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Old 07-19-2012, 01:16 PM   #1
Vetter
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Thumbs up Homemade holster with a pic...

"Prototype #35" is done and has been worn a few hours and looks better than it functions. Rubs my belly enough to be uncomfortable. "Prototype #36" is almost done and needs very little refinement. It's an OWB leather/kydex hybrid. I have to get a bit capable of drilling the spring steel SS clips to keep them in place. It rides with the top of the trigger guard at the bottom of the belt. Just clears my leg when sitting and the belt keeps it enough away from my flab to be comfortable but still is tight to my flab and adds no bulk. I'll post pics when it's done. Wore it for some time today, even with the 13 round mag it conceals and feels good. I put a lot of mistakes to work with this one and it is so far very comfy. I'm going to make a full kydex after I finish this one. Thought I could fit it to my flab to be even better. Coming soon, "Prototype # 37!
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Last edited by Vetter; 08-21-2012 at 09:34 AM.
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Old 07-21-2012, 08:42 AM   #2
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Vet, I usually wind up drilling stainless with either Cobalt or Carbide drills when it is in the natural hardened state. On some, I will try Titanium first before the others. I never bother with high speed or carbon steel bits. Been there, done that. All you do is burn up the tip of the drill! Also, use plenty of cutting oil very liberally. If your turning stainless on a lathe or milling it, also use carbide-tipped bits. I have dealt with a lot of stainless steel over the years and this is how I do it!..................Dick
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Old 07-21-2012, 10:20 AM   #3
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Vet, I usually wind up drilling stainless with either Cobalt or Carbide drills when it is in the natural hardened state. On some, I will try Titanium first before the others. I never bother with high speed or carbon steel bits. Been there, done that. All you do is burn up the tip of the drill! Also, use plenty of cutting oil very liberally. If your turning stainless on a lathe or milling it, also use carbide-tipped bits. I have dealt with a lot of stainless steel over the years and this is how I do it!..................Dick
Dick, thanks for the tips. They are spring steel belt clips. I have leather glue that bonds to steel. They're fastened with Chicago screws but will move and bind when threading a belt. A dollop of glue and in the vice for 15 minutes will take care of it. I took some pics but am unable to post em' for some reason. It's so far the most comfortable holster I have had to date. OWB is sure the way to go. The G30 is pretty fat and that combined with my spare tire I print big time. With a cover shirt it vanishes but here in Florida "T"s or tanks rule. I've got 4 or 5 big Hawaiian shirts I could steal a big flat screen with.
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Old 08-21-2012, 07:58 AM   #4
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One thing I have always missed is a better selection of crossdraw holsters or shoulder holsters. It bothered me 40 years ago when doing police patrol work, I like all police officers ended up with my gun butt jammed into the seat and had to go through contortions to free the gun from a holster. Detective bureau was much better wearing a crossdraw or shoulder holster.

The same thing is true for a civilian should they heaven forbid be an unwilling participant in an attempted carjacking or robbery. Any time you are sitting, a strong side carry has built in challenges. In addition, some of us more physically challenged have arthritis or other conditions which limit joint dexterity. Bending my wrist to facilitate strong side draws is becoming very painful. Anything painful slows you down.

There are extra, or different, challenges for concealability with the offside carry mode and it seems to be a challenge being poorly addressed.

I'm enjoying reading your thread here of the challenges in the fabrication process. I often wanted to get into fabrication but never found a source for leather I could afford. Boot tops and such are way to flimsy to secure a firearm.
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Old 08-21-2012, 09:23 AM   #5
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One thing I have always missed is a better selection of crossdraw holsters or shoulder holsters. It bothered me 40 years ago when doing police patrol work, I like all police officers ended up with my gun butt jammed into the seat and had to go through contortions to free the gun from a holster. Detective bureau was much better wearing a crossdraw or shoulder holster.

The same thing is true for a civilian should they heaven forbid be an unwilling participant in an attempted carjacking or robbery. Any time you are sitting, a strong side carry has built in challenges. In addition, some of us more physically challenged have arthritis or other conditions which limit joint dexterity. Bending my wrist to facilitate strong side draws is becoming very painful. Anything painful slows you down.

