Gun blank
- Thread starter Realrez
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125 degrees f or even C won't hurt your gun one bit. Might dry out the oil a little bit.
Search for molding props for leatherworking. There are several sites out there that sell them.
I make a lot of sheaths. Once the are done I oil up the knife, wrap it in saran wrap and stick it in the wet sheath hard and work the leather with my hand till it fits well then either stick it over a heater vent or in the summer in the sun and let it dry well. Remove knife, wipe it down and lightly oil it, let sheath dry some more empty, then start oiling it. If you want to speed things up wet the leather well with alcohol while you form it. Gets just as pliable and drys much faster.
bamabiker
Member
I use a small wooden cabinet with a 100 watt light bulb in it. After it's been on a while it will keep the cabinet around 125 degrees. Wrap the gun and stick it in the holster and put it in the cabinet. I usually leave it in 30 minutes to a hour. Take the gun out and put the holster back in for a while.
In the summer you can put them in a closed vehicle, just like a oven.
In the summer you can put them in a closed vehicle, just like a oven.
Lizardsausage
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I wet holster in warm water for 30 seconds,oil gun,wipe gun with dry rag, plastic wrap gun then form. I place it in front of a space heater with grips farthest away about ten minutes till leather starts to change color. then take gun out and re-oil just to be safe. Put in front of fan over night.
Gripgrabber
US Veteran
Hello, I guess I'm the only one that uses a blow dryer? That's all I've used for years!
SEMPER PARATUS
SEMPER PARATUS
+1 to that...
bamabiker
Member
As the old saying goes, there's more than one way to skin a cat.
I found a few blanks for sale but with shipping I'm close to the price of decent holster already made. I spent most of last night watching utube vids so I'm itching to make something. I ordered a basic leather working kit but *** leather ain't cheap so I'm shopping around til my kit shows up.
I have a food saver so I'm gonna try to bag my pistol and see how tight it is so I won't need to lube it up prior to forming.
Where is a good place to get leather and what thickness is preferred?
I found some cool stamps but they are $40+ for the better ones,saw a nice snakeskin pattern for $58. Shame I didn't find my new hobby prior to Xmas.
I'm still a bit un easy about baking my new plastic gun.
I have a food saver so I'm gonna try to bag my pistol and see how tight it is so I won't need to lube it up prior to forming.
Where is a good place to get leather and what thickness is preferred?
I found some cool stamps but they are $40+ for the better ones,saw a nice snakeskin pattern for $58. Shame I didn't find my new hobby prior to Xmas.
I'm still a bit un easy about baking my new plastic gun.
my father just put the gun in a plastic baggie and wet the leather rubbed it into form and just let it air dry or put it in a black plastic back (open) and put it on the dash of his car in the sun... worked every time... it would shrink a tad more when he dyed the leather for a perfect snug fit...
Lay your gun on a piece of 2"x6".....Trace with marker.......Cut out with jigsaw.........Sand & round edges as needed........Instant gun blank.......
bamabiker
Member
Tandy Leather is probably the most known, if you have one close you can go there and pick your leather.
Google vegetable tanned leather for sale and you'll find different places you can order from.
I use 8 to 9 oz. leather for most my holsters and only vegetable tanned. Any chrome tanned can remove gun finishes.
As I mentioned before, the inside of a closed vehicle here in Bama in the summer time can exceed 125 degrees and unfortunately guns are left in them all the time. I say unfortunately because they get stolen from those vehicles. A co-workers was stolen last week.
I have a 2.5" 66 that came with a holster that was a bit loose.
I wet it with alcohol, took the grips off the gun, inserted it into the holster and put it all in a vacuum seal bag for 24 hours.
I don't know if it will form a new holster, but it's harmless to any gun and form fitted this one to the gun perfectly.
I suppose you could apply a little heat from a light bulb, etc. to enhance things without hurting a polymer gun.
I wet it with alcohol, took the grips off the gun, inserted it into the holster and put it all in a vacuum seal bag for 24 hours.
I don't know if it will form a new holster, but it's harmless to any gun and form fitted this one to the gun perfectly.
I suppose you could apply a little heat from a light bulb, etc. to enhance things without hurting a polymer gun.
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rednichols
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Yeah, you're not meant to leave the pistol in the holster while you dry it! And the oven needs to be fan force, and the oven door needs to be open. The science is to use the heat to soften the collagen in the leather, and the fan to move the wet air away from the leather as it dries. Takes about half-hour.
Wetting the leather for only perhaps 5-10 seconds in hot water (as hot as your hand will tolerate) is better than over-wetting by a long shot. Mould with hands alone, or better yet, use a 'boning' tool which can be a round-tipped paint brush, for example; this method will intentionally discolour the leather to accent the pistol's shape.
If you use a real pistol for this hand moulding, you won't need the plastic bag; the holster won't be very wet when the pistol's inserted, so just wipe off the pistol when it's removed and re-lubricate as if you'd shot it.
It's not rocket science -- but it IS science.
rednichols
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An example of holsters moulded and dried this way:
funny that the pic is upside down 
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