Forming Holster

[kc9ljo]

Can someone please explain how to form leather. Specificly I am thinking about the way holsters are formed around a gun. I have read plenty about casing but it seems to be related more to carving. I tried it on my own and it worked ok, but I could not get it as nice as others I have seen. When I say "as nice as others" I mean you can tell what kind of gun it's for just by looking at the holster. I guess what I'm looking for is a description of the basic steps.

Thanks

[TwinOaks]

Molding leather, whether it is for a gun, knife, phone, or anything else is a process of stretching AND compressing the leather. As you know, dry leather may stretch a little, but not much. Wet leather will stretch very well, but may not hold the shape. CASED leather will stretch and hold the shape.....wet still stretches better though, and that's why you see discussions of "wet molding".

Essentially, all you're doing is forming the leather to the object and there's a couple of ways to do it. Most people start out working only with their hands/fingers, and can get good results. When you start adding tools, the results get better because you can press harder and in smaller places. Some of the tools I use are my folder/creaser, modeling tools, and the handles of my other tools. For a holster: First, make sure you've left enough room in the layout to allow the leather to stretch. Then, insert the gun, stretching the leather as you go. Once you've got the gun reasonably snug in the holster, start pressing down on the leather to form it to the shape of the gun. I use the creaser/folder to follow the lines on the frame, the wooden tool handles to press close to the frame, modeling tools for small details. This part is where you start to see the details of the gun.

Another way I've done it, which is much faster and easier, is to vacuum mold the holster. I put the gun in the holster, then put the whole thing in a bag, and use a food saver to pull a vacuum on it.

Other holster makers use a press with rubber pads to press form the holster to the leather.

[Warpe]

Molding leather, whether it is for a gun, knife, phone, or anything else is a process of stretching AND compressing the leather. As you know, dry leather may stretch a little, but not much. Wet leather will stretch very well, but may not hold the shape. CASED leather will stretch and hold the shape.....wet still stretches better though, and that's why you see discussions of "wet molding".

Essentially, all you're doing is forming the leather to the object and there's a couple of ways to do it. Most people start out working only with their hands/fingers, and can get good results. When you start adding tools, the results get better because you can press harder and in smaller places. Some of the tools I use are my folder/creaser, modeling tools, and the handles of my other tools. For a holster: First, make sure you've left enough room in the layout to allow the leather to stretch. Then, insert the gun, stretching the leather as you go. Once you've got the gun reasonably snug in the holster, start pressing down on the leather to form it to the shape of the gun. I use the creaser/folder to follow the lines on the frame, the wooden tool handles to press close to the frame, modeling tools for small details. This part is where you start to see the details of the gun.

Another way I've done it, which is much faster and easier, is to vacuum mold the holster. I put the gun in the holster, then put the whole thing in a bag, and use a food saver to pull a vacuum on it.

Other holster makers use a press with rubber pads to press form the holster to the leather.

How well does a food saver work for vacuum forming? Do you have any water issues getting into the saver?

[TwinOaks]

The food saver (and I guess most others) have a little catch tray in case moisture is pulled into the machine. If it's ever happened, it's been a drop or two. Then again, my leather isn't dripping wet either, it's fully cased.

[Warpe]

The food saver (and I guess most others) have a little catch tray in case moisture is pulled into the machine. If it's ever happened, it's been a drop or two. Then again, my leather isn't dripping wet either, it's fully cased.

I am going to give it a try. Thanks for the info Twin.

[TwinOaks]

Forgot to add: It works very well. It won't pull a perfect vacuum (like a vacuum pump) but it WILL pull the leather down tight to the object you're molding. After that, it's time for the tools.