Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
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Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Hi Guys,
I wanted a new holster that would ride up higher to conceal my weapon better. I also wanted the gun to tilt forward a bit for easier access to it and I wanted a thumb break to secure the gun in place while traveling. So I set out to make my own holster for my Ruger SP101.
Here is the Ruger SP101 along with 2 pieces of Horse Hide and a Food Vacuum sealer.
Next I vacuum sealed the gun to keep it dry.
Then I placed a wet pc. of horse hide under and over the gun and then vacuum sealed it in a bag. This sucks the leather ( in this case horse hid ) down to the gun and molds it. Then I placed it in the fridge over night to let it mold to the gun good.
I took the molded pcs. out of the fridge and opened the bag, here is what it looks like. ( the horse hide is still wet at this point ).
Here is another picture of the 2 molded halves after I took them out of the fridge and opened the bag they were in.
I then took these 2 wet halves and put them on dryer racks to let them dry good.
After the 2 molded pcs. dried I glued the 2 halves together and used 2 milk jugs and some clothes pins to hold them together to dry.
After they were dry I started to sew them together. I also used a pc. of chalk to outline the shape I wanted. I sew the 2 halves together with the gun in between them to get a good tight fit. ( never use a pen or pensile to outline, the chalk comes off easy and won't ruin your project )
The first outline of the gun is sewn.
Here I started trimming some of the holster. Be very very careful when trimming, do a little at a time so you don't cut off to much, you can always go back later to re-trim.
The gun in the holster testing the fit.
Here I punched 4 holes for the belt slits.
After punching the belt slit holes I used a knife to finish making the belt slits.
Here I used a stitching spacer and then I used an Awl to pre punch the stitching holes.
With the rest of the stitching done I finished trimming the holster and then I sanded the edges using a Dremmel tool and a hand sanding block. I then added the snap for the thumb break.
Here is the holster sitting on top of my stitching horse. It's just about done, I just had a little bit of last minute trimming to do.
Here is the finished product.
These are all the tools I used to make this holster. ( The Hand Sanding Block and Dremmel tool with sanding wheel are not shown )
I hope this helps anyone out there who wishes to try to make their own holster.
JT
I wanted a new holster that would ride up higher to conceal my weapon better. I also wanted the gun to tilt forward a bit for easier access to it and I wanted a thumb break to secure the gun in place while traveling. So I set out to make my own holster for my Ruger SP101.
Here is the Ruger SP101 along with 2 pieces of Horse Hide and a Food Vacuum sealer.
Next I vacuum sealed the gun to keep it dry.
Then I placed a wet pc. of horse hide under and over the gun and then vacuum sealed it in a bag. This sucks the leather ( in this case horse hid ) down to the gun and molds it. Then I placed it in the fridge over night to let it mold to the gun good.
I took the molded pcs. out of the fridge and opened the bag, here is what it looks like. ( the horse hide is still wet at this point ).
Here is another picture of the 2 molded halves after I took them out of the fridge and opened the bag they were in.
I then took these 2 wet halves and put them on dryer racks to let them dry good.
After the 2 molded pcs. dried I glued the 2 halves together and used 2 milk jugs and some clothes pins to hold them together to dry.
After they were dry I started to sew them together. I also used a pc. of chalk to outline the shape I wanted. I sew the 2 halves together with the gun in between them to get a good tight fit. ( never use a pen or pensile to outline, the chalk comes off easy and won't ruin your project )
The first outline of the gun is sewn.
Here I started trimming some of the holster. Be very very careful when trimming, do a little at a time so you don't cut off to much, you can always go back later to re-trim.
The gun in the holster testing the fit.
Here I punched 4 holes for the belt slits.
After punching the belt slit holes I used a knife to finish making the belt slits.
Here I used a stitching spacer and then I used an Awl to pre punch the stitching holes.
With the rest of the stitching done I finished trimming the holster and then I sanded the edges using a Dremmel tool and a hand sanding block. I then added the snap for the thumb break.
Here is the holster sitting on top of my stitching horse. It's just about done, I just had a little bit of last minute trimming to do.
Here is the finished product.
These are all the tools I used to make this holster. ( The Hand Sanding Block and Dremmel tool with sanding wheel are not shown )
I hope this helps anyone out there who wishes to try to make their own holster.
JT
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Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Absolutely ingenius!
That is cool,and ya know it fits your gun.
Very well done Sir!
That is cool,and ya know it fits your gun.
Very well done Sir!
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
madman4570 wrote:Absolutely ingenius!
That is cool,and ya know it fits your gun.
Very well done Sir!
Thank you,
I posted this to show people they don't have to spend big money on leather holsters. I purchased that horse hide for $34.00 and I've made 2 holsters, a knife sheath, a key chain, a spare mag. pouch and a zippo lighter case from it.
I'm hoping this will encourage others to try to make their own holsters and things they need.
