A question on making holsters.

[maxxhavoc]

OK, a question for all of you that make your own holsters.

I have just started with this new addiction and I have had pretty good success with the style I like and autoloaders. Not perfect, but good. These are OWB holsters so far.

What I an doing is tracing out stitching lines about 1/2" from the gun edge, building the holster, then wetting and forming the holster. I put belt clips on "ears" coming off the holster front and back. This makes a well formed holster that is "OK."

What I want to do is make the same design of holster, but have the top (outside) leather piece do all the conforming, or at least 3/4 of it. Basically make the inside mostly flat and the outside contoured to the gun. This would be especially useful on revolvers. The method I use makes it 50/50 inside to outside.

Before I use up more leather, I would ask how to accomplish this. I have a couple ideas:
1. Stitch it with extra leather in the top. Not sure how to get enough leather in the right places and still be able to stitch it without having to fight the letter.
2. Wet only one side before forming. Ok, so I have tried this and can't make it work. It still seems to contour the inside just as much. Maybe sandbags on top?
3. Something else. I'm new and learning. I take advice well.

 

[el indio]

maxxhavoc, form the outside piece to the firearm,then sew your holster. the back piece will be flat and the front contoured to the firearm. I met you one time at the gun show in Ladson,SC. I am randjsp. You came by to see if I had a holster for your firearm. I will be at the show on Feb 10-11. If you are able to stop by,we can discuss holster making. el indio

 

[JTQ]

Here is Sam Andrews making his Saddle Style holster, that is basically flat on the body side.

 

[maxxhavoc]

maxxhavoc, form the outside piece to the firearm,then sew your holster. the back piece will be flat and the front contoured to the firearm. I met you one time at the gun show in Ladson,SC. I am randjsp. You came by to see if I had a holster for your firearm. I will be at the show on Feb 10-11. If you are able to stop by,we can discuss holster making. el indio

Yep, I remember you. I would love to talk. Leatherworking is starting to be more and more interesting. So easy to start, so much practice between "OK" and "good at it."
Hopefully I'll see you there.

 

[maxxhavoc]

Here is Sam Andrews making his Saddle Style holster, that is basically flat on the body side.

Great video. I love how even at his level that many of his tools are antique, or hand designed.

 

[dfariswheel]

One trick I used to make that type of holster was to make the front of the holster slightly larger then the back.
Then when you wet mold the holster the back stays pretty flat and most of the molding is limited to the front.

I'd make up a pattern of the size and shape I wanted the finished holster to be, then make the front piece pattern about 3/4 of an inch wider.
This also gives a curved shape that fits the side better when the holster is molded.

 

[Varminterror]

The allowance in the front panel demonstrated in the Sam Andrews video, and mentioned by dfaris, is the way to do it. There's no trick to it, the pattern tracing is different than you'll find online. Tracing instructions commonly found online: draw a centerline, and stand the pistol with its top strap on the line. Roll the pistol on its side, and trace the pistol. Add seam allowances, double over, and cut out the pattern... This method puts equal seam allowance front and back on a single piece, "wrap around" holster. When doing two piece pancakes, you can pick where you want the seam allowances. The Sam Andrews video doesn't discuss how he made his front and back pattern - obviously, they're not the same shape. Most online instructions will tell you to trace the pistol, add some seam allowance, then cut out one pattern for front and back. If you DON'T add as much seam allowance on what would be the back panel, really just holding enough to allow for the bend and the seam, then add the thickness of the back strap and belly to the front panel, utilizing the same seam length and loop flange profile outside of the seam allowances. As shown in Sam's video, you'll end up with a bit of a "rainbow warp" between the seam lines in the front panel compared to that in the back panel, tapering the allowance for the pistol thickness away as you move from the mouth to the toe.

All that said, note, you do want SOME forming of the rear panel, and you do want some curvature to the belt loop flanges to ensure the holster wants to ride close to the body, especially drawing the grip in close.

