[LongBaller71]

Just finished up my first homemade holster for my 1911 FS. I've made a couple pocket holsters before, but nothing like this. I picked up some leather from a local boot shop. It's vacuum formed and hand cut and stitched. It's my take on an avenger style OWB with a 25* cant. Made it to fit up to 1 3/4" belt. It no Milt, but I like it. Let me know what you guy think, please. I need a little polishing up on the finer points and stitching for sure.

[kytowboater]

I think I love that. Very nice leather. When you make one for an officers 3.5 inch let me know.

[kytowboater]

How's the retention and one handed holstering it?

[W. C. Quantrill]

Nice one! Good start for a first holster. My stuff gets used,,,I use it hard, rifle stocks get chipped and scratched, and holsters really take a beating. I just made one for an everyday carry, it is light, and efficient, gets the job done, it will get wet, frozen, and all beat up in a couple more years, and then I'll just make another one.

Its basically a Ranger model of the late '30's, Austin pattern.



The holster has a 15 degree rake,,,and it gets the job done. This is light 7oz leather, and it is going to work fine, The next one comes off the 8oz hide.

[orangello]

Beautiful leatherwork guys!

I don't have a 1911, nor do i carry concealed or use a holster for more than a walk in the woods or to keep the spare mag with my XD45. That said, why doesn't the second holster shown have to cover the trigger? Is it safe that way or an accepted risk that is mitigated by the manual safety of the 1911?

[LongBaller71]

Thanks guys. I just picked up some better blades so the pattern cutting will be better. I also realized that there are certain stages where some things need to be sewn before others and some done last.

KY - the retention is fantastic at this point and should hol up quite well long term. The shell is a thick 8oz. tanned hide that is super rigid when dried after forming. I'll have to take a few pics of it on and a quick vid on draw and re-holstering one handed. I really like the aggressive cant and it seems to work well for now. I'm working on a couple more that are slightly different in cant and also belt loop style. We shall see which comes out ahead over the next couple months of use.

Edit - here's a few crappy cell pics

[ellwood45c]

Nice stuff guys keep it up maybe we will all be buying your stuff one day.

[W. C. Quantrill]

I really like your vac forming on that holster, Dave. My vac was not working when I made this one. So I improvised. One thing I do, is i whittle a wooden spacer that goes between the front sight and the back sight, and I tape it into place when forming. That way the leather does not pull down between the sights and create a bow in the front edge, which causes sight drag.


This is a Mexican double loop that I made at the same time as the Ranger holster. This is actually a Cheyenne pattern for the '58 Remington. I use hammer thongs on all my holsters, including the 1911. I dont have to worry about retention, and if I need it, it is simple to slip off.

This holster, Orangelo, lets the gun set deep and the trigger is covered. This holster is for entertainment. The .45 holster is for social work. Like I said, it is patterned after a Texas Ranger holster of the late 1930's, an Austin pattern. Rangers of that time were known to remove safeties, or tie them back with rawhide. One of the more interesting accounts of that is when a concerned citizen approached Ranger Charlie Miller and pointed it out and asked if that wasnt dangerous, to which, Charlie replied, "I wouldnt carry the son of a b***h if it wasnt dangerous." I liked the looks of it and made one for my gun. It is open at the bottom to shed water, rocks, dirt, and pieces and parts of other flying debris.

[W. C. Quantrill]

Two things you can do, Dave when cutting the leather, use a leather knife, a HEAD KNIFE or a pair of heavy scissors/snips/shears.


There is no substitute for a good head knife when working leather, it does lots of jobs. When cutting your leather out, I ofttimes use a pair of tin snips. They leave a nice edge that will slick up real easy. I finish all my holsters with Whites boot dressing wax. It is the best preservative wax I have found.

[LongBaller71]

Wow, WC, that's a serious looking blade! I've seen headhunters with less scary tools! LoL!

Thanks for all the tips. I appreciate it very much!