though I would post progress working through the process for anyone else wanting to learn holster making.
Got the two carved pieces molded over the Bearcat last night.
I found that by only wetting the parts that had to be molded, and wetting mostly the backside, I could preserve the clean lines of the carving. Before, I was soaking the whole piece and lost detail in the carving, so this was a good find. I bend the leather over the gun, and then use plywood over the flats to hold it down while drying. Once it is almost dry, I take out the gun and take off it off the ply wood to air dry completely.
This morning I punched the stitch lines and the belt loops and rough cut to about 1/4 inch outside the final contour. I wait until after gluing and stitching both sides before the final cut. The cross draw one has the prepunched holes for the "silver" studs already to go.
