Got Bored, Made a holster for my New Gun

[captainofiron]

Anyways, I have lots of time on my hands right now.

So I got a new gun, it was too good a deal to pass up. I carried it around in my pocket for a few days, then I decided to make a holster for it.

So here are the results, I guess you can consider this a how to thread

So first I got a bag of leather remnants, waxed thread and metal snaps from a local Hobby Lobby, and a leather lacing tool from Harbor Freight and my trusty dremel tool.
Then I got my new gun and traced out a raw idea of how I want my holster to look.


So I got some appropriately sized pieces, I got some black dyed pieces.


Then I cut the leather to shape with some sturdy and sharp scissors


I then made the belt loop snaps, I cut them (here was my first mistake, I didnt account for shrinkage and the loops almost shrank too much to use) to proper length and made the holes for the snaps



So first thing in the body of the holster was the put the backside of the snaps installed in the front side of the front piece



So then I put the two half's together and then begin to drill the holes for the thread


So then I began to sew, yea its kinda girly, but I was making a gun holster for a .357 magnum, so it evened out, haha





Here is the sewed and pre-boiled holster


So what you do next is scary, You get a big pot and put enough water in there so the whole gun and holster will be submerged.
Then you boil the water and put your gun and the holster in the hot water (tip: put a cord on the handle of the gun so you can pull the gun and holster out)
So after you boil the holster for about 10 minutes, pull it out and mold the holster the way you want, the leather will shrink and press on the gun, but make sure to push on it in certain areas to make sure the gun cant fall out easily from the holster.
Then after this dunk it in cold water, then take it out and wait for it to dry.

Now you have a holster that can be made for around 10 bucks.
For the leather the snaps the thread the sewing kit Everything was 30 dollars, and with all this you can probably make 4 holsters depending on the size.

So here is the final product, I am thinking about buffing it to a high sheen.

 

[kd7nqb]

I was unaware of the fact that you were suppose to put the GUN in the pot of hot water. Seems like it would be bad for the gun. But the holster looks really good.

 

[captainofiron]

Yea, I was really nervous to submerge the gun, but I was assured this is how they do it, so I did it, BUT I bathed my gun in cleaner and oil after the water.

Thanks

 

[2RCO]

good job!

 

[rcmodel]

NO, you are not supposed to boil the holster, or the gun in it!

The leather you bought at the craft store is already oil finished and died black, and cannot be wet-molded to the gun in the normal sense.

With normal vegetable tanned leather used in holster making, there is no oil in the leather and it can be wetted under warm tap water and molded to the gun. You don't soak the leather, just apply enough water to make it damp and moldable.
After it dries it is then oiled and/or died any color.

In no case do you need to boil the leather, or the gun!

Heres more:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=4432559#post4432559

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=406341&highlight=making+holsters

rc

 

[captainofiron]

Ah, thanks for the tip rcmodel

Ill try that in my next holster, hopefully the next will come out better.

Actually this leather molded pretty well. I was actually very surprised it turned out so well.
you have any ideas where to get that vegetable tanned leather you mentioned?

 

[rcmodel]

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/home/department/Leather/9048-308.aspx?feature=Product_15

Also, most larger cities have at least one or two stores catering to the leather-craft people that carry vegetable tanned tooling leather.

Might be a shoe repair guy, or a saddle shop, or?

Just have to search around for one.

BTW: Avoid the cheaper tooling sides and especially the belly cuts as it is too soft & stretchy to make good holsters.

rc

 

[captainofiron]

Yea I remember Tandy leather company, they use to have a store in my home town, and sometimes the sales man would come to my elementary and show us stuff and sell things

thanks for the tips

 

[Dan Crocker]

Not a bad job for what you have lying around!
It's nice to use a heavy (between 10 and 15 oz) vegetable-tanned saddle leather for this kind of project. Best way to do it is put the leather in a bucket until bubbles stop appearing on the it. Remove, let it drip dry, and place it in a plastic bag to 'case' overnight. The next morning, you can form it over your gun (I always oiled then used saran-wrap or similar on the pistol) and let it dry. A fan helps this process along.
Once dry, you should finish the suede side of the leather using wax. Rub it in deep and buff it. Don't put wax where you'll want to glue, i.e. around the edges. At this point, you can glue the two pieces of leather together (Barge's contact cement works well) and then cut it around the edges to get the shape of your holster. Strong steel scissors or a head knife work very well for this. At this point, use your dye if you are going to.
Smooth the edge out using sandpaper or a dremel, then cut it with a beveling tool (#2 works well,) then wet the edge slightly and rub vigorously with canvas or denim. This will seal the edge and make a nice sheen. Then use bee's wax, wax paper, or special 'edge dressing' to polish the edge.
Since the leather was glued together, you can now scribe your stitch line using a compass. To make the stitching holes, you should mark it out with a stitching wheel or stitching fork, then use an awl (or cheat and use a drill! .) When sewing, I do not recommend using a sewing awl. This kind of stitch can run. Instead, 'saddle stitch' it, using two needles at oppossite ends of a piece of thread, and stitch. If a stitch breaks down the road, you don't run the risk of the stitch running.
There are special tools that allow you to cut a nice belt slot if you'd do that instead of belt loops. Trying to make a slot by using a hammer punch and cutting between two holes has never come out pretty for me.
Anyway, it's pretty easy to make a good holster. I haven't done it in years, but I used to make holsters, spur straps, bridles, and I even made my own saddle! I should get back into to...

 

[benzy2]

I have been wanting a holster for my Ruger Mk III with a red dot site. This seems like a fairly easy and inexpensive way to get a good fit. I will be heading to the store tomorrow to pick up everything I need to do this. It won't be IWB but the concept is still the same. Thanks everyone for the links as well.

 

[BruceGibson]

Be careful with the holster-makin'. It IS addictive. No known cure.

 

[captainofiron]

Be careful with the holster-makin'. It IS addictive. No known cure.

no joke man, I already made 2 more, now Im trying to get my hands on some good leather to make another