My first homemade holster attempts

[A-R]

Got the bug to try to make my own holsters. Can't see paying upwards of $80 for the Crossbreed/Comp Tac IWB tuckable holsters anymore. Not after seeing how easy it is to put these together yourself. Well not THAT easy, but still more rewarding than shelling out another $80 and waiting a week to a month.

Anyway, went to a local plastics supply company (Regal Plastics, for those in Austin area) and they don't stock kydex but the lady gave me three 8x14 inch samples of 060 thickness ABS plastic sheet. She said it's very similar to Kydex. Some internet reading shows it is certainly cheaper, but not quite as strong or durable as kydex. Still, thought the practice couldn't hurt and who knows maybe it will hold up.

Then went to local Tandy Leather store and bought some cowhide shoulder and a few odds-n-ends. Then a trip to Ace hardware for some fasteners etc.

So here's my first holster, for a Kahr K9 I picked up in trade last week:



Trying different options to mount the plastic shell to the leather backing. May just go with rivets now that I found some at Hobby Lobby. The clips are Comp Tac 1.75-inch that I had laying around. I tried making my own clips from the 060 ABS plastic but the material is just too thin and weak for clips (measured Comp Tac & Tucker plastic clips I have and both measure .125 thickness - so need to order some thicker kydex to make clips).

After that, decided to try to make an OWB holster for my Smith & Wesson K-frame that I plan to use for IDPA revolver (SSR) shooting next month. Working with kydex only is more challenging (making the two halves of the holster fit just right, bending the shape just right, etc). I also did the mold/press incorrectly for this one so ended up molding the shape by hand with a heat gun and gloves. Very tedious and time-consuming, lots of trial and error. The basic idea was to merge the styles of Comp Tac's OWB holster (folding over plastic from top to form belt loops) but with a wider, pancake-style design like Raven Concealment holsters. It fits well and after a lot of adjustment retention is just about right. Belt loops are still problematic - again the 060 thickness plastic isn't ideal for belt clips/loops, and the shape of the gun and curve of the holster make threading a belt through a chore, but I think I have a servicable holster for IDPA. Still some finishing work to do with a few more rivets, etc.



Early version above, before cutting.



Closer to finished shape



Backside showing integral belt loops


...

Anyway, good learning experience. Will likely order some actual Kydex from knifekits.com and try a few others. Tips, suggestions, critiques welcome of course.

[stroo]

Looks pretty good. I haven't done any with Kydex only leather.

[nyj]

good job, man.

I almost ordered some kydex to make my own crossbreed knockoff but found a guy on another forum selling his brand for $50 shipped with 1-2 day turn around. That was much more appealing than me dealing with kydex.

[Tallinthesaddle]

That's a geat job. I have made several .45 Colt holsters but not a kydex as of yet. All you have to do is make the kydex section for a different pistol and you can use the same leather base if your holes line up. If your friends see it, they will want one and you will be in the holster business!

[HotLeadSolutions]

I recently ordered kydex from this http://www.interstateplastics.com/searc ... 2godvVxSeQ and received fast, courteous service.
Keep up the good work...and for heavens sake...Go Sell A House !

[fenster]

...Smith & Wesson K-frame that I plan to use for IDPA revolver (SSR)...

excellent. it will be good to see another wheelie at Tx Tac. last match I was in, I placed last out of 2 competitors in SSR.

your holster work is looking good. but be warned, holster making can be habit-forming.

I started making holsters recently, for many of the same reasons as yourself. plus, finding a holster locally for my K-frame just wasn't happening. so, I went to Tandy Leather, bought a few tools and some pieces from their scrap bin. then did a bit more reading, and youtube watching and ended up with this:

wet-molding

first time wearing

all done. woot!


not the prettiest of stitching, and I made some newbie mistakes, but it works great.

then, I got an M&P9-c, but had no holster or mag carrier. nooo problem. after another trip to the Tandy store, and a few hours of my labor:


^ this has been my EDC rig for some months now. I wear it at the 1:00 position, and no problems. however, I think I may order some one-way snaps to use on my next one. these haven't come undone unexpectedly, but a little insurance never hurts.

and the mag carrier, my first experiment with dyeing the leather:



my most recent work is for a Smith 586:


I think I'll do an order with knifekits also, and try out the hybrid leather-kydex design.

let me know if you want to go old-school on a future holster. my experience is limited, but the mistakes I made are still fresh in my mind

[theammobroker]

AustinRealtor - Do you need a real "heat gun" to form that plastic or will something like a hair dryer work? Thanks, and nice work!

[A-R]

I think I'll do an order with knifekits also, and try out the hybrid leather-kydex design.

let me know if you want to go old-school on a future holster. my experience is limited, but the mistakes I made are still fresh in my mind

Hey fenster, I may take you up on that at some point. I just "made" a leather backing for an extra Comp Tac M-TAC kydex shell I had (all I did was cut the shape and punch some holes). Might get you to help me sew an extra piece of thin leather on the back to cover up the hardware a bit (the way the M-TAC shells mount is kinda weird - have to cut a slit in leather and slide a kydex flange into back side of leather, touching your body (I'm guessing this is why they offer the two-ply leather version of that holster, instead of a single piece of leather like Crossbreed.

[A-R]

AustinRealtor - Do you need a real "heat gun" to form that plastic or will something like a hair dryer work? Thanks, and nice work!

I haven't tried a hair dryer yet, so not sure if it would work (but I've read on other forums that it does work, but is just much slower). I actually use three different heat sources. Preferred method is heat up the entire kydex sheet in oven or toaster oven (a few minutes at about 300 degrees), then place over gun and put into a "press" - two pieces of plywood on door hinges with foam sandwiched around the gun and kydex (a third piece of plywood with a cutout of the gun's shape helps aslo).

For reheating areas to get specific molded shapes, I use a heat gun I bought for $20 at Harbor Freight tools (works great so far).

For very small areas, I use a Bernzomatic butane torch

But all of these are necessary because I'm still learning, tweaking and fine-tuning a lot. My goal would be to do enough of these that I can just heat it up in the oven, mold/press it, and use the heat gun or Bernzomatic for final touchups but not complete remolding as I did on the revolver holster.

[bigity]

I made a holster at a Tandy myself, but it is extremely tight - as in I have to hold the holster down and yank on it pretty good. I have been working the pistol in and out at home while it's unloaded in an effort to loosen it up, but not much luck so far.

I'm hoping that getting an actual gun belt instead of my regular belt will make a difference.

[stroo]

How did you form the plastic? Did you do it by hand or use some kind of press and form?

I personally find leather a lot easier to form than kydex. My kydex attempts have not worked out well.

[bigity]

It is leather, just did a wet form. It was just about right with the temp stitching but when I went back and did saddle stitching it is now super tight. Like so tight I can't really draw from it.