60's Era Classic Holster Designs For Pistols

[Haroldson]

Just got back from the Tandy store in Fairfield Oh with some leather, the basic tools and Strohlman's book on stiching. I want to make semi modern holsters for my 1911 and my Glock mini gun, at least to start with, I hope to expand to other things later for friends and family.

Are there any books that detail modern holsters as opposed to western style holsters? I always admired Milt Spark's holsters like the 1AT etc.

Are there books that detail how to deal with metal linings, tension screws, and general patterns? I've googled but all I find are holsters for sale and instructions on how to do cowboy rigs or pancake holsters. I suppose I could do trial and error but if someone sells a book it sure would save a lot of leather. Reading the Strohlman book on stiching has really opened my eyes to how much I have to learn, I'd rather not do it at the rate of $5 per square foot.

Thanks

[Ed in Tx]

If you are interested in 1911 patterns Tandy has a pattern set of designs by Will Ghormley that are really nice. I have seen Will post here on the forum as well. Take a look at his web site, he makes some incredible gun leather of all sorts. He even has some tutorials that show step by step how he makes certain holsters. Another excellent source for "how to" information is Eric Adams, he owns Adams Leatherwork. He has a bunch of tutorials on his web site, he walks through step by step on how he makes his holsters.

I started making holsters for myself and family members about 4 years ago, at first is was a lot more error than trial.. I look back at my first few attempts and realize now how bad thay were, I am not professional by any means but I have improved a great deal compared to my original efforts. You can read books all day long but for me watching someone do it is a much better way of learning. Besides that, just do it.. don't start out with leather that costs you $8 a sq. ft. buy the least expensive (within reason) leather and lay down a pattern, cut it sew it etc.. after several attempts you will begin to figure out what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong.

First thing you are doing wrong is buying leather from Tandy, there are suppliers that are much less expensive than Tandy and sell MUCH better quality for less. Take a look at Springfield Leather, they are supporters of the forum and I have had nothing but excellent service from them. You will find that the tools you buy from Tandy can be purchased for less at Springfield Leather and elsewhere. BTW.. Springfield has holster patterns including the Ghormley pack.

Like I said I am no expert but was like you starting out looking for information and trial and error. Just giving you a head start by letting you know some of the things I have found over time. The one big thing I have found is almost everyone I have talked to either in person or on the net that does leatherwork is VERY helpful and more than willing to give you the guidance you need. I have never asked a question of these folks and been looked down upon as being dumb.. they have always answered it even if it was. Don't expect your first few holsters to win you any prizes, mine sure won't but stick with it and over time you will be making holsters you are proud to show and own.

Best of luck and I hope you enjoy doing leatherwork as much as I have.

Ed

[Haroldson]

Thanks, I found the Springrield website and will check them out. I know I need more stuff, I realized I have no knife for skiving for example.

My $9.00 stitching pony came out ok, I need to refine it, I made this one too blocky and since it has wood screws up near the mouth I can't bevel it off as much as I would like. Live and learn. Tomorrow I will glue on the leather pads and add the hardware. I also learned that cheap Chinese woodscrews and oak do not mix, even pre drilling with a drill countersink didn't keep them from twisting off.

I plan to start with a rough out pocket holster, just to learn to cut, sew and mould then move up to a pancake of some kind. After that I may try a stitched belt or something. I've watched the Adams Leatherworks videos a couple of times and learned a lot.

Thanks for the reply, hope you have a great Thanksgiving.

[Ed in Tx]

One thing I should have mentioned, if you are planning on hand sewing you should buy some good thonging chisels (stitch punch). DO NOT waste your money on the Tandy chisels, the new ones they are selling as "pro tools" are better than the old ones but they still don't measure up to Osborne chisels. You can sharpen the Osborne's not the Tandy ones. I use a 4 prong most of the time but also have a 1, 2 and 3 prong. Sometimes they come in handy in small areas. You can buy an inexpensive skiving tool for less than $10 at Springfield.

I also built a stitching pony when I started, used it a couple of times but found it was easier for me to just hold the piece I was sewing in my hands. I can see using one if you are doing a bunch of braiding or lacing but for just sewing I don't use mine. I know what you are saying about the cheap screws.. that has happened to me more times than I can count on all sorts of projects. I finally started using exterior screws for a lot of things, that works unless you need a smaller screw.

[Haroldson]

I am amazed at how much stretch there must be in leather. I watched a video where the maker added a reinforcement to the holster that wrapped from back to front and did the glue and sewing while it was flat, I would have expected a lot more problems with stretching the outside or compressing the inside layers. It's a lot to get my head around. My assumption was that you would form the holster, then cut and apply the reinforcing band. It gives me hope that I will be able to do the kind of lined holsters I want to make without a lot of puckering and wrinkling on the inside layer. Only thing I can figure is that the glue must make it almost like a laminate and that the leather stretches and compresses internally more than I ever thought it could.

In case you are wondering, yes I have been told I over analyze things. To me that is half the fun and wonder of learning a new skill.

[Ed in Tx]

I'm no expert on lining but I have been told by a person that makes really nice holsters the proper way to do a lining is to rough cut it larger than the body. I can't think of how to explain it, but if you just lay both pieces flat and glue them together you will end up with fold marks or ripples on the lining side when you bend it. The last one I did lined, I sewed one edge temporarily then glued the layers while folding the holster. I rolled a wood dowel across it to make sure it didn't have puckered places. before I did it I had put a pen mark on the liner where the edge would have been if I had glued them flat, well that mark didn't show because it was now on the inside. I am sure that makes no sense at all.. but I didn't have and wierd areas at the fold where the sight line of the slide would be. After you get things folded you cut off any excess liner.

I sure hope someone else will chime in here because my explanation leaves a lot to be desired I know. I am attaching a pic of the holster,.of course you can't see the inside.. One thing I figured out real quick about making a lined holster is you need to think three steps ahead. If you are using snaps or have other add ons that you don't want on the inside of the finished holster you better take care of them before you glue down your lining.

[Haroldson]

Actually that makes sense.

Nice looking 1911 also, I see we have similar tastes in grips. I have Colt Double Diamonds on my SA Champion.

[Ed in Tx]

That is one of my Kimber's. Have a matching set from the custom shop. Also have a Kimber Compact Stainless II. Like my Kimber's but don't shoot them as often as I did with ammo being high. Somewhat less expensive to shoot my 9mm's. Having several handguns was the main reason I started doing leatherwork in the first place, I got tired of paying a ridiculous price for a holster when I bought a new gun, of course you have to have more than one holster per gun too. Need one for warm weather, cold weather, cloudy.. etc..

[Haroldson]

Making progress. Added the leather pads to the stitching pony and glued up my first holster, a sort of bikini pancake. only threw away five paper patterns before I made up my mind. Got it glued up and sanded the edges. I see I need to get a chuck for the radial arm saw, the stub shaft opposite the blade would make a good place for a sanding drum.

I ordered my edge bevel tool, finish and some beeswax from Springfield, then i can bevel, groove and stitch it up.

My wife is talking workbench. In the house, which is a big commitment of space.

So much to learn. Back to work in the morning, that will slow things down. Probably a good thing, I've spent a lot of money this week, need to slow down and assimilate what I have learned.