First Holster - Please Give Your Critique.

[MDH Leatherworks]

Hi All,

It's been a while since I posted anything here. Been away from the bench for a while so I decided to try my hand a my first holster to motivate me to get back into Leatherworking. This is an OWB holster for my Government size 1911. I learned a lot during the last couple of days making this. I want to improve - please give me your critique on what I can change up for my next holster.

[camano ridge]

If that is your first holster, good job.

[olds cool]

I agree, very nice work

[Josh Ashman]

Nice job!

[SooperJake]

Very nice for a first!

[MDH Leatherworks]

Thank you guys - I appreciate It!

There has to be something that you guys see that I can improve on. Don't be scared - you won't hurt my feelings.

[Eaglestroker]

If I had any critique, it would be to mold the belt loops around a belt. This helps with the break in process as well.

WAYYYY better than my first piece, or second, or tenth. Great work!

[shooter55]

Very nice job. To chime in with Eaglestroker, it really does help when you pre-contour for the fit. My method is after it is molded and ready to dry, with the blue gun still in the holster, I take a piece of wood 1 ½" wide, ¼" thick and about 12" long and run to through both loops. I then press the wings flat against the wood where it is inserted. It will dry with a natural curve that fits the side a little better for break-in. I have a personal preference to double stitch around the gun, but single is OK too. If this is your first holster, you're on the way to being a pretty good maker. Looks like you pay attention to detail.

Keep it up.

Edited March 11, 2014 by shooter55

[Dwight]

Good holster for your first one, . . . the initials on the back is a nice touch, . . . as well as the model, . . . some folks need that.

On your sweat shield, . . . you beveled the hair side, but not the flesh side, . . . so when you burnished it, . . . a hard lip formed on the gun side of the sweat shield. Take a spoon, . . . put your thumb in it, . . . and work out those hard lips. Believe it or not, . . . after finishing them really good, . . . they can be sharp enough to cut you.

The only other thing I saw is a common one for new pancake makers. Your slots are not parallel. Both are angled in so that they sort of point toward the muzzle of the gun. It usually is not a problem, . . . but if the length of your slots is "just enough" for the belt, . . . it will put the belt on a bind behind it. It also makes it very hard to put on if the slots are only "big enough" for the belt, . . .

May God bless,

Dwight

[olds cool]

Dwight, I don't mean to highjack the OPs thread but hopefully this will help a few people in the long run. I've always been under the impression that angled slots were done for two main reasons: 1) It gives the belt more leather to hold onto underneath it, helping to keep the holster where you want it and 2) It helps spread out the load so you aren't stressing a particular area of the leather.. I agree that the slots have to be cut a little longer in this case though to make up the difference of the cross section of the belt. Am I totally off base here?

[Dwight]

Well, I suppose one could follow that line of thinking, . . . but the overall effect would I think be minimal.

The down side is that it also makes the overall holster longer, . . . which can be a pain, trying to fit it exactly where you want it on a belt, considering the belt loop placement. Diagonal slots take up more belt room, . . . leaving less for adjustment.

Plus, . . . I think if you look at most of the production makers, . . . they're really close to parallel, . . . if they aren't.

May God bless,

Dwight

[MDH Leatherworks]

Thanks guys for the great input! I didn't even think about wet forming the belt slots - but it makes sense. I'll try that on the next one. I thought about double stitching the gun but I hand stitch everything so for my first holster I didn't want to bite off to much.

What do you guys think about stitching around the belt slots?

Please keep the constructive comments coming - I appreciate all of them.

[Dwight]

What do you guys think about stitching around the belt slots?

Personally, I don't do it, . . . never had one come apart yet.

SOMETIMES, . . . it adds to the look, . . . but especially if you are hand sewing, . . . lots of extra work for a minimal return.

May God bless,

Dwight

[shooter55]

"What do you guys think about stitching around the belt slots?"

MDH,

Have done them in the past by hand and machine. Not as a general rule though. As Dwight says, "adds to the look" , but if glued and burnished correctly, should not separate.

[JLSleather]

I like it Personally, I do like the belt slots stitched, but just for cosmetics. Your rig looks GOOD !

[Jumpout]

Good looking holster.

[MDH Leatherworks]

Thanks guys - I really appreciate the input !