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JacksBack - Looks fantastic for a first attempt! Please post some more photo's after you dye and finish it.

wharvey - Love both, but the second holster is fantastic! I've tried a few experiments with hand stitching and was not happy. I'm going to try your idea of pre-drilling the holes!

wharvey wrote:Over all I'm pleased with these. Perhaps not the quality of one of the custom holsters but after using them to carry for a while, I have to say they will certainly do the job. AND no six month wait.

Exactly! Cost less as well!

beardking wrote:I actually rigged up a makeshift vacuum table this past weekend and I was pleasantly surprised at the results. The only problem that I have is that I had to staple the kydex to the frame so I had to use a full 12x12 piece. Being able to use the membrane would be nice so I can make use of the leftovers. :)

The following is an excerpt from a PM, but I believe it might help:
I built the vacuum former about 10 years ago. It's working surface is 20" x 12" so it's not really that big. It's what I had sitting around so I use it as a vac membrane press.

If I were to build a brand new vacuum MEMBRANE press, I would build it larger perhaps about 25" x 15". Mine is too small.....I had a hard time working with large guns like the XD's.

If I were to build a brand new vacuum FORMER just for holsters, I would make it smaller. I would research the average gun length, let's say it's 8", and the average gun width, let's say it's 5", then I would build my vac forming table about 10" x 6'!! That's just a guess!

As I have said before, I don't think a vacuum former is cost effective for kydex holsters. Too much high priced material is wasted for repeating projects. Making a regular clamping device.....two pieces of wood with foam and clamps is the best way to start off before venturing into other methods. My original intention for showing my method was just meant to be an alternative....I don't necessarily think it's a good place to start!

beardking wrote:Where did you get the roofing membrane that you used?

I'm a scavenger by nature...not to be confused with a dumpster diver...won't go that far! I only needed a small piece about 22" x 15" to fit the frame. I went to a local roofing company and asked if they had a small piece laying around that they would sell me and the guy said to hold on a sec.......he returned with a piece that was 3' x 4' claiming it was going to be thrown away and let me have it without charge! You'd be surprised what you can find just by asking. If scavenging is not to your liking, I would assume it can be purchased at a roofing supply or online, try a Google search on roofing rubber membrane for flat roofs.

The material I have looks and feels like a thin rubber tire inner tube.

giga04 - Very nice!!! Your stitching and the boning look fantastic! I like this style of holster as well and I have seen it's style in many other holster designs, but how did you come up with the design? (how or where does the piece on the top come from, is it part of the back?) I can tell from the first shot that the holster does not seem to be formed yet. Did you stitch the outer edges, form the gun, then stitch the rest? In my feeble mind I was picturing forming the gun first then stitching. What color did you dye this one with? What are the steps? I really must try an all leather holster. (sorry for all the questions)

Please post a final photo of the complete holster, I would love to see how it turns out!

BobCat wrote:Ordered some Kydex yesterday, looking for leather, will be quiet now until I have a picture to post. Thanks for the inspiration and how-to.

Ok, I'll be looking forward to seeing your pictures!

Here is the OWB holster I made for a friend today. It's for his Glock 27.


Next time I will try to extend the leather beyond the barrel. I was measuring the leather cut to the ABS and not the gun! Learning curve.


I also stained this holster with an entire.....tipped over...bottle of stain!

My major consideration for this gun is that it does not have much of a grip. I had to trim the ABS at the point where the trigger guard and the grip come together in order to get a finger comfortably around the grip. I had to use a modified tactical cut and dip the leather down behind it.

beardking wrote:What thickness kydex are you using in that press? And with the membrane vacuum press that you use, am I correct in my thinking that you don't clamp the kydex into any sort of frame? Just the membrane is in the frame, correct?

I'm using 0.060 ABS.

No, the ABS/Kydex is cut in a small piece to fit the gun just as you would if you were using a clamshell type press and once heated is placed, by hand, over the gun resting on the vac table.

Yes, just the membrane is attached to the frame. When the membrane comes into contact with the top of the vac table it sucks down hard thus pressing and forming anything it has sandwiched in between.

The membrane itself not heated in any way but you must choose a heat resistant material that will tolerate the heated ABS/Kydex. I have also tried putting one layer of the foam on top of the gun and the ABS, it seems to work better without the foam.

Hope that helps.

giga04 - Very nice holsters! Both are well made and your technique is excellent. I like both styles but the first seems to me to be the harder of the two to make. The stitching woes that I hear from almost everyone are what keeps me at bay in trying my hand at an all leather holster. I have heard the Stohlman method works best and I'm going to give it a try soon. Thanks for posting your photos and the information.......by doing so, you made me research more on stitching. It's a good thing because I thought you used that four prong chisel thing for stitching. Wrong! I do have the wheel and an awl and a little sewing palm glove that came with the tools I bought so all I need is a pony. I should buy some books.

Sad thing is a couple of months ago I saw a very well made stitching pony/horse that was built as a one piece (adjustable) bench with under seat storage at a Estate sale for $20.00 and I had no interest at the time so I did not buy it!

