IWB Holster

[Hildebrand]

Just a curiosity question on IWB holsters.  Has anyone ever essentially built a left hand holster but worn it on the right side.  With a flat back pancake holster you would have the flat side against the belt making it very easy to put the loops around the belt.  In contrast to having to pull the sides/wings outward past the gun so you can run the loops around the belt.  I just thought I would ask before I tried it in case its been done and failed, no use re inventing the wheel.

Todd

[wizard of tragacanth]

Todd, I have read this 3 times and I am unable to understand the design.

Do you mean something like this but for a left-hand cross-draw?

nick

 

Edited January 7, 2020 by wizard of tragacanth

[Hildebrand]

Wizard, not sure how to explain it better, reading it I can see it’s not clear sorry. 
 

Todd

[wizard of tragacanth]

So, this would be for a left-handed shooter, worn on the right side, so it would be a cross-draw holster... right?

And it would be worn inside the waist-band?

What would you change from the picture above?

nick

[Dwight]

4 hours ago, Hildebrand said:

Just a curiosity question on IWB holsters.  Has anyone ever essentially built a left hand holster but worn it on the right side.  With a flat back pancake holster you would have the flat side against the belt making it very easy to put the loops around the belt.  In contrast to having to pull the sides/wings outward past the gun so you can run the loops around the belt.  I just thought I would ask before I tried it in case its been done and failed, no use re inventing the wheel.

Todd

Todd, . . . what you are asking cannot be made.  True pancake holsters have to be worn OWB just like shoes go on the outside of socks.  The slots won't work with the belt unless you cut holes into the belt area of the pants.

NOW, . . . I do personally make a product that is indeed flat backed, . . . resembles a pancake, . . . and I have made it for a backward canted appendix carry (the owner was somewhat handicapped, . . . this was a one of a kind so to speak) and it could be used for a cross draw holster.

I will tell you though from personal experience of trying to perfect one, . . . IWB cross draw holsters are very uncomfortable.

In order to create that holster, . . . you could use a pancake, . . . flat backed, . . . but you would have to put straps of some kind to go up over the britches, . . . then come down and loop around the belt, . . . or use mechanical clips to reach over and clamp to the belt.

Here is a picture of the one I make, . . . obviously you can see why I call it a Cactus holster.  This holster virtually has no cant, . . . as the owner wanted.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Hildebrand]

Dwight that holster you picture is right handed. Picture it as a left hand holster with the loops on the other side. The flat side of the holster would be against the pants not the body. I didn’t mean to imply cross draw I was just looking at a flat back designed a little different. 

[Dwight]

Take my word for it, . . . you DO WANT the flat side against the body.  Much more comfortable.  The flat side against the trousers serves no purpose whatsoever, . . . and puts that shootin' iron a rubbing hard against your body, . . . being pulled in tight by the belt.

AND, yes, . . . this holster can be made left handed, . . . and with a reverse cant, . . . but there is no place on the human anatomy that it is comfortable, . . . unless the owner is wearing at least a 1 inch layer of lard around the waist.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

[wizard of tragacanth]

Deleted post.

Edited January 7, 2020 by wizard of tragacanth

[chiefjason]

Take Dwight's word for it.  Just don't.  Just because you can do something does not mean you should.  You are giving up all the positives on that design and gaining nothing but negatives.  

[JLSleather]

15 hours ago, Hildebrand said:

Just a curiosity question on IWB holsters.  Has anyone ever essentially built a left hand holster but worn it on the right side.  With a flat back pancake holster you would have the flat side against the belt making it very easy to put the loops around the belt.  In contrast to having to pull the sides/wings outward past the gun so you can run the loops around the belt.  I just thought I would ask before I tried it in case its been done and failed, no use re inventing the wheel.

Todd

So you're talking about taking a lefty OWB "pancake" holster, and putting loops on the INSIDE of it, to be worn as a right hand IWB?  I 'get' the idea, and you have a point. You'd think it would be less concealed though.. might be more conspicuous. 

Other than that, 1000 guys making those "50/50" rigs today.. not much different than what you're talking about - so yeah, a guy could do that.  Maybe a better plan to build the right hand version, then shim the loops out if you think it's necessary.  Simple enough put a rubber washer or leather "pad" under teh loops.

 

[Hildebrand]

Thanks for the input.  Thats why I asked before I made one I figured someone had tried it.

Todd

[chiefjason]

Is your problem flexing the holster to mount  the loops on the belt?  If so, that design in Dwight's post if the best solution for that.  This wings are pretty flexible and would also allow you to tuck the holster in.  But I've never had a complaint on that style with the wings or the summer special style mounting that Wizard posted.  I just think reversing the holster moves the largest part of the holster footprint from against the body where it is concealable to against the pants where it is less concealable.  And it moves the least comfortable part of the holster to the body side.  

[wizard of tragacanth]

19 hours ago, Hildebrand said:

Has anyone ever essentially built a left hand holster but worn it on the right side.  With a flat back pancake holster you would have the flat side against the belt making it very easy to put the loops around the belt.  In contrast to having to pull the sides/wings outward past the gun so you can run the loops around the belt.

I am completely confused. None of this makes sense. First, there is a confusion of terminology. 

There is no such thing as a flat-back pancake holster and these terms have been used interchangeably in a couple of statements here. They are two completely different designs.

A flat-back holster is flat on one side and all of the molding is done on the other side. A pancake holster (or 50/50) is molded equally on both sides. I'm pretty sure that you want a flat-back holster.

An IWB, "Inside the Waist-Band" holster is worn inside your pants. An OWB  "Outside the Waist-Band" holster is worn outside your pants. Which will this be? Right now I am thinking -- IWB, but not sure.

So, is this flat-back holster that is going to be worn inside the pants on the left side, say somewhere between the 8:00 and 11:00 position?

Is the flat part going to be facing in, toward your body or facing out, toward your pants?

Somehow, I am thinking that you might want to put this between the belt and pants, and yes this has been done. It uses a wide loop sewn on the front-center of the holster. There are no wings at all.

You can see how confused I am.

nick

Edited January 7, 2020 by wizard of tragacanth

[Josh Ashman]

This thread makes me laugh . I think Jeff came closest to guessing Todd's intent with Jason in a close 2nd. I'm not sure I have it quite figured out myself. I have seen  "flat front" holsters with the molding on the back. The guy making them claimed they were quite comfortable and that the flat front concealed better. I don't buy that for a minute, but everybody has their opinions. 

My opinion Todd, worth exactly what it cost you, is that for me purpose built works best. Any time I've tried to make something that did several things well it didn't really do any one thing great. Good luck figuring out your design!

All the best guys, 

Josh

[RemingtonSteel]

My take FWIW,

Just because a few people tried to make a wheel and failed, didn't mean that the wheel couldn't be made, as someone obviously thought they had a better idea and came up with the proper design. All kinds of products are constantly being improved upon by people thinking they have a better design than the original, and disregard those that say it can't be done. Hildebrand, you have a better idea of what you you want to accomplish than anyone else here. My recommendation is to get some thick card stock and work out a template of what you think the design should be.  If you are on to something you will know quickly, and you can refine the cardstock template until your confident enough to make a prototype out of leather.  If you are not on to something, the only thing you've lost is a little time and the cost of the cardstock, but you will still have gained from the knowledge you learn while experimenting.

My two cents worth.