It ain't Kydex

[MitchellB]

For any of you DIYers that are interested in holster making, I just discovered that you don't have to use KYDEX to make a holster. I just made an IWB for my SW9VE from a piece of large white plastic that used to be the top of a Brita water cooler. This is my first plastic holster I ever tried to make and got the plastic a little to hot in places, but I proved to myself it will work. It ain't very pretty, but it will be hidden in my britches under my shirt anyway. I just need to be more patient next time and use less heat. I need to scrounge around now for some large pieces of formable plastic for my next attempt. Preferably another color other that bright white!

 

[KyWstJoe]

There is probably lots of stuff you could use. A plastic trash with a worn out bottom still has a lot of good plastic left. Talk about recycling! Keep us posted with your future projects!

 

[DLL10mm]

Ummmm....???

 

[Super Trucker]

If you live in a northern state, let us know how that works in the winter when it is 20 below zero, or when you must disarm and leave it in the car during the summer when it is 120 inside the car.

 

[MitchellB]

Well, I'm no chemist and do not know the difference between kydex and a plastic trash cans composition, but I've never seen a plastic garbage can shatter from being too cold or melt from being in the sun. I do know that kydex at $10 a pop for a holster size sheet is to expensive just for me to experiment with. Once I get the hang making a few holsters I may try my luck with real kydex plastic, but this water cooler plastic is holding up pretty good so far. I've been wearing it around the house since I made it.

 

[vipermd]

This is what America needs!!! Ideas!! Living in the UP of MI I can attest to the fact that "plastic" can break when it's cold. This past Jan a discussion led me to put a glock 22 outside in -25 for about 1-2 hrs. I then fired a 15 rd mag, with defensive ammo, without problem. A AK trooper made a statement that they have never had a glock fail due to the cold. I was talking to Luke from Adams Holsters yesterday and he mentioned that stretching/tearing seem to be the major problems with kydex. Maybe we could recycle all the plastic water bottles, soda bottles? Excellent idea hope you keep us up to date.

 

[zoom6zoom]

I think I'd keep a lanyard on my pistol until I was confident that the chosen plastic wasn't going to suddenly crack or shatter.

 

[KyWstJoe]

There were many naysayers when Kydex holsters first came around.

 

[blujax01]

I love seeing that Yankee ingenuity is still alive and well. Keep trying different materials and designs, this might become a profitable venture somewhere down the road, you never know.
"Repurposing" objects is the latest everything-old-is-new-again.
My old man grew up during the last Depression and taught me to "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." Turning a trashed water pitcher into a holster saves money, saves trash and just may work!
I say: good on 'ya!

 

[mlk18]

Good idea but I will stick with leather. Makes me feel better about eating the cow.

 

[MitchellB]

I prefer leather too, but I sweat allot here in the summer, especially outside working. I check with a Kydex manufacturing web site and was surprised to discover they make hundreds of different chemical compositions for just manufacturing Kydex for different applications it will be used for. I emailed them about what was best for holster making, so not all Kydex is alike either.

 

[yelohamr]

I use Wonderflex for my holsters. CosplaySupplies.com -- Tutorials > Wonderflex Basics

You can spraypaint it any color.