Flat Back Holster Help

[40Rock2]

So I would like to try making flat back holsters and I am not sure how. Recently I have been playing around with making the front piece larger than the back piece. This forms a pocket which helps but does not get me all the way to a flat back.

-Do you mold/form the entire front half first? If so do you use a press? if so what type and thickness of foam?

-Do you use an oversize cut out of the gun to press around the form?

-If the front is molded first can you stitch on a walking foot machine?

Any Help would be greatly appreciated.

Tony

Edited February 25, 2015 by 40Rock2

[cgleathercraft]

Made one for my P22. don't have a picture of it but I wrapped it up in plastic wrap just enough to keep the moisture from getting to it. then placed it on top of a 1x6 piece of wood in a vacuum bag. Sucked it down tight like I was packaging deer meat and let it set for about 30 minutes while i poked it in a few places with a bone folder to help the leather bend around and get into tighter spaces (trigger guard, ejection port). Cut the bag open and left everything in place to dry.

What I learned -

1. make sure the smooth side of the vacuum bag is against the leather. The texturing those bags have are a pain to work out.

2. a couple more layers of plastic wrap wouldn't have hurt. Almost too much retention. I plan to try it again someday after more pressing projects get completed (no pun intended)

3. DO NOT FORGET to make a channel for the front sight.......if i'm not careful it will rack the slide and kick a round out on the ground

[40Rock2]

Thanks, I have never tried vacuum forming but I do have the equipment for that. I will give that a try.

[Red Cent]

cgleathercraft, are you molding the front piece only?

[40Rock2]

Come on Red Cent, I thought I saw you post recently that you are making flat back holsters. What's a guy have to do to get some pointers?

[Dwight]

Sounds like you have the process in hand.

That's the way I do it, . . . but use a cutting board instead of the 1 x 6.

First one I ever did, . . . I thought I was going to have to resort to surgery to get my weapon back.

May God bless,

Dwight

[cgleathercraft]

cgleathercraft, are you molding the front piece only?

Yes

but use a cutting board instead of the 1 x 6.

I used what i had. cutting board would work better though. more surface area for the leather to rest on. Mine wrapped a little on the edges of the wood, made it a pain to get those edges molded correctly.

[chiefjason]

The back is the size and pattern of the holster. The front is oversized on the sides and bottom enough so that it can be molded and still cover the back piece.

Use a regular dummy or the real gun to mold. Mold it all the way down to the table. it will be plenty tight. Like Dwight said, getting the gun out is a 2 handed operation sometimes. But they break in quick and carry very comfortably.

Never tried a walking foot. Could not get the BOSS 1 I had on loan to ever work though. Part of that was the shorter throat. Still hand stitching mine.

I adjust and glue the 2 pieces together after drying them.