Holster spacing away from the belt

[JD Alan]

Hey Guys, greenhorn JD here with a maybe not so kosher question. I'm not sure, so if the question is out of line somehow, please say so, no offense taken by me.

I watched the video about the Evil Roy holster made by Mernickle, and it made think again about how to move the holster out a little from the belt, for a better grip. I've been asked about this by some of my club members. They seem to think, even with my protests to the contrary, that I have a vast knowledge of holster making.

Mr Mernickle says he uses a metal liner, so I assume it's to help move the holster pouch away from the belt as well as to stiffen it.

Is there another way to accomplish the desired goal without using metal? I understand I may be asking for someone's trade secrets, and I understand if they would want to keep that to themselves, but I figure if I don't ask, I'll never know. Ya got to throw those toes out there once in a while, or they will never get stepped on!

The Pards on this Forum have been enormously generous with their advice to me; the one who has asked more questions over the last year than any other two or three people, and I genuinely appreciate the help. I'm not in this for the money, or to start a business. I've found I really like doing this, and making things for my firends.

Thanks for any advice you might be able to offer, JD     

[Ned Buckshot]

I've made this style holster several times.

Here is how I do it:

For this one I use 8oz. outside and 2-3oz. inside for lining. Extending from the point where the loop transitions to the "bucket" and going up and around the belt loop and down about 1/2 way down the skirt I mold between the two layers some thin sheet metal. I forget what guage sheet metal I've used but it was readily available at the hardwareware store like what was used for air ducts. Carefully bend it around a small diameter dowl or some other round thing to form the top of the loop then form the flat sections going down you can bend it to what ever cant outwards you want.

I know this is very brief but it's early and my mind isn't real clear just yet. If you have more questions just ask.

Ned

[Daniel Nighteyes]

If the goal is to angle the holster a tad, you can try adding a leather "pad" to the back of the holster inside the belt loop.  It should be right at the top, of course, and not too wide.  Then, if the belt loop is loose enough, the "top" of the pistol should be positioned away from the body a bit.

If, as in my case, you want to rotate the pistol so that the butt is away from the body a bit, you can use the same trick used in USGI leather holsters for the 1911 -- a strategically placed "bump" that pushes the trigger guard away from the body a trifle.

Regards, JD, and here's wishing you and yours the very best of the Season!

-- Nighteyes

[Skeeter Lewis]

Putting the holster over filled cartridge loops pushes the holster out. And it's PC.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Putting the holster over filled cartridge loops pushes the holster out. And it's PC.

      Skeeter is right, a full cartridge belt will pitch the bucket of the holster outward, I also use a holster lock, this anchors the holster to the belt, but will also pitch the bucket outward too, you can vary the angle by the angle of leather you use, ( grip outward ), this works well for me, all my fast draw rigs were made by the late Alfonso Penada, and are steel lined, and pitch the grip of the gun outward just the right amount.
    Here is a picture of how I do this, I hope this will help you JD.as you can see in the bottom picture, just by making the leather tab longer and using thick leather, the tab along with the bullets will pitch the bucket out real well, if your belt didn't have bullet loops, you just need to put a block of leather to replace where the bullet loops were. Another way of doing this is to use thicker leather like saddle skirting, 12/14 ounce, and when you wet mold, your gun, you can form the loop over the belt to stick out where you want it, I also use a wedge that I cut from some scrap wood I had laying around, I use the wedge with the widest end at the back of the bucket, between the front skirt and the back, I then push down on the front of the holster loop so that the back of the bucket is pitched outward, this will pitch the grip of the gun outward, and when your holster has dried, will hold its shape real well. There are other ways of doing this, but these are the ones I use, I'm sure others will comment on how they do this with there method.
   
    We can always count on you JD to ask good question, so keep them coming, and I hope the answers we give will help every one interested in making gun leather.

             Regards

        tEN wOLVES  

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

MORE PICTURES

  This piece of leather can be made of steel and then lined with leather, extending it ( making it longer ) will pitch the bucket out more, this is an easy way to do this and it works, if you need the holster to pitch the grip of the gun out more, make the back side of this tab longer than the front, you might have to make this tab wider if you choose to do it this way, as you can see in this picture, if I wanted the bucket to pitch out more, I would make the tab longer, and possibly add another strip of leather at the top to give me that little extra push out, I haven't had to use any steel for this, just using leather has been fine.

