pocket holster I made

[Guest sL1k]

This is a pocket holster I made let me know what you think.

I was just using a bulldog holster from walmart with a piece of leather inside to reinforce it, had some issues of accidental bumping the mag release while it was in my pocket.

With this one I cannot get the mag to release! it also breaks up the outline more.










I used a leather punch for the holes and use a sewing awl to do a lock stitch.

I soak the leather in zip lock bag full of hot water for about 10 minutes until it has the consistency of a wet rag.

I wrap the gun I want to form it too in cling wrap.

wring the leather out as best that I can and form it around the gun and press hard to stretch it around the trigger guard and the end of the slide.

I have a piece of egg shell foam that I lay down over a an A/C vent and put the gun/holster on a folded towel (smaller than the width of the holster to help curve it) add another towel on top then place a 50 cal ammo can that weighs 30lbs on top over night.

still damp the next morning but I can make any adjustments from there, then after its dried out I use kiwi leather lotion on it.

This is the second one I have formed this way but its the first one I have sewn.

[xRUSTYx]

looking good!  i'm hoping to get in to leather working someday when I have time.  I'd love to make my own holsters!

 

One question -- Why did you leave the holster so long?  Looks like its a good inch or so longer than the gun? 

[Guest sL1k]

the main reason I did that was so I didn't have to reach to far into my pocket to get it, its not to high to where you can see the grip though where the pocket opens. also it breaks up where the grip is, with my other holster since it was further down you could clearly see the grip printing. Edited January 30, 2013 by sL1k

[xRUSTYx]

ahhh, gotcha!  makes sense! :)  thanks for sharing!

[UncleJak]

Looks great. I think I am going to try to make one of them.

[KaNuckles]

Nice holster!  :up:

[TripleDigitRide]

The stitching could use some improving on future holsters.

[Guest sL1k]

The stitching could use some improving on future holsters.

I need to practice that a bit more. Tandy leather has a little tool that will mark the holes evenly may pick it up for the next one.

[JAB]

Looks good.  One suggestion, though, that you might want to try on future pocket holsters: you may want to leave the rough side out and the smooth side in.  With the smooth side out, the holster is more likely to come out of your pocket with the gun while the 'rough' side out helps it stay put better.

 

At this point, I have only made a few holsters.  One of the first holsters I made, a few years back, was a leather pocket holster for my P3AT.  I sewed it smooth side out and it would just slide out of my pocket with the pistol on the draw.  I ended up sewing a band of rough-side out leather around the outside and that worked pretty well but added bulk.  Eventually, I cut the stitching and re-sewed the holster with the rough side out and found that it worked much better.

 

This is what it looked like with the leather band sewn around it.  Yeah, the stitching was crappy looking - like I said, it was one of the frst two holsters I made.  Apparently I don't have a picture of it with the rough side out.

 

Edited January 30, 2013 by JAB

[Guest sL1k]

that's a good looking holster JAB. I worked with the retention to where I just barely have to push off with my middle finger to draw. I have yet to pull out holster and all.

one thing I did with a pocket sheath for a fixed blade knife I made was flare the inside edge (leg side) to create drag.

I will probably try the inside out like you said on the next one.

[gregintenn]

Yours looks good! The one I made to carry looks a bit girly, but hey! nobody will see it anyway.

                            

Making your own is a great way to get what you want.

[Guest sL1k]

Greg that looks awesome! I like that mag pouch did you make it too ?

[gregintenn]

No, I bought it from a guy on 24hourcampfire.com. I haven't been able to find a link to him lately, and I don't know whether he still makes them or not. I think he might have lived somewhere around Clarksville. He also made a couple for me that hold 38 spl speedloaders. They are pretty neat.

[JAB]

The one I made to carry looks a bit girly,...

 

Nah.  Besides, I'd say that any guy who is secure enough in his manhood to carry a holster with a big, ol' rose on it is probably not going to hesitate to use the gun, if necessary.

 

I wish I were that good at carving leather.  My mom likes things with roses on them.  Her P32 is even a special edition called a 'Lady .32' that has roses engraved on top of the slide.  One day, when I am better at leather carving, I want to make her a holster for it with a rose like the one on your pocket holster carved onto it.

[gregintenn]

Tandy leather has a great youtube video on leather carving. I watched it, followed his instructions, and it didn't turn out too bad. I've practiced some, and it is getting better, but not to where I'd like to be so far.

[Guest sL1k]

I need to go to the Tandy leather factory in Chattanooga I haven't been there since the moved. I'm thinking about picking up the shoulder holster kit.

[JAB]

Tandy leather has a great youtube video on leather carving. I watched it, followed his instructions, and it didn't turn out too bad. I've practiced some, and it is getting better, but not to where I'd like to be so far.

 

Tandy in Knoxville has some free basic leather tooling classes.  They cover stamping, carving and dying/coloring.  I went to the stamping and carving one in the series but was sick the morning they had the dying/coloring one.  I think the biggest challenge for me on the carving is finding just the right angle for holding the knife to make the right kind (thickness, etc.) of cut.  Really, I just need to practice but always seem to end up doing something else.  I also probably need a couple more stamps (veiners and bevelers, maybe some pebble/texture stampers) to do it right.

 

They offer the series every month or two, I think, so I might end up taking at least the carving one, again.

Edited February 5, 2013 by JAB