Reinforced Top Straps For Iwb Holsters

[Red Bear Haraldsson]

Brooks125 asked: Does a rawhide insert work well, or will I need to get spring steel or some other insert? I've heard some people use pallet banding, but does that really retain the shape well enough long term?

--When does it get formed, Dwight?

Biggyns says: As someone with generous dimension in the waist, I can confirm that a IWB holster without reinforcement will collapse at the mouth.

--Methinks your urban myth might not be such a big myth.

Biggyns again: As far as another option to consider for between the layers of leather at the opening, kydex is one I would look at. It comes in several thicknesses, is easily molded with a heat gun or toaster oven

--Again, Dwight, when does it get molded into the holster shape?

Dwight, how will you sew it flat with a formed piece of plastic in it? Or, would you sew it flat and THEN form the plastic you just encased in leather?

You have no idea what I have made and what I have not, all you have is your opinion of my opinion.

You may sew on a machine, I do not. All of the people I have learned from sewed by hand. If I used your logic and counted you among the people I have learned from, I could then say, straight-faced, that only about 10% of people use sewing machines.

Do you cinch your belt as tight as I do? As tight as Biggyns does? Biggyns has trouble with his IWB holster folding closed, you appear not to have this trouble.

You do not keep your gun in your holster, I do. My carry gun spends about 85% of the time inside its holster, so no, I do not think it any kind of stretch.

You put your gun in your holster after you cinch your belt. I put the holster, with the gun in it, on my belt and then cinch it up.

Who is right? Who is wrong? Who says?

I like you, Dwight, it is my opinion that you give pretty good advice. If your opinion is that my advice is not worth listening to, that's fine, I already have that as a disclaimer in my sidebar.

Vaya con Dios,

Auf Wiedersehen,

Red Bear

[Toney]

I don't like the rap around stiffeners cause its just another edge to dig into your side.

[JLSleather]

By nature, things at rest tend to stay at rest SOME of the problem with collapsing holsters is from the vast majority of them being built (and sewn) flat, and then formed.

If you take a flat piece of spring steel (or banding) and bend it, it will try to return to it's original (flat) condition. But formed leather isn't the same. It largely stays where it's formed.

Apparently, many people "hope" (translated: tell themselves) that stitching two layers of leather together and then folding creates this "spring' effect to hold a holster open. Which it does until it's wet. Don't think so? If you've ever made a belt, maybe you've folded the buckle end over. Hold up a strap, fold the last few inches down with your thumb. Take your thumb away,the leather snaps back. But wet the leather, still folds, but doesn't return.

Two lighter layers stitched together DOES make a stronger, firmer construction that one thick layer, so there is some benefit gained from stitching two layers and then forming - firmer than a single layer due to each layer pulling against the other.

But if you want a holster to stay open - as in that's a major consideration for that holster -- then it should be constructed on a curve approximately matching the finished curve, and glued / stitched that way.