My kydex holster attempts

[F-Stop]

I wanted to try this for a while so over the last week I made a few.

First a taco style for G19. Eh, it worked but, I didn't understand my heat source and temp.

Second was iwb for my CM9. I like this one but, buffing edges and design needs work.

Third was paddle style for G19. The pic of the back. This worked well but I had not yet figured out blocking heat for curving and tuning retention.

4th and 5th was for P220 and another for Glock. Still working on form and better execution. I need to take some material off the tops. I am happy with the Glock one. Retention is perfect and functions like I want.

Cheaper to buy a few holsters but, now I can make them for all my handguns which will save some money. It's fun also and something I can practice and get better at.

 

[gre24ene]

looks good.

 

[Mcornbro]

Nice work. If your looking to buy iwb clips you can buy them direct from crossbreed

 

[F-Stop]

Thanks to both. . I will check them out.

 

[Streetgang]

Nice work.

 

[Sharp]

Third was paddle style for G19. The pic of the back. This worked well but I had not yet figured out blocking heat for curving and tuning retention.

I've never tried this before, but I have a friend who made some holsters a few years ago. He used different densities of foam and a press to shape the hot kydex. Heat the whole thing uniformly, but if you want one side to be deeper than the other, use a denser foam on the opposite side. To get a curve, you need a curved surface to stack it all up on. You will have to play with the weight so you don't press it down so hard that the gun gets trapped in a mold of kydex.

You should also be careful with plastic framed guns. While the frame should not be hot enough to actually melt the frame, repeated applications of hot kydex might displace parts of it. After he molded a holster for a Ruger (don't remember the model), he noticed the sights no longer zeroed. He was pretty certain the frame shifted a bit from multiple kydex sessions. He started using blue guns after that.

Hope this helps!

 

[F-Stop]

Thanks Sharp. I do have two foam densities to get about a 70/30 front to back. I may try building it up like you say if I do it again to get a curve.

I taped up a mag to get it tight in the mag well and leave much of grip hanging out of the press. I only do one side at a time also and let it cool. I don't plan on making but one or two for each I have. I have seen some people have issues if they hear the kydex up to its limit and do back to back pressings.

 

[CrazySanMan]

I just started with Kydex too. I mainly make knife sheaths. Here is a J frame holster I made and a trigger guard for my glock 21 when it's in my Hill People Gear Kit Bag.





Yours look better than mine.

 

[F-Stop]

Nice! I like that color. I am going to make one of those trigger type for the nightstand gun. Good idea.

I made a taco style press like coffeebum from YouTube. I however did not spend that much time on it. Being able to press the firearm down against the fold and using one hand for clamp allows for good definition on the fold. Just have to tape up something for the sight channel.

 

[CrazySanMan]

I used an acid brush taped to the barrel of the revolver for the sight channel. I left a long tab sticking up from the holster and then heated it with a heat gun and bent it around a piece of wood to form a belt loop.

My Hill People Gear original kit bag has a CCW compartment in it and they say it doesn't require a holster but since the Glock only has a trigger safety I wanted to make absolutely sure it was safe when I carry it in there. I tied the Kydex to the bottom of the compartment so it pops off on it's own when I draw the gun.


Here's a two tone sheath I made for my Esee Candiru





and one I made for my Condor Mini Bushlore knife.

 

[F-Stop]

Those look nice. What are you using for pressing the eyelets/rivets? I got the cheap hammer type die and put the die part in the drill press and press it that way instead if hammering on them. Doing it again I would have a priming for the better die set with guide.

 

[Blaster229]

This is on my list of retirement projects. Gonna dive in head first and get the whole heaters/presses/etc... starter kits available somewhere. Since I'll have some time on my hands.

 

[CrazySanMan]

I have one of the hammer die sets with a guide from KnifeKits.com and I hammer them in. I find that about 20% of the eyelets lose the paint on them when they are hammered. I don't know if I'm using cheap rivets, or hammering too hard, or what is causing it.

 

[F-Stop]

This is on my list of retirement projects. Gonna dive in head first and get the whole heaters/presses/etc... starter kits available somewhere. Since I'll have some time on my hands.

If I could do it, I'd get the T-shirt presses to heat the kydex and the vacuum formers to mold. It's way more efficient and consistent. Get that and the gun molds already blocked out for trigger, slide release, safety etc... And you're down to 5 minutes probably to get a rough pressing.

 

[F-Stop]

I have one of the hammer die sets with a guide from KnifeKits.com and I hammer them in. I find that about 20% of the eyelets lose the paint on them when they are hammered. I don't know if I'm using cheap rivets, or hammering too hard, or what is causing it.

Do you oil the die and rivet? I put little on each time and it has helped a lot getting them to roll consistent and even.

 

[CrazySanMan]

Do you oil the die and rivet? I put little on each time and it has helped a lot getting them to roll consistent and even.

No, I don't. That's a good idea. Plain old household oil?

 

[F-Stop]

I just use whatever is close. I've used motor oil and clp.

 

[fidelity]

...

Here's a two tone sheath I made for my Esee Candiru

...

and one I made for my Condor Mini Bushlore knife.

...

Great looking knife sheaths.

 

[303_enfield]

What are you using for a press? When can I send my knife?

 

[Blaster229]

If I could do it, I'd get the T-shirt presses to heat the kydex and the vacuum formers to mold. It's way more efficient and consistent. Get that and the gun molds already blocked out for trigger, slide release, safety etc... And you're down to 5 minutes probably to get a rough pressing.

My wife already has one of those large t shirt presses. The red rubber kind that heat up I think.