Pancake holster construction

[Josh Ashman]

I think holsters built with quality leather that are designed and assembled with solid principles ride tighter. I think this applies to the flat backed holsters that Chiefjason builds as well as the 80/20 holsters that JLS makes and I believe it is equally true of a 50/50 molded holster. If you make it out of quality leather and you have a solid design and good construction it will ride tight, hold the grip in close and hold up to use very well. I don't see the flat back or molded back as being that big of a determining factor, although I certainly could be wrong. To me the more important issues would be the location of the belt slots, the cant, the weight of the leather and the location on the hide the leather came from. Add to all of this a healthy amount of attention to detail and some sewing skills (whether by hand or machine) and you'll have a great holster. You each make great holsters, I don't attribute it to whether the back is flat or not.

All the best, Josh

[chiefjason]

1 hour ago, Josh Ashman said:

You each make great holsters, I don't attribute it to whether the back is flat or not.

All the best, Josh

That first part is absolutely correct.  I've learned tons here regardless of style.  The second part is the subjective part.  And it gets into personal preferences.  I have repeat that come back because they prefer the flat back style over 50/50.  I've got some that come back mainly because I can do custom work on their odd guns, but stay because they like the holsters.  And I probably have a few that didn't like them and will not tell me.  Gotta be a couple out there.  

On the maker side, they are different to deal with.  Probably slightly more labor intensive.  And tougher to make on a production level.  Not impossible, but not as easy as a 50/50.  I think that in itself accounts for why there is a smaller number of guys making them and the cult following.  Then the cool factor of having something different.  Never count that out.  

 

IN the end, if it holds the gun safe and secure and is easy to carry; that's what a holster is supposed to be.  

[JLSleather]

On the lighter side, I don't mind sayin' what I don't like the idear of 'appendix carry'.  Somethin' bout a gun pointed at my 'pendix' that i just kaint git useta

 

[Josh Ashman]

I know everybody is built different but it seems like the gun poking into your 'pendix' when you sat down would be pretty awkward too. Sure the kind of pistol you carry could make this better or worse, but at it's best it still seems awkward to me. 

[Red Cent]

I use a vacuum to mold the outer in making a pancake holster. I have found that I can "kick" the grip out when I mold and when sewed  tight will remain that way. And I can make the grip kick in to touch the body. By kick I mean rotate in or out. Not kick the grip in and the barrel comes out. It will depend upon the attitude of the gun positioned in the leather. First, I always elevate the gun about 1/2" with a thin piece of plastic under the gun. I also use "chocks" to get the right attitude/position that I want. Second, it depends heavily on a tight to the gun stitch. I always wet mold and make a gun fit rather than drop in.

[JLSleather]

On 4/21/2016 at 9:03 AM, Josh Ashman said:

With the machine I think it's easier to stitch them up 100% then form so they are closer to 50/50.

'50/50' or curved, I stitch them both on a machine before forming

 

[Dwight]

40 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

'50/50' or curved, I stitch them both on a machine before forming

 

'50/50' or curved, I form them both, then stitch them, . . . funny thing is, . . . both ways work.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Dwight

[JLSleather]

Yep.  My  buddy Robert made holsters for 10 years before he ever used a pattern 

 

[malabar]

On 4/20/2016 at 9:37 AM, JLSleather said:

Stumbled across this picture on the web somewhere.. guy claiming that one is thicker than the other and thus his was "better".  In under a minute, let me show you why it doesn't matter

Here's the picture.  

Somebody was claiming that the one on the right was somehow "thinner" and thus "more concealable" (and it's debated on a number of gun  forums).  BUT ...

In both 'versions', the gun is the same thickness.  And there are two layers of leather, one front and one back.  And that's it.  The gun thickness plus two layers of leather, is the same either way.  While they can be made to RIDE differently, just changing which piece gets the molding will obviously NOT change the thickness of the holster.

When worn, there could be a little air space between teh wearer and the holster, especially close to the firearm.  But the holster where the gun is will be against the hip (in both cases) and the thickness is the same, so they protrude the same amount.

So what's the point?  Molding in the front panel, or molding both panels to the middle, SAME thickness.

 

Absolutely right.

The difference is the way the holster behaves.  The flat-backed holster maintains its shape better, will be more comfortable, and has better reholstering.

[Dorado]

I've heard that where the backing and the front meet makes a difference in shoulder holsters. 50/50 being more desirable. But I see little advantage to one or the other for an OWB holster in actual use. I could see that the left one would be more comfortable and possibly less likely to collapse when empty. The right one could possibly hold it tighter to the body by making the front slightly smaller. Still, I think it's six of one, and half-dozen of the other.