1St Holster - Feedback Much Appreciated!

[hobbihorse]

Well...here are pics of my first holster. I made a paper pattern of the pistol, then transferred it to leather.

I could not fit the holster while I was making it cause the pistol is in Nevada, and I reside in California.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will fit!

[Dan28]

Looks nice to me. I hope the gun fits nicely. I've only made two holsters, both for myself and rather plain, but I don't think I could have gotten them to work if I didn't have the pistol in hand to do it.

[hobbihorse]

Thanks Dan!
Yeah, I think it was a bit ambitious of me to make my 1st holster without the pistol to fit along the way.

Did you line your holster? I lined mine with a 2-3oz chrome tanned leather, and I'm thinking that may not have been such a good idea, fit wise.

I'll know soon enough...after send it off - but since it is not a Christmas present, no need to hurry if off to the post office.

[camano ridge]

I would warn the person you are giving it to that it is lined with chrome tanned. leather. Veg tan lining is best. Chrome tanned hides contain chormium salts that may very well harm the guns finish. All though the holster looks good for the first one, you may want to just call it a prototype and redo with a different lining.

This is a qoute from a post TwinOaks made on another thread a few years back.

"Chrome tanned leather is used in a LOT of things, and about the only things you shouldn't use it on is holsters, sheathes, or anything that'll be in contact with oxidizable (rustable) metal.

The reason is that chrome tanned leather is made using chromium salts. Those salts are still present in small amounts even in the finished product and can damage the finish on metal. So, for something like a very nice pistol, or a custom knife, it'd be a bad thing to have a holster or sheath that eats the metal.
Also, chrome tanned leather does not mold, carve, stamp, etc. as well. For something like a jacket or a purse, that's okay. It isn't unusual to see a nice piece of veg tan with a beautiful carving sewn onto chrome tan in the case of a purse. "

Edited December 18, 2014 by camano ridge

[jdmracer12]

was gonna say the same thing about the chrome tanned leather. make sure they don't store the pistol in the holster for any period of time and to oil the pistol regularly.

[hobbihorse]

Camano and Racer, Thanks soooo much for your comments. This is the best darn place to learn and make mistakes. I appreciate your schooling. Next time I will line with a thin veg tanned leather...or none at all. Thanks again!!!

[Dan28]

Thanks Dan!

Yeah, I think it was a bit ambitious of me to make my 1st holster without the pistol to fit along the way.

Did you line your holster? I lined mine with a 2-3oz chrome tanned leather, and I'm thinking that may not have been such a good idea, fit wise.

I'll know soon enough...after send it off - but since it is not a Christmas present, no need to hurry if off to the post office.

I lined both my holsters with veg tanned pig skin that I dyed. My first holster was made from 10 oz leather and was probably my 3rd or 4th project. There's a picture of it in my gallery.

I didn't know about the chrome tanned leather w/ metal, so that's good to know. Although so far all I've worked with has been veg tanned leather and pig skin. Although I do have some pre colored glazed pig skin I have got from Springfield leather that I'm not sure of its tanning method.

[hobbihorse]

Hi Dan, I'll need to be more careful lining my next holsters and sheaths, cause I have lots of nice scraps, but like you don't know their tanning method!

Next time I'll have to stick to what I definitely know is veg tanned.

Thank you fellow Leathercrafters for all of your encouragement and tutoring!!

I sure love this web site. I've learned soooo much in the short time I've been reading and posting.

Hobbihorse

[snubbyfan]

Nicely dyed, tooled, designed and finished.

Only thing I can recommend other that to use veg tan for lining is the stitching.

I like to keep my stitching consistent both front and back. Just seems a bit neater.

Holsters need to be fitted precisely to the firearm. That ensures that it's held securely and doesn't move around once holstered. If I don't have the firearm, I'll get a Blue Gun to ensure a proper fit.

It'll cut into your profits but it'll ensure a proper fit and gun people notice this and are more likely to do future business with you.

[hobbihorse]

Snubby, that is some fine advice! Thank you so much!!

Fortunately, the recipient of this 1st holster is a family member, and I made it for free. I also ensured him that being my first attempt, to expect as much...HaHa.

I love the idea of getting a form - that is, if I attempt a holster again. I have to admit that it's a bit tricky for someone who does not have much firearm experience. Give me a shotgun and some clay pigeons and I'm good to go. Give me a side arm, and I'm puzzled!

[Red Cent]

Hobbi, got a question. Apparently you are hand stitching. If so, what happened with the stitches on the back of the holster? Just curious.

[snubbyfan]

Snubby, that is some fine advice! Thank you so much!!

Fortunately, the recipient of this 1st holster is a family member, and I made it for free. I also ensured him that being my first attempt, to expect as much...HaHa.

I love the idea of getting a form - that is, if I attempt a holster again. I have to admit that it's a bit tricky for someone who does not have much firearm experience. Give me a shotgun and some clay pigeons and I'm good to go. Give me a side arm, and I'm puzzled!

