holster Stepped out of my comfort zone, and made a thing.... Holster!

[YinTx]

So I stepped way out of my comfort zone on this one.  Was pretty excited to actually complete it, and took photos before it was completely dry (just wet formed it yesterday...)

This is my first holster, and I am reasonably happy with it, but I could certainly use some pointers.  The blue gun pulls out fairly well without putting the holster on a belt, a firm pull will remove it. However, when put on a belt and on a person, you can dang near pull your pants up to your ears before it lets go of the blue gun.  I don't have the actual model to know if it does the same, but I'd suspect it does.  Will this go away with time/break in?  Or have I made it too tight?  This was a modified JLS pattern (G19 modified to fit the G17). (Thanks for the pattern!)  I used some really thick thread that I pulled through melted wax to make sure the thread would not absorb much water during the wet form process, which seemed to work, but made stitching a bear.  The thread is 132 Campbell's Satin Laid Linen thread, which to me was like stitching with a rope.  Used a CS Osborne 7 SPI iron to mark out the stitches.  I few errant stitches I'm not proud of, good thing this was the prototype!  What weight thread do most of you holster makers use?

I also watched a video where a fellow took a dauber and dunked it in the neatsfoot oil then coated the leather with it pretty liberally - while commenting that "Less is more when using neatsfoot oil."  I had always been under the impression that a *VERY* light coat was all that is needed.  Should I be putting more oil on my veg tan leather?

 

 

 

YinTx

[bikermutt07]

I think it looks great, Y. 

I saw that same video. That was one of two coats he smears on. He was certainly slathering it on wasn't he?

[CaptQuirk]

All in all, it looks really good. Being a little tight is good, and it will stretch some given time. The BlueGuns are pretty accurate representations of the real thing, except for the weight. As for the Neatsfoot, I'm kinda new to using it myself, but I don't think it will hurt if you put it on a little heavy. When it starts dripping, you may have used to much

[JLSleather]

It looks like you molded a bit inside your stitch line. Not sure just how you did it with that pattern, but the good news is that should allow it to "settle' a bit and not be so extreme on the fit (assuming you stitched on the pattern lines.

The binding when flexed is teh very nature of those "down the middle" or "50/50" pancakes (pay no attention to the 50 ninnies who will be here in a minute to say that isn't true  ).

That Sam Andrews video is the only one I've seen that was actually worth the time it took to watch it.  We don't do everything the same, but I thought the guy's presentation was pretty clear and to the point (unlike them whack jobs who think some long speeches about the Queen are fitting).  I don't oil holsters, as a rule, though I sometimes throw a dab -- NOT as much as Sam uses.  But then he's sun-baking them for a couple of days, too... so that has to be allowed for.

It will loosen up fairly quickly, and I think you got every right to be " reasonably happy with it".

Oh, just FYI.. you can actually RUIN a good piece of leather with too much oil. In teh early days, I oiled up a freshly tooled belt.  Hung it up for days.. never did come out!

 

Edited January 12, 2017 by JLSleather

[Peter Darby]

In John Bianci's video on holster making he dunks the entire holster in a vat of neatsfoot oil.   I reckon opinions vary.

[JLSleather]

41 minutes ago, Peter Darby said:

I reckon opinions vary.

And also desire for hardness (or not).  I been meanin' to see them videos someday.. for about 20-something years now

Not to badmouth some fella I aint never met, but there's a LOT of "marketing" going on there.  Seen something written about how that guy "designed" like 3,000 holsters... but then you look and see that 10 of 'em are the same, just changed one curve or line, and somebody called it a new design (not necessarily done by him, either).

 

[TwinOaks]

Y, the stitching and edges look good.  My experience with holsters is right in line with Jeff's - the leather will relax a little and you'll be fine.  If it seems to be an issue, or you're still concerned about it after a break in period,  lightly spray the inside of the holster with some water (I'm kinda presuming you didn't seal the inside).  Then, stack a few sheets of paper in the holster (to be behind the bluegun), re-insert the bluegun, and let it dry. You'll want it to be a pretty snug fit with the paper. Those few sheets of paper will give it just a little more room without changing the molding.

The only time I've ever seen a holster molded too tightly, and to the point that it wouldn't 'break in' was on this forum.  That holster *prohibited* a draw because a fellow molded the leather to match the accessory rail.  It acted just like a zipper and locked the gun in place.

My opinion on holsters is that while they shouldn't be loose, they shouldn't be as stiff as wood, either.

[YinTx]

Biker,

Indeed, slathering is a good term.  But based on all the comments, I think my "mist on some oil" is leaving things a bit on the dry side.  I'll up the oiling some, but not to that extent shown in the video. I saw a saddler using a piece of sheep skin w/wool dunked in olive oil and dragged across a piece of chicken wire before applying to rather thick leather, used 2 coats, also said "less is more."  I believe I may have taken that too literally.  Jeff, I too have over-oiled a leather strap, but it was thin veg tan (4 oz maybe) and I gave it a liberal soaking.  After 1 year on the bench to see how things went, it went into the garbage.  That is where my aversion to oiling came from.

I will wait for the leather to completely dry, and try to break it in by wearing it with the blue gun for a while so see if that does it.  If not, I will certainly try your method, Mike.  I did not seal the inside, since I don't want any product in contact with the gun... maybe just over reacting there, perhaps I should be sealing it?

Jeff, I took a closer look at the "molding inside the stitch line" comment, and I think you are referring to the trigger guard?  It looks like the contact cement was pretty aggressive there, and didn't let go back to the stitch line, which it normally does.  Not sure why it worked so well this time vs. other times, but there it is.  I'll see if I can get it to separate a bit more, perhaps that'll loosen up the grip the holster has on the blue gun!

After I get the basic form down pat, I'll make a 'purty model and see how it goes!

YinTx

[JLSleather]

2 minutes ago, YinTx said:

Jeff, I took a closer look at the "molding inside the stitch line" comment, and I think you are referring to the trigger guard?  It looks like the contact cement was pretty aggressive there, and didn't let go back to the stitch line, which it normally does.  Not sure why it worked so well this time vs. other times, but there it is.  I'll see if I can get it to separate a bit more, perhaps that'll loosen up the grip the holster has on the blue gun!

I was referring to the outside edge.  That stitch line is also a glue line... no fair putting glue inside the lines!

But like Mike said, once you get the gun out... let it dry, and then put the gun back in with a little 'wedgy' up along the slide.  Not that I've ever needed to, you understand, but aguycould maybe fold a business card the long way, lay it along the slide, and insert both gun and card so that just the edge of the card is showing at the top of the holster.  I mean.. guessing here really.. tha's my story anim stickin tuit.

 

[bikermutt07]

I think Jeff was onto something about Sam's oil method being used to sun dry the holster.

Y, your holster looks great to me.

I got to say this somewhere but didn't want to call anybody out.....

Have y'all seen the holsters Bianchi and Safariland are producing for Academy ? Uneven stitching, off center snaps, edge coat smeared all over the holster, and extremely crude groove lines.

They just looked terrible to me.

Y, your holster is miles beyond what I saw the other day at Academy. It was just sad that people were paying money for those.