Homebrew holsters made by me,show me what you have made! LONG POST and many pic's!

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Between this thread and several "how to" articles in The Backwoodsman magazine I have decided to try making a couple of holsters. I just got back from Tandy Leather with a piece of shoulder leather, snaps and snap setter tool, thread and needles. It cost me $60 but I should have enough leather for about 4-5 holsters.

I have made a couple of knife sheathes and the holster shouldn't be to hard to do. I do have a question. How do you get that smooth, burnished look on the edge of the leather where it is stitched? One BWM article said to use egg whites. Is there anything else that works?

I am looking foward to trying this. I am so tired of rubber grips and nylon holsters.

Take a look on this site. Lots of good info. I use bee's wax on the edge. Post some pics when you get one done.
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?board=57.0

I use a method based on this, only I apply my a 50/50 paraffin/bees wax mixture to the edge via a hard felt wheel chucked in a drill press.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=16609&st=0

I just made a couple for an LC9....

I have found making my own holster to be fun, cost effective and a rewarding hobby. I also enjoy seeing what others have made.

Here are just a few I have made:

I have found making my own holster to be fun, cost effective and a rewarding hobby. I also enjoy seeing what others have made.

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I agree with what you've said, and yours look nice! Here's one I recently finished for a 6" K38:

looks great Eaglestroker ... I still haven't cracked the code on edge burnishing yet ... but once I figure that out I will be decent. Though it takes a lot of practice to get as good as some of yours or lobo's are ...

A few that I've made over the last 4 years or so

Lucas_Y, I love that Ranger styled belt and holster rig. Something similar will be my next personal project!

I finished this for myself this weekend and it's the first in a while. There are two flaws in my eyes but not too terribly noticeable. This was my first pouch of this style as well.

Here's a few more I finished this passed weekend, pretty happy with the results

Recently completed this one for a S&W 19, 2.5". Working on one for a 7.5" Vaquero, should be done today or tomorrow, depending on when I find some beeswax.

White Stag Holsters

I started making holsters last year when I wanted one for my Ruger Old Army. I made these all from my own patterns. They're all oak tanned cowhide lined with calfskin, hand dyed and hand stitched.

Here's the first one I ever made...










The second one I made for my Ruger MarkII Govt target model. I designed it with a piggy back mag holder that could be removed and worn on the belt instead.

the third one is a cross draw for an 1858 Remington target model

I would like to know where you get your calf skin, and what color that is. I LOVE that Mark II holster.

Thats some really nice work, that first one is exceptional for a first holster. Nobody will EVER see my first holster. In fact daylight may never see my first one again..

Here are a couple I finished up this week. The brown one is a Avenger style for a H&K UPS9 and the black one is a Pancake for a SA XD40 sub compact.

Thanks Eaglestroker and Leatherworker.

All of my supplies came from a Tandy store about an hour's drive from my home. The color I used for the first two holster was Fiebling's Tan for both the outside and the liner. I thinned it lightly with denatured alcohol for the outside then thin it more to get a lighter shade on the liner. I mixed in a little Fiebling's Oxblood for the outside of the Remmie holster. In each case I applied it in light coats with one of those Preval spray can kits you can get at Home Depot. I'd recoat it as needed until I got the desired shade.

leatherworker - those are nice pieces! I like the way you have the color darken towards the edge of that brown holster. I picked up an airbrush late last winter..haven't used it yet...but I figure I'll be trying to get that effect on some of the holsters I have planned for this winter.
Question - do you put anything in to reinforce the mouth of that brown holster? or is it just doubled leather?

It is a reinforced mouth but the reinforcement piece is the belt loop on the back. Here is a picture of the back.

that's a cool design - is the reinforcement piece 6-7 ounce and the rest 8-10?

It is 9-10 oz for the entire holster.

leatherworker said:

It is a reinforced mouth but the reinforcement piece is the belt loop on the back. Here is a picture of the back.

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Pretty slick idea!

Here is a belt and holster set I did for my father in law for christmas. For his Charter Arms 357, a thumb break rig.