Home Made Holsters

[bamabiker]

Hey mac, can you post a pic of the back of that last holster you showed?
I noticed you seem to like stitching all three sides instead of folding the leather and stitching one side and the bottom. Do you find this works better or some other reason you like it better?
You are making some very nice ones.

 

[macbullet]

DWG, I'm not in this to make holsters to sell and I doubt I could come up with one for your gun as I don't have a 686 to make a pattern from. I'm sure some of the others here can help you out.
Thank you 566.
bamabiker, I copied the old Safariland design, the one's that have the sight track in them and are stitched all the way around. Mine don't have the sight track but do have a single thickness spacer all the way around. I did a couple single action holsters where I wrapped around and left the toe open, I just like the looks of the old Safariland holsters for both single and double action.
Here's a pic of the back of the 3" 66 holster and a Safariland #43 with one I copied from it. Thanks for the comments.

P.S. Did I mention I love leathers holsters? Here's a few that take up space in a spare bedroom. There are a few more in this bunch that I would like to try making eventually. Man that leather smells good!

 

[bamabiker]

Thanks for the pics and explanation.
Very well done.

 

[Nemo288]

Man that leather smells good!

I'll bet you have a couple under the seat of your vehicle just for
that smell

My truck has a Hoppes air freshioner. I don't have enough leather
to make my house smell of it. Does smell of Hoppes though.

It's all about the ambiance.

---
Nemo

 

[Green Frog]

gregintenn, I particularly like the high-rise holster you made for this stainless (?) snubbie with stags. Is it a J-frame? (I can't quite get the scale without some reference.) That design looks perfect for CCW work with the mini-revolvers of the I- and J-frame persuasion, and my I-frame snubbie just may have to come out of its pocket holster when I'm wearing a jacket or coat. Thanks for that great idea.

 

[MoPoPo]

macbullet, You're doing great work! Youre "splotching" really sets off the holsters. I also love that model 500 rig you built. That thing is just awesome!

Chipmunk6, that 1911 holster is very different! Kind of a mix between minimalist and full coverage. I like it alot!

Keep up the good work!!

 

[macbullet]

I don't have any leather under the truck seat.....always out in the open or on my hip. Back in 1983 I bought one of the new Ford diesel pickups (***) and had several elk hides stashed away so I had a friend cover the seat with them. It looked great but sure did dry out, I had to keep conditioning them every couple months, but the smell was great. My son just bought a new Dodge Laramie Longhorn that has the all leather interior (like the Ford King 's Ranch) and you wanna talk about something that smells good......WOW! That Hoppe's air freshner is a perty good smell too. Thanks again all, more to come and don't be afraid to put up your home mad.....er "Hand Crafted" holster pics.

 

[Cooter Brown]

macbullet, that bear face is one of the coolest things I've ever seen on a piece of leather...

Executing something like that is art beyond holster making.

 

[PhilOhio]

Macbullet, I'm quite impressed with the fine work you are doing so early in the game. I don't have to tell you, Bamabiker, and Chicksaw Hunter how much fun it is. You're all doing a great job. I've been doing it off and on, as the need arises, since about 1984, in the era of Tandy Leather's first hay day. Then they almost died out, and are apparently back...sort of...but way too expensive with their tooling. I have a ton of it from the early days. It would be almost unaffordable at their catalog prices today.

I have some of the Al Stohlman pattern books, and it looks like several of you are using them also. I assume he's been gone for many years.

When I had about 30 tooled belts, and holsters to fit everything imaginable, I eased up. And my vision is not as fine as 25 years ago, so I don't embark on these projects as quickly as before.

I'll post a few pics when I get a chance.

A couple of tips: I started to find that certain holster sizes would fit a lot of guns if only the safety strap was the right length. So I started making the holsters with a strap with female snaps on both ends. Now I can use one holster for a bunch of handguns, and just choose a strap of the correct length. You do have to make sure the snap on the back side is very firm.

And an air brush can give you all sorts of shading effects, as using black dye to get a smoke effect along a stitch edge, etc.

