forming a holster

[rk668ak]

How do you form a leather holster to a handgun when it is newly built?

 

[MaterDei]

Hi. Welcome to THR.

Search youtube and you'll find video on how to form leather. It doesn't have to be a holster necessarily, the process should be the same. Here is one good example.

Good luck.

 

[rcmodel]

The leather is wet until it is damp, then "cased" or allowed to dry while wrapped in a towel or something until it is about the consistency of firm putty.

At that point it can be wet-molded to the exact shape of the gun using smooth tools of the proper shape to press the leather into the contours of the gun..

When it dries, it fits the gun perfectly, and after finishing with some sort of leather dressing oil & finish will retain it's shape indefinately.

rc

 

[denster]

The best method when only working with simple tools is to dip the holster in warm water with a touch of dishwashing liquid to break the surface tension. The dip only needs to be for three or four seconds. After the water has been absorbed open the barrel and triggerguard sections with a forming stick. This can be a hammer handle or similar object to ease inserting the gun. Insert the gun into the holster and generally form the leather around the gun and set it aside for a bit. After the leather has returned to it's natural color you can use smooth tools to bone in the details. I use a highly polished antler tine and a real bone folder for 90% of this work. Then remove the gun and let dry. To make for a really firm holster place in a convection oven or other temp controlled invironment at about 120degF for an hour or so.