Driften Report post Posted December 20, 2012 I have a few questions about a holster I am thinking of making. This is going to be a pancake or Avengers style holster. Also on my list are some IWB's after tying OWB's. To start with this is just for me as I learn. I have been thinking about doing some holsters for a while and at one point I was going to make a mexican loop holster but its lower on the priority list for right now. I have (and watched ) Chuck Burrows DVD's on Frontier holsters that provided some guidance but this project is more modern that that. This first holster would be for a Walther PPS I have but I want to make it with a small Crimson Trace rail master laser installed. I know if I did it with kydex I would need to provide a channel (like you would do for the front sight) along the trigger guard for it since the laser is slightly wider then the trigger guard. Do you need to do that for leather? Anything else I should plan for to support the laser? I have done some kydex and have a press setup for that, can I use that to mold the leather? What weight veggie tanned leather should I be getting for the project? I know for a western holster people use 10oz and up in order to hold up to match use. If going a "modern" OWB holster with a reenforced mouth am I still using 10oz or is it more 8-9oz. The cowhide Kramer IWB I have measures out at 10oz for the body so is that my answer? Or do IWB's run a little heavy to keep come closing under pressure that a OWB do not have? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TwinOaks Report post Posted December 20, 2012 You'll be fine with anything between 8 and12 oz. yes you need to mold channels for clearance. Lay out your stitch lines carefully, and wrap the gun in several layers of plastic wrap before molding....this will protect the gun from moisture and give a few thousandths of wiggle room to the finished product. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattsh Report post Posted December 20, 2012 Not speaking to the "Old West" holsters, but to the more modern IWB and OWB most makers are going to use 7-8 oz leather. One member, Katsass, uses two pieces of 4/5 oz glued flesh to flesh to make his 8oz leather for the holster and it makes the holster very rigid. I can attest to it as for one of the styles I have made I used 4/5 oz glued together and it is very rigid. Even on horse hide which is more dense than cowhide I have used 6/7 oz for IWB and have not had any issues with the mouth of the holster wanting to totally collapse. It all has to do with the right methods and reading in this forum can fill you in on most of it. The rest is the hands on learning curve. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Driften Report post Posted December 20, 2012 Go it so stick with around 8-10oz total weight for the body of the holster. When using two 4/5oz bonded do you make that in advance and then treat it like its one piece of leather or do you handle it like you are adding a lining? Or sometimes one way and sometimes the other? Mattsh it looks like you treated it like one piece in your "Holster Design (long)" thread. BTW Thanks for that thread! I sure bookmarked it along with woolfe's IWB thread. Lots of great threads I am still working my way though here. Any tips for holsters for guns with mounted lasers or lights? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mlapaglia Report post Posted December 20, 2012 Go it so stick with around 8-10oz total weight for the body of the holster. When using two 4/5oz bonded do you make that in advance and then treat it like its one piece of leather or do you handle it like you are adding a lining? Or sometimes one way and sometimes the other? Mattsh it looks like you treated it like one piece in your "Holster Design (long)" thread. BTW Thanks for that thread! I sure bookmarked it along with woolfe's IWB thread. Lots of great threads I am still working my way though here. Any tips for holsters for guns with mounted lasers or lights? Yes, glue it together first and treat it as one piece. Tips for lasers and lights?? make a pattern first and expect to make some mistakes. It is one of those things that is learn as you go. Remember to consider the laser or light when measureing the thickest part of the gun for your stitch line. Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Driften Report post Posted December 20, 2012 Is there a basic rule of thumb for how far to make the stitch line from the profile of the gun based of thickness? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Driften Report post Posted December 20, 2012 Actually found a basic distance for the stitch line based off thickness on the Adams Leatherwork youtube video.... Thanks for the tip to make sure I take the laser into account in that way! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TwinOaks Report post Posted December 20, 2012 The way i learned from some of he members here (thanks K-man and BOOMstick) is half the thickness of the item + the leather thickness. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Driften Report post Posted December 20, 2012 The way i learned from some of he members here (thanks K-man and BOOMstick) is half the thickness of the item + the leather thickness. Thanks! I will keep that in mind. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IngleGunLeather Report post Posted December 20, 2012 Yes, glue it together first and treat it as one piece. Tips for lasers and lights?? make a pattern first and expect to make some mistakes. It is one of those things that is learn as you go. Remember to consider the laser or light when measureing the thickest part of the gun for your stitch line. Michael I haven't added any liners to my semi-auto holsters, only to my western rigs. When making the western rigs I stitch the liner around the top of the pocket and the toe. Why would you not do this on a lined semi-auto holster with a liner? Or am I just misenterpreting the "treat as one layer" suggestion? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mlapaglia Report post Posted December 20, 2012 I haven't added any liners to my semi-auto holsters, only to my western rigs. When making the western rigs I stitch the liner around the top of the pocket and the toe. Why would you not do this on a lined semi-auto holster with a liner? Or am I just misenterpreting the "treat as one layer" suggestion? In this case its not a liner its 2 pieces of 4/5 glued together to act as one piece of 9/10. When molding it, it works better when its glued together first. Just treat it as a single layer of 9/10 and you get the best results in this situation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LeatherLori Report post Posted January 10, 2013 Hello, Wonder if I could ask a question here for you? I'm making a shoulder vertical holster for a client, holster will be from 7/8 oz Latigo....my question is, the shoulder strap part....I was going to construct this as well with the Latigo, what's your thought for comfort? Thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Josh Ashman Report post Posted January 10, 2013 Hello Lori, my thoughts (for what they're worth) is that latigo would be a little risky for both the straps and the holster. The great thing about latigo is that it's full of oils and waxes which make it flexible, this is not generally something I want in a holster, typiically I want them to be rigid. The reason I wouldn't use them for the straps is that you would most likely end up with purple rub off on whatever was underneath them, especially if you sweat at all. I have a paint horse with a white blotch on his girth area, new latigos give him a purple stripe. after some use they quit leaving the marks. Other then the "rub off" latigo would work great for the straps. Just my 2 cents, good luck with your rig however you decide to do it. Josh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Driften Report post Posted January 10, 2013 Lori, holsters are normally made from veggie tanned leather not latigo. With out knowing which style of vertical shoulder holster you are making it hard to help more. You should also start a topic just on this question for more help... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
