perfect, . . . but at least they are uniformly imperfect.

I said 1 inch in the post, . . . but they can be of any size you need, . . . my smallest is made from 1/2 inch conduit, . . . and is the most used.

And if my guess is correct, . . . the owner of that holslter said it is very comfortable to wear even for extended periods of time. That is the benefit of the extra leather that spreads the intrusion over a greater area.

May God bless,

Dwight

Great tip Dwight. I see that they could be used on inside and outside corners. Going to have to build a few and give them a whack. Mike