Making a leather holster

[davidlt89]

got all my stuff from Tandy Leather today so I decided to start the first part of this project tonight. The gun I am making a holster for is my Taurus 922 .22/22 mag with a 6 1/2" barrel.

Let it be known I have never ever worked with leather in my life, I am starting from square one. I figured I would chronicle this process as I go along in case anyone may be interested in doing this but just had not got up the courage to try it. one thing i have learned on this forum, if you can think it, you can do it!!!!

Obviously the first part of this project is to make a pattern I can put to leather. I had ordered some patterns from a place called Black Elk, in those patterns were some instructions on how to make a holster from scratch for a specific gun. this is the path I chose to go since none of the other patterns came close to fitting my Taurus 922.

So I went to wal-mart today and got me some sketch paper, biggest pad I could find and I started following the instructions. I divided the paper in half and drew a line directly down the center. I then placed my gun sights down and put the line in the middle of the back sight and front sight and then rolled my gun to the right of the line and let it lay on its side. I rolled it to the right for a right handed holster, if you want a left, then all you need to do is roll your gun to he left.

once the gun was on its side, I traced it out to about the top of the trigger guard. I then started at the bottom and came out 3/4 of an inch of the gun trace and followed the line i previously traced, Or I should say, how I wanted the holster to look. Your imagination is your limitation here!!!

Once I got up the where I stopped on the gun trace at the top of the trigger, I connected that line to the middle line i drew. I traced so it covered the trigger but stopped at the top of my rear sights. I then cut this out and folded it at the middle line to the other side and just traced in on the other side of the line!!!

I then cut that out and commenced to "shape" the part that would be my belt loop. Here is what it looked liked.


I realize that might be a little hard to understand since it is in "my" words. but for anyone interested I can post pictures of the instructions.

I was going to video this and then link it all together from start to finish, showing how each part is started, but figured I would put some of you to sleep!!!!

As I finish each step I will post a picture of the progress. One thing I would recommend is getting something thicker than construction paper!!! I had to be very careful with it and it will be hard to get a trace on the leather, but it is certainly doable. This took me 45 min to do and I was satisfied with it, so I was not going to do it again.

Also, make sure that it "fits" around your gun!! to do that you will have to curve it at the center line, like the holster would be. I first tried to just bring one side over the other and it kept coming out short, I started to panic. I have absolutely no artistic skills what so ever, and I did not want to do those lines over again. once I curved the paper, it fit. More to come. God Bless.

[recoil junky]

I use cereal boxes for patterns. I also (sometimes) make a "wooden" pistol for stretching purposes. I use a 50/50 mixture of rubbing alcohol and water (distilled is best) for stretching. It soaks in quickly and dries pretty fast so you can "get on" with the project without having to wait for the leather to dry.

For lining, elk hide is the best. It's tough and very soft.

Good luck with your project David!!

RJ

[gitano]

Cool! Looking forward to more!

Paul

[davidlt89]

got the pattern traced and cut out tonight!!! I traced with a large marker and made it about 1/8" wider. the paper pattern was awful tight, figured the leather would be even tighter and I wanted a little room to work.


I wrapped the edges together, and slid the gun in, it is a tight fit, but I believe it will work. Will probably be even better when wetted down and stretched with the gun in it.

My choice of dye was marine core black! here it is all dyed.


my next step will be to stitch the belt loop, then glue the edges together. Make my line for the stitching with the edger, and punch my holes!!! then onto the part I am really looking forward too, the stitching!!!

I ordered a couple more things tonight. Got a little leather punch set, some rivets, some snaps, an edge beveler, edge smoother, and a cheap awl!!! its coming!!! God Bless.

[RatherBHuntin]

Don't throw the pattern away once you are done with this one, you may want to duplicate it someday.  First question, did you wear gloves when using the dye?  It's pretty permanent stuff.  Looks like you got a good piece of leather too.  Once you get it stitched up, you will be able to go long the edge and trim it nice and square, or sand it if you want.  Are you going to close the bottom or leave it open?  Looks like you probably have enough room to close it and still get the pistol in there.  Any chance of getting a picture of the gun on the leather before you put it together?  You did right by adding some, you can always trim, cant put the leather back on once it gone though.  Even so, it will stretch more than you think.

[davidlt89]

Here is the picture I believe you asked for Glenn!


