Pocket Holster with backing plate tutorial?

[RyanWyvern]

Hello Everyone,

 

I did a cursory search and didn't see this topic specifically so apologies if it has already been asked.  Are there any tutorials, video or otherwise, paid or otherwise, on doing leather pocket holsters with the backing plate?  Thinking for cargo pocket.

 

Thanks,

Ryan 

[JLSleather]

Wow.. NOBODY?@!   No WHY-tube movies er NUTHIN'?@!  Maybe I should MAKE this one... prolly should ask that soft boy what i should CHARGE fer it

Wait... that's worth a double   

[RyanWyvern]

I wondered if you'd chime in seeing as you appear to be the gold standard on these.  I started prototyping something out on my own.  Going to use some 5-6oz herman oak and I don't want to waste any.  This is for a glock 43x and he doesn't want to wear it the proper way.  Wants the backing plate against the leg instead of facing out just to make sure the gun stays oriented correctly in his cargo pocket. (not worried about printing)  To add to the complexity there is a weapon light on the front so the opening at the end of the barrel is much bigger than is typical and also means i cant do any molding around the trigger because the weapon light will bind up coming through any trigger molding on draw causing a tougher draw.  From a quick mockup out of leather i can see im going to need to add a reinforcement piece along the slide as well. Any other considerations I should take into account?

[Dwight]

For all my pocket holsters, I use 5/6 oz veggie tan, . . . and before I use it, . . . I roll it tight against a 3/4 steel rod, . . . up and down, . . . right and left, . . . turn it over, . . . do it again.

It "limbers up" the leather, . . . making it somewhat pliable.

Then I just put two pieces together, . . . rough side out, . . . slip the gun in, . . . mark for cut, glue, and sew, . . . and get it on.

For the backer plate like you are talking, . . . I'd just run the front an inch long, . . . turn it under, . . . and rivet it to a piece of stiff 5/6 and cut it to be somewhat smaller than the pocket.  Two rivets at the bottom and one in the center at the top.

Oil the two pieces for the weapon, . . . hair side only before you put it together, . . . you'll have a holster that will work for years, . . . should never be a problem re holstering if you cut the outline tall so his index finger can find the outside of the holster as he slips it in.

May God bless,

Dwight

[RyanWyvern]

Thank you Sir!

 

[JLSleather]

18 minutes ago, RyanWyvern said:

seeing as you appear to be the gold standard on these. 

Well, I'm confident I make a good one, but I'm FAR FROM the only one, so ... maybe bronze?

18 minutes ago, RyanWyvern said:

... just to make sure the gun stays oriented correctly in his cargo pocket. ..

So basically he wants an OWB with no belt slots?  5/6 sounds a bit light for something that size, honestly.  Even just a bump up to 6/7 adds much strength without adding much bulk.  You want a holster, not a pocket protector   particularly if you're relying on it for orientation.

29 minutes ago, RyanWyvern said:

weapon light on the front so the opening at the end of the barrel is much bigger than is typical and also means i cant do any molding around the trigger

sew in a "stop' at the bottom. Make the holster 3/8-1/2" long on the bottom end, and sew a 3/8" wide strip of heavy leather inside the mouth.  If'n a fella wanted ta git fancy, you could put a tension adj screw along there somewhere it won't catch.

30 minutes ago, RyanWyvern said:

going to need to add a reinforcement piece along the slide

Ordinarily, I would put a "reinf" and the "plate" on opposite sides of the weapon.  But since you have this spec, you'll want them on the same side.  That "reinf" is also a "push-off" for easy out, so for me (RH) its' on the left of the slide, BODY side of the holster.  Which in your case is going to be the side with the "plate", so you might consider a couple "shims" to jack out (level) the holster a bit in the pocket.

Back ta work ...

 

[RyanWyvern]

For the hole in the end I was just going to bring the stitch in a little but at the nose to narrow it up.  Anything wrong with doing that?  I could totally stitch a piece in there though. 

[JLSleather]

19 hours ago, RyanWyvern said:

Anything wrong with doing that? 

Uh, kaint see why there would be.  YOUR show, Boss   

You didn't say what type of light, so tough to say how to go.  LET US KNOW what you end up doing (we dont generally object to pics, neither).

[RyanWyvern]

excuse the roughness of this as it is a prototype.  I already have several changes I am going to make to it, but concerning the reinf plate I am referring to that like that runs down the slide labeled reinf.  There will be a separate (pocket shaped) backer as well, but I was thinking about reinforcement for the leather along the slide. You also get a good idea of the weapon light size in this and can see where i want to bring the stitch in to add a bit of a s "Stop" at the end of the barrel but I am kicking around the idea of adding a plate because that could look really nice. 

[JLSleather]

Aint that backards?  Is this fer a 'lefty'?  I thot the guy wanted the "plate" on the BODY side. Ah.. pay no attention - I'm prolly not seein' it right.