Avenger and Pancake Holsters

M

mt_hangglider

Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
312
Good morning guys. Thought I'd start a thread showing you my progress from last night starting my first ever holster. It will be for my 4" Wilson Combat 1911's and will be an avenger / askin style. Figured that was a good place to start. Anyway, I found a free pattern online as you can see with my cutout. It'll be nice not to have to worry about making the whole thing then realizing I did something wrong and my gun won't fit right. The piece I made last night will be the reinforcement or what I like to call a throat that curves around the front of the holster on the outside. I figured it was the logical place to do an inlay / tooling. I'll probably stamp a border on the outside of the actual holster too but didn't want to get too fancy on it since it will be wet molded and we all know tooling doesn't like wet molding all that much. Stay tuned, I'll post more work in progress shots for anyone that's interested. Should be a pretty nice piece when finished. Hoping to have enough time to get it done sometime this weekend.

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I'm editing my original post to add completed photos. I'm pretty pleased. Not too shabby for my first holster. The gun fits like a glove too. :cool:



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Dude thats better than pretty nice thats gorgeous!
 
I think your work flow is awesome, regardless of experience level. One not on the pattern even though I know you stated it was sourced else where, is I'd really recommend you take the reinforcement piece up to cover the sweat/slide guard. Long term a single layer will get a lot floppier than the double layer and the amount of material it takes to do this here is very small. I'd also consider adjusting your stitch lines around the rear belt loop just for looks.
 
Horsewright said:
Dude thats better than pretty nice thats gorgeous!
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Thank you Dave! Always appreciate the kind words. I'm pretty darn pleased. Definitely will do some things differently next time like the things Eaglestroker points out.

WEB2 said:
Your first one? Yeah, sure, you cant fool us! Lol...very very nice!!
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Thank you! :) Not my first piece of leather but definitely my first holster.

Eaglestroker said:
I think your work flow is awesome, regardless of experience level. One not on the pattern even though I know you stated it was sourced else where, is I'd really recommend you take the reinforcement piece up to cover the sweat/slide guard. Long term a single layer will get a lot floppier than the double layer and the amount of material it takes to do this here is very small. I'd also consider adjusting your stitch lines around the rear belt loop just for looks.
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Thank you my friend, appreciate the kind words. I definitely agree with you on all points as to what I would do differently on the next one. The reinforcement on the sweat guard is a great idea. I also wish I had not followed the pattern to a T before punching that second belt loop otherwise I would have stitched around it after the fact like it was supposed to be there. Oh well, other than those couple things, I'm pretty darn pleased and can't wait to do another. Maybe a pancake style next time with some shark and some different elements. We'll see. Stay tuned :).
 
For those that make holsters, do you think it is easier to make this style or the pancake style?
Thanks
 
WEB2 said:
For those that make holsters, do you think it is easier to make this style or the pancake style?
Thanks
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Funny you should ask :) I'm actually about 1/2 way through a pancake at the moment and have found that it's been easier than the askin. Definitely less sewing and less complicated cutting. It's gone quicker and I'm not sure if that's just confidence or if it's the construction. Anyway, I usually don't show stuff until it's finished but here's a little WIP teaser for you guys. Cape Buffalo front with Shark inlay on the trim panel. Should be pretty nice when finished!

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That is looking good! I think pancakes are easier too.
 
Alight, so I actually got two holsters made this weekend. Finished the cape buffalo / shark then decided I needed a full front shark with alligator inlay. I got quite a bit further on the second yesterday but only took a couple photos just before and as I was wet molding. Will be sure to post more when I finish it up and can get them taken. The first one is pretty nice. The second turned out really nice.

Cape Buffalo and Shark finished up:

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Shark and Alligator work in progress:

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Horsewright said:
Looking great!! Get ya a blue gun. Makes life easier.
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Thanks Dave! Yeah, going to have to do that for sure. Just haven't wanted to spend the $50... it would be a lot better than putting an expensive Wilson Combat pistol in a wet holster :). Plus a person could leave it in there as long as they wanted. I've only been putting my gun in there for maybe 15-20. That works out pretty well but the blue gun would definitely be better.
 
Plus the wife don't get mad cause you used all the saran wrap and forgot to tell her and she needs it and there isn't any.....
 
Yeah and the tinfoil too. Use the tinfoil for dyeing my elk horn.
 
Horsewright said:
Plus the wife don't get mad cause you used all the saran wrap and forgot to tell her and she needs it and there isn't any.....
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Ha ha yeah, this is true. Oh and I'd better stop by the grocery store and pick up a new one tonight. For some reason we're almost out... :D
 
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