There are extra, or different, challenges for concealability with the offside carry mode and it seems to be a challenge being poorly addressed.

I'm enjoying reading your thread here of the challenges in the fabrication process. I often wanted to get into fabrication but never found a source for leather I could afford. Boot tops and such are way to flimsy to secure a firearm.
We have a "Tandy Leather" pretty close by and remnants are about $2 to $3 a holster. I have been wearing this one a month now and I really don't think I can improve on it. It's small, has good retension, rides low (top of the trigger guard at the bottom of my belt). For draw I get a complete grip on it, it's a straight drop and rides comfy anywhere from apendix to past my hip. It also is very tight to my waist for an OWB holster.
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Old 08-21-2012, 12:29 PM   #6
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That looks pretty good Vetter. I'm afraid if I tried it, it would look really crude and function even worse.
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Old 08-21-2012, 02:23 PM   #7
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That looks pretty good Vetter. I'm afraid if I tried it, it would look really crude and function even worse.
No, it ain't hard rman. Kydex is very easy to work with. This doesn't look perfect but concealed is concealed, function and comfort rule. It ain't for any 1911's but your EDC Ruger would look OK in it. I didn't dye it black because I wanted to get a pic that showed what was going on there. Keep in mind this is "prototype 36" or so. I'm all about comfy and concealing a double stack .45 under a "T" shirt. This is the best yet for me. I made a really nice all leather, molded perfectly and hand sewn. Sewing wasn't so good but overall it looked great but was not comfy. The black leather will go good in "Bad Booger" for a car holster.
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Old 08-22-2012, 03:57 AM   #8
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I agree with the 'concealed' and 'comfy'. Something about the way I'm built keeps me from using an OWB holster though. Either the bottom of the holster is exposed when I bend over or I look the 'Hunchhip of Notre Dame'. My everyday wear are pocket T-shirts in various colors. IWB holsters work best for me, but few are comfortable. Of all the ones I've bought, the cheapest ones seem to work best for me. My DiSantis Super Tuck and a cheapie from Safiland seem to work the best. I have a Crossbreed that is comfortable, but the leather creaks with every move I make. I've tried saddle soap, but it didn't help and probably would soften the leather too much if I keep using it. Looks like you've found something that works good for you and I think it looks good too.
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Old 08-22-2012, 05:51 AM   #9
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Franne uses the "DeSantis Soft tuck" $15. at Natchez and it works great for her. She wears it OWB behind her belt about 3:30 and the little "Baby Glock" disappears under a light cover shirt. She has really mastered "dressing around the gun". Nobody would suspect she is got 12+1 of 9mm. Me on the other hand look like a miserable old fart lookin' for somebody to whack with my Louisville Slugger Cane. The .45 is my back-up! I'm short, 5'7" and "T" shirts are plenty long for me. I know you are pretty tall so you may have to go to the Ghetto "T" shirt shop for one big enough to hide a 1911! Maybe a "Big and Tall" site will have pocket "T"'s perfect for you? I wear those real thin 4 in a pack for about $10 gray pocket "T"'s or tanks in 2 XL. They hang off me and being so thin are cool in the Florida heat.
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Old 08-22-2012, 06:50 AM   #10
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Franne uses the "DeSantis Soft tuck" $15. at Natchez and it works great for her. She wears it OWB behind her belt about 3:30 and the little "Baby Glock" disappears under a light cover shirt. She has really mastered "dressing around the gun". Nobody would suspect she is got 12+1 of 9mm. Me on the other hand look like a miserable old fart lookin' for somebody to whack with my Louisville Slugger Cane. The .45 is my back-up! I'm short, 5'7" and "T" shirts are plenty long for me. I know you are pretty tall so you may have to go to the Ghetto "T" shirt shop for one big enough to hide a 1911! Maybe a "Big and Tall" site will have pocket "T"'s perfect for you? I wear those real thin 4 in a pack for about $10 gray pocket "T"'s or tanks in 2 XL. They hang off me and being so thin are cool in the Florida heat.
You obviously have never seen me Joe, but thanks for the tall compliment! I too am 5'7 and weigh about 165. I wear medium t-shirts and they hit me about 2 inches below my belt. Maybe I need to buy large - they're probably longer.
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