Kydex hybrid holster making

[schufflerbot]

in the process of collecting the required supplies to create my own hybrid holster.

this thread will be a repository for any and all tips, step-by-step instructions and images.

ill update it regularly once the materials start arriving... any and all advice is welcome!

im looking forward to learning how to do this.

[40khammer]

Where are you getting your materials from?

[Blindref757]

This seems to be one stop shopping for supplies and a good video on how to do it.
http://oldfaithfulholsters.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Warhammer]

I most often buy from Knifekits.com. I bought my Kydex press foam from them, and them made my own press from 1/2" plywood. Much cheaper than buying the whole press and works just like the professional model. Kydex is fun to work with and the learning curve for it is pretty short.

All of my leather and leather working tools/supplies I buy from Tandy leather. Their local stores are great and their employees are really helpful.

[schufflerbot]

i grabbed a sheet of .90 Kydex in 12"x12" for about $10 after shipping from 'fleabay.'

i've spent the last 3 weeks looking for a good source for leather, other than old faithful - i want to be able to grab more in case my friends want one done as well. (assuming they turn out ok)

my life has been hectic, to say the least, and i haven't had time to really pour into this project yet.

[SQLGeek]

i grabbed a sheet of .90 Kydex in 12"x12" for about $10 after shipping from 'fleabay.'

i've spent the last 3 weeks looking for a good source for leather, other than old faithful - i want to be able to grab more in case my friends want one done as well. (assuming they turn out ok)

my life has been hectic, to say the least, and i haven't had time to really pour into this project yet.

Have you tried Tandy Leather Factory on 1960? Doesn't look too far from Spring.

921 FM 1960 W, Suite 104-B
Houston, TX

[schufflerbot]

outstanding suggestion! Tandy leather was THE place for holster making!

my holster is now complete, so ill start my instructions below this post.

[schufflerbot]

STEP 1:

Leather - I purchased this piece of leather for $20 on sale. It's obviously more than enough to do several holsters, the finish is near perfect and the thickness is more than sufficient to retain the shape and provide the support needed to distribute the weight of the gun across your back, rather than keeping it in one spot like the single clip holsters do.



This is a shot of the leather after it was trimmed down. You want to make sure the back of the slide is covered and leaves enough space for a 'hook up' spot: basically a place where you can place the muzzle of the gun for reference before you slide it into the kydex to secure it. This is an exaggerated shape and will be trimmed down before it's complete.



STEP 2:

Gun 'frame' - this is simply a 1/2" piece of scrap wood with a cutout of the weapon to be holstered in the middle of it. the shape is important - it should be traced around the gun leaving approximately 1/4" of space (about half the width of a sharpie marker) EXCEPT FOR the sight channel... this needs to be almost 1/2" to allow snag free presentations. As for the muzzle end of the tracing, simply connect the lines. (from the top of the sight channel to the bottom of the muzzle, creating a flat line and 90* angles for the muzzle side)



Step 3:

Kydex shaping - simply put, toast 6" x 6" kydex in a toaster oven for 5-7 minutes at ~350* to get it soft enough to work with. The consistency should be similar to a slice of cheese when it's ready, you'll know pretty quickly if it's not soft enough. The nice thing about the kydex is that you can reheat it and try again if it doesn't work out!

Once the kydex is heated and pliable, carefully remove it from the toaster oven and place it over the 'frame' where you want the gun to sit. make sure the trigger well is covered completely, as long as that is in place the rest will fall where it should. no need to worry about being lined up straight, most of the areas will be trimmed anyways when it's done cooling. place the gun on TOP of the warmed kydex and push down into the frame, making sure the edges of the kydex lay flat before you sandwich it in. Using two 1/2" boards roughly the same size as your frame, sandwich the frame between the two boards and add some cushioning between the layers of wood boards. i used an old folded up towel that i cut in half and it worked just fine. some people prefer 'bleacher seat' foam pads... the choice is yours, the material just needs to give enough for the kydex to shape, but not so much that it muddles the details. this is what it will look like after 5-7 minutes of cooling:






STEP 4:

Place the gun on the leather and the kydex on the gun. Mark and trim (i used tin snips) the kydex to remove any overhang and level out the 'top' or 'entry point' of the kydex to your liking. Sand the edges well, using 180-400 grit sandpaper. Leave at least a 1/2" space between the gun and the screw location, you only need 2 screws per side. mark and drill holes in the kydex and leather for the screws, attach the kydex then attach the belt clips.

Make whatever adjustments you need, then whammy!!...





spent less than $45 total and i have enough material to make 4 holsters. clips, screws and leather were purchased at Tandy Leather factory and can be purchased online as well. Kydex i bought off of Ebay for less than $10.

hope this helps anyone looking to make their own!

[schufflerbot]

Hey, I am certainly no holster maker, but I have heard that there are different tanning processes used. Chrome, vegetable, oak, etc. Just my two cents, but some tanning processes cause corrosion in metals. I think most only use vegetable tanned leather for holsters. Do not take my word for it, as I am no expert, but it is something you may wish to look in to.

hey, thanks for the heads up! ill have to research that.

[40khammer]

If you put a piece of foam underneath the whole thing when you press down you'll get a more detailed mold. Just a thought.

[schufflerbot]

If you put a piece of foam underneath the whole thing when you press down you'll get a more detailed mold. Just a thought.

i used old towels this time and didnt heat the kydex enough, hence the 'vague' imprint.

next time i will be using the foam and heating it to the proper temps.

thanks!!

[2up1down]

Hey, I am certainly no holster maker, but I have heard that there are different tanning processes used. Chrome, vegetable, oak, etc. Just my two cents, but some tanning processes cause corrosion in metals. I think most only use vegetable tanned leather for holsters. Do not take my word for it, as I am no expert, but it is something you may wish to look in to.

hey, thanks for the heads up! ill have to research that.

c
Looks like a vegetable tanned quarter shoulder, (usually 7-9oz weight) perfect for your purpose.
The key is if the leather is 'tool-able' then no chemicals were used in tanning. Tool-able (vegetable tanned)
meaning you can carve, stamp the leather etc. good job. The guys at the 1960 Tandy's will probably show
you their own holsters if you strike up the right conversation, one of them worked on the original
design for one of the commercial models. (think it was comtac, may be wrong on the name)

[schufflerbot]

Hey, I am certainly no holster maker, but I have heard that there are different tanning processes used. Chrome, vegetable, oak, etc. Just my two cents, but some tanning processes cause corrosion in metals. I think most only use vegetable tanned leather for holsters. Do not take my word for it, as I am no expert, but it is something you may wish to look in to.

hey, thanks for the heads up! ill have to research that.

c
Looks like a vegetable tanned quarter shoulder, (usually 7-9oz weight) perfect for your purpose.
The key is if the leather is 'tool-able' then no chemicals were used in tanning. Tool-able (vegetable tanned)
meaning you can carve, stamp the leather etc. good job. The guys at the 1960 Tandy's will probably show
you their own holsters if you strike up the right conversation, one of them worked on the original
design for one of the commercial models. (think it was comtac, may be wrong on the name)

thats awesome! thanks for the info. ill definitely be heading back there when it's time for more supplies.

[Target1911]

The cut out frame is an awesome idea. I have everything I need but the leather. I guess I need to go down the street to the locaL tandy and start making my own holster.