Screwin Up Here...

[Nooj]

Yeah, so... I'm trying to make a IWB holster for a friend, and can't seem to get it right AT ALL!! It's just one of those weeks...

I have a ring's blue gun (M&P 9mm) for molding, but I keep botching my patterns. I'm drawing them all from scratch. The first go was coming along beautifully- then when it came time to wet form it I realized I hadn't added the extra space in my stitching layout to account for the leather thickness (I noticed this because the dummy gun just would NOT fit). It was about 1/4 to 3/8" too tight.

My second attempt is a flat backed holster. First time I've ever done this, and I'm not feeling too good about it. I'm using 4/5 or 5/6 oz leather, bonded flesh side to flesh side (pancake style- so 4 layers thick). The back panel was made with about 1/4" gap from gun to stitch line, and I added 3/4 of the total spacing needed to fit and form the gun on the front panel. I believe I made a mistake by marking my stitch grooves on the front panel before bonding the rear panel. Since small variations left my alignment off, I have have areas of stitching that are closer to the edge than others, after sanding and finishing the edges...

I don't know if I'm looking for advice or encouragement here... I just sure ain't happy with how things are going recently :-/

Nooj

[bison]

Hang in there man. I don't do holsters so I can't offer any advice, but I'm just finishing up a project that I had to start over three times...and I'm still not as happy with it as I'd like to be. Sometimes there are just those projects...but they eventually come together.

Dave

[mattsh]

got pics? we could give advice then.... if that's what you are looking for.

[TwinOaks]

I used to do the same thing with my stitch lines and edges.....then I learned to layout the stitch lines around the gun, but NOT the edge until I'd glued, and at least sanded the edges to get them squared and even. THEN mark the edge stitch line. It goes soooooo much smoother that way.

[Eaglestroker]

I used to do the same thing with my stitch lines and edges.....then I learned to layout the stitch lines around the gun, but NOT the edge until I'd glued, and at least sanded the edges to get them squared and even. THEN mark the edge stitch line. It goes soooooo much smoother that way.

This. Just the other day I got in a hurry and ended up screwing up a really nice holster because the stitching got too close to the edge and blew out the side. When I mess up 1 I mess up 3, and that's wasting time and money so it's time to walk away!

[Lobo]

You mentioned using 4/5 or 5/6 oz. leather bonded together flesh-side to flesh-side. The resulting laminations will be the equivalent of 9 to 11 oz. which is pretty heavyweight stuff, probably more useful for extremely heavy duty gear. Trying to assemble and stitch those weights into a flat-backed IWB holster of pancake-style construction is a challenge in itself, and the resulting holster can be expected to be rather bulky and far heavier than needed for the relatively lightweight S&W M&P pistol.

I make most of my IWB-style holsters from either 6/7 or 7/8 oz. cowhide, depending on the overall size and weight of the handgun to be fitted for. With horsehide I can use even lighter weights and have equal strength in the completed holster. You may want to consider a bit lighter combination of leather.

The flat-backed holsters present a number of challenges not encountered in either the more traditional pancake designs or envelope-style construction. All of the forming work ends up being on the outer side of the holster, and all of the adjustments for fit are also on that side. You might want to consider assembling and stitching each portion of the holster in separate operations. Cementing and stitching the forward portion, then cementing and stitching the rearward portion, will eliminate some of the stresses on the leather during the work. Depending on how you are stitching this will also present some challenges, and you may find that you have to wet the leather prior to assembly to relieve the tension on the outer holster panel. This would require a drying period prior to stitching. If using a machine you will need to select a presser foot that permits stitching against the raised portion of the outer panel. If hand-stitching you will need to carefully adjust the outer holster panel prior to punching the stitch holes in order to avoid burying your stitch completely. You may also find that the leather must be wetted prior to each segment of the work, then dried thoroughly before stitching that segment, then wetted again to permit adjustment for the next segment.

As has been pointed out by others the assembly, cementing, and dressing of edges prior to stitching will eliminate the problems you have described in stitching along the edges.

In short, you have selected a pretty complex method, and you have complicated it further by the use of a very heavy combination of material. There is nothing wrong with challenging yourself with a project, but unforeseen obstacles can be expected as you work through your plan.

Even with the more basic designs and methods we can expect to have to "tweak" each pattern a number of times, adjusting stitch lines, etc, to achieve the desired result.

I hope this helps.

[Shorts]

Yeah, so... I'm trying to make a IWB holster for a friend, and can't seem to get it right AT ALL!! It's just one of those weeks...

I have a ring's blue gun (M&P 9mm) for molding, but I keep botching my patterns. I'm drawing them all from scratch. The first go was coming along beautifully- then when it came time to wet form it I realized I hadn't added the extra space in my stitching layout to account for the leather thickness (I noticed this because the dummy gun just would NOT fit). It was about 1/4 to 3/8" too tight.

