Thoughts And Opinions

[Abram]

I am in the process of sketching up a new design and I wanted to get some input from the more seasoned on this website. The holster will be made from 8/9 oz. leather and it will carry a Springfield XD Service model.

I appreciate anyone taking the time to give me your thoughts on this.

[Shooter McGavin]

Looks pretty good. I think you might find it necessary to move the stitch line a bit closer under the trigger guard. The gun will seat deeper than you want it to doing it as you have shown. You could probably make your belt slots a little shorter as well. Assuming a 3/8" wide slot, you will with up with a 1.875" tall slot there. Kinda long for a 1.5" belt.

Ride height and cant look good, and the overall profile of the holster looks appealing.

Make sure to post some finished pics!

[katsass]

FWIW from the old grumpy guy; I agree with shooter. As the pattern sits, it appears to me that the gun will try to drop to as close to the stitch line under the trigger guard as it can. Figuring in the thickness of the leather used, and with that in mind, you can see that the muzzle will most likely protrude from the holster's toe. It also appears that the finished holster will be loose, or at least ultimately lose retention as the leather begins to relax. I wish that I could tell you how much to tighten it up, but I can't. I draw a new pattern for every holster I make and, for me, it's actually a matter of eyeballing things to become aesthetically pleasing, and just 'knowing' or 'feeling' how much to allow for the thing to fit the gun. I just scribble on a cheap manila folder, use an eraser a lot, and modify the idea in my mind as it hits the paper and as needed. I do use a measuring instrument --- to draw a straight line now and then (mainly to ensure a straight stitch line), but I don't count those infernal little bitty marks on it. When used once, the pattern goes in the trash. I couldn't even begin to produce a pattern on a computer at all, let alone as well as you do. Mike

Edited May 17, 2012 by katsass

[Abram]

Thanks for the compliment and suggestions. I wonder if it would be ;possible to take the thickness of the trigger guard and use that to adjust the stitch line. All of the holsters I have made thus far I have used the width of the slide to adjust the stitch pattern, I guess I have been lucky thus far. I will tweak the pattern and see what I can come up with.

[katsass]

Thanks for the compliment and suggestions. I wonder if it would be ;possible to take the thickness of the trigger guard and use that to adjust the stitch line. All of the holsters I have made thus far I have used the width of the slide to adjust the stitch pattern, I guess I have been lucky thus far. I will tweak the pattern and see what I can come up with.

OK, from the old grump --- again. This is purely speculative since I don't have the shooter and pattern in my grubby mitts, BUT, it looks to me that I would move the stitch line below the trigger guard up a bit, and the stitch line along the top of the slide in --- a bit. How's that for being totally indefinite? I can 'feel it' and 'see it' if the two pieces are in my paws, but, again, to say how much, I can't do in this manner. I can show you, in person, but can't tell you Mike

[Langston]

FWIW from the old grumpy guy; I agree with shooter. As the pattern sits, it appears to me that the gun will try to drop to as close to the stitch line under the trigger guard as it can. Figuring in the thickness of the leather used, and with that in mind, you can see that the muzzle will most likely protrude from the holster's toe. It also appears that the finished holster will be loose, or at least ultimately lose retention as the leather begins to relax. I wish that I could tell you how much to tighten it up, but I can't. I draw a new pattern for every holster I make and, for me, it's actually a matter of eyeballing things to become aesthetically pleasing, and just 'knowing' or 'feeling' how much to allow for the thing to fit the gun. I just scribble on a cheap manila folder, use an eraser a lot, and modify the idea in my mind as it hits the paper and as needed. I do use a measuring instrument --- to draw a straight line now and then (mainly to ensure a straight stitch line), but I don't count those infernal little bitty marks on it. When used once, the pattern goes in the trash. I couldn't even begin to produce a pattern on a computer at all, let alone as well as you do. Mike

I agree.. It also seems to sit high on the belt, unless thats what your going for, heres one I did a while back for and XD. It was my first for the xd and I had to stitch a second row because I made the pattern to big to keep the retention tight ... Im working on another one as we speek. One thing to watch out with XD is the trigger gard the hooks toward the barrel, it catches sometimes on holsters I tend try and flare out that part of the holster so it dosent catch

[Abram]

Thanks again from a newbie. I have not made many holsters that do not ride high so I really do not have anything to compare it to. What I did do when I started trying to design a holster was to study a Desantis and it too appeared to ride high. Now that I have made a few I kind of like how it rides. I will say that this one rides about a inch lower than some of the others so you know they were high riding. I moved the leather around the trigger guard in by 1/16 of an inch. I think I am going to give the pattern a go with some scrap leather and see how it turns out, wish me luck and thank you again for the advie and opinions, they are most appreciated.