 

[DT Guy]

I'm sure the Andrews works superbly (he's a master), but every time I've tried to bias a holster that way, I lose concealment; it seems to encourage the whole rig to fall away from the body, when what you want it for it to tuck it in tightly. Probably my lack of design skills, but it seems that any gun 'tucked in' will be tight to the body, and thus felt as such.

Larry

 

[JTQ]

I'm sure the Andrews works superbly (he's a master), but every time I've tried to bias a holster that way, I lose concealment; it seems to encourage the whole rig to fall away from the body, when what you want it for it to tuck it in tightly. Probably my lack of design skills, but it seems that any gun 'tucked in' will be tight to the body, and thus felt as such.

Larry

I find it interesting that Galco, with their "Concealable", and High Noon, at FAQ #37, basically use the same picture to argue opposite points. Galco says the "forward molded" design of their Concealable is an aid to concealment, while High Noon argues the traditional pancake conceals better.

Galco https://www.galcogunleather.com/concealable-belt-holster_8_4_1064.html

High Noon FAQ (see #37) https://www.highnoonholsters.com/faqs

 

[Varminterror]

A flat front holster will print less in clothing, but will be less comfortable against the body. A flat back pancake rides more comfortably, but has a more defined external profile which prints worse. It's not rocket science - the belt flanges are skinny and flat, the pistol itself adds over an inch of thickness in the middle. Clipping your cell phone to the outside of your belt (a decade ago) adds bulk to the outside of your profile, sticking it in your pocket adds bulk in your pants... Holsters are no different.

The way you mold and form the holster, or even how you make your thickness allowances at the bottom vs. the top of the holster will make a difference in how the grip is pulled into the body. Any lazy maker can pull the grip tightly to the body with a flat front or evenly formed pancake, but it takes some doing to ensure your loop flanges and your allowances are correct to draw the grip in tightly to the body when running a flat back pancake (aka, prototypes = "wasted" leather).

 

[Triggernosis]

Notice in Sam's video above that he says that it took him "a lot of trial and error, emphasis on the error part" (his words). That's what I've found in my experience with holster making so far too. The best rule-of-thumb that I've developed so far is to add an extra 1" or so, depending on the thickness of the gun, between the front stitch lines.

 

[Red Cent]

To make a true pancake or a half pancake (flat back) I cut the back the way I want the handgun to hang and what I want the back to cover. I use this to make the front. 'Course cut it a little bigger , temporarily glue it to the back, cut off the stuff from the front and stitch.

 

[Dr.Rob]

One way to do this is lay the back piece on a flat surface, wrap the gun in saran wrap, water soak the front blank, lay it over the pistol and cover the whole thing with a sealed 50 pound bag of sand. The back piece will stay mostly flat, the front will conform nicely to the contours of the pistol. You will waste a little more leather this way but it works, even with multiple layers.

 

[Triggernosis]

One way to do this is lay the back piece on a flat surface, wrap the gun in saran wrap, water soak the front blank, lay it over the pistol and cover the whole thing with a sealed 50 pound bag of sand. The back piece will stay mostly flat, the front will conform nicely to the contours of the pistol. You will waste a little more leather this way but it works, even with multiple layers.

Now that's an interesting approach. I'll have to try it.

 

[redneck]

Manilla folders work nicely to make patterns. If you fold one over the gun laying flat on the bench it will get you fairly close on size. As everyone else said its mainly a matter of figuring out how much bigger to make the front side of the holster than the back.

 

[maxxhavoc]

View attachment 772526 To make a true pancake or a half pancake (flat back) I cut the back the way I want the handgun to hang and what I want the back to cover. I use this to make the front. 'Course cut it a little bigger , temporarily glue it to the back, cut off the stuff from the front and stitch. View attachment 772528 View attachment 772527

The Vacuum Sealer picture, while put in there with no explanation, was the start of more success. I have a $25 food sealer, after all.






Thanks to el indio as well for further ideas when I talked to him at the gunshow (as well as the useful tool!)

 

[Randyc74]

For firearm retention purposes, I wet mold and hand bone both sides of the holster. After 11 years years and hundreds of holsters later, I still occasionally screw up the stitch lines and a custom holster becomes a dog's chew toy.