My second attempt is a flat backed holster. First time I've ever done this, and I'm not feeling too good about it. I'm using 4/5 or 5/6 oz leather, bonded flesh side to flesh side (pancake style- so 4 layers thick). The back panel was made with about 1/4" gap from gun to stitch line, and I added 3/4 of the total spacing needed to fit and form the gun on the front panel. I believe I made a mistake by marking my stitch grooves on the front panel before bonding the rear panel. Since small variations left my alignment off, I have have areas of stitching that are closer to the edge than others, after sanding and finishing the edges...

I don't know if I'm looking for advice or encouragement here... I just sure ain't happy with how things are going recently :-/

Nooj

Work on one pattern at a time. Build ONE holster as any times as you need to get the holster right. From that holster pattern take your stitch lines. You can apply those stitch lines to any holster design. The only thing you may want to account for is holster leather weight, and that goes by 1/8"-1/4" tops.

Work on one design at a time so you can minimize variables.

Join the club, in no time you'll have that holster box in the corner that collects all the design attempts

Edited August 27, 2011 by Shorts

[BigRiverLeather]

If I understand your challenge of making the flat back holsters correctly, maybe what I do will help.

My pattern for the front side is about 1/2" wider than the back side. I will trace my stitch lines on the flesh side of the back piece as if it were not going to be a flat backed holster. ( I have outlines for all of my guns cut out that is anywhere from 10mm to 15 mm wider on each side of the gun which makes this go fast and easy). These lines also become my glue lines. Where these lines meet the edge of the holster I mark it on the edge with a sharpie.

Now I take my top piece that is cut out a bit wider and lay it on top of the bottom piece, starting with the trigger side edges lined up first (all of the excess on the top piece will now be hanging over the slide side edge). I mark the edge of the top piece where the stitch lines are marked on my bottom piece, slide the top piece of leather over so now the edges of the slide side of the holster line up. Now I mark the top piece edge where the stitch line is marked on the bottom piece.

Now that I have these stitch line reference points marked on the edge of my top piece, I take the outline template for my gun and line up the edge of the bottom side markings (bottom of the muzzle and trigger guard and draw this outline in with a pen (red if using brown dye, it will disappear when dye is put on it). I slide the template over and line up the top (slide side) of the template with my stitch line markings on the edge of the leather..

flip the top piece leather over and use your template the same way (lining up the template edges with stitch line marks on the edge of the leather) and you will now have your glue lines for the inside of the top piece.

Punch any holes if required in the top piece for T nuts or any hardware if required.

Glue the trigger side first. do not gouge your stitch lines first. Let the glue dry then sand your edge smooth. Now you can use your stitching groover on the edge and around the bottom side of the gun where you have traced the bottom of the template. Stitch this side of the holster.

Now your top piece is stitched on with all of the excess hanging on the slide side of the holster. If you line up the edges on that side you will now have a hump in your top piece. Glue the slide side of the holster now (it is easier to glue the trigger side first because now you are working with a straight edge along the slide when you leather "humps") It makes it much easier to line up the edges of the leather while dealing with the hump wanting to push the edges uneven if you put something between the top and bottom piece where the gun will go. I have found that I use two short belt blanks (1.5" x ~8" dual 6/7 oz glued & the same thing with a 1.25" belt blank). It gives something to help fill the void and makes gluing the edges and keeping them lined up easier. Make sure you let your glue dry for about 4-5 minutes first so it is very tacky and won't slide. Use spring loaded hand clamps to hold it in place. Make sure you put a piece of scrap between the clamp and the holster so it does not mark it.

Once the glue is dry, remove clamps, sand the edges, mark stitching grooves and stitch. Because the hump is along the slide side stitching line, use a piece of scrap leather ( 8/9oz about 1/2"x4") under your presser foot. This will keep it from marking the leather on the hump.

Another advantage of building it this way is that it creates a natural curve on the backside of the holster that wraps nicely around the hip. It takes longer, but the end result is very nice.

If need be, I can take pics on my next build and post them.

[brinyar]

For the flat backed holster pattern, I would agree with what BigRiverLeather posted. I have been experimenting with a somewhat similar IWB pattern and process in that the front pattern is around .5" longer than the backside.

For me, this type of pattern gives you some benefits of the comfort of a flat backed holster with the concealability of a pancake style. The trigger guard of the gun is centered to the back wing of the holster, allowing it to help pull the grip into your back, while the front is wrapped over the front of the gun, helping it give a nice, natural curved fit to the hip. When done this way, I wouldn't call it a true flat backed holster, though. It is more of a hybrid between the two styles.

As BigRiverLeather stated, it does take longer, and is more difficult to work with. I have a thin waist and find that this style fits me better than anything I've made before and will make all my personal gear this way in the future.