I've done a little hand painting of the design using an artists brush and contrasting colors, a la Mexican holster style, but it's usually too gawdy for me. I only made a few that way.

Question to all of you: Not having umpteen thousand for a leather sewing machine, I groove the stitch line when damp, mark it with my size choice of star wheel, and pierce each hole with an awl. Then I use the standard saddle stitch. It's too labor intensive, but looks good, as in your pictures. Do all of you do pretty much the same? A pliers and metal thimble are necessary to push the needle through sometimes, to save fingers.

It really is great to be able to make what I want, rather than what's on the shelf for an outrageous price. It does take some hours, but the skills are easily learned. Most of you could do it, with a little guidance and some good books. Tandy sells it all, if you can find a store in your area, or if you have their catalog.

 

[Danny Abernathy]

Macbullett, I don't see anything wrong with your holstermaking. They seem to get better with each pic, I would not hesitate to buy one from you!
Danny A.

 

[macbullet]

Thanks Danny, but I don't expect to be selling any holsters, I'll leave that to the Pro's. These are things I wanted to try and I'm having a ball doing it. Phil, thank you also, can't wait to see your pics. I stitch everything by hand also, but a little different than you. I do groove the stitch line, are you supposed to do it when the leather is damp? I haven't tried that. Also mark with a wheel but I use a 1/16" punch for the holes, starting at one end and going back over to double stitch. I haven't tried the two needle thing (I'm lucky I can use one!). I use an awl to enlarge the holes on the secong pass, if I don't the thread gets all messed up and knotted. Even then pliers are needed at times as you said. I cut off the little finger from a pair of leather gloves for my right pinky. Pulling the thread tight didn't agree with that poor little finger. Been busy the last couple days making more and it's all you guy's fault for encouraging me.

A different Bear seemed approriate for my Ruger 45 Colt Hunter holster since it has accounted for one Black Bear so far. Grip inlays by Jeff Mosby (Mosby Guitars, Custom Leather Guitar Straps, Custom Guitar Covers, Custom Pearl Inlay.).

Then there's this Ruger Security Six that I sold a couple years ago and through a strange set of circumstances brought back to the fold so I made this spider web holster.

 

[PhilOhio]

Macbullet,

Yes, when the leather is dampened you use a little Tandy tool which you drag along the outside edge of the leather. A protruding piece, with a hole in it, is set (with a set screw) for the distance in from the edge where you want the stitch line. As you drag it along, it peels a perfect long thread of leather, forming the groove. Then you roll the star wheel down the groove and it marks the stitch hole points. I think a 1/16" punch might be way to much. The awl is probably better.

And you need to try the two-needle saddle stitch, fastening the thread to each needle the way Al Stohlman did. It's very secure. And it's the easy way.

Everything you do with the leather, you do while it is quite damp. And it's good to re-dampen it several times as you work, because it breathes out a lot of the moisture, just like our skin. It's amazing how quickly this can happen, while you are working. And you know it, because working the leather becomes more difficult and less precise.

I'll try to take/post some pics, but I've been busy casting lead cores and swaging some big fat .444 Marlin jacketed hollow point 240 grainers.

 

[PhilOhio]

O.K., I hope this is not overkill, but here are a few holsters I've made over the years. Worst first. I got carried away with colors, in doing this Mexican style holster for the 1911.

Below is one for my Para Ordnance P10 .45. The little rivet in the corner is a very good idea to keep the stitches from opening up over the years, if you use it a lot.

I originally made this one way back in 1986 for my H&K P7M13. I sign, mark, and date each new holster on the back side. Recently I found it is a perfect fit for my new Walther/S&W PPKS .380. Note the thick leather spacer sewn into the lower seam, to widen it for the P7M13 dimensions. And this is a closed bottom holster, with a bottom piece sewn in, squaring the end.

I originally made this one for the P10, but changed my mind about the design. With a new safety strap, it fits one of my custom made "K" snubbies perfectly. Note the Victory frame lanyard ring...sort of curious on a round butt.

