Questions Posed On Another Forum

[Red Cent]

Interesting to note that a quality holster must include detail boning.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=755499

[Red Cent]

No comments? I wanted to answer the posts but I thought better of it. It is difficult to understand the thought process that equates boning with quality. No, I do not bone. I thumb press. I get a little detail on stuff that are not cowboy.

Hey, I learned something. The customer is always right. But, I knew that.

[camano ridge]

Red, I do not believe that detail molding is a sign of a good holster. I think it some waht tends to be a marketing ploy and to compete with Kydex. With kydex you mold the thermal plastic around the gun and the lines show when pressed. There is a little bit of a cool factor when you can more or less see the pistol through the leather so to speak. How ever I have seen some very detail molded holsters that I would not give two cents for. Those holster were made of 5-6 oz leather so they could get very detailed lines showing through. That light of leather is not going to hold up for the long haul. On the other hand look at the holsters Katsass (Mike) makes, two layers 5oz laminated together. No detail molding on the outside However they are quality holsters with plenty of retention. I make my holsters similar to his. However If a customer requests the detail molding I will do it and use 7 - 8 oz leather and tell the customer that I am using lighter leather to give them what they request. Any properly made holster can be properly molded to give adaquate retention without detail molding. On my holster when I mold them you may not see the detailed lines on the outside, however you can look inside and see the lines of the gun impressd into the holster. That is where the retention is. I have seen some holsters over molded, they did everything they could to get those wondeful detailed lines only to realize that it was very dificult to get the gun out of the holste. Really the detailed boningand molding is the advent of the last few years.

There have been many good quality holsters with retention made prior to the detailed molding and boning craze. Any one that says you don't have proper retention with out the detail molding and boning does not know what makes a quality holster. Just my opinion.

Edited July 28, 2014 by camano ridge

[chiefjason]

I do it because I like the look of it. And I prefer to do things I like. Lucky for me, other folks like it too.

[IngleGunLeather]

Agghhh.....work computer is blocking me. In Afghanistan, can someone elaborate or copy n paste on the original post link for me?

[Eaglestroker]

I think the argument from a discerning customer would/could be that if you take the time to go through that process, it would imply that your work is detail oriented. Not everything is black & white as is evidence by the large variations in workers just on this page there is a ton of styles. Customers have more options for small job shops, hobbyists, and all the way to larger production based shops than ever before in the gun world so they are allowed to be picky. While you can try your best to educate the customer on what specific function particular things and try to guide in the best direction for them with a good majority you won't change his/her mind.

If you are seeking confirmation for the direction you've chosen that's probably the wrong reason to ask, as your opinion is already made.

My holsters don't/won't feature a detail boning outside of close friends gear. Don't like it, slows me down, and I'm just not that good at it. The latter would change with experience *but* I prefer to send them to folks that do that style of work rather than attempting to be everything to everybody. That was a tough lesson for me at first.

Best advice I can give is do the best piece you can every time, don't be afraid to say no, and keep a reliable turn around. Do that and no matter what molding process you choose you'll have more work than you want.

[rickybobby]

I use a press to get the holster imprint and then "chase" a couple of the major lines of the pistol.

I smooth around the stitch lines next to the gun and press the ejector post to "show it off" and that is about it.

I have seen leather that has been detailed to the gun, all ridges, grooves, almost the texture. I admire their work/time involved but it is not for me.

[rawcustom]

This is obviously a matter of opinion so what is "better" lies in the eye of the beholder. I would caution against writing off the detail work as meaningless or labeling it strictly a bells and whistle feature. Fine embellishment is what most of us are in it for or at least gravitate towards. First steps are learning to make something functional and durable, at least for me, but fine embellishment has always set apart the craftsman from the commercial alternative. If you throw the boning under the buss then so you should stamping, carving, dying (especially in pattern), inlays, creasing, and most any other work that goes beyond simple function.

