Forming holsters

[hwhleather]

I have seen a lot of holsters wet formed with a lot of detail of weapon showing through the leather and am trying to figure it out so I figured maybe someone on here could help. In the past when I have formed holsters I have dipped the holster in water at 160 degrees for about five seconds and then formed by hand with a bone folder and modeling spoon for around 20 minutes give or take, and I get the basic outline but I would like to see more detail, so if you have any tips or tricks I would greatly appreciate the help. Thanks!

[JLSleather]

Actually, what you describe sounds pretty good!  If you're not getting crisp detail, your leather may be either too wet or not wet enough.

 

[Dwight]

I think what the OP is referring to may be similar to this Galco holster.

In reality, . . . the forming probably does show up on the inside also, . . . but no where to the extent it shows up on this outside image.

This is simply a different form of leaves and petals, . . . vines and cacti decorating the outside of the holster.  It is molded, yes, to a certain extent with the outlines of the gun involved, . . . but it is not a perfect 3D exterior of the weapon.

If we were talking Western movies, . . . we would call this the "hollywood" effect, . . . of molding.

Don't get me wrong, . . . lots of folks like this look, . . . I just don't happen to share their passion.  I'm a bit more subdued in my work.

May God bless,

Dwight

[hwhleather]

Yes I actually was thinking something like that galco, mine is fine functionally but I do like that look.

[hwhleather]

Right now I am trying it a different way, with this one I just sprayed with a spray bottle as needed and formed with my modeling spoon and now I am baking it. I like using hot water as described above because then Its unnecessary to bake it because it dries nice and hard, but this time I wasn't using a molding prop I was using a real handgun and its not mine so I didn't want it quite so wet and with the other method I noticed edge kote coming off and getting on the gun which I don't care about on my molding props but I am not gonna do that to a real handgun, but I did wrap it in saran wrap so it should have been fine anyway.

[Dwight]

The one thing I WILL NOT DO is done in that picture:  heavily model inside the trigger guard.

A striker fired weapon "could" fire if that hunk of leather gets in there far enough, . . . and there was a somewhat interesting story about a guy a couple years ago, . . . cheap holster folded up into his trigger guard, . . . guy was rasslin' with the seat belt, . . . moved his CCW, . . . "BOOM", . . . shot him in his butt cheek, down thru the car seat, . . . thru the floor board of the car, . . . and into the blacktop.

I just leave the tunnel for the trigger and guard, . . . make it tight on the rim of the trigger guard, . . . but nothing protruding into the guard as in this photograph.

Safety is always paramount for me.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Boriqua]

I dont know if galco is using horse or cowhide but I have handled many and the leather is fairly thin. The thickness of the leather is going to make a great deal of difference in your being able to get a really tight mold like that. I have done some smaller guns using 6/7 oz and get really nice detail but I dont get the same detail from 8/9 oz. You just cant .. It wont make the same bends.

5 seconds in water sounds like it is way to long. I usually just take a roasting pan filled with water and dip and then turn over and dip. Then I stick it in a sealed plastic bag for some 30 minutes and I can bring up good tight detail using just my thumbs and a bone folder.

 

[JLSleather]

I'm gonna go with Alex here.. most of those holsters are running about 6/7 oz (and I've actually seen some like 4/5 oz!)  It's that same old tired inside radius/outside radius story I keep on tellin'... the thicker the leather, the wider the bend (which is what Alex said, just different spelling).

Personally, I want it INSANELY detailed on the INSIDE.. for grip/friction, but not maybe so highly detailed on the outside - after all the idea is concealment, not ADVERTISING

 

[Dwight]

I just finished a couple for a friend, . . . Rhodesian style, . . . at times, . . . I began to think a razor knife would be how I got my molds back.

He'll have fun getting them to "where he wants them", . . . but for now, . . . they'll hold onto the gun worse than a democrat holding his own money.

I used the old vacuum bag on all three, . . . actually broke my double stack magazine mold, . . . trying to get it out.

On the left is an H&K USP .45, . . . the right is a Glock 21.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited January 6, 2017 by Dwight
stuff I forgot

[Boriqua]

This is how I address Dwights concern about completely blocking in the trigger guard and the potential danger with strikers. I bone deeply the bottom and side of the inside of the trigger guard. but dont block in the whole thing. It helps to give a little POP to my holsters when the gun is inserted but cant activate the trigger.

 

[JLSleather]

 

I've had people ask for "no molding in teh trigger" just because they don't like the way it looks after some use, with the guard pulling at the leather fibers.