Holster advice

[ETW Grumpy]

I made a chest holster using instructions that JLSLeather made available on his website for free. Thanks for that brother. I evidently cut it a little wide and I need some advice about which way I should go to fix my mistake. Should I trim the edge until it's closer to the stitch line or add another stitch line to kind of fill in the space? I also have to trim the safety strap

[bikermutt07]

Is that a 3" gp100? I love those.

I would trim it if it were me. I'm not much on suggestions because I'm still kind of green myself.

Let me add. It looks like you have plenty of room in the holster so this may be an option..... Put another line of stitches closer to the gun. Slice off along the outside stitching and then wet mold the holster, sand and burnish the a edge.

That's what I would do.

Looks like you're off to a great start.

Edited October 12, 2016 by bikermutt07

[ETW Grumpy]

Thanks bikermutt. It's actually a 2.5" Ruger Alaskan 44 Mag. It's a chunk.

[bikermutt07]

I don't want to shoot it then. Cheers

[JLSleather]

Yeah, IF you can 'get away with it', you got plenty of room there.  I'd prolly cut teh stitchin' and restitch closer to the gun.

Damp the leather - dont need to dip it, just damp it a bit with a sponge or rag almost wrung out - and do it ALL OVER the whole thing.  Then use a bone folder, or spoon, or whatever, to outline the shape under the gun.  

Since it's a chest holster for "bush whackin", I likely would NOT wet form it. or at least not like "detail" it.  Then cut just (barely)  inside the stitchin' you got on there, glue about 1/4" in from the seam edge, and re-stitch about 1/8-3/16" from teh edge.

Note some folks don't glue, but I do.  Each his own, but makes me feel all better

 

[ETW Grumpy]

Ok,  I understand what you're saying about wetting and forming it a little but I'm a little confused with the rest of it.

1 hour ago, JLSleather said:

 I'd prolly cut teh stitchin' and restitch closer to the gun.  

I don't know what you mean by cut the stitchin'. Once I wet and shape it I should put another stitch line closer to the gun,  yes?

 

1 hour ago, JLSleather said:

Then cut just (barely)  inside the stitchin' you got on there, glue about 1/4" in from the seam edge, and re-stitch about 1/8-3/16" from teh edge.

This is the part that confuses me. Cut the existing edge off? Sorry, I'm a little slow on the uptake. Thanks for your input.

[JLSleather]

If you damp the leather, you can press it in with your thumb (or the handle of an edger, for example) and get a clear line of the edge of the gun.  Just enough to show you the outline through the leather (pressure will likely burnish the leather, which is up to you).  Only reason to dampen the whole thing is to avoid spots or water marks.

Then just stitch a bit back from this line (and parallel to it).  If it's already glued up to the gun, then just add the stitch line and trim the back,.  If it's not glued inside your stitch line, then cutting the stitch line will allow you to move in AND glue in there.  For the type of holster, it might be good to not have it tight fitting, but you have plenty of room there.

 

[ETW Grumpy]

OK, that makes sense. I'll give that a shot. Thanks.

[JLSleather]

I think that as a rule with revolvers, most guys take a piece of the leather the thickness you'll use, and wrap it around the gun to measure from behind the trigger guard all the way back to that same point.  OUTSIDE this point you can put in whatever shape and style you like, but this will give a guy a real good idea how much leather to start with.

 

[ETW Grumpy]

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind for the next one. I used your Avenger DIY instructions to figure the stitch lines based on the width of the gun at various points. Not bad for the first time. Here's what it looks like now. JLS, thanks for your input.

[rccolt45]

Hey were did you find this pattern from again?

[DuncanSinclair]

16 hours ago, rccolt45 said:

Hey were did you find this pattern from again?

It looks like this may be close.... https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/tac-m7-system-pattern-pack

[ETW Grumpy]

Sorry guys, I've been away from the forum for a while. Rccolt45, I used JLSLEATHER'S instruction sheet on making your own pattern and kinda figured it out as I went.  thanks for the suggestions and input y'all.

Levi