Homemade Holsters!

[jiannichan]

Really interested in making my own holster for myxd9sc. The cbst works fine but I really like the idea of a homemade one. I can get most of these things from hobby lobby or a fabric store? Posting from my phone so I doing a search or whatever is difficult.

[gigag04]

Depends on materials. I mostly use Tandy for leatherworking supplies because they are a great value added distributor. And ship fast too.

[alpmc]

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.

[B3XD]

clear nail polish works great. It you are compulsive about it, you can make a little template to protect the leather.

[alpmc]

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.

[Lonest4r]

I have been practicing on the small gun because it uses less leather. More pictures to follow. See them here.










The top pictures are of the first holster I made, the middle was a pocket/ belt rig that ended up having the weight distributed awkwardly, so I added an additional strap of leather to steady it. The bottom pics are of the latest holster I made; this one is by far my favorite in function and form. Next i will be making a supertuck-similar holster for my Firestar M40. If anyone knows of some local distributors of kydex in the DFW area I would be appreciative.

[alpmc]

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.

[Lonest4r]

I am using relatively thin cowhide from Tandy leather. I'm not sure on the weight, but it seems to be the same thickness as the backing leather of my crossbreed horsehide, so it should make a nice imitation crossbreed. The leather was dyed with their eco-flo leather dye. The light brown was an eco-flo all-in-one that i tried, but i didn't like the results. The all-in-ones don't seem to cover as evenly, and once a coat has been applied you cannot add a second. I finished the last one with eco-flo Super Shene. In the picture I took the light makes the finish look uneven, but when observed normally it looks rather even and uniform. Oh, and on the first one I used some natural beeswax and a hair dryer to make the thing stiff and water proof. It was really a novel effect and it smells wonderful. I will try this technique on future holsters.

[BobCat]

alpmc,

Will you answer a couple of questions about forming the plastic/Kydex/ABS?

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?

Assuming for the moment the clamshell press, I understand that, to make a knife sheath or wrap-around plastic holster, one wraps the plastic around the blade or gun and presses with foam on both sides. 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?

Thanks in advance. This is very interesting. When I went to order a Minotaur from Comp-Tac, it turned out that my CZ75B is too old and out-dated - they no longer make a holster for it.

Regards,
Andrew

[alpmc]

Hey BobCat

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!

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!

[BobCat]

Absolutely helps, thanks!

I have some thinking to do... just when I thought I was over-thinking this.

Thanks again for the explanation!

Regards,
Andrew

[B3XD]

look at http://www.f1design.us/05_projects/04_k ... /index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for using a vacuum former to make a kydex holster. The instructions are good, if a little complex. There are a number of You Tube sites on making a homemade vacuum former.

[alpmc]

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!

[gigag04]

Shot of finished HK P7 holster, all black, OWB. The scuffs on the left side are from sloppy cutting, measuring, and grooving. I had less of these blunders on the second one below (G30), but the stitching got worse (and incidentally more complicated):


Here is one of an IWB for a G30SF for one of my partners. The stitching is a little sloppy because I experiment with pre-drilling holes with 1/16th bit in a dremmel...dislike. I'm going to go with Al Stohlman's method for my next holster (awl, stitching pony, and needles). Should be much better. I also got a stitchwheel which should help even out my stitches for that polished look. My edges got much better on this one, which puzzled me as to why my stitches didn't go in as straight but I think I got sloppy with the dremmel. I don't think I'll be pre-drilling holes like that.

The lighting doesn't show the color great, but it is a dark brown holster body, with the trim pieces done in flat black.


Next up is light brown/dark/brown/blk IWB for a Colt Commander. Hopefully get going on it this coming weekend....

[alpmc]

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!