What type of Lining?

Lining a holster has always been an area of debate. One side says no because it attracts micro debris that wears on your finish, and the other side says yes because it protects your firearm from the rough side of the holster. Who is right?

Lining is normally done with pig skin or suede leathers. I preferred the pig skin and for years that is what I lined my holsters with. But, I began to notice that oils from the firearm would start to soak into the lining after years of use, especially if it was your primary carry holster. This started to make me understand the pros and cons of lining hostlers. Yes, it protected your firearm from the rough side of the leather, but it also would allow micro particles to adhere to the oils soaking into the leather that could cause damage to the finish of the firearm. With this in mind, I started researching new lining materials. None of which I found exempt from the problem. Than I came across some holster makers that on certain holsters, they would line the holster with a lighter leather leaving the smooth finished side of the lining resting against the holster.

LIGHT BULB!!!

My thought was: Why not for all holsters? The prototyping started and after several holsters, I found that it worked for all holsters. After several of my customers gave me great reviews with the new lining, I decided to make it standard on all lined holsters and eventually it may become standard on ALL holsters.

Stay tuned and I will be blogging at you soon.

Leather Thickness vs. Ounces

One of the most common questions out there is how thick our leather holsters?

The thickness of leather is commonly referred to in ounces.  To keep it simple, 1 oz of leather is 1/64 inch thick.  It is that simple.  So using that information, you can estimate how thick your holster will be.  Lets take a common outside the waistband (OWB) holster.

OWBs are a common holster for carry.  They are comfortable and reliable.  These types of holsters are normally used for heavier and/or larger handguns though you will see smaller handguns using these type of holsters.  Typically these are made from 8-10 oz leather depending on the size and weight of the firearm.  With the information that you now have, we can easily figure out the thickness of the leather used:  8 oz x 2 (front and back panel) = 1/4".  Now remember, you also need to take into account the thickness of your firearm.  Revolvers will be thicker than Autos.  

I hope this helps you when deciding on the type of holster and firearm you wish to carry.

Be blogging at you soon.

What Kind of Ride Do You Like (holsters that is)?

A question that I get quite a bit, is what is the difference between a mid-ride or a high-ride holster.  In actuality, there are three different types of "rides".  Low, Mid and High.  I will try and clear it up in the following.

The Low-Ride:  This type of holster is generally used for deep concealment.  Example would be the Skyops holster by Galco.  They are designed to position the top of the handgun at or below our waist.

Mid-Ride:  This is the most common holster out there.  It is designed to position the handgun so that the trigger is right at the waistline allowing the grip of the handgun to be easily grabbed and to keep it tucked into your body.  Most people choose this as it gives the best option for concealment and ease of draw.

High-Ride:  As the name implies, this style of holster places most of the weight of the handgun above the waist.  There are several downsides to this style, one being that it is more difficult to draw the handgun from the holster.  To make this happen, most of these types of holsters are made from heavier leather to accommodate the high center of weight and there is usually a cut out or notch at the top of the holster to help with clearing the handgun from the holster.

So now that you know, hopefully this will help with our next choice of holster.

Be blogging at you soon.

First Blog

Finally took the plunge and started a blog on my website.  I started in the leather business back in 2011 though I had been working with leather for several years before that.  Over time, I have honed my skills to where I felt the products were good enough to sell.  

I started off with holsters, making those that would be comfortable, secure, low profile and durable.  Every holster is made from the ground up.  I do all of my own cutting, sewing, dyeing and forming.  Each holster is unique in its own way.  

Following my success in holster, belts and all those accessories that go with it, my lovely wife Teresa started pushing for my to expand the business line.  So taking her advice, I started making Totes, wallets and other leather items not at all related to holsters.  The response was heartwarming.

So, when you drop by my website, you will see Totes right along side Holsters.  Don't laugh, just point them out to your wife, girlfriend, family members and friends.  I have a little of everything for the whole family.

Be blogging at you soon.