A handgun's the same as a long gun, just completely different.

[hobbihorse]

Snubby - you are funny. BTW, I didn;t see your holster pics when I commented earlier. Very clean. Something I can aspire to!

Red Cent - I used my new sewing machine, but with the width of the filler (ya know, that leather thingy that you put between the front and back), holster buckled a little and the machine got away from me. Bummer, that is way the back stitching is not even...soooo much to learn.

[snubbyfan]

Snubby - you are funny. BTW, I didn;t see your holster pics when I commented earlier. Very clean. Something I can aspire to!

Red Cent - I used my new sewing machine, but with the width of the filler (ya know, that leather thingy that you put between the front and back), holster buckled a little and the machine got away from me. Bummer, that is way the back stitching is not even...soooo much to learn.

That's funny, I look at some of your work and think the same thing. However, because of a peripheral motor nerve condition, I can't work a swivel knife. So, I try to do the best I can with what I can still do.

[hobbihorse]

Well Snubby,,,you have indeed mastered stamping!!

[byggyns]

You've already been told about the chrome tanned lining, so I won't beat that horse anymore. I personally have not lined any of my holsters. Just burnishing the flesh side with some water and saddle soap does pretty well for me.

Having the gun (or a blue gun) does make the fit much easier. It still is possble to mess up your stitch line spacing with the gun on hand. The last one I made for myself was just a little too tight, and makes reholstering a bit tricky. You obviously can't do any molding without it either.

That being said, I like the tooling and stamping you have going on. It looks great.

Edited December 22, 2014 by byggyns

[hobbihorse]

Thanks Byggyns. Good idea, I won't line my next holster, but will burnish instead. Likely makes a better fit(?). I've burnished the inside of a phone case, and it looked fine.

[hobbihorse]

Yeah...just got word the holster fit the handgun!!

So relieved, since I only had a paper pattern to work with.

Hobbihorse

[snubbyfan]

Now that's the way to start off a new year, good job.

Edited January 2, 2015 by snubbyfan

[camano ridge]

If you can get them to send a picture of the holster with the actual gun in it. This will allow you to do two things. It will allow you to examine how the gun sits in the holster and you can see what you may want to change on the next one. Secondly and most importantly it will allow you to post a picture so the rest ogf us can see it.

[hobbihorse]

Here is a pic of the gun in the holster. Your feedback about how it fits would be greatly appreciated, as I now have 2 requests ftom ftiends who have seen the finished product! In my opinion I could have covered the cylinder with more leather. The fellow I made it for has not tried it out and reholstered yet. However, anything your trained eye can tell me about the angle, fit, etc from the pic would be great.

Thanks!!

Hobbihorse

[snubbyfan]

Now that the gun's in it. It looks pretty good.

But.

Just a couple of personal things about fit and cut.

It looks like the rear sight's resting on the holster, I try to cut 'em so they're a little bit clear of the rear sight.

The cut of the upper resembles a traditional Mexican Loop holster.

This isn't one of mine, it was made by a member of a gun forum I frequent. He's also on this forum but hasn't posted much. He did a beautiful job on this holster but had to reduce the price way below what it's worth to get it to sell.

Notice that the cylinder's covered but it's cut down exposing the trigger. It's a traditional design for the Mexican Loop.

Personally, I prefer to keep the trigger completely covered.

This is one of mine.

I just figure it'll help to keep a persons finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. Guns can be deadly and I take great care in my holster designs with safety, secure retention and end use in mind.

But they still gotta look good.

Edited January 3, 2015 by snubbyfan

[byggyns]

I'll agree with covering the trigger on a double action revolver. That's a safety issue in my opinion.

On a single action, expose it as much as you want since it's quite hard to accidentally cock the hammer and then catch the trigger on something without noticing.

With the rear sight, You can cover it or not, your choice. I've made holsters both ways. I prefer the uncovered sight, but some people like that leather wrapped around it. The way the sight is kind of running into the edge on yours isn't what I would prefer.

It doesn't appear you have the issue here, but something to think about in future designs is the position of the grip vs. the belt. You don't want the grip in a location where you may accidentally grab the belt with it as part of the draw stroke. That's more of an issue for low-slung holsters. I figured that one out while making a pattern for a Mexican loop style for my Ruger Blackhawk.

[hobbihorse]

Great Advice. Thank you so much for the insights. I had no idea there was so much to consider in making a holster. I don't think this is something I will make for anyone other than family members or friends...there is just too much that can go wrong. LOL.

[Wild Bill46]

These experts, (IMHO) are giving valuable expertise, for sure !

But don't let your ovedrthinking deter your opinion to make another holster.

My advise is to make for another for a family member, to be sure,

---------------------- "But do it now " -----------------------------

And experience the advancements and pride you would gather from thier advise

and the great feeling you will most definately experience from not having a henderence from now on.

Just my take - Wild Bill46