JT
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Very informative, thanks for sharing.
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Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Gabby,
Thanks for sharing your methods with all of us. Very, very nice. I love to see how other people make things. Your first tutorial made me consider a Seal-A-Meal that I saw at a local Goodwill store. Now, this tutorial makes me want to truck on down to the Goodwill, and look for one that I will buy.
Shawn
Thanks for sharing your methods with all of us. Very, very nice. I love to see how other people make things. Your first tutorial made me consider a Seal-A-Meal that I saw at a local Goodwill store. Now, this tutorial makes me want to truck on down to the Goodwill, and look for one that I will buy.
Shawn
"That's right, Billy, I'm good with it. I hit what I shoot at, and I'm fast!"-Lucas McCain, c1882.
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Hagler wrote:Gabby,
Thanks for sharing your methods with all of us. Very, very nice. I love to see how other people make things. Your first tutorial made me consider a Seal-A-Meal that I saw at a local Goodwill store. Now, this tutorial makes me want to truck on down to the Goodwill, and look for one that I will buy.
Shawn
Go for it Hagler,
I know you will have a lot of fun making your own projects and I bet you'll be really good at it to. Don't forget to take pics of your projects and share them with us.
JT
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Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Gabby,
I have a book on making holsters etc. but your post makes the book obsolete!
Great post and great pictures, thanks for sharing.
I have a book on making holsters etc. but your post makes the book obsolete!
Great post and great pictures, thanks for sharing.
Whatever you do always give 100%........... unless you are donating blood.
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
game keeper wrote:Gabby,
I have a book on making holsters etc. but your post makes the book obsolete!
Great post and great pictures, thanks for sharing.
LOL,
I don't know about that, I get a lot of good design imformation from books and the internet, I just have my own way of doing things. ( Might not be the right way, but it works for me )
Are you thinking of making your own holsters? ( I hope so ). It's really not as hard as you'd think and it's fun. Plus there's just a good feeling that comes from carrying your gun in a holster you made yourself.
Have a Great day.
JT
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Those vacuum packers are also good for when you're packing clothing and are space-limited, as in backpack. You'd be surprised what one can do to a pair of socks or a T-shirt.
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Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Gabby, I have made a few knife pouches etc. I was only showing Shirley (GF) the leather work book at the weekend, as she said she would like to take up a new hobby. I will be sure to show her your post.
Regards
John.
Regards
John.
Whatever you do always give 100%........... unless you are donating blood.
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
game keeper wrote:Gabby, I have made a few knife pouches etc. I was only showing Shirley (GF) the leather work book at the weekend, as she said she would like to take up a new hobby. I will be sure to show her your post.
Regards
John.
Howdy Game Keeper,
To be honest with you and the rest of the guys here I have learning troubles. I can't ( and never could ) read something and figure out how to do it by reading a book. I can learn from watching a video or watching someone else do something, but not by a book. Most of what I've made I taught myself through trial and error and used my own ideas to make what I want.
I think it's a great idea for Shirley and you to take up leather working. It's a lot of fun to make your own stuff and you could sell it to if you wanted. I hope the both of you do well at it and have a great time doing it.
I am disabled with a progressive ( meaning it will get worse ) degenerative Spine and joint disease. It's eating away at 75 to 80% of the joints in my body and my spine and causes a lot of swelling and pain. So t takes me forever to make a project because I have to stop a lot and wait for the swelling in my hands to go down before I can continue. So this is strickly a hobby for me that I can do when I'm feeling up to it.
Post some pics of your projects as you get them done, I'd love to see them.
JT
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Very Interesting!
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Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
That is nice!
I have the same pistol, wanna make me one? LOL
Thanks, Tom
War sees no color, sex, or ethnic background - wars only see blood shed by our heroes for our freedoms.
I Am An American! Fighting for our Country and our way of life.
Fourth Generation Veteran and Proud !!
I Am An American! Fighting for our Country and our way of life.
Fourth Generation Veteran and Proud !!
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
CEMENTHEAD wrote:
That is nice!
I have the same pistol, wanna make me one? LOL
Thanks, Tom
Thanks,
No, but feel free to use my pictures and directions to make yourself one.
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Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Thanks Gabby!
I'm not quite that eager to try it....I'll end up stitching my fingers together!...LOL
Thanks, Tom
I'm not quite that eager to try it....I'll end up stitching my fingers together!...LOL
Thanks, Tom
War sees no color, sex, or ethnic background - wars only see blood shed by our heroes for our freedoms.
I Am An American! Fighting for our Country and our way of life.
Fourth Generation Veteran and Proud !!
I Am An American! Fighting for our Country and our way of life.
Fourth Generation Veteran and Proud !!
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Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Gabby,
What is the wooden handled tool next to the ball peen hammer?
Bob in NE Indiana
What is the wooden handled tool next to the ball peen hammer?
Bob in NE Indiana