Metal Reinforcement

[Red Cent]

I have done a search or two and discovered a number of posts. However, they only refer to bands and thumb break strips. The posts referred to a few gauges and types of metals.

I want to get some metal to cut into pieces that will reinforce most of the body of a holster. It seems from my research, most settle on 20 gauge SS. I have used the internet and looked at Lowes, Home Depot, and other places. Where do you folks get your metal besides the pallet banding or strips for thumb breaks?

[supercub]

Why not use galvanized steel? It is usually available in small sheets as roof and gutter flashing. Ace hardware and others carry it. Stainless will certainly work, but it is more difficult to cut and drill and the galvanized will likely last longer than the leather that covers it. It is also quite a bit cheaper than stainless. I have a very old Milt Sparks holster where the leather wore out from lots of hard use. The reinforcing throat band was made of galvanized and was in good enough condition to be used again with a new leather cover.

[Red Cent]

Don't have a problem with that. Got one close by and will check on it Monday. What is the gauge?

[supercub]

I usually use 22 ga. Galvanized for throat reinforcing bands. That is around .033". Slightly thinner should be fine as well. I've seen it at Lowes and Home Depot as well at ACE. This is the same material that many saddlemakers use to build up saddle seats. If it can take that kind of abuse, holsters are a non event.

[Dwight]

I just finished a clamshell for a friend, . . . it needed two pieces of metal reinforcement.

I used 16 ga aluminum, . . . band saw cut to shape, . . . contact cemented in place, . . . works fine.

If you need something that will be covered completely, . . . I have made some out of the 3/32 or so white plastic that is used for post sleeves. I think it is PVC, though it may be a different plastic. One thing for sure, . . . if you rough it up a bit on a sander, . . . it takes to contact cement like a duck does to water. Just remember that if you want to bend it, . . . bend it before you put it in the leather, . . . metal you can bend later, . . . the PVC has to be done first.

But boy does it work well when you do it that way !!!

May God bless,

Dwight

[malabar]

I just finished a clamshell for a friend, . . . it needed two pieces of metal reinforcement.

I used 16 ga aluminum, . . . band saw cut to shape, . . . contact cemented in place, . . . works fine.

If you need something that will be covered completely, . . . I have made some out of the 3/32 or so white plastic that is used for post sleeves. I think it is PVC, though it may be a different plastic. One thing for sure, . . . if you rough it up a bit on a sander, . . . it takes to contact cement like a duck does to water. Just remember that if you want to bend it, . . . bend it before you put it in the leather, . . . metal you can bend later, . . . the PVC has to be done first.

But boy does it work well when you do it that way !!!

May God bless,

Dwight

Dwight,

could you post us a picture of the holster?

many thanks

tk

[malabar]

Have any of y'all ever made a fast-draw holster? These typically have a steel liner in the holster to guard against a bullet in the leg. Was wondering what kind of steel you use and how you go about molding it?

tk

[Dwight]

Have any of y'all ever made a fast-draw holster? These typically have a steel liner in the holster to guard against a bullet in the leg. Was wondering what kind of steel you use and how you go about molding it?

tk

Not really sure where you got your info, . . . the only ones I've seen and used since the late 60's had a thin piece of sheet metal sandwiched between two layers of leather, . . . and the purpose was to keep the holster shaped perfectly so the handgun simply laid in it, . . . virtually zero resistance to pulling it out.

In order to have a leg guard for a full house .45 LC, . . . you would be talking about a 1/2 inch piece of plate steel, . . . and it could only be used to deflect into a different direction, . . . certainly not stop it. Add a 3 inch by 12 inch by 1/2 inch slab of steel to the back side of that holster, . . . it weighs 5 pounds.

But, . . . back to the original question, . . . the metal has to be litterally hammered into it's final shape using a metal "dummy", . . . to get the cylinder and top strap shape, . . . cover it with leather, . . . cement the edges, . . . bend and fold along the barrel line, . . . shaping it around the "dummy", . . . glue and sew the edges together with appropriate welts, . . .

Or, . . . I suppose if a person was a really good tinsmith, . . . cutting, soldering, folding, bending, . . . could produce a decent liner. Lots of work there though.

The last one I had was for a Ruger SA .357 Mag, . . . with a 6 inch barrel. It was a good holster, . . . but I also have heard of guys being thrown from a horse or just falling, . . . if the pistol pops out, . . . the holster can collapse, . . . and it becomes a real job to get the thing re-shaped.

Good luck, . . . anyone comes to me wanting one, . . . either gets talked out of it, . . . or they find another supplier, . . . they are too much aggravation for me.

