Make holster without a "blue gun"?

[SouthernCross]

I've already been dabbling in leather work for the past couple of years making wallets and pouch style shoulder holsters for my revolvers. I now need an Avenger style holster for my J-frame snubby. How do I go about doing this without a blue gun? It looks like the blue guns are not cheap. Should I use my actual gun since it is Scandium frame and shouldn't rust.

Any ideas?  

Also, will I be able to make a decent mold with good retention without a vacuum system?

Perhaps I should leave holster making to you experts. 

[Mattsbagger]

Yep just oil your gun good and use it. You don't need a vacume press to get good retention. JLS has a pattern for j frames I think. His patterns work well.

[Bajatacoma]

I've sprayed mine with oil then wrapped it with Saran wrap before.  There are videos of guys using grocery bags, Ziplocs and others types on Youtube so i guess it really doesn't matter.  The frames on the Airweight Smiths are Scandium but the screws, triggers, hammers, sight pins and some of the barrels and cylinders aren't alloys. 

[Double Daddy]

Ditto what Matt and Baja said...oil it and use it...wrap it if you wish...I wrap the real ones, for all the reasons listed by Baja.  Lots of resources online (YouTube and Google) as well as here on this forum for holster making...JLS is a great place to start...already has the J-frame stitch line laid out for you...check his link out here and see all the options, read the tutorials and then download the pattern you need.  LOTS of helpful info!

http://www.jlsleather.com/diy/holster-patterns-diy/

Good luck!  Post pics...

Edited August 4, 2017 by Double Daddy

[SouthernCross]

Thanks, y'all.  I'll give it a go and let you know how it turns out.

[chiefjason]

Your gun will be fine.  In reality, most times the gun is not even wet.  If you case the leather the moisture really does not come out of it.  If I do get some water on the gun I just wipe it off.  Gun finishes are pretty tough.  Wipe it down after if you are worried and it will be fine.  I have several guns that I use because no one makes blue guns for them.  Some I've used for years with no ill effects.  

[CaptQuirk]

I use the real gun from time to time. Use it to make the pattern, then wrap the dry leather around it to make sure it fits.When I wet mold, I don't oil the gun before hand, because I'm not going to risk the oil leeching into the leather. Just wipe it down and oil afterwards.