B3XD - Great article on vacuum thermoforming. Thanks. I've found this article before but I ruled out vacuum thermofoming Kydex because it would be wasteful and expensive as a holster making process and I don't recommend it.

Using the vacuum membrane press only works well for the hybrid style holsters and not well on holsters having the Kydex wrapped around both sides of the gun or knife, for that I would use my clamshell press.

BobCat- Also, I forgot to mention that any vacuum bag or membrane press requires a very strong vacuum when dealing with Kydex. You must pull a strong vacuum immediately before the Kydex/ABS cools. Acquiring one with adequate strength could get pricey!

Hey BobCat

BobCat wrote:I see your vacuum former but am not sure how it works. Most of the Internet how-to videos show a clamshell press made of plywood, hinges, foam, and clamps. It looks very simple to make, I'm hazy on the vacuum former. What is your opinion of the proper choice for a first-time holster maker?

The clamshell type press is a true and tried method for forming Kydex/ABS and would be considerably cheaper and easier to make than the vacuum membrane press. But, having used both, I think the vacuum membrane press gets better results on the initial pressing and requires less heat gun tweaking than the clamshell. My answer is start with a clamshell!

BobCat wrote:If one wants a one-side plastic shell to go on a leather backer (like the one you show for your SA EMP 9mm), is there foam under the gun or does it lie flat on the plywood, so the plastic is full-depth?

No foam under the gun, let it lie flat on the plywood.

Here's how I use the modified vacuum former, which I'm now using as a vacuum membrane press.

Cut the Kydex/ABS to fit the gun.


Affix a dowel to the top of the gun to create a front site channel.


Heat the Kydex/ABS.


Here's the part I was not able to photograph during the process. I first positioned the (unloaded) gun on the vacuum table while waiting for the ABS to heat. When ready and with gloved hands, I removed the ABS from the oven and placed over the EMP and formed it loosely with my fingers. I then grabbed the frame with the membrane and lowered that onto the gun and ABS. Turn on the vacuum and the membrane sucks the heated ABS tightly around the gun!


Hope that helps!

Those holsters look great Lonest4r! I like the style of the last one. I do have a few questions, what type of leather are you using and are you dyeing them yourself?

I have not been brave enough to try stitching yet but it's something I want to try.

Ok, here's the latest!

This is the hybrid I made for my SA EMP 9mm. I photographed progress shots of this project but I won't post them unless someone is interested.


The leather lining.

jiannichan wrote:I can get most of these things from hobby lobby or a fabric store?

Here in Lubbock I have two sources for leather and related products, S & D Trading and Tandy. I buy from both. I have not tried Hobby Lobby yet so no help there. I would doubt that a fabric store would have much for holster making, but I have not tried one so once again, not much help. I bought the .060 black hair celled ABS, if that's the way you want to go, from a local plastic supply named Bowers and I would think that most larger cities would have a similar business. Also try sign making or skylight fabricating business's. If I was going to order Kydex online, I would go to knifekits.com. All of the hardware I got at Home Depot and the leather stores. Hope that helps!

Here's the modified vacuum former that I'm using as a membrane vacuum press.


This is the heating element for vac forming which I don't use for heating the ABS. I use an oven.


This is the forming frame that holds the rubber membrane with these High Tech attachment devices.
The rubber membrane is scavenged rubber roofing material.


This is the frame and the membrane in the "ready for the vacuum" position. I will photograph the actual process while I'm doing it with any luck.

High Calibre Hottie wrote:When we make our "doubled" (Backed) holsters, when use a groover and hand stitch the two together. The suede would be to thin to groove but you don't even really need to subset the stitches. I'll try and get some pics up this weekend.

I've thought about stitching but my budget won't let me buy a nice Tippmann Boss! I wish! I don't know much about hand stitching but it's on my list of things to learn! I do have a groover though. Can't wait to see some of your pictures!

Lonest4r - Thanks for the props! Let's see some photo's........even the rough ones! I found a complete set of leather working tools at a garage sale that I picked up for $20.00 and it came with an over stitch wheel. I need to learn how to use it and put it to work.

Wild Bill - I happened to have some clear nail polish laying around that I used on another of my projects so I will try that! Thanks for the suggestion!

Bobcat - Thanks for the props! I also did not think I could make my own, but there is enough instruction available on the internet that it was easier than I thought it would be! YouTube and gun forums are great places to look. I bet you could easily make one for your CZ75!

Wild Bill - I was thinking of lining the entire back of the holster with suede. Since I thoroughly soaked the back with the tan-kote, I've been told the contact cement would give up the ghost in short order. I think I can get the tan-kote off the metal as you suggested and I'm open to ideas on how to water/sweatproof them. I don't think the t-nuts will rust but the machine bolts will, especially since I had to grid them down to shorten them. Thanks for the props on the mag holder......I'm improving slightly.

I'm starting work on a new hybrid for my EMP. I'll post progress shots soon.

Wild Bill - I used Tan-Kote. I asked the local leather working guys if I could adhere over the treatment, they said it would probably not last long if I did. I may still try it though.

Here is what I made yesterday. It's a mag holder for my EMP mags.




You can see here that the leather cost me $2.99. The whole thing cost about $6.00 to make.