made my first leather holster today.

[Volzfan]

Do you mean IWB?

No.

Outside waist band. I'm a heavy dude and want more than just a t-shirt between skin and gun.

[gjohnsoniv]

No.

Outside waist band. I'm a heavy dude and want more than just a t-shirt between skin and gun.

Oh so like a sweat guard on an IWB, only for OWB? I would just cut it normally, possibly consider putting a backer on it.

[Volzfan]

Oh so like a sweat guard on an IWB, only for OWB? I would just cut it normally, possibly consider putting a backer on it.

Thanks

[gjohnsoniv]

Sorry I mean cut the back piece like an IWB, but leave the front normal. AKA just extend the top. Sorry if I'm not making any sense. I might have to draw this out.

[Volzfan]

Sorry I mean cut the back piece like an IWB, but leave the front normal. AKA just extend the top. Sorry if I'm not making any sense. I might have to draw this out.

I got ya.

[gjohnsoniv]

Ok good.

[East_TN_Patriot]

I was under the impression KC Leatherwerks was getting out of the retail business completely. Am I wrong?

[gjohnsoniv]

I was under the impression KC Leatherwerks was getting out of the retail business completely. Am I wrong?

I think so. From what I was told they were going to re-open for business downtown, and the website is saying the same thing. Though I'm not entirely sure whether or not it will only be for classes and studio things instead of retailing supplies. If they're still going to sell supplies though that will be great because that means they would only be ten minutes from where I work downtown. Edited May 4, 2012 by gjohnsoniv

[gregintenn]

Great job for a 1st attempt! And all on the others posted really make me want to jump in with both feet!

Here's a qustion for you holster makers.

I am going to give it a try myself and fortunately there is a Tandy on Nolensville Rd, about 2 miles from me.

I'm planning to make an OWB holster for my CZ P-06 but I want to put a sweat guard between the gun and my body. Would it work with simply the back piece of leather cut in that shape or should it be doubled?

Simply extending the piece of leather to cover the back of the slide works fine. When you wet mold the holster, it makes the leather stiff.

Here's what the back of my 1911 pancake holsters look like:

I find you will want a sweat shield on most everything except for a hammerless revolver. The cylinder keeps the top of the frame far enough away from the body as not to require one.

[Guest BoondockJustice]

Whatdid you all use to actually mold the leather to the firearm? To cause the form fitting.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Whatdid you all use to actually mold the leather to the firearm? To cause the form fitting.

I use a vacuum sealer. I seal the gun then I sandwich it between wet and dry pieces of leather. The wet is the front. Then I slide that into another vacuum seal bag. I hit the seal button but stop before it seals. It will pull the leather down snugly. After you get the top piece the way you want then cover the top piece wit paper towels and vacuum it down a few more times. The paper towels will remove the excess water. At this point the wet sheet will keep it shape. I remove it and place it either outside or in the oven on the lowest setting for 1/2 an hour.

Dolomite

[JPS]

I made a press with a couple pieces of plywood (about 12" square) and cut-up sections of a foam sleeping bag mat (blue, about $4-$5 at Walmart). I rubber-cemented the foam pcs together and onto the plywood (4-5 sections thick on each plywood half if I remember right).

I seal the gun in a heavy-duty ziploc bag, lay the damp leather under/on the gun, then c-clamp on all four sides and clamp the heck out of it. (Wetter leather results in more 'boning' - it took me a while to get that right.) I also made a wooden 'arch' that I can lay under the gun/leather to give it a little curve for a more 'body-hugging' shape.

After it sits for about a half hour, I remove the clamps and let it dry.

The press also works with Kydex, but you have to be really quick to get it clamped before the Kydex cools off.

[gregintenn]

I wet the leather and insert the gun into place. I then mold the leather around the gun with my fingers. After that, I remove the gun, wipe the little bit of moisture off it, and stand the holster to dry, propped on an ink pen clamped into a vise.

[East_TN_Patriot]

I follow a similar process as the others, but also add the detail using a couple of boning tools I have. One was factory made plastic, another is buffalo horn (I think), and the third is one I made from an old toothbrush. As gregintenn mentioned, wet molding veg tan leather makes the leather stiff and hold its shape. I have heard some suggest casing the leather using a mixture of water and acrylic finish to make it even more stiff, but I never felt the need to try it.