[JLSleather]

I usually leave the mag release exposed. I know some folks won't use a holster that doesn't cover it so - I know HOW and will cover it is requested. I actually saw one (just one) that when holstering the weapon you'd 'chuck' the mag!

As for hard-line detail, I like what's reasonable. I saw a pic the other day (though didn't see the actual item) that was formed down so tight that the pin on the other side that rides the slide lock was pressed up (like a pic of the weapon). You'd have to SHOW me, cuz unless I see it I wouldn't believe that's not a pain in the butt to get the gun out.

Oh, and which of us hasn't followed someone's link and found "holsters" so loose they'd fly out without some kind of snap/strap get-up ...

Edited July 28, 2014 by JLSleather

[Red Cent]

Thanks for the responses but the fact still remains that the customer associates detail/boning and quality. And they believe it is necessary for proper tension. Glad that the cowboys know better. Building a good cowboy holster demands that enough tension is provided to endure full out running and abrupt stops but still allows a smooth and quick draw. Neither Mernickle or Kirpatrick bone their leather.

Seems it is centered around the concealed carry bunch. Now were did I put that deer antler............

[chiefjason]

Thanks for the responses but the fact still remains that the customer associates detail/boning and quality. And they believe it is necessary for proper tension. Glad that the cowboys know better. Building a good cowboy holster demands that enough tension is provided to endure full out running and abrupt stops but still allows a smooth and quick draw. Neither Mernickle or Kirpatrick bone their leather.

Seems it is centered around the concealed carry bunch. Now were did I put that deer antler............

The difference between what folks think and what is can be amusing. Detail boning can actually increase retention, but not always in a good way. And not always long term or consistent. And it's not necessary for "proper" retention, but we know that. I think CC folks like that "snap" when the gun locks in at the trigger guard and ejection port. But sometimes that snap can make for a difficult draw. And when those areas stretch, that snap goes away too. Probably also why the SASS guys don't want it. Too much of a chance to snag something with no real benefit to them. Plus it's easier to do on Semi's than revolvers.

Like Eaglestroker said, don't try and be everything to everybody. Do what you know and what you like. I've sent guys to other makers because I did not have the skill set or time to deal with what they wanted.

[Dwight]

Red, I do not believe that detail molding is a sign of a good holster. I think it some waht tends to be a marketing ploy and to compete with Kydex. With kydex you mold the thermal plastic around the gun and the lines show when pressed. There is a little bit of a cool factor when you can more or less see the pistol through the leather so to speak. How ever I have seen some very detail molded holsters that I would not give two cents for. Those holster were made of 5-6 oz leather so they could get very detailed lines showing through. That light of leather is not going to hold up for the long haul. On the other hand look at the holsters Katsass (Mike) makes, two layers 5oz laminated together. No detail molding on the outside However they are quality holsters with plenty of retention. I make my holsters similar to his. However If a customer requests the detail molding I will do it and use 7 - 8 oz leather and tell the customer that I am using lighter leather to give them what they request. Any properly made holster can be properly molded to give adaquate retention without detail molding. On my holster when I mold them you may not see the detailed lines on the outside, however you can look inside and see the lines of the gun impressd into the holster. That is where the retention is. I have seen some holsters over molded, they did everything they could to get those wondeful detailed lines only to realize that it was very dificult to get the gun out of the holste. Really the detailed boningand molding is the advent of the last few years.

There have been many good quality holsters with retention made prior to the detailed molding and boning craze. Any one that says you don't have proper retention with out the detail molding and boning does not know what makes a quality holster. Just my opinion.

I couldn't have said it better, . . . so here it is a second time: what ^ ^ ^ ^ he said ^ ^ ^ ^

May God bless,

Dwight

[jfdavis58]

I have my own preferences and that's where they shall remain. I find it ironic that the group most wanting of detailed boning is the concealed carry crowd. First it is never going to be seen except by the user (at least it shouldn't be) and two, if seen the boning removes all doubt as to what it contains. Just 2 cents...