making/ molding a holster

[Billsotx]

Hey Bill, How's it going? Cooper and Bruce both would chastise the lot of you. Check the weapon before anything else.

I just figured I would chime in and let you know that I joined this nice little groupand started posting today. I recognized your pictures before reading the post. Nice to see you in here.

Catch ya later,

John D

Welcome John! Good to see you hear. Our knowledge base grows in leaps and bounds. You're right! They're probably spinning in their graves. Shame on me. I know better. Assume nothing - Check for clear!

John's right-on safety wise: "All guns are loaded!" Treat 'em that way. The four rules apply, even in a fight. If you shoot yourself you defeat your purpose.

[John D Dennehy]

Bill and I found that we had mutual friends from the past. One is considered the Father of Practical Pistol Shooting and the other designed and built holsters that have influenced all holster makers since.

Y'all take care,

John D

[Randyc]

You're a crckup randyc, they make drill presses that will bore it out for ya. And yes numba one never ever forget to make sure that it ain't loaded.

Jordan

You are correct. Rule number 1 is making sure the weapon is unloaded. I train rookie cops. I should know better

But, how do I make sure my drill press isn't loaded? Do I just remove the bit?

Randy

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

I assume you two (wildirishrose and Billsotx) are talking about Nelson and Bianchi? If so, what a fortunate opportunity to spend a little time with the guys that pioneered our trade. It would be great if you guys could share a little about your experiences with us, if you ever get the time.

To the OP, get some scrap and practice a bunch, until you're happy with the looks. I try to remember one thing when it comes to molding: less is more. The more I mess around with trying to improve my boning, the less the holster looks clean and professional.

[John D Dennehy]

Don't get me started Broomstick because I can get mighty windy. LOL

I might just stick with inserting tid bits here and there as the situation pesents itself.

I am darn sure not one of the Pioneers at all. Just happened to be related to someone with connections. I tagged along, learned, and practiced the things I was taught.

John D

[Billsotx]

I assume you two (wildirishrose and Billsotx) are talking about Nelson and Bianchi? If so, what a fortunate opportunity to spend a little time with the guys that pioneered our trade. It would be great if you guys could share a little about your experiences with us, if you ever get the time.

To the OP, get some scrap and practice a bunch, until you're happy with the looks. I try to remember one thing when it comes to molding: less is more. The more I mess around with trying to improve my boning, the less the holster looks clean and professional.

Boom, like your web. Good stuff there.

John D. was referring to Jeff Cooper and Bruce Nelson. Unfortunately I wasn't smart enough to talk to Bruce about leather work. When we talked we were young and I was dumb. I'd been making holsters before that, but our communications were about work and shooting. He was a narc and I was a K9 cop and we were a thousand miles apart. We were both engrossed in The Modern Technique and had law enforcement in common. We were both learning to teach and Bruce was Cooper's first ops guy when Jeff opened API a.k.a. Gunsite. We later had a common thread there, in that I was a staff guy at Thunder Ranch Texas, and the director, Clint Smith of TRT, was also one of Jeff Cooper's former ops guys. Nelson and Smith were close friends. I learned a lot about gun leather at TRT because we saw everything you could imagine come across that ranges. Students brought the good, the bad and the ugly. Oh, how one learns!

Nelson was a strong influence on the modern holster, but so was Milt Sparks and now Tony Kanaley - www.miltsparks.com. One aspires to meet the standard set by those three. I met Tony at TRT but I never discussed gun leather with him - just never had time for that. I've seen plenty of his work - there's none better. TRT was all about shooting, and Tony, a real shooter, took several classes up there; they sold his gun leather in their pro shop. The ten years I was there I did watch gun leather. That place was a proving ground without equal. I saw a lot and I made notes - what worked and what didn't. I got nothing in it - but if it's stamped Milt Sparks, Idaho - it works.

I talk to John Bianchi every once in a while, and we have talked gun leather - mostly about making tools. He talks freely and he teaches gun leather. He's forgot more about leather than I'll ever know. Bruce Nelson studied under John so there's another connection there too - a small world. Another old timer I speak with often and we do talk gun leather, is Thad Rybka. TR taught at TRT also and that's where I met him, but I knew his gun leather from early on - top notch! You can seen Chic Gaylord's design in TR's work and he makes no bones about Gaylord having influenced him, along with Nelson his peer.

Getting back to where this thread began, there's always something overlooked: another little touch you can do - after molding, gently pull the gun out of the holster, don't just rip it out, go gently so as not to distort what you worked so hard to form, then gently and ever so carefully squeeze the leather back into place. In the end you'll have a nice tight fit.

A holster starts to stretch the first time you put a gun in it and it eventually becomes too loose. At that point it should be retired, but most folks keep using them long after their service life; they don't want to spend money. I'd ask, "What's your life worth?" Bruce Nelson once said that a holster's life is about 5 years, and my practical experience is just that - 5 or 6 years. Of course that all depends on use, and Bruce said that too. And we talked about the other extreme which we see all too often - trash gun leather. A guy or gal spends $2,000.00 on a custom pistol and then shoves it in a $20.00 holster - usually a nylon bag - Go figure! - I don't get it. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir and I'll get off my soap box and back to leather.

Let's keep this thread running on and learn - "how to make & how to mold holsters". I know I've got a lot to learn and this is one place to do that.

[Jordan]

I'm all set, mind is open and ready to soak up all the tidbits I can get.

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

Thanks guys for the replies, and to the OP for letting me hi-jack your thread for a moment. I am not the best maker by far, and there are some folks on here who could definitely show me a thing or two. That having been said, I have considered making a video showing how I mold my holsters cause there just isn't really anything out there for folks to learn to bone modern holsters (or at least nothing I have seen, so if you know of one, please point me in the right direction). I've even spoken with a local that shoots hunting videos for a living about the cost of filming and all that fun stuff.

Figthnbullrider, post some pics when you get some examples to show us. I'll bet someone on here can help critique and instruct you on how to improve your efforts.

[kman458]

Wow, this is some thread with all the pro makers adding to the info. I wish I could afford to buy a holster from each of you but alais I can not and that is why I am going to make my own. Keep the info coming and I will owe all y'all commision on it.