New Holster for a 1911

[K-Man]

Edited August 14, 2008 by K-Man

[okie44]

I'll be first to admit that my holster stitching is nowhere near as good as yours, and I mostly just tinker, and only make a few for my own use, but I always do my molding and forming before I dye the holster. I don't know if there is a good reason not to do that, but I've not had much problem with dye splotching. Maybe I've just been lucky. I am impressed with the design and construction of your holster.

[BruceGibson]

Thanks, Erik & Okie.

I like the color, but as I mentioned before, it's a throw of the dice for me with the light brown. Most of the time they come out okay, but once in awhile it's got a mind of its own.

I will keep the "black" solution in mind for the next dud...if the brown's too splotchy, I'll drop it in the black dye.

Problem solved. Sorta.

[badLoveLeather]

Is that what a factory slug looks like? My Pops is a retired Cop and avid gun man and hes been after me to get into the Holster business.

[BruceGibson]

Is that what a factory slug looks like? My Pops is a retired Cop and avid gun man and hes been after me to get into the Holster business.

Thanks everybody for the kind words. I've never heard them called a "slug," but if you're talking about the Blue Gun, that's what they look like. The one in the picture is some kind of plastic. You can also get them in aluminum. I prefer the Blue Guns from Rings because of the detail and closer specs. However, they will break in a press (which I discovered recently).

[BruceGibson]

Credit for this goes to our member ChuckBurrows who has a terrific set of DVD's on holstermaking.

I got a solution for the blotchy dye problem. ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL. The plain ol' cheap stuff (rubbing alcohol) you get at WalMart, or anyplace else.

I'm not real keen on using acetone as a deglazer, but I've experimented with the rubbing alcohol and it works great.

Some folks use it with a spray bottle, but I rub it on with a sheepskin scrap.

Problem's solved.

Edited September 28, 2008 by BruceGibson

[Bree]

It's an excellent holster despite the blotch. Very crisp lines, great stitching, nice design and looks to be very functional.

[Shorts]

Bruce, glad you found the alcohol does the trick. Makes the results much better than having to find another brown dye to 'like'. lol

Great job on the second one, it came out yummy looking, like chocolate mmmmmmmmmmm

Oh, offhand, when I mold my holsters, I use a mixed solution of Isopropryl alcohol and water I keep in a jug. Before I use the mixture I nuke it in the microwave for a minute or two in a microwave safe container to warm it up to a good temp then I pour it into my pan with the holster ready to get molded. The dip in there gets the leather to a texture that works great for molding plus deglazes it from handling during construction. The holster will also dry a bit faster as the alcohol flashes out. Now as you use the mixture from the jug over and over again, you'll eventually need to add more water and alcohol. And the jug will look like a nice drink of iced tea, but make sure you label it so no one drinks it

Edited September 29, 2008 by Shorts

[okie44]

I always use ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, straight from the bottle, which is about 60% alcohol, to do all my molding, as it seems to make the leather a tad harder, and since I don't have any blue guns, I don't have to worry that I will rust my gun. Also it drys much faster than water, like Shorts said. Maybe, that is why I have not had much trouble wit the dye spotting. Thats is a great looking holster, by the way. John

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

WHEEEEEEE DOGGY! That's some mighty fancy boning ya done there, Bruce!

[Srigs]

Looks darn good Bruce. I will have to try some of that with my next brown project.

[BruceGibson]

Thanks, everybody. Did another one--same style in plain ol' natural. Actually did a little stamping.

[ArtS]

Great job! That really looks good!

Art

[BruceGibson]

Great job on the second one, it came out yummy looking, like chocolate mmmmmmmmmmm

Oh, offhand, when I mold my holsters, I use a mixed solution of Isopropryl alcohol and water I keep in a jug. Before I use the mixture I nuke it in the microwave for a minute or two in a microwave safe container to warm it up to a good temp then I pour it into my pan with the holster ready to get molded. The dip in there gets the leather to a texture that works great for molding plus deglazes it from handling during construction. The holster will also dry a bit faster as the alcohol flashes out. Now as you use the mixture from the jug over and over again, you'll eventually need to add more water and alcohol. And the jug will look like a nice drink of iced tea, but make sure you label it so no one drinks it

Microwave, huh? Now you've got my attention...I wanna see/hear more about this deal!

Are you back stateside yet?

[Shorts]

Microwave, huh? Now you've got my attention...I wanna see/hear more about this deal!

Are you back stateside yet?

I use the microwave to heat up my water/alcohol mixture to a nice temperature in a large Pyrex cup. Then I pour it into a Pyrex casserole dish where the holster is waiting.

I'm not stateside yet, but will be by the beginning of February. The task of sorting and throwing out is beginning now.

[carr52]

Thanks, everybody. Did another one--same style in plain ol' natural. Actually did a little stamping.

I like that. The stamping really sets the whole thing off. What kind of finish do you use on the inside of your holsters.

Tom

[BruceGibson]

I like that. The stamping really sets the whole thing off. What kind of finish do you use on the inside of your holsters.

Tom

Thank you, Tom. Check out the posts in the topic here:

Holster Finish

The real long-winded, rambling blabber I wrote covers pretty much everything I did on this one--interior and exterior. Short answer to your question--Fiebing's Leather Balm with Atom Wax.

[mliebs8]

Nice looking holsters, I like the stamping it makes the holster look tight and clean. I like the way the stamping follows the lines of the gun.