Yes I did wear gloves while applying the dye, did not feel like chancing it!!!!!
I don't know if I will close the bottom or not. I like the idea of having it open, or I may make a plug and put it in.

got to looking at the belt patterns tonight, I may build a belt for this puppy!!!! don't know yet, I am tossed. One part of me wants to just get a holster under my belt and the other part wants to take the extra time and make a belt!!!!!! I am plagued with decisions!!!:grin:

I got my glue tonight but I had roller hockey with the boys so it left me no time to work on the holster tonight. I will probably just sew the belt loop up and get going on cementing the holster and get to stitching!!!

shown a couple pictures to friends and I have already been asked how much it would cost them for me to make one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sure does not take long!!! God Bless.

[gitano]

I like it!

Paul

[davidlt89]

I got the belt loop sewn on today!!!! First I cemented it in place and then folded the holster only to find I had it crooked!!!! Fixed that and wiped of the cement and placed it right! Here is another hint, let the cement dry more than 15 min!!!! I have a four prong punch and it was hard to get out of two pieces of leather that thick, would of been better if the cement had set better, but I just had to try it!!!! lesson learned!! Actually I used a product called "shoe glue" because It said it worked on leather, but it is really thick!!! I seen some all purpose cement in walmart, may get that and see if it works better.

I managed to get the holes in and threaded up two needles for a saddle stitch. For all intensive purposes, this is an easy stitch to do. For the life of me though, I cannot find any where were it tells you how to finish it off, so I did my "own" thing!!!! Next holster I may just rivet!!!!

I wetted the holster down and put the gun in and starting molding a lit a bit. putting the gun sights down helped this quite a bit. I have all the edges lined up with some weight on it to hold it there over night. SHOULD be able to get it done this weekend! lots of "personal" stuff going on, so I will see. The fact I have not lost my mind yet is a miracle, better yet, a testament to God!!!! God Bless.

[RatherBHuntin]

to finish it you stitch all the way up to the end, then start going back down running the stitches through the holes you have already stiched, about three or four of them. You shouldn't have to do anything else at that point except maybe melt the end of the thread.
 
Yea, that dye will stain your skin just as well as it does the leather, will take a few days to get it all off.

[davidlt89]

OK!! got it all stitched up today!!! Here it is!



I still need to bevel the edges and sand a little bit! once that is done, I will die the edges and let it dry a little. Then I will wet it down and mold it to the gun a little and let it sit over night!!! i will also add a retainer strap once I get my snaps!!!

I will also find a little wax and buff it up a little!!! Been a fun project and I have some ideas for the 44 mag holster!!!!

On a side note, it started out as a right handed holsters and I traced the pattern wrong side up, I now have a left handed holster, which in actuality is ok. I shoot left handed and I have both left and right hand holsters right now!!!

God Bless.

[sakorick]

No initials???????

[gitano]

Can you make me one? :D

Mostly just kidding. You should be getting plenty of those requests pretty soon.

Looks great! I'm with Don, stamp some initials on that thing!

Good job!

Paul

[davidlt89]

No initials???????

wasn't willing to buy an alphabet "stamp set" at this time Rick!!! there are some for around 24.00 but I don't like the style of the letters. I will save up for the set I do want! I can always initial it later!!! when I order that I plan on ordering a couple other stamps also!!!!

Can you make me one?

I have no problem making one for anyone that wants one, the problem is not actually having the gun to make the pattern off of. I would either have to find a friend with the same gun, or find an already made pattern, which seems hard to come by!!!

You should be getting plenty of those requests pretty soon.

Just got a text from a friend in minnesota about an hour ago looking for one to fit his 1911!!!

this holster was not all that time consuming. I probably have about 2 hours of labor in it. of course, this is just a plain jane holster also. The next one I am going to make for my 44 mag will definitely take longer as I plan to make it a little more "fancier". I am thinking I will make it with a belt, but not sure yet. God Bless.

[RatherBHuntin]

Looks good.  The stitching looks real good, nice and straight and tight.  I like the outline etched on the front.  Go ahead and carve those initials on it, put them on the back if you think they may not come out as good as you would like.  Practice on some scrap with the same tool you used to make the lines.

[recoil junky]

I get requests for leather stuff a lot too. If I haven't made you something and given it to you without you asking . . . . . . chances are pretty slim I'll make you something even if you offer to pay me for it.

Had a guy at work ask me how much for a Leatherman  "holster". I said $40, he said "no thanks" I was over the deal.

You did a whale of a job David.

RJ