Building some holsters

[firebyprolong]

I took a week off from work a month ago to keep some sense of sanity after this winter. I had the idea to build a holster to replace a fairly worn bianchi for a six inch k frame, and well one turned into three. I also ended up a building a head knife because I was angry about the cuts I was getting with a straight knife. For a couple hours worrying it out of a worn out circular saw blade, then about two more just sharpening that edge, I’m fairly pleased. Just learning how to use it made a world of difference in the finish work required. I forgot how much I like leather work. These are the first holsters I’ve built for the better part of 10 years, they could be much better but I’m happy with them.

[tdoor4570]

I like holster #1 what would something like that cost , just wondering

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Very nice, firebyprolong, Looks very professional to me. I think you've found your retirement job.

DG

[rintinglen]

Very well done! Your edge work looks to be exceptionally well executed. They look like the old George Lawrence "Keith" holsters. You could get one like this for $3.95--in 1940...

[RKJ]

Those look very good. I'm envious of your ability.

[murf205]

I REALLY like those holsters! No fancy stuff just clean lines and great execution. I'd love to have one in a cross draw for a 4" N frame 44 Smith.

[onelight]

Great job !
Those all look very nice .

[ddixie884]

Yes, I'm impressed.......

[John Guedry]

Those are truly NICE!

[firebyprolong]

Thank you guys for the kind words, I appreciate it. I definitely got a reminder on leather quality with these, those two tom three persons holsters I cut out of an older chunk of Herman oak 9/10 oz I had left over from a saddle repair years ago. The bianchi copy for the k frame was out of some random import veg tanned 8 oz. The Herman oak formed like a dream and really took a wonderful set, as the upside down picture shows. The retention is perfect that pistol seats and pulls with a slight click you can hear and feel . The import stuff did not, it’s for lack of a better word, junk. I think the liner is actually providing as much support as the actual holster. It doesn’t flop around but it’s not as securely “stuck where I put” as I’d like. That 44 mag uberti rode around in its new holster all day working last weekend and I’m proud to say it stayed close enough and tight enough to me that until I banged my thumb on it I was in danger of forgetting it was there for a while. I really like that three persons design, albeit without the liner rollover, for a single action, they feel right when I carry one.

[lar45]

Looks amazing

[wilecoyote]

I also ended up a building a head knife because I was angry about the cuts I was getting with a straight knife. For a couple hours worrying it out of a worn out circular saw blade, then about two more just sharpening that edge, I’m fairly pleased. Just learning how to use it made a world of difference in the finish work required.

if possible, can you explain me something more about the build and the use of the head knife ?
as a left-handed, especially if the grips have been modified in some way, I am often forced to modify or build suitable holsters.
thank you for the picture !

[firebyprolong]

So I’ve always wondered about head knives, so I watched a couple of videos on them and did some reading. The decision to actually make one came after I did some reading and came to the sudden realization that I could make cleaner and more square with a head knife because of the wide blade than I could with a straight razor knife because of the tendency to roll side to side as I pulled it though the cut. With a round knife you push the knife along leather on one of the sides, so it passes smoothly along the cut. With the whole span of the blade right up in front of you it’s easy to keep it straight up and down as you follow your layout lines. You can roll around corners if you need to and a cut a pretty tight circle if you need to. Best thing is you can actually keep on sharper than a razor knife because after you really get a good edge established you continually strop the edge to maintain it. I just glued down a 2 inch strip of vegetable tanned 3/4 oz on a chunk of scrap leather about a 14 inches long on both sides of a chunk of underlayment. Hit one side with Tripoli and the other with jewelers rouge and hit the edge before every use and as soon as the blade drags.

As to the building I was just way to cheap to spring for even a cheap 60$ from Tandy which in my experience isn’t a great source of tools. I was way to cheap to buy a CS Osborn although they make fantastic tools. So I found an old dull circular plywood saw blade and laid out a blade from some pictures I found of an Osborn knife taken on a one of those 1 inch grid cloth cutting mats. I did not anneal the blade first because it was soft enough to cut with a file and with a new oiled hacksaw blades, they where fine tooth and it killed two of them. After I had most of the excess metal out of the way I slowly ground the remaining teeth off with my bench grinder keeping the blade wet to not spoil the temper. I ground in the circle reliefs for fingers with a round stone in my drill press after I’d roughed them in with a file. I filed to set my final blade shape then set the roughy bevel with a file as well. Then I flat sanded the flat of blade drilled my pin holes and used copper ground wire as pins along with epoxy to set the handle. I let it set and used my belt sander to finish the handle till it felt “right” in my hand. A word of caution here, that handle is too short for my hand, it needs about another inch and a half I decided after actual use. I sanded it to 320 and hit it with a couple coats of tung oil. I then stood over an oil stone and sharpened for dear life. Once it would pop hair I lightly steeled it then commenced to lay it on the strop. The edge should be almost mirror polish. By the time your finished and should slice a paper towel almost effortlessly without tearing it. I use a cheap poly cutting board under mine and it slides really nicely, wood under the leather made the knife grab. Start a cut with the knife rolled way back so only the very point is in the cut, then rock forward as you can get more blade in the cut. The more blade you have in a cut the easier it is to keep straight.
Keep your fingers away from from the cut path and pull the leather past the knife while pushing the knife slightly. I get better control if I cup the handle in my hand and rest my index and ring finger on the back of the blade like a putty knife. Cut some scrap first and get the hang of it, the handle and the opposite point from the one in the leather are your guiding points, they tell you if your straight up and down and square with the work. They also make the best skiving tool I’ve ever used . Good luck and be sure to let me know if you have any questions or if anyone sees anything wrong with my advice so far.

[Seitz 555]

firebyprolong you do some really impressive work.

[wilecoyote]

So .... Good luck and be sure to let me know if you have any questions or if anyone sees anything wrong with my advice so far.

firebyprolong,
thank you for your patience in answering and double thanks for the incredible amount of valuable info!

[Murphy]

Mighty fine looking holster's firebyprolong, especially if you haven't made any in the past 10 years. The Tom Threepersons and the S&W styled (I've forgotten that particular model they offered) are two of my favorites. Both are excellent designs. I've had several custom built for a few of my firearms and prefer a straight drop style. My wrists and hands are a bit on the thick side. Canted holsters don't always place nice with me. Who knows? As one of the other posts said, you may have found your retirement hobby/job.

Murphy

[smithnframe]

Very nice!