Holster Making Woes..

[just-a-hunter]

I have a Cobra Class 4 coming but I got a new 1911 the other day and needed a holster. Understandably it takes a minute to get minute to get one of those babies shipped, plus I need a minute to learn the machine before I dive into stitching finished products. This holster is a 100% practice piece.

First off, I don't know when the magic talent ferry is going to fly down and give me the ability to be able to carve a Sheridan design, but I doubt it will be any time soon. I have ceded the fact that I am not a flower carver. This is one area I have not been able to make any improvements skill wise. I have tried and tried. I suck and I can admit that so please don't laugh at my tooling on this particular holster. If anything I have regressed in this subject. I don't know why I thought I could make this one better but again, this is a practice holster and I wanted to give it one more go. Please look past the fact that the tooling on this holster takes it from an okay product to a 7th grade boy scouts project.

2nd, This is my "first" on a few things. This is the first leather product I have made that is fully suede lined, as well as the first one I am trying to give a natural neatsfoot oil finish on. I've also realized that the best Tandy Leather leather sucks. If you die it, it can look good but natural finishes take quality leather me thinks. The neatsfoot has highlighted spots in this leather otherwise unseen. I did order some leather from Montana leather company so I'm glad I have a bit of tandy leather to practice and learn on.

I made a pattern using math (scary for me) instead of eyeballing it for the first time as well. I also wanted to see if a stitch line pattern was possible to make production a little faster when the machine does come.

Sunshine can be a rare commodity around here this time of year so I hope to lay the holster out and richen it up as soon as we get a nice Spring day instead of a Colorado Spring day.

The good is the pattern worked wonderfully. The thumb break works awesome, the holster is going to work awesome and it packs really nicely. I was going to use edge coat on the edges but I like the two tone look.

Please, any and all critique is very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Todd

 

[sheathmaker]

Well, Todd I'm not going to heap the praise on and blow smoke, because you have already identified the problems. First thing is you haven't had enough birthdays yet. Experience teaches well and you haven't had enough time for that yet.

The quality of the leather, you have already mentioned and now with first hand experience you know why we always suggest really good quality USA tanned, USA hides. One of my biggest objections to the import stuff is that it won't accept oiling well and it does not case well for carving and tooling. You now have first hand knowledge of that with this project.

Now a little critique and I hope some help. It appears that most of your swivel knife work lacks sufficient depth of cut and then with the light stroke the tooling and shading also does not appear to have sufficient depth. It also appears that it may have been a little wet when carved and tooled.......but that also goes back to how poorly import leather cases.

Next, if while the holster is still flat, but has been lined, you will skive the suede back from all the edges anywhere it can be seen about 1/4" to 3/8" back from the edge an all the way down to the veg. tan (removing anything that could possibly show at the edge), and then glue up and finish you'll find the edges finish nicely and there is no suede and no two tone, and the holster will have a slimmer look. This little trick is practiced on all my sheaths that are lined with OTHER than thin veg. tan. Veg tan linings will finish and blend with the rest of the piece nicely and not produce two tone or ridges.

Paul

 

[Chris Meyer]

Todd,

I can't add anything to what Paul already told you, but I have a question about the thumb-break. Is that some sort of protective cover on the bottom of the snap (see arrow)? If not, shouldn't it have a strip of leather covering the inside so that the bottom of the snap doesn't mar the finish on your pistol?

 

[Horsewright]

Second on all that Paul said Todd. Your holster design would be ideal for skivving your lining leather. I'd do it even further than he suggested. I'd skive it back to just outside the interior stitch line. That will make your "wings" where your belt slots are, thinner as you won't have the lining leather there. This will allow that area to better conform to your waist, lie flatter and just be more comfortable. Less break in. It will also allow you to clean up the slots better, rubbing the inside of the slots etc. giving a more professional finished appearance.

I like your design and it seems to suit your Ruger well. I'd round that front bottom corner off just a hair. Make it look more like the corner at the back of the muzzle. I'm not a fan of thumb breaks and after carrying one or another of em for decades, I'm just not a fan. I do make em on occasion. I do leather line the top part of the strap covering the snap. Instead of using that metal reinforcement piece on the snap tab I've gone to using a second piece of holster weight veggie tan and then sivving it down to zero just about where the tab joins the rest of the body of the holster. This gives that tab the stiffness it needs to work well. You do want to start your skive early enough that the snap doesn't have to go through two full layers. Unless you got snaps with extra long posts. Where your stitch line is just holding the lining leather in I'd go closer to the edge. This helps keep that lining from peeling back with life, particularly at the top when you are putting the handgun in the tholster.

 

[just-a-hunter]

Thank you all. So much. A lot of time and thoughts went into these responses and they are VERY much appreciated!

Todd