holster shape

[Peterk]

Hello all,

I've noticed recently that several holster makers have posted pictures on their website showing weights placed on their holster showing how stiff their holsters are and how well they hold their shape.

I've made 4 holsters so far with 7-8oz veg-tanned leather and while they are plenty stiff and retains the pistols well after molding, they are certainly not rock hard and could not withstand 15lbs sitting on them for example... Any idea how they got their holsters so rigid? One pictoral guide on a maker's site indicates that they dunk their holsters in Harness Oil after molding and dying with oil dyes, and finished with typical top coats, but they are claiming their holsters could withstand a 25 lb. weight with minimal collapse of the opening.

Thanks.

[Jordan]

Marketing Hoooey.

[Randyc]

I agree with Jordan.

Peterk

Do you happen to have links to those holster web sites. I want to experience the "Marketing Hoooey" first hand.

Randy

[Shorts]

Aw guys, come on. Its not all marketing hooey. Its a balancing act

[dickf]

If they did, in fact, support 25lbs without collapsing, that's like a hard piece of plastic on my hip all day - no thanks. I'll take the leather that gives and feels like part of me, thank you.

[ChuckBurrows]

Advertsising hooey maybe? but a heat hardened leather aka cuir bouilli leather holster probably would hold up that way...a coat or two of oil generally won't soften cb to any real degree since properly made cb actually changes the leather at the molecular level...I've made recreations of original cb armour that will in fact stop a knife stab and even a sword stroke........

as to liking it or not - one man's meat and all that....on the other hand I can't see an overwhelming need for such a stiff holster and I've made a bunch of holsters for such "hard users" as LEO's, military, and pro hunting guides over the last 45+ years......

Edited December 7, 2008 by ChuckBurrows

[Jordan]

The holsters I have made have ended up plenty hard with just wet moulding and an acrylic finish, one I had used a little thinner leather so I added a layer around the throat that keeps it open enough to reholster. Personal preference I guess, I don't plan on driving my pickup over them to test their strength though. Some people express concern that the hardness of leather will not be nice to the pistols finish, but then I see them wearing a kydex one. go figure. As with any product sellers always look for an edge in marketing, I think one should purchase an item that works for them, and try not to get influenced by advertizing too much. (virtually impossible most of the time)

[Randyc]

Advertsising hooey maybe? but a heat hardened leather aka cuir bouilli leather holster probably would hold up that way...a coat or two of oil generally won't soften cb to any real degree since properly made cb actually changes the leather at the molecular level...I've made recreations of original cb armour that will in fact stop a knife stab and even a sword stroke........

as to liking it or not - one man's meat and all that....on the other hand I can't see an overwhelming need for such a stiff holster and I've made a bunch of holsters for such "hard users" as LEO's, military, and pro hunting guides over the last 45+ years......

Chuck

I agree with you about hard users. I'm a left handed LEO and I've banged up plenty of holsters, just getting in and out of the squad. The holsters I build are plenty hard. I admit, I've never stacked steel plates on them to see how much weight they would hold. As far as the consumer goes, if I told them my holsters would support 20 lbs. of weight someone would pile on 50 pounds of weight, trash the holster, then return it for a refund. The real funny part, is I'd refund their money because a guarantee is a guarantee.

Randy

[Mike Craw]

Instead of advertising by stacking plates ON a holster, they ought to talk about retention and how it helps you hang onto your weapon in fight. In over 30 years, I never had anybody try to stack plates on me, but I've had a few try to get my gun!

Mike

[BruceGibson]

I tend to agree that it's "advertising hooey." Reasonable resistance is to be expected, but if you want to stack weights on a holster, you might want to consider Kydex--or aluminum, maybe even steel.

My primary concern, and I carry all the time, is that I'm able to draw my weapon should the need arise. If it's comfortable in the interim, that's important, too. I don't care if it can lift, or support, a steel weight or two. In fact, I'm not terribly concerned about reholstering. I've got plenty of time to reholster if I'm not dead, and how much weight the holster will carry in a holster-maker's web photos doesn't influence me in the least.

