What works best for lining holsters?

[JD Alan]

Howdy Gents. In my learning quest, I went to page 31 and read the thread concerning lining holsters. There was some good info there, but it left me wondering what kind of leather to use for lining.

I thought using veg tan in a lighter weight than the body of the holster was the way to go, but not I'm not too sure. Is this way ok, but maybe not optimal?

I'd sure appreciate some of you experienced gents weighing in on this for me.

Much obliged, JD

[knucklehead]

I normally use 1 to 2 ounce veg tan leather to line my holsters
that said i have used deer hide to line a holster. and the shoulder holster i am making right now will be lined with deer hide.

i have also use pig skin for lining leather.

veg tan leather to me is the easiest one to use because i feel that the holster will shape easier

[Johnny McCrae]

Just about every holster and belt I make is fully lined. I usually use two pieces of 4-6 oz. vegetable tanned leather from the same hide. I laminate them together with Barge cement. I don't know if this is the correct way to do it. I just started out this way sort of by accident and it seemed to work OK. This combination seems to take wet molding nicely.

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk81/jvsaffran/Leather/100_0960.jpg

[JD Alan]

So Johnny, if I understand you correctly, you use two veg tan pieces of equal thickness to make the holster. If that's the case, do you glue them together right off, before doing anything else?

Thanks, and Thanks Knucklehead for weighing as well, JD

[Johnny McCrae]

JD, Yes I use two pieces from the same hide. I glue them together before doing anything else except if I want to bury spots or snaps in between the two layers.

[cowboywc]

Howdy JD
It depends on what leather I'm making the holster from in the first place. If I'm doing a floral tooling pattern
then I will use 7/8 oz and line with 4/5 veg. A heavy stamp pattern I will use 8/9 oz and line with 3/4 veg.
WC

[knucklehead]

you should do all toolling/carving before you glue in the linning.
this way the tools dont bounce.

and remember to cut the lining oversize.

i will dye both pieces of leather before i glue the lining into main piece.

then after dye is dry coat both main piece and lining piece with whatever glue you are going to use.
let it sit up according to the glue instructions.

now attach the lining but remember to bend the main piece like you are going to do when sewing it together to form the pocket.
fold the lining into the folded piece.
also you want to bend the belt loop before you atach the lining piece to it as well.

bending and folding the lining piece will allow the lining piece to sit inside the main piece without causeing wrinkles to form.
if you glue it together the lining and main body flat you will have wrinkles show up when you finally form the pocket for the gun.

[Johnny McCrae]

Howdy Knucklehead,

That's a good point you make about bending the main piece like you are going to sew it. I do get wrinkles once in a while along with some bouncing of the tools at times. I will have to try your technique. Thank you for mentioning this.

[HorsePen Henry]

WC, are you using 12 oz. leather for your holsters without lining? 

Horse Pen

[cowboywc]

WC, are you using 12 oz. leather for your holsters without lining? 

Horse Pen

Howdy
It all depends on what the customer wants.
WC

[cowboywc]

now attach the lining but remember to bend the main piece like you are going to do when sewing it together to form the pocket.
fold the lining into the folded piece.
also you want to bend the belt loop before you atach the lining piece to it as well.

bending and folding the lining piece will allow the lining piece to sit inside the main piece without causeing wrinkles to form.
if you glue it together the lining and main body flat you will have wrinkles show up when you finally form the pocket for the gun.

[/quote]

This is a very good point. It can be a pain also.
This is what I found works best for me. I hang my lining over the edge of my bench so it folds on the seam,
Then I lay the holster on just the top half and roll it over the edge to the rest of the lining.
WC

[JD Alan]

Thanks WC, and please fogive what will probably be obvious to everyone else; When you lay the lining over the bench, do you alreay have the glue in place on both pieces? If not, could explain what you do?

Thanks very much, JD   

[Cutter Carl]

I am starting a set of lined holsters.  I have only made unlined in the past.  I was thinking of taking a dowel rod about 3/4"-1" and sands flats on one end to clamp in a vise then folding the lining over the dowel were the crease would go then attaching the outer piece over it.  Anyone done this method? 

[cowboywc]

Thanks WC, and please fogive what will probably be obvious to everyone else; When you lay the lining over the bench, do you alreay have the glue in place on both pieces? If not, could explain what you do?

Thanks very much, JD   

Howdy JD
Nothing to forgive. If you don't ask you don't learn. ( or you learn the hard way)
Yes my lining has glue, my holster has glue. With  the lining hanging half the bench I can fold the holster
almost in a 90 and set the one side down to the lining, then slide the whole thing up flat to the side of my bench
to set the back of the holster to the lining. Then pick it up and work everything down tight.
I will try to get some pix in the next few days if I get time.
WC

[JD Alan]

I would sure appreciate the pictures. Most of the time if I don't understand something being explained on the net, I ask my wife to read it. She's been a serious seamstress over 40 years (started in the cradle  ) She understands this kind of stuff. 

She's the one to put together stuff we buy unassembled. I ought to have her do the leather, 'cause she'd do it better than I would, no doubt.

[cowboywc]

Howdy JD
I hope these pix help you understand how I glue in my lining.
WC

[JD Alan]

I really appreciate the pictures WC. What really has me curious is the cut, or shape of that holster. I don't think I've seen anything quite like that. Of course, my experience regarding holsters is very limited!. When you get that sewed together, I would really appreciate seeing a picture of it.

Thanks again for taking time to help a rookie! JD

[knucklehead]

JD,

WC's holster picture is a skirted holster design. I think that its also a cross draw style holster.

the flap that is above the main body of the holster will fold over against the backside of the main body of the holster.
thus forming the belt loop.

[cowboywc]

Howdy JD
KH is  right.
I had to throw it in the trash. I made it from some 20 year old leather just to take the pix. When I folded
it to sew it snapped in half.
WC

[cowboywc]

Howdy
Here is another pix of how I glue in my lining.
Just finished this holster. I'll post pix of it in a different thread.
WC