May God bless,

Dwgiht

[Dwight]

Dwight,

could you post us a picture of the holster?

many thanks

tk

One clamshell, . . . as requested.

This is actually not the holster I made, . . . but is very similar to it. The one piece of metal is under the top piece of leather on the left edge of the front, . . . and a corresponding piece on the back side. Notice the metal screw, . . . it goes through both pieces as a tension adjuster.

This one is for a 6 shooter, . . . the one I made was for a 5 rounder.

May God bless,

Dwight

[malabar]

Not really sure where you got your info, . . . the only ones I've seen and used since the late 60's had a thin piece of sheet metal sandwiched between two layers of leather, . . . and the purpose was to keep the holster shaped perfectly so the handgun simply laid in it, . . . virtually zero resistance to pulling it out.

In order to have a leg guard for a full house .45 LC, . . . you would be talking about a 1/2 inch piece of plate steel, . . . and it could only be used to deflect into a different direction, . . . certainly not stop it. Add a 3 inch by 12 inch by 1/2 inch slab of steel to the back side of that holster, . . . it weighs 5 pounds.

But, . . . back to the original question, . . . the metal has to be litterally hammered into it's final shape using a metal "dummy", . . . to get the cylinder and top strap shape, . . . cover it with leather, . . . cement the edges, . . . bend and fold along the barrel line, . . . shaping it around the "dummy", . . . glue and sew the edges together with appropriate welts, . . .

Or, . . . I suppose if a person was a really good tinsmith, . . . cutting, soldering, folding, bending, . . . could produce a decent liner. Lots of work there though.

The last one I had was for a Ruger SA .357 Mag, . . . with a 6 inch barrel. It was a good holster, . . . but I also have heard of guys being thrown from a horse or just falling, . . . if the pistol pops out, . . . the holster can collapse, . . . and it becomes a real job to get the thing re-shaped.

Good luck, . . . anyone comes to me wanting one, . . . either gets talked out of it, . . . or they find another supplier, . . . they are too much aggravation for me.

May God bless,

Dwgiht

We have a couple of guys who want to start a fast-draw competition at our club, and they asked me if I could make holsters for them. They said that the holsters had a thin steel core that could deflect the light-charged bullets that are commonly used for fast draw. So I'm just repeating the info I was given.

thanks for the clarification.

tk

[Red Cent]

Dwight, some holster makers in the Fast Draw realm actually make holsters out of fiberglass. No leather lining. A bunch of them make steel lined fast draw (real fast draw rigs)rigs that has zero tension on the gun. The handgun just lays there uninhibited until you go to work.

"The holster also has Mernickle’s SAFELEG bullet deflector to protect the shooter’s leg in the event of a premature discharge. As stated earlier, the holster is fully steel lined, and provides a rigid pocket for the gun that doesn’t hinder the draw."

http://www.gunblast.com/Mernickle-FastDraw.htm

I had the wife pick up a piece of sheet metal in 18 gauge. Ain't no way I will attempt to shape that inside of leather. I bought a roll of aluminum and two sheets fits between 22-24 gauge. Good enough.

[Dwight]

Malabar, . . .

Just for kicks, . . . I checked Ebay, . . . this is like the one I had:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bianchi-FastDraw-Left-hand-Black-Leather-Steel-lined-Holster-Cowboy-Western-SASS-/251520540033?pt=US_Holsters&hash=item3a8fcadd81

As you can see, . . . lots of steel molding must be done before the leather goes on it. I don't remember the guys name, . . . but he is the one who always beats Marshall Dillon to the draw on Gunsmoke, . . . he is the "grandfather" of the steel lined fast draw holster.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Josh Ashman]

Mernickle holsters notes on their website that the steel lining is to deflect wax bullets only. With that being the case I imagine any thin metal lining would probably work although you might want to do some Mythbuster type testing on something other than your leg. As for forming the metal I'd think it would be relatively easy, basically the same thing as a metal reinforced opening on a carry holster only run it across the back fairly far down.

I'm sure the Mernickle holsters are great but looking at the pictures on their site I think there is probably a high level of marketing involved which probably applies to the leg shield as well.

There's my 2 cents, it's worth just what it cost you!

Best regards, Josh

[camano ridge]

Dwight, that would be Arvo Ojala, he taught most of the western stars of that era how to shoot, as well as developing many of the fast draw rigs.

[malabar]

Dwight, Red Cent, Josh,

thanks for the insight. makes more sense now. i'll have to get started on this soon.

tk