Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Guns N Gear DIY leather holster process thread

You guys motivated me to make a lot of progress on another holster, I'm getting close to being done, so here's the first dump of pics. should have it finished up with one more evening of work.

This holster is for my 4" 586, it's the same style and angle (slightly canted) as the one I made for my 629. I't a LOT of pics, its hard to capture a process otherwise and I trimmed out as many as I could to make it as succinct as possible.



The first step is making the pattern, I found the manilla file folders to be perfect for this. Draw a centerline, triple check to make sure the gun is unloaded, lay the gun in and trace the outside. Then you lay out about 3/4" standoff from the outline and draw in a smooth curve the roughly aligns with everything.




Then you cut it out and fold back on the other side so you can trace the mirror image and layout the piece that will act as the belt loop (the angle this leave the holster will also determine the cant of the holster)


Finally you cut it out and label it for the gun and and the handing, lay it on some leather, trace everything out and cut your holster blank (I also went ahead and marked and cut out the locations for the rivets that will hold the belt loop)






Cut out, holes punched and getting ready to bevel the edges


edges beveled front and back




Then on to the tooling, use swivel knife to cut the border, case the leather and tool in a smooth bevel around the border

almost there


ready for the basket weave stamp








Border stampping

this is after a couple coats of dye, getting ready to punch in the holes for stitching


stitching all laid out


Starting to bend things into place and getting the strap ready


I decided to clean up the appearance of this one by cutting a slot for the strap to terminate in, instead of just riveting on the surface. here's the slot and rivet hole in place.


Rivets set on the belt loop


flesh side scuffed at the edges and ready for contact cement (this will hold things in place during stitching)


glued up and ready for the next step. This is where I stopped last night

Pretty! Keep this up we'll start calling you Leatherbender.

Thank you for carrying us on this journey. You are doing something I have always wanted to learn! It is a work of art!

Thank you for taking the effort to do this. Interesting contribution. It will be fun to watch the progress

Wow!! That is nice.

Haha, well I’ve definitely been called worse!

Thanks guys, I got it stitched up and set formed this eve. Should by dry by tomorrow and then I’ll add the strap and seal it. I’ll post more pics in the morning

Bar7mag, there are lots of great videos on YouTube if you feel inclined to give it a try, and there’s a great book by Al Stohlman about making holsters specifically that’s a good reference also. I like the Weaver leathercraft videos and they also sell good products.

Thanks. I will definitely watch some of the videos!

Very impressive. Thanks

Mow we see why and how good gun leather cost more than nylon. It is a step up in quality for sure. Great looking work, thanks for sharing.

getting really close now, just need to add the strap/hardware and it'll be finished up.

getting ready to stitch it up


stitched and a test fit




wrapping the gun to protect it during the wet forming process (I don't bother with this step with stainless guns)


wet forming


finished wet holster, I leave it overnight with the gun in it then remove it and allow it to finish drying.

Amazing work. Wondered how you formed it without ruining the bluing. Now I know. Great work! Thanks for sharing!

Very nice. good quality leather work for guns is few and far between. For knives - damned near impossible! I have 3-4 knives I need good custom sheaths for. Need to drag the gear out in the fall/winter and make some.