[Kid Terico]

TW good set of pictures. KT

[TN Mongo]

I do it one of two ways.  I make my holsters on the thick side anyway (8 to 9 oz. body with a 6 to 7oz. lining) so when I fold the holster pocket over onto the holster skirt, I can just not flatten out the fold over area as much.  A second way to accomplish this is to add an aluminum lining.  The aluminum lining allows the shooter to adjust the holster to whatever angle he or she prefers.

[JD Alan]

I just returned home from church (good service except for the long winded preacher ) and look what I find! All sorts of great ideas from experienced Pards. I appreciate the feedback very much.

10 Wolves, do suppose you could explain what you use to make a "Holster Lock"? I understand the need and the principle, but not what you do to lock the holster down to the belt 

Thanks for all the great suggestioins, and may you all be blessed this Christmas season. JD

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

10 Wolves, do suppose you could explain what you use to make a "Holster Lock"? I understand the need and the principle, but not what you do to lock the holster down to the belt 


[/quote]

    Howdy JD,

    What I just showed you in the pictures, is what I call a holster lock to the belt, with the belt off you can push it to wear you want it, but when it's worn the pressure of your body and the weight of your gun keep it in place, WA LA comes the Holster Lock, works like a champ. there is another one I've used that works too, it's just too had to ex plane, without pictures to show what I'm talking about.

                 Hope this helps

              tEN wOLVES 

[Slowhand Bob]

The set in the bottom few photos are an older set that I have been using for a while now and they have retained their belt loop very well.  These were done with the use of very heavy leather and its resistance to accept a fold, they would surely crack if you pressured them far beyond what they are now.  They stand away well and pitch the grip out even more.  I am not very fast but these holsters can be.  I have not used rawhide but I'm sure you could learn to use it as a substitute for steel or Kydex if you so desire.  I have seen it referred to as the plastic of the mountain man era.   http://home.comcast.net/~gakracker/site/?/page/MY_PERSONAL_LEATHER_/&PHPSESSID=5800b2c06c96cd4f06f6c5a64f06461c 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Nice pics, pards. TW, I've always made a lock the way SB does but that one is nice since it will allow esier movement while not wearing it. Bob, I like your use of Chicago screws to hold the lock on. Easy to remove or replace that way. Nice.

[Slowhand Bob]

Marshall, actually the belt lock is not removable, If you look carefully there is a partially hidden rivet holding it in place on one end while the top Chicago screw that secures the holster to the skirt just stakes at the other end.  Early on I had worried about using just the one solid attachment at the middle but I wanted the grip to be able to roll out and so far time has shown that at least with moderate to medium usage it is holding up well.  After the first of the year I want to try something a little different and may give these holsters to a friend who is more competitive than I and will probably give them a more realistic stress test for competitiion holsters.

I have been considering trying to put a metal or rawhide liner in the drop portion of the belt loop.  This would allow me to drop down a bit in leather weight and adding a half welt.  For this to work with machine sewing, it would seem that the forming can only be done after the sewing is completed??   Not as big a deal when using rawhide for stiffening but steel or aluminum would be a challenge.  Guess I better start thinking about ordering some more leather after the first of the year!

[TN Mongo]

Slowhand,

When I use an aluminum liner (it goes down the skirt and the back side of the holster pocket) I sew the holster flat and then bend the skirt and the holster closed after carefully wetting the folding areas.  I was very worried the first time I tried it, but it worked very well.

You can use a boning tool on the inside of both fold areas if you want to remove any wrinkles that appear in these areas.  I've sewn all my holsters flat from day one and have really never had a problem.

[Slowhand Bob]

Thanks TN, keep an eye out as I will be looking for help on this after the first of the year.  My thought has been to try aluminum or galvanized first and if I cant get it to work then try wet rawhide.  I know many of the big shops are using forms and presses to accomplish this but that is further than I want to carry this project. 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks, Bob. I can see the rivet, now. I was going on too much of an assumption.