New to leather and want to make a holster

[JLSleather]

26 minutes ago, Boriqua said:

 so its a SAFE carry and has sold enough to have had his designs field tested. If not .. make your holster and post it up here for feedback.

I see things posted for top dollar on ebay and etsy that are patently unsafe. They added some stamps and maybe they did some dye thing but anyone who really knows instantly knows it isnt safe.

Yeah, I've made a few   And a LOT of others have made holsters with those patterns, testin' 'em even further.  Honestly, I'm with Alex here - some holsters you see listed as "handmade", "custom" and/or "top"... may well have been made by someone who has no idea what to do with a firearm.

If you want to make holsters, START with my free download "about holsters", which will give you some plain english points to remember -- things that might be common sense (and SHOULD be) but don't hurt to mention anyway

http://www.jlsleather.com/sdm_downloads/about-leather-holsters/

 

Edited May 23, 2016 by JLSleather

[byggyns]

I have to echo the thought above that said to try out a class at a local Tandy. My entry into the hobby was a holster making class at my local Tandy. I paid $65 for the class, and left with a great quality holster, spare leather, and supplies. Then, I had to buy tools to make my next holster. 

Now, I'm way down the rabbit hole, and have spend lots more money on leather, tools, books, and other supplies. My $65 holster making class resulted in hundreds (thousands?) of dollars and tons of hours of commitment. I have made several holsters, knife sheaths, and many other things for myself and others. It's a great hobby, and you will probably enjoy it.

Your first one will not look as good as the one you see there, but you can build a very functional holster on your first one. As you make more, and if you design them yourself, you will learn much more about how you can build holsters for many other carry styles than you have carried before. (I have a box full of prototypes now.) I've learned so many things about what not to do (and what to do) regarding comfort and access to the handgun.

[plinkercases]

I started back up after monkeying around with some real bad holsters when I was a kid. I made some Epipen cases for my kid and I and then found my old airgun and was off to holster land again!! and I have a lots of prototypes lying around too....  JLS's primer sheet has a lot of key safety points in an visual excellent summary.

Here are a few books which also give lots for good practical observations on what makes a good (safe and useful) holster not withstanding any fancy tooling or dying.. which comes after the holster design and construction is safe and solid.

Blue Steel and Gun Leather - John Bianchi

Holsters for Combat and Concealed Carry - R.K Campbell

Gun Digest Book of Holsters and other Gun Leather - Roger Combs

[Boriqua]

Here is the funny thing .... I never wanted to make holsters! I grew up in the oppressive state of NY. While there were plenty of guns no one was looking for holsters. I spent my whole time making leather mostly for motorcycles with a strong secondary in horse stuff and bags. Messenger bags, man bags, purses. Occasionally some saps. I have riding motorcycles since forever so it was a normal fit.

After moving to Arizona I got asked to do a holster for a friend, then another friend, then their friends and before I knew it I didnt have time to make anything but holsters. I have several bags cut up and ready to be sewn up for months now but I cant keep a holster on my shelf so I became a holster maker somehow. Not complaining mind you but I think there is a little more room for creativity in bags and journals and such so to keep myself interested in holsters I am always looking for a little twist that will make it interesting for me to do or trying to emulate someone elses great work. I will get that stamping thing down if it kills me.

Edited May 25, 2016 by Boriqua

[Steve75]

Right there with you on the whole stamping thing, Boriqua.  There are a couple of good tutorials that are that opening page of this section of the forum.  Brazos has a good one on how to make the Mexican Loop style holster.  I have used it with success.  I will echo the sentiment on Stohlman's How to Make Holsters book.  

Both give a run down of the basics of making a pattern.  I started with Stohlman's book and made a couple of holsters from it before I moved on to attempting to emulate designs I saw in movies or pictures.  

A word of caution though this hobby will get expensive quick if you enjoy it as the rest of us do.

[snubbyfan]

I've got a YouTube Channel where I post video series on the leather stuff I make.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOM3hbruUKHov9kquIxXKlA/videos

Just click on "playlists" for my build series.

Everything I make is hand stitched and often I start with pattern making.

This is just how I do it and not how it's done.

I recommend that you check other leatherworker's videos.

Maybe you'll find a technique or process that you like better.

[Toney]

this HTML class. Value is https://youtu.be/7Lk

 

 

Shootersshop holster pattern 101 and 102 on YouTube got me going

[JLSleather]

Yer link got boogered Toney... think it was this one? 

 

That big feller takes a bit ta gitta the point, but I speak a little Texan due to friends down that way so I was evenshally ableta foller it

 

Edited May 28, 2016 by JLSleather

[JLSleather]

I been trying to get some of the questions I get asked put down where's a fella could git at it.  Aint gotta stop what yer doin ta find a video, and such.. or even get to a web site to read that 'thing' again.  

So, on my site are some basic principles for makin basic holsters. Aint' gotta the fancy stuff as yet... wont' stop rainin' up this way.  Still, a guycould download a pdf in about a minute that would walk a fella right through layin out his own holster.

Check it out, download one for later, one for your Ma, all free

http://www.jlsleather.com/diy/pattern-making/leather-pattern-holsters/