Holster-making 102

Timulator · April 15, 2006, 01:37 PM

Unless you have a good imagination, take a good look at a holster you'd like to take the basic design from. Pictures are good, but bonus if you have an example to take tracings from! Note how the thumb break, if applicable, is cut, plus any belt straps and such.

Once you have the basic design in mind, take a piece of cereal box cardboard and trace out a pattern that you want. Trace the dimensions of the pistol onto the cardboard, then draw another line farther out for the stitching. You will need to consider the width of the pistol when determining where the stitching line should be. Let's say your gun is 1.3" wide. So you'll want to move your stitching line out half that dimension on each half (inside half and outside half). What I usually do is move the stitching line out 1/4 of the distance on the inside half and 3/4 of the distance on the outside half. This will allow the holster to bulge more toward the outside and not as much toward the wearer, making it a bit more comfortable to wear.

(These are some patterns I have made for various holsters.)

(Here's a pattern and rough cut for a holster for a .357 Magnum revolver. I just flipped the pattern for the other half of the holster.)

(With the holes already in the pattern, I lay the pattern over the leather to mark the location of the holes onto the leather. I then punch a hole at each mark.)

Once you have the design of your holster drawn out on cereal box cardboard, and have your stitching line determined, use your punch to punch holes along the stitching line about 1/8"~1/4" apart ON ONE HALF of the holster pattern. Then place this half over the other half, with the stitching lines lined up, and mark the holes on the other half by putting your pen through the holes of the first half to mark them. This will ensure the holes on both halves will line up nearly exactly.

Trace your patterns over your leather and mark the location of the stitching holes onto the leather. NOTE: Use the plain side of your cardboard pattern to be the outside (smooth) side of the leather. In other words, the plain side of the cardboard pattern will be the outside of your holster. So keep this in mind when cutting and marking your leather. It is easy to forget and end up with one half the holster with the suede side out!

Cut out your leather and punch the holes in it. Then stitch them together. Start on the back of the holster and go up through one hole at one end of the stitching line, then down through the next hole, and repeat. At some point, either reverse direction, start over with a new thread, or continue around in such a way that your stitching appears to be one continuous line of thread, not skipping. Hard to explain, but hopefully the following picture will help.

(Stitching is almost finished. I'm just about finished working my way back.)

Once the holster is stitched, and any straps, snaps and such are all attached, you need to wet the entire holster by soaking it in warm/hot tap water. Soak it thoroughly. Put a chopstick or such (use masking tape) on the top of your pistol from the back side of the front sight back to the rear sight. This will create a sight channel for your front sight. If you don't do this, the leather will shrink over the top of the gun and won't leave a way for the front sight to slide out.

(Stitching finished, ready to soak.)

(Leather is wet, chop-sticked gun is in the bag and I've worked the leather around the gun. I put my belt through the loops too, just to help mold it to the basic shape it will ultimately be in.)

(Continued as Holster-making 103)

April 15, 2006, 01:37 PM	#1
Timulator Member Join Date: December 31, 2004 Location: Kitsap County, Washington state Posts: 48	Holster-making 102 Unless you have a good imagination, take a good look at a holster you'd like to take the basic design from. Pictures are good, but bonus if you have an example to take tracings from! Note how the thumb break, if applicable, is cut, plus any belt straps and such. Once you have the basic design in mind, take a piece of cereal box cardboard and trace out a pattern that you want. Trace the dimensions of the pistol onto the cardboard, then draw another line farther out for the stitching. You will need to consider the width of the pistol when determining where the stitching line should be. Let's say your gun is 1.3" wide. So you'll want to move your stitching line out half that dimension on each half (inside half and outside half). What I usually do is move the stitching line out 1/4 of the distance on the inside half and 3/4 of the distance on the outside half. This will allow the holster to bulge more toward the outside and not as much toward the wearer, making it a bit more comfortable to wear. (These are some patterns I have made for various holsters.) (Here's a pattern and rough cut for a holster for a .357 Magnum revolver. I just flipped the pattern for the other half of the holster.) (With the holes already in the pattern, I lay the pattern over the leather to mark the location of the holes onto the leather. I then punch a hole at each mark.) Once you have the design of your holster drawn out on cereal box cardboard, and have your stitching line determined, use your punch to punch holes along the stitching line about 1/8"~1/4" apart ON ONE HALF of the holster pattern. Then place this half over the other half, with the stitching lines lined up, and mark the holes on the other half by putting your pen through the holes of the first half to mark them. This will ensure the holes on both halves will line up nearly exactly. Trace your patterns over your leather and mark the location of the stitching holes onto the leather. NOTE: Use the plain side of your cardboard pattern to be the outside (smooth) side of the leather. In other words, the plain side of the cardboard pattern will be the outside of your holster. So keep this in mind when cutting and marking your leather. It is easy to forget and end up with one half the holster with the suede side out! Cut out your leather and punch the holes in it. Then stitch them together. Start on the back of the holster and go up through one hole at one end of the stitching line, then down through the next hole, and repeat. At some point, either reverse direction, start over with a new thread, or continue around in such a way that your stitching appears to be one continuous line of thread, not skipping. Hard to explain, but hopefully the following picture will help. (Stitching is almost finished. I'm just about finished working my way back.) Once the holster is stitched, and any straps, snaps and such are all attached, you need to wet the entire holster by soaking it in warm/hot tap water. Soak it thoroughly. Put a chopstick or such (use masking tape) on the top of your pistol from the back side of the front sight back to the rear sight. This will create a sight channel for your front sight. If you don't do this, the leather will shrink over the top of the gun and won't leave a way for the front sight to slide out. (Stitching finished, ready to soak.) (Leather is wet, chop-sticked gun is in the bag and I've worked the leather around the gun. I put my belt through the loops too, just to help mold it to the basic shape it will ultimately be in.) (Continued as Holster-making 103)