another Flat back question

[Boriqua]

Its funny but when I started I made all my pancake style holsters flat back and some guys "in the know" told me I was doing it wrong. I have long ago found out they were wrong but still 90% of the holsters I make now are 50/50.

I have a request to do a flat back but with a design stamped design on the front. On my holsters I do a fair amount of forming and boning to the back of the holster just to get more friction but the front is left fairly smooth. I am careful with my stitch lines so the holsters are always tight and they are in service for many years and work.

With a flat back I would normally add the forming and whatever boning to the front to make up for the lack of contact patches on the back. I am torn between trying to sell the individual a 50/50 .. which he doesnt want .. or tell him it has to be designless or  .. do you think I can get a good fit, safe holster with a flat back and a somewhat smooth front.

Here is what he wants but flat back... this one is 50/50

Edited March 11, 2017 by Boriqua

[chiefjason]

Time to edjumicate him on what you do and why.  I don't buy the "customer is always right" when it comes to carrying a deadly weapon.  There are simply things I will not do, you can't convince me to do, I can't do, or you can't pay me to do.  Mainly because I'm the one handling guns and leather nearly every day.  

My best advice, take some time to explain the process.  Pros and cons.  Which works best for his needs.  Most folks are pretty open to ideas coming from the "professional".  My experience tells me the one's that are not open to hearing you out are not the ones you want to do business with.  It rarely ends well with me at least.  

If you go for it, I would mold the front completely with no boning at all.  Then find a way to tool the flat spots on the slide and trigger area and maybe connect them with some shading or less defined tooling.  And instead of tooling inside the stitch line like above, I would tool outside it where it's flat.  

Good luck.  This is one of the reasons I have not gotten into tooling.  

[Boriqua]

Thanks Chief. I am with you 100% and have turned down a ton of custom orders because I didnt think what the person wanted was a safe design and encouraged them to find someone else. This is actually a line from my ad's

Quote

First and foremost I build a quality holster. My construction, materials and pattern designs will rival any of the big names and mass produced holster. I never forget that its primary mission is to SECURELY hold a firearm. Its a big responsibility and I take it seriously.

There are designs I just wont do because forgetting about any litigation .. I am a prideful man and will not be the one responsible for someone getting hurt due to my failure. Sooooo .... I told him it is probably fancy design or solid color. I must have a dozen colors out there and at least half a dozen thread colors and I am sure I can make a beautiful flat back even without the stamping.

[SLP]

I have tried this with a 50/50 holster. Little to no boning. Very tight stitch lines. Cheap vacuum press, but works very well. I recommend deep tooling. Check out this guy. 

http://www.roarockit.com/skateboard-building/thin-air-press/tap-kits/thin-air-press-kit-26x28/#.WMXL0ctlDqA

 

[Boriqua]

Thank you SLP but I dont have any problem with tooling 50/50 holsters and making a tight good fitting holster. I have a few hundred out there that have been going strong for years. Not being the keeper of all knowledge I wanted to see if anyone did a flat back and felt comfortable with the security without doing a fair amount of forming to the front. I didn't think it was a great idea but you never know what someone else has accomplished or tried that you didnt think of.

Vanity and narcissism is the surest way to get old and stale and stay ignorant. I dont want to be THAT guy.

Great looking holster by the way! From what I can see it looks like you have some nice burnishing there as well.

Alex

[SLP]

I have not done this with a flat back holster. I guess that my point was, with a vacuum press, you can get even pressure over the tooling area and therefore some molding without destroying the tooling, provided that the tooling is deep enough. Thanks for your praise. It means a lot coming from such a skilled craftsman and artist such as yourself. I, however, was less than pleased and fairly critical of that holster. Let's just say that I learned...and relearned, some lessons with that one. I did feel that the tooling withstood the vacuum press fairly well, though.