Here's one for my S&W 63. Doing it again, I would use a color other than silver for the scallops around the edge. You learn something with each new holster.

The colors worked out a little bit better on the traditional floral design for this S&W 66 holster...my early one with all stainless rear sight and trigger stop, which I purchased new.

Here's a very long holster for one of my 6" Colt Woodsman's. I also made a quick attach extension hanger, so during severe cold winter weather, I can hang the thing so it is just below the edge of my parka, so I can get at it without half undressing and freezing. I call it my "low draw" rig. I like basket weave; simple, easy to do, and looks good.

I have other holsters for inside the pants, belt clip inside or out, etc. All are unadorned and strictly utilitarian. Tandy Leather sells, or did sell, nice nickel plated flat spring belt clips which you can sew and rivet into the holster, and I've used a few of those.

It's nice to be able to visualize the holster design for a new pistol, and then just start making it...often copying or adapting features you see on some other commercial holster. I take a manila file folder, wrap it loosely around the gun, and begin drawing on the cardboard with a marking pen and then trimming it to shape with a scissors. Pretty soon you have a template for tracing onto leather, cutting...on and on it goes. Good rainy day stuff.

 

[bamabiker]

Phil,those are some good looking holsters. I really enjoy seeing other's leather work.
I use the Tandy tool for the stitch groove but then I make it deeper by using a groover that my Father had. I use them with the leather dry, seem to have better control, but that's just me.
I was using a 1/16" punch but now use an awl. I do use two needles and do the saddle stitch.
Most of my tools were my Father's that he bought in the 40's when he taught himself leather work. He was in the Air Force stationed in Wyoming when he and a bunch of other guys got rhumatic fever. He stayed in the hospital over a year and started working with leather while there. He made belts, purses and billfolds. He got me started in leather when I was about 20 making belts mostly. Then went a long time without making anything. After he died (13 years ago this month) I got all his leather stuff and that's when I got interested again. Just started holsters about a year ago.
I enjoy it and it kinda makes me feel good knowing I'm carrying on something Dad started.
Do any of you do any other leather things? Besides holsters? I'd like to see some if you do.
Here's a picture I did for our HR director.

The picture is not too good but it's all I've got.
Mac, don't mean to hi-jack your thread, hope you don't mind.

 

[macbullet]

Great looking holsters Phil and thanks for the tips. bama, don't feel like you're hijacking the thread. Great story about your Dad, bet he'd be proud you're carrying on.....especially with his tools, that's great! I wish you would post more of your work, holsters or whatever. That goes for anybody, if you have holsters you've made put up the pics we all want to see them. Thanks!

 

[bamabiker]

Well since you asked for it...
M65 Ladysmith

M15

3" J frame for one of our members

Another 1911

M686

We are Bama fans

Contrary to what some think we don't all hate Auburn

One of my daughters likes peacocks

Sorry if I got carried away.

 

[PhilOhio]

Beautiful holsters, bama biker. The fine design work looks like it could come straight out of one of Al Stohlman's instruction books. Non-leather crafters probably don't understand how difficult the floral patterns are. It's one thing to make a design consisting of a factory stamp, or a combination of them, and quite another thing to carve and shape.

In that regard, you can also make these the easy way, sticking to stamping tools only. For those of you who like the look of tooled holsters, I'd encourage you to jump in and get your feet wet. Buy a minimal number of simple tools, on the advice of somebody who knows, and try to make a holster. The basket weave designs look great and are unbelievably simple to do. You just tap the stamping tool with a mallet for each segment, and move on to the next one, linking them together. There is no artistic carving required. It's a mechanical process. After that, you can try some simple carving, in combination with the stamps. The whole thing really is a lot of fun, and admirers at the range will have no idea how easy most of it was.

An inevitable result is that everybody wants you to make a holster, but there aren't enough hours in the day.

 

[inFALable]

Here are some of my kydex holsters and accessories. I want to get into leather though. I don't put sixguns in kydex.

 

[VM]

My friend bamabiker made this for me

 

[xray97]

I've posted some of these before. I started teaching myself a few years ago.

Chaps I made