First Attempt at a Molded Holster.

[gjohnsoniv]

This is my first attempt at making a molded holster, didn't quite turn out the way I wanted. I'm going to go home tonight and possibly try buffing it out more and putting a little more stain to even out the color. :/

[IMG]http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg609/gjohnsoniv/holster.jpg[/IMG]

[UncleJak]

Looks like a holster to me! How do you go about "molding" it to the gun? I see you have the gun in plastic and I am curious how it conforms to it. Also, would this technique work on blades too?

[gjohnsoniv]

I boil the leather for two minutes and then stretch it over the gun. Some people vacuum form the leather and others bone it. I put the leather over it though and then go over with a smooth tool, like a piece of bone to shape it into all of the different spaces. It will work on blades for the most part, not sure on how detailed it would be though. A note though on the plastic. That's a ziploc bag because I was putting some stain on it and didn't want it on the gun. When you're molding it though you use saran wrap to keep the water away from the metal.

[UncleJak]

Thanks, I may have to try my hand at this soon. Edited November 13, 2012 by UncleJak

[mmirob]

Nice first try. They will get better with each try. This leather stuff can get quite addicting. Dyeing is an art in itself. I have learned that airbrushing dye creates the most uniform color. Your leather has a lot to do with that too. Hides tanned in Mexico do not have nearly the uniformity in finished product as a herman oak or a wickett & craig hide. Both tanned in the US.
Keep at it! Save your first one and compare to one made in 6 mos. You will be amazed at progress!

[gjohnsoniv]

Dying is the one thing I can still not do well, no clue why either. Especially black, I cannot do black well at all. I have an airbrush in the garage, I might just have to try that and see what happens. Edited November 14, 2012 by gjohnsoniv

[gjohnsoniv]

[quote name='UncleJak' timestamp='1352833477' post='844906']
Thanks, I may have to try my hand at this soon.
[/quote]You do need to try it.

[mmirob]

Black can be a challenge. I highly recommend feibings pro "black OIL dye". Again leather makes a difference as to how it absorbs. Next time you buy, spend just a little more and get a hide from wicket and craig.

[gjohnsoniv]

I'll have to pick some of that up in the next couple of days. My problem with black is that I get almost an oil-slick like look, really splotchy. I'll look into the hide from Wicket and Craig, right now I'm just buying from Tandy.

[gregintenn]

I've learned that you almost have to use an airbrush to get an even coat of the tan dye. Brown is much easier. As for the black, I like Feibing's USMC black. You'll think it isn't dry, and it'll look dull and come off on your hands, but you can buff it with a shoe brush, and it'll slick right up and get rid of whatever accumulates when it dries.

Leather dyes are funny, and each one has unique characteristics. I have a navy dye, and it appears greenish blue until you buff it.

[gjohnsoniv]

You are correct about each one having a different characteristics. I have always looked at that USMC Black but I have never bought any.

[mmirob]

Trust me on this, pro oil dye works best. USMC dye drys chalky and leaves a mess. lots of elbow grease to get it cleaned up.

[gjohnsoniv]

I just stopped and got some antiquing gel this morning, I want to see how that will look as well.

[Pdheald]

For a good black I found that the Eco-Flo All-In-One works great. You do have to put 3 or 4 coats on it and keep each one thin, but there is very little buffing and unless it is a very hard used item it stays that color when you are done. and it is cheap as well.

By the way great looking first try holster. I need to try the boiling trick on my next one.

[gjohnsoniv]

Be careful with the boiling as I found out, you can really screw up the leather very quickly. I've now started taking the water up to hot enough that I can stick my hand in it for short periods, lower than a pre-boil where you can see the little bubbles forming. Then put the leather in for about 45 seconds to a minute and pull it out.

[mmirob]

Boiling the leather is usually unnecessary to get the hardness you desire. By simply placing briefly in warm water allows the leather to soften veg tanned enough to do anything your want with it. Boiling leather can can ruin your project and your leather. Once molded it is best to oven dry at around 135 deg. This gets the hardness that you want. Dont over dry as it will shrink your work.

[gjohnsoniv]

I learned about the boiling, see my above post with warm water.

I don't mean to be rude either, in case that came across as being rude. Edited November 16, 2012 by gjohnsoniv

[gregintenn]

I just run mine under hot tap water until moist enough to mold.

When you get bored with this, try tooling leather next. Edited November 15, 2012 by gregintenn

[gjohnsoniv]

[quote name='gregintenn' timestamp='1353019128' post='846213']
I just run mine under hot tap water until moist enough to mold.

When you get bored with this, try tooling leather next.
[/quote]I've done tooling for a decent while now, molding was just my most current attempt at something new.

[Guest EYEMAN]

Keep up the good work and you will really enjoy making your own custom holsters. You are getting some good info here and you might want to check out this website which has some good instructions:
http://www.jdlawhon.com/tutorial.html
Also here are a couple of mine and in the future try some exotics like this stingray.
[IMG]http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv68/eyeman_2009/stingray-45001.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv68/eyeman_2009/Sholderholster002.jpg[/IMG]

[Guest EYEMAN]

gjohnsoniv
If I could make one comment on your holster. One of the first things I learned from a safety standpoint was to completely cover the trigger guard. By not doing so you are asking for trouble.

[gjohnsoniv]

[quote name='EYEMAN' timestamp='1353029951' post='846282']
gjohnsoniv
If I could make one comment on your holster. One of the first things I learned from a safety standpoint was to completely cover the trigger guard. By not doing so you are asking for trouble.
[/quote]Yes, I appreciate that, didn't even really about that.

Thankfully that's not a carry gun or a holster I plan on wearing. Edited November 16, 2012 by gjohnsoniv

[gjohnsoniv]

[quote name='EYEMAN' timestamp='1353028202' post='846265']
Keep up the good work and you will really enjoy making your own custom holsters. You are getting some good info here and you might want to check out this website which has some good instructions:
[url="http://www.jdlawhon.com/tutorial.html"]http://www.jdlawhon.com/tutorial.html[/url]
Also here are a couple of mine and in the future try some exotics like this stingray.
[img]http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv68/eyeman_2009/stingray-45001.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv68/eyeman_2009/Sholderholster002.jpg[/img]
[/quote]Question on the stingray, do you wet it the same as leather or is there a different set of rules?

[Mark@Sea]

I like the USMC black... I apply with a damp cotton ball. Use a thin coat and continue to rub it in. The first coat doesn't even completely cover, but as soon as it dries I apply another thin coat. I usually put at least 4 and sometimes a dozen coats on. Since I'm rubbing it in I don't have to buff between coats, and the final finish depends on how I buff, how many coats I've applied, and finally how many coats of sealer (again, applied thinly with a damp cottonball).
[img]http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/OldRadarTech/th_DSC04208.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/OldRadarTech/th_DSC02975.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/OldRadarTech/th_DSC02153.jpg[/img]

[Guest EYEMAN]

The stingray is an overlay, for it is a very thin material. The basic holster is constructed in a normal fashion and the stingray is glued to the surface. one word of caution is that the beads of the singray are calcium and hard as stone. I put a silicone bead around the mouth of the holster to keep the beads from coming in contact with the gun. The stingray requires no finish at all.