Wrapping a plastic holster w leather

[Boriqua]

I am doing some work for a LEO and one of the things he asked me to do is cover his safariland holster with basket weaved leather. I saw pix of it before he sent it but didnt realize how very many contours there are in this particular holster. I have covered kydex holsters before but never anything with quite so many divots and contours. So I cant use 4/5 oz which was my original intention because of all the bends. I have some 2/3 oz which is mostly 3 oz but its goat and has a pretty heavy texture and doesnt take a very deep stamp since its so thin.

I would really like to help him out since he seems so excited about it but I am about 2 seconds from telling him I have to pass. I am worried if I ruin it I have to pay for a new one!  So ... I am here to see if anyone has any advice for making this happen. I tried small piece of leather glued to the fabric wrap and it glues up firm so I don't have to remove the wrap. When I pulled it off it actually separated the fibers and didn't come undone.

I don't think I can use a camouflage tool so I was just going to stamp an oversized piece with basketweave and trim to size. I posted a few pix at the link and one with red dots shows all the contours on just the one side. Any suggestions or advice or admonishments and warnings would be appreciated. He just wants this holster covered in black basketweave.

http://www.boriqualeather.com/safariland/

 

 

[OLDNSLOW]

I had to read your post twice, its just me today and things not registering.  I have tried doing the kydex and leather 2 different ways and neither one really worked all that well, but here is a thought.  I think that in order for this to work you will have to get the leather split down as far a you can get it, like almost 1 oz.  So my thought is, was, to do the stamping work and stamp as deep as you can on a regular piece then spilt it down as far as you can so that it will take to the contours of the holster you have to work with.  Will it work, I don't know, I have a belt here that I am working on and it started of as saddle skirting, I did the stamp work that was ordered then I split the leather so that I could line it with stainless. 

The splitter had no affect on the stamp work as the leather was very stiff and didn't take the stamping very well anyway, also when I split it I had tested the splitter with a cut from the same strap then made a slight adjustment, but It spilt the top piece a little thinner than I would have liked but it all still worked out.  Once you get the piece split down it may take to the contours, it will take some work, and you will have to work in small sections at a time, lay down small areas of glue, work the leather in that area, then more glue and so on till you get it all done.  Not sure if this all made sense and if it will help and you will maybe need to find someone in your area to split the leather for you.  And or you might find all that to much to try and do and back out, but the caveat there is 2 side it could lead to a lot more work like that or may not.  

[JLSleather]

Maybe a piece o cow already embossed with a basket design?

 

[CaptQuirk]

I would first have to question "Why"? You could likely create a duplicate out of leather that would be every bit as effective, and have the basket weave and the safety features, without making that one even clunkier.

[NVLeatherWorx]

Safariland makes holster already done like this, why the hell did he take this route?  In my years on the line (combat military and private bodyguard) I have carried several Safariland holsters that were already covered with Basketweave leather so they are readily available.  You trying to rework this thing on the aftermarket level is like asking a contractor to wait on building the foundation for your house until after the house has been built so you can add any last minute changes that you want.  Sorry, but you are now in a difficult position of trying to rework someone else's work and having not been in on the first generation product you now have to guess how to make it a second generation product.  Way too much work for what I am sure is not a very high charge.

[bikermutt07]

I wouldn't do it. Whatever that holster is for, it looks beat to death and worn out. 

Offer to make him a better one out of leather, or he can purchase a new one like mentioned above.

Just me thinking out loud.

[Boriqua]

Actually ... thanks alot fellas .. you helped to reinforce where I was in my thinking. Not knowing everything leather I thought I should ask before saying no but my gut said it was a money/time eating disaster waiting to happen. Love this place!