Ruger 1911 Wet Mold Holster Help!

[indidana]

A customer of mine recently bought a POS holster on Amazon. The thing was still wet and transferred dye to his hands when he pulled it out of the box! So now he wants me to make him a new one. Problem is, I have NO clue how to make this holster he wants. He offered to send the POS to me to reverse engineer a new holster, but would rather return it and get his money back. So my question is this:

Is there a pattern for this holster?

[Fredo]

Looking at the photos I think it might not be that hard to come up with a pattern for it as long as you have either a 1911 or a mold for one. The pics you posted seem to show a excess of moisture used during the molding process and since it showed up still damp I'm surprised it still held as much detail as it shows. I like the design but there sure is a lot happening on the back panel, cross draw, ambi-left or right wear, small of back?

[indidana]

I have zero holster pattern making experience.

He wants all that on the back. He says he's not sure how he wants to wear it and wants all the options to get a feel for them.

[Modad2010]

The problem with the "one holster that does everything" idea is that the one holster doesn't do anything worth a damn. You and your customer would do best to get a better idea of how he wants to carry and then go from there.

[stu925]

The problem with the "one holster that does everything" idea is that the one holster doesn't do anything worth a damn. You and your customer would do best to get a better idea of how he wants to carry and then go from there.

What he said. I'd recommend an Inside the Waistband holster as a good all around holster. He'll be able to wear it year round and still be able to conceal a full size 1911. A strong side high ride pancake design would be a good second choice but will be harder to conceal during the summer months. Of course if your customer is dead set on what he wants then build it but I think eventually he'll want to upgrade to dedicated holsters for different methods of carry and you may find that he's not at all happy with the holster you built him. Better to get it right the first time than to have him piss away money on a holster he won't use.

Stu

[longtooth]

I think i would run far away from that job. The holster seems easy but the customer seems to be the issue. I agree with the above comments. One holster to do one job. Maybe and extra set of slots so the holster can be worn on the strong side and moved over for when your sitting in the car.

[indidana]

If he wasn't a friend I wouldn't bother with the job. Hell, if my husband didn't have a 1911 I could work with on this holster I wouldn't bother with it.

I take it there's no pattern out there similar to what I'm looking for? Even without the insane number of slots on the back? Or anything remotely close to it that I can show him? Everyone tells me to do this or this or this, but I don't even know where to begin on a holster, so none of these tips, while greatly appreciated, are helping me. I need a base, a template or pattern. Somewhere to start.

[indidana]

This is what he ordered.

[Josh Ashman]

Indidana,

With all due respect there is more to building a holster then knowing how to cut, stamp, carve, dye and sew leather. If you don't know anything about holsters it's going to be pretty difficult for you to build one that works at all. The same can be said for saddles and tack, if you don't ride you have a hard time building gear that works well for its intended purpose.

That said, if you want to build a holster similar to what your friend bought I'd start with Al Stohlman's holster making book. You can get it from your local Tandy shop or it's $12.99 from Amazon. Go through the book and you'll understand how to make a holster pattern. That should get you started. Another resource you could tap into is provided by a member on this site. JLS Leather has a ton of patterns and excellent DIY info on his site. I doubt he'll have a pattern for the holster type you're wanting to make but there is enough info there to get you started.

Good luck,

Josh

[JLSleather]

Makes a fella hungry don't it, Josh... lookin at that wet noodle I mean

[Josh Ashman]

[indidana]

Josh, that's why I asked here. I was hoping someone had a tried and true holster pattern I could buy. I'm trying to exhaust all my options before I tell my friend that I can't help him.

[Josh Ashman]

Indidana,

JLS Leather does have a lot of tried and true 5" 1911 holster patterns, I think several are even free. None of them look like the holster your friend wants to try out. I agree that running with a proven design so you can focus on the actual leather work aspect of holster building is a fine idea. If you do that then pancake style holsters and avengers are probably what you're looking for. If you want a multi use, SOB, possible strongside, possible crossdraw with a thumb break and retention screw then my guess is you'll need to design it.

Good luck, whatever you end up doing.

Josh

[JLSleather]

I did put a pattern up in teh other post about this. I personally think a screw for retention is strange on this one, but each his own. I do have a "plain" one around here somewhere ....

[indidana]

Thank you both, Josh and JLS.

JLS, you're always my go-to for holsters! I checked your etsy shop soon as my friend asked me for help. I suggested he try reshaping the holster and asked what else he doesn't like about it/what's wrong with it. He said "It don't feel like real leather or smell like it and I don't know how it's going to hold up its a little than I would like too."

He wants something he can conceal, which is why I think he wants to carry it on his back, upside down like that. Mostly I think he just likes the looks of it.

[JLSleather]

AHA. I knew there was something like this around here somewhere....

1911_05ba.pdf

[indidana]

I sent him a snapshot of this one to see if he would be interested in a pancake holster.

I'll see if he'd like this one, too. Thank you!

Edited February 23, 2016 by indidana

[JLSleather]

I sent him a snapshot of this one to see if he would be interested in a pancake holster.

I'll see if he'd like this one, too. Thank you!

HEY!

Keep in mind that is available FREE over there on the big kid site It's only on etsy for those who are already over there anyway -- and etsy won't let you list it as free, so....

Just click the 'free' link below...

[indidana]

No way, I'd much rather pay you for it! I enjoy free as much as the next person, but you put a lot of work into these!

[JLSleather]

No way, I'd much rather pay you for it! I enjoy free as much as the next person, but you put a lot of work into these!

I'll pay ya 50¢ if you don't make me do paperwork I'd pay more, but tha's bout all I gots

[indidana]

Haha ok! Keep your half dollar and I'll use the link here. Thank you.

[JLSleather]

Wonderful. Maybe gitcha the Glock 42 avenger holster pattern while yer in there?

[indidana]

Why the glock?

[JLSleather]

I have no idea.

[indidana]

Bahahaha! I was thinking more along the lines of the sr9c pattern for my pistol.