Supplies for Holster Construction

djdasher · December 20, 2010, 10:59 AM

I noticed that some Forum members post that they put together their own custom holsters. Are there companies out there that sell components, such as leather, clips and snaps? I've been thinking that I could probably design and build a nice holster for my PM9.

DJ

aarondhgraham · December 20, 2010, 12:21 PM

They will have most of what you will need.

Click here please.

Aarond

swcr · December 20, 2010, 01:09 PM

There are several companies which supply leather working tools and supplies. Below are a few of my favorites.

http://springfieldleather.com/store/
http://www.zackwhite.com/home.php
http://www.macphersonleather.com/
http://www.genuineostrichhides.com/index.html

Also this forum has all kinds of information, pics, tips and advice. They even have a forum specifically for making holsters.

http://www.leatherworker.net/forum/

djdasher · December 20, 2010, 01:35 PM

Excellent. Thanks for the help...

djdasher · December 22, 2010, 09:29 AM

Thanks for the replies. Great resources.

I plan on building a IWB holster for my PM9. Does anyone have a suggestion or recommendation for the type of leather to use. My main considerations are that the holster be trim, thin and firm enough to allow me to draw without pulling out the entire holster.

Thanks,

DJ

swcr · December 22, 2010, 01:02 PM

For an IWB holster you could go as light as 6-7oz leather. If you have any plans to make an OWB holster I would get 8-9oz. If you want to make both out of one piece of leather you could use 7-8oz.
You want to use vegetable tanned leather. It's also called tooling leather. I would recommend that you start by purchasing a shoulder. This should be somewhere around 8-10 square feet of leather which will be enough to make several holsters. You want to stay away from cheap leather. Higher quality leather will cost you more but it will make a much nicer holster, be easier to work with and mold to your gun a lot nicer.
If I were you I would call Kevin at Springfield Leather and tell him what you're doing. He will also cut smaller pieces of leather if that is what you want.

gimike · December 29, 2010, 03:47 PM

Drawing your pistol shouldn't be a big problem with a homemade holster. Re-holstering will likely give you a little more trouble. Some holster makers use steel to reinforce the holster's mouth. Others use an extra layer of leather. I suggest, if you want to reinforce the opening, use Kydex. Kydex won't be affected by moisture or sweat.

swcr · December 29, 2010, 04:03 PM

You shouldn't need any type of reinforcement to hold the mouth of the holster open.
This is a non reinforced pancake type holster. You can see that it doesn't collapse with 5 books weighing over 8lbs stacked on top of it. It would have supported more weight if I could have gotten more books to balance on top of it.

gimike · December 30, 2010, 03:27 PM

I was referring only to IWB, and you know as well as I do that sweat and pressure will effect the holster eventually, especially on most first attempt homemade jobs. As OWB, re-holstering should never be a problem with a well constructed holster.

swcr · December 30, 2010, 03:58 PM

It should never be a problem with IWB either with or without reinforcement. A properly taken care of holster should last for many years and still work as good as new. I have a nonreinforced IWB that still stays open for one handed reholstering despite ten years of heavy use. Any holster, reinforced or not, that isn't taken care of will deteriorate quickly.

December 20, 2010, 10:59 AM	#1
djdasher Member Join Date: April 15, 2009 Posts: 47	Supplies for Holster Construction I noticed that some Forum members post that they put together their own custom holsters. Are there companies out there that sell components, such as leather, clips and snaps? I've been thinking that I could probably design and build a nice holster for my PM9. DJ

December 20, 2010, 12:21 PM	#2
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	Tandy Leather Factory They will have most of what you will need. Click here please. Aarond __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

December 30, 2010, 03:27 PM	#9
gimike Member Join Date: November 20, 2010 Posts: 47	Eugene I was referring only to IWB, and you know as well as I do that sweat and pressure will effect the holster eventually, especially on most first attempt homemade jobs. As OWB, re-holstering should never be a problem with a well constructed holster.

December 20, 2010, 01:09 PM	#3
swcr Member Join Date: December 31, 2009 Location: Sedro-Woolley, WA Posts: 64	There are several companies which supply leather working tools and supplies. Below are a few of my favorites. http://springfieldleather.com/store/ http://www.zackwhite.com/home.php http://www.macphersonleather.com/ http://www.genuineostrichhides.com/index.html Also this forum has all kinds of information, pics, tips and advice. They even have a forum specifically for making holsters. http://www.leatherworker.net/forum/

December 20, 2010, 01:35 PM	#4
djdasher Member Join Date: April 15, 2009 Posts: 47	Excellent. Thanks for the help...

December 22, 2010, 09:29 AM	#5
djdasher Member Join Date: April 15, 2009 Posts: 47	Thanks for the replies. Great resources. I plan on building a IWB holster for my PM9. Does anyone have a suggestion or recommendation for the type of leather to use. My main considerations are that the holster be trim, thin and firm enough to allow me to draw without pulling out the entire holster. Thanks, DJ

December 22, 2010, 01:02 PM	#6
swcr Member Join Date: December 31, 2009 Location: Sedro-Woolley, WA Posts: 64	For an IWB holster you could go as light as 6-7oz leather. If you have any plans to make an OWB holster I would get 8-9oz. If you want to make both out of one piece of leather you could use 7-8oz. You want to use vegetable tanned leather. It's also called tooling leather. I would recommend that you start by purchasing a shoulder. This should be somewhere around 8-10 square feet of leather which will be enough to make several holsters. You want to stay away from cheap leather. Higher quality leather will cost you more but it will make a much nicer holster, be easier to work with and mold to your gun a lot nicer. If I were you I would call Kevin at Springfield Leather and tell him what you're doing. He will also cut smaller pieces of leather if that is what you want.

December 29, 2010, 03:47 PM	#7
gimike Member Join Date: November 20, 2010 Posts: 47	Drawing your pistol shouldn't be a big problem with a homemade holster. Re-holstering will likely give you a little more trouble. Some holster makers use steel to reinforce the holster's mouth. Others use an extra layer of leather. I suggest, if you want to reinforce the opening, use Kydex. Kydex won't be affected by moisture or sweat.

December 29, 2010, 04:03 PM	#8
swcr Member Join Date: December 31, 2009 Location: Sedro-Woolley, WA Posts: 64	You shouldn't need any type of reinforcement to hold the mouth of the holster open. This is a non reinforced pancake type holster. You can see that it doesn't collapse with 5 books weighing over 8lbs stacked on top of it. It would have supported more weight if I could have gotten more books to balance on top of it.

December 30, 2010, 03:58 PM	#10
swcr Member Join Date: December 31, 2009 Location: Sedro-Woolley, WA Posts: 64	It should never be a problem with IWB either with or without reinforcement. A properly taken care of holster should last for many years and still work as good as new. I have a nonreinforced IWB that still stays open for one handed reholstering despite ten years of heavy use. Any holster, reinforced or not, that isn't taken care of will deteriorate quickly.