[MikePatterson]

If hard is what you want why don't you just buy a 18.00 fobus to rub the finish off your gun. I want my leather holsters to not only be comfortable but easy on the finish of a fine weapon. I think a good holster is like a pair of jeans they get better with use.

Enough of that just kinda hit a sore spot with this holster maker.

[MADMAX22]

Chuck is right as far as how strong you can get that stuff by the boiling method, I played with a piece of 8oz just for fun and put it thru several stages of heated water. Stuff by the end was like a piece of rock, totally useless but you could throw it at someone and do some damage lol. That was a fun experiment.

As far as holsters you have to think that someone once had one that collapsed on them so people started wanting a little stiffer or wanted to make sure that the holster they were getting was stiff enough not to collapse on them when they go to reholster. This probably led to sellers talking about this since the customers were "concerned" about it. So then one seller decides to put a weight on theres to show how strong it is then it snow balls into I can drive my f250 on my holsters.

Its got merit in some respects it just gets going a little to far I think, ofcourse that is the nature of things nowadays, gotta do it just to get noticed half the time lol.

[Shorts]

The reason stiffness matters is what madmax said above, the mouth collapsing and making one hand reholstering more difficult and not smooth. This isn't much of an OWB issue, though I like good and stiff. But the big thing these days is IWB. Many folks wearing IWBs want a holster that will not collapse when they pull the gun. Well I can agree and disagree. I don't think one handed reholstering matters if you ever pulled your gun in defense. Chances are you aren't reholstering anytime until the threat is stopped and you have to sort out some things anyway. BUT on the other hand, folks need to practice their draws. Lots of folks do dry fire practice at home (I am one of them). Lots of folks do live fire drills out at the range (I am also one of them). Learning to draw from the preferred method of carry is vital. And, in order to practice drawing, you have to reholster.

Now you can insert the preferred method of mouth support here. Makers have different methods like metal inserted, kydex or a leather piece.

Soooo, all in all, do your leather how you prefer. Customers talk and compare notes and yap on the internet. Some characteristics will sell a holster, some won't. It depends on the customers. The beauty of it is that we all have our own methods and we all have folks who we've supplied and made happy.

[dickf]

The reason stiffness matters is what madmax said above, the mouth collapsing and making one hand reholstering more difficult and not smooth. This isn't much of an OWB issue, though I like good and stiff. But the big thing these days is IWB. Many folks wearing IWBs want a holster that will not collapse when they pull the gun. Well I can agree and disagree. I don't think one handed reholstering matters if you ever pulled your gun in defense. Chances are you aren't reholstering anytime until the threat is stopped and you have to sort out some things anyway. BUT on the other hand, folks need to practice their draws. Lots of folks do dry fire practice at home (I am one of them). Lots of folks do live fire drills out at the range (I am also one of them). Learning to draw from the preferred method of carry is vital. And, in order to practice drawing, you have to reholster.

Now you can insert the preferred method of mouth support here. Makers have different methods like metal inserted, kydex or a leather piece.

Soooo, all in all, do your leather how you prefer. Customers talk and compare notes and yap on the internet. Some characteristics will sell a holster, some won't. It depends on the customers. The beauty of it is that we all have our own methods and we all have folks who we've supplied and made happy.

Well said!

[Peterk]

Thanks all for your comments. I have always wondered why someone would want a leather holster that hard... Being a marketing person myself I can understand and relate why you would want to find that "edge", "gimmick", "special something" to get people's attention and ultimately purchase what you're selling, so in this case, if it works for these makers then great! I just wanted to find out if there was real benefit to rock hard leather, outside of the body-building industry...

Edited December 8, 2008 by Peterk

[Shorts]

I'd like to comment on Kydex. A big plus to kydex/polymers is that the holsters can be readily equipped with locking mechanisms instead of a thumb break.

In the Open Carry and Law Enforcement communities, for example, Blackhawk Serpa holsters with the various levels of locks are very popular. I know for leather makers, Galco has tried several locking mechanisms in their lineup. A variety of retention methods is good.

I'm not posting this to open a debate on OC, kydex vs leather or best retention mechs. I'm simply posting to relay holster characteristic information