What's On the Bench 4/24/2015

Couple of new things in this holster.  First Pancake Style holster that I have ever posted.  Also some new color.   The base color is "walnut". Have been wanting another light brown color with less red in it than the Brandy color.  The Air brushed accents are a darker brown. This Holster is for a Glock 19/23 and is for sale at 50.00

 

A slider for a sig 938 in black

 A slider for a 1911 in black

An Avenger for a 1911 3 inch barrel. This one has a very aggressive cant which kicks the butt upward which is good for concealment.  This holster is for sale as well, 45.00.  It is coffee with black accent. comes out almost with a purple tint when in the light just right.

 Introducing the "BUBBA J"  A holster built specifically for putting between the seat of your vehicle. This one is "rough out" for an XDS

 Another "BUBBA J" for a 1911 full size

 

 

Couple others on the bench and several more to start.

What's On The Bench

A Wingman for a Glock 19.  Natural color, an oiling process

A Wing man for a FNX 9. Dyed Coffee brown.

An OWB with a retention snap for a FNX 45T with an RMR sight.

An Avenger for a Glock 30. Dyed Coffee Brown

A Skinny for an XDS 9. Dyed Coffee Brown

A Slider for a 1911 with "armour" stamping. 

An Avenger for a 1911. Coffee with Black airbrushed accents

An Omni for a Glock 30S.  Brandy with air brushed black accents

 A Skinny for a Sig 938. Dyed coffee

The Best "first" holster / What's On The Bench

A recent conversation with a friend stirs up the Title of this entry.

This friend is a new conceal carry permit holder and as such, has all the same questions, and uncertainties that every one has in the first days of concealing a firearm on ones person. This friend has one of my "Omni" holsters and so many of the things he has done reminds me of the first days myself.  The ever present anxiety "I think it shows" "there is a bulge" "is that guy eying my gun"  ect.

In a recent conversation he told me that he had been carrying at about 10:00-11:00 position (one of those lefties) but decided to try it at 1:00-2:00, kind of at a cross draw for a lefty.  There had also been a try at 8:00-9:00 on the hip and even an experiment at 6:00 just to see what it was like.  He asked if it would work outside the pants as well? Yes inside the belt, outside of the pants will work "in a pinch".

This made me begin thinking how many holsters most people have to order, in order to try so many positions. How many holsters has the experienced person had, in order to experiment with different positions?

A single clip holster is not for everyone. Explanation.  An Omni IS the best "first" holster for everyone.  Forty bucks for a holster to wear for the first year.  It takes that long to experiment and experience the different ways to carry and the the different ways to carry at different times and occasions. 

In my first year of carrying a firearm I made several different holsters, trying to figure out how I wanted to carry the gun. Today and every day I carry an Omni and carry in any position I want.

What's On The Bench

Slider for a Glock 17 Color - Washed Brown

Omni and Mag carriers for a CZ75B Color - Coffee

Avenger for a XD 9 Color Brandy with air brushed black accents

Cowboy Holster for a 22 Color - Coffee

Avenger for a M&P 9 Color Brandy with Black Accnets

Small of the back avenger for a Taurus PT111 color - black

Avenger for a Glock 19 color brandy with air brushed black accents

Wingman for a Glock 19 color - natural oil tanned

 Slider for a 1911

 OWB for a FNX45T

 Wingman for an FNX

 Couple of straps for motorcycle seats

 Avenger for a Glock 30

Dying Leather / What's On The Bench

Sounds simple......just dye this holster this color.

There are so many things that affect the outcome of dying leather. To attempt to copy the exact same color is a game of chance considering that each hide is different and the tanning process is different with various tanneries. On top of that, there is the way each hide was stored and what it has been exposed to? There is the weather conditions, included exposure to heat, sun, moisture ect. All of my dyes are a mixture, and even though I have  a very methodical method, the out come can vary slightly.

I would have to be honest and say that I have never read or seen anyone dye leather the way I do. There are typically three ways to dye leather.  1. Dauber application (wet the dauber and apply)  2. Dip dying (literally dip it in a container of dye).  3.  Airbrush.  I have never been happy with typical dauber application which is to apply an even coat.  My method is the dauber, over and over and over and over. When done the leather is limp wet, and takes a good little while to dry but the penetration is extreme.

An airbrush can get a color exact, since it is an application applied with great control. The only problem is the coating is so thin that when scratched, the raw color will show through.  The air brushing that I do is an accent, on top of the first coat, and purely aesthetic. The one thing I have learned is that when that top coat is applied it sometimes surprises me with the outcome. Blending a two colors with "variables" just does not always come out to be the same.

The hardest part to comprehend is that the whole coloring changes when the holster is dunked in a bucket of water and  then formed or "boned in" to the gun. Depends, on the dye and the process but some of them change dramatically.   The "washed brown" that I offer is a completely different process as the dye is a water based antiquing process. When dunked I can rub it and wash a away as much as I want. This is purely a guessing game as to the outcome.

I used to get a surprise on a regular basis (the outcome), but with practice I get more and more accustomed to knowing what the outcome will be.

 What's On The Bench

 Finished up my personal Gun Belt. These are two pieces of Herman Oak leather totaling .2 inch in thickness. They can be made thicker or thinner.

 A Skinny for a Shield. Dyed Brandy and airbrushed black accent

 A little Skinny for a Taurus TCP

 A Wingman for a Glock 19.  Was an order from my Etsy site. I offered any changes like stamps, initials, color ect and the customer said that one was perfect. So I made a copy.

 A belt I can't show to close as it is a gift.

Still on the Bench

An XDS Skinny

 A Slider for a Glock 17

 A little Cowboy 22

 An Omni for a CZ75B , it has 3 mag pouches as well

 An Avenger made to be worn on the small of the back for a Taurus PT111

 A OWB Cross draw for a Glock 30

 A OWB Cross Draw for an XD 9