Help on molding holster.

[Occidental Anchor]

Okay so I made this gun belt and holsters for my wife.  We are very very new to all of this.  After I got these made I soaked them in warm water for a few minutes and then I wrapped her revolvers in a few Ziploc bags and stuffed them into the holsters to let them sit for a few days while they dried out.  the guns are just a little tight in the holsters and she needs to hold the holster in place while pulling the gun or the whole holster comes up.  What did I do wrong?  how can I fix it.  is there a better way?  any advice or critique is welcome.  thank you all.

[Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428]

Nice rig!

 

I dont know much about leatherwork, so I'll leave the tightness get resolved by pards who know.  I was just wondering if something couldn't be done that would prevent the holster itself from being so loose on the belt to allow it to rise as much as it does.  that way, the belt holds the holster while the gun is drawn.

 

Just an engineers 2 cents.

[Rance - SASS # 54090]

Ain’t a leather maker.. but 

Put a couple Chicago screws on each side right below the gun belt..

For the too  tightness?? My first thought?? Dampen the holster leather..

wrap the pistols in some cloth to make ‘em a smite bigger..

put then back in the plastic bags.. shove ‘em back in the holsters and

let ‘em dry..

[Blackwater 53393]

You have the right idea! Wrap the barrel portion of the gun with some extra waterproof material. This will allow for the barrel and front sight to have a little extra room.  
 

I coat my guns with extra waterproof grease and plenty of wrapping on the barrel while keeping the wrap thinner around the cylinder and top frame of the gun. This provides a light grip in the cylinder area and as it clears the holster, the rest of the gun is loose! It’s essential to keep the front sight from dragging coming out of the leather.

[Rip Snorter]

Put a patch of heavy duty velcro on the belt and the back of the holster - tie downs are simpler, but she probably wears dresses.  Your holster set is excellent, BTW and I have been making my own for a long time.  Oil & wrap the gun, dampen the holster, do a little judicious twisting of the guns as the leather sets.

[Trailrider #896]

You have the right idea to wet the holsters in lukewarm water for about 30 seconds. Wrap the guns in plastic baggies that are large enough to wrap around the guns a couple of times or as close to it as you can. Twist the guns in the wet holsters a bit to loosen the fit. Checki to see if the ejector thumb piece is making an indentation in the holster which would make a pocket that tends to lock the gun in the holster. You might want to get several pieces of wooden dowel rod...maybe one 1/2" diameter, and a 3/4" rod. You might even want to get a 3/8" one.  Round one end with sandpaper or a rasp to remove any roughness. Use the dowels to form out the inside of the holsters especially where the guns are making indentations that tend to inhibit drawing the gun. Don't overdo it at first. Take it slow and see what does the job. You can always do some more fitting.  Let the holsters dry for a day or so with the guns out so the leather can dry. If they shrink too much, repeat the process. Once you get them the way your wife likes, you will be in good shape.

 

As far as keeping the holsters from shifting around on the belt is concerned, you can use Chicago screwposts going through both the belt loops on the holsters and the belt. But be sure the holsters are where you want them before making holes in the belt. 

 

Nice-looking rig!

[Doc Eagle]

I wet mold every holster I buy.  It’s the only way to get a true custom fit and get rid of the excess oil most makers are putting in the leather nowadays.

 

To truly mold leather it has to be WET!  You used probably the thickest leather I’ve ever seen in holsters and then lined with heavy leather.  The end result is nice but to truly mold and stretch you will need to soak the leather for more than a couple of minutes.  Assuming you used a waterproof glue between leather a lining AND you glued the seams I’d dunk the whole rig in warm water overnight and then do what you did before but let it dry for a few days before you take the guns out to finish drying.  I live in NV so my wet molded holsters dry overnight but when I lived in humid NC it was not unusual for my holsters to take 3-5 days to dry completely.  When they are almost dry work the guns in and out a bunch of times until you feel no resistance to give it that final step that will allow a free draw.

[Shooting Bull]

Before you can truly fix a problem, you have to identify the root cause. In this case, you need to determine exactly where the guns are sticking. Is it the front sight? Is it the cylinder? Is it someplace else? Just wet molding the entire rig is fine, but you then need to fine tune the fit to smooth out the problem area(s). 

[Occidental Anchor]

Thank you all.  I'll deffinatley try the dowel rod to fine tune the molding.  I guess I'm just to new cause I didn't really think about the front sight catching so I will look at that. And the loading gate making an impression as well.  I will look at that too.  We are all to new so I don't want to use a screw to mount the holsters yet until we use them a few dozen times and she know exactly where she likes them at.  But it's a good idea .  

[Kid Rich]

You also can get a small bottle of silicone that will aid in smooth removal of the revolvers from the holsters. Just about any gunstore will have it.

kR

Edited August 22 by Kid Rich

[SouthwestShooter]

23 hours ago, Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428 said:

Nice rig!

 

I dont know much about leatherwork, so I'll leave the tightness get resolved by pards who know.  I was just wondering if something couldn't be done that would prevent the holster itself from being so loose on the belt to allow it to rise as much as it does.  that way, the belt holds the holster while the gun is drawn.

 

Just an engineers 2 cents.

 Chicago screws

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

When I wet mold a holster, I use a piece of about sixteenth inch thick finished leather cut to a sorta gun shape to  double up in the holster inside a ZipLoc baggie.  I spray the gun with WD40 then stuff Gun, Leather Piece and Bag inna holster and let sit to dry for three or four days.  I would also suggest gluing a chunk of leather between the skirt and the holster to prevent the holster from riding up after you finish molding the holsters to the guns.  Good Luck.  Real nice looking rig you put together.

[TN Mongo, SASS #61450]

When I wet fit new holsters (as others have mentioned), I run them under the faucet for a minute or two, especially inside the "pouch" and welt. I first use a waxed wooden hammer handle, as recommended on John Bianchi western holster DVD series, (no hammer head attached) and open up the barrel portion of the inside of the holster. Next, I squeeze the body of the holster to open it up some. 

 

In his videos, Bianchi then uses a leather maul (with a nylon cylinder attached to the handle) and shoves it into the opening of the pouch and works it around. I tried that once and didn't like it because it roughed up the inside of the pouch.  What I found instead was an empty 4oz bottle of rubber cement. It is the perfect size and will not damage the wet leather. I work it in and out of the pouch until it about the right size by test fitting the correct pistol into it. I have used this method for the last 15 years of holster making. Once I'm satisfied with the fit, I put several wraps of plastic wrap around the pistols and let them set in the holsters for several hours. I check them every few hours and use the rubber cement bottle as needed.  Once I have let the holsters dry overnight, I check the pistol fit again and use the rubber cement bottle for any adjustments.

 

As far as drawing the pistol pulling up the holster, most holster makers install a belt guide between the body of the holster and the back flap. If you look at the side view of the Kirkpatrick holsters I have listed below, you will see the small flap of leather attached with 2 Chicago screws to the back flap of the holster to keep the holster from moving when you draw the pistol. I use something similar on my holsters. You can still make some for the finished holsters you have pictured.

 

Amazon.com: Elmer'S E904 4 Oz Rubber Cement : Office Products

 

LH Rig - Model LH05-Champion - Kirkpatrick Leather Holsters

 

[Bailey Creek,5759]

Put your holsters down like the pistols are in them.

Then look at how they are sitting on belt. The leather that goes around the belt, mark it were the belt rests on the inside. Between holster. Mark it with a pencell 1/8 of an inch or so. Take a piece of thick leather. Sew it in place.

You want the leather long enuff so it will go up onto the belt an inch or so. When you get in sewed in place make sure it is snug fit to belt. Wet it mold it to belt. That will keep it from coming up when pistols are drawn.

[Tom Bullweed]

Nice work!  Great colors.

A leather stretching salve is available at a good boot store or your local cobler. 

I have used this item on boots, but it should work on holsters.

I have made four sets of holsters.  Fortunately they all have fit the intended guns so far.

[watab kid]

thats a lot of great looking leather guys , but the toilet bowl ? really ? 

[Bad Brass]

[Coosie]

Put your revolver in a thick wool sock and jamb it all the way in. Let it sit like that will loosen it up a little. 

[Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428]

Hey there O Anchor, how did these come out?  Any luck?

On 8/21/2025 at 1:03 PM, Occidental Anchor said:

Okay so I made this gun belt and holsters for my wife.  We are very very new to all of this.  After I got these made I soaked them in warm water for a few minutes and then I wrapped her revolvers in a few Ziploc bags and stuffed them into the holsters to let them sit for a few days while they dried out.  the guns are just a little tight in the holsters and she needs to hold the holster in place while pulling the gun or the whole holster comes up.  What did I do wrong?  how can I fix it.  is there a better way?  any advice or critique is welcome.  thank you all.

 

[Occidental Anchor]

Thank you all for some really good ideas.  I think we got them molded pretty well now.  I was having some rubbing on the front sight and around the loading gate.  I did do some spot molding with a wooden dowel and also kept twisting them around as they were drying.  We shot last weekend and there was no complaints.  After we get a little more seasoned and she knows exactly where she wants her holster to sit I probably will put a Chicago screw in them just to keep them put.  Thank you all again.

[Irish Pat]

I keep golf balls jamed down in my holster when there is not a revolver in them

[J-BAR #18287]

Warm/hot water shrinks leather.  Use cold water only!  I ruined a darn good holster by soaking it in warm water.

[watab kid]

ive not done it but all my friends have wetted the holsters and plastic bagged the gun to fit their hosters - mine were fitted when i got them , ive recently bought a new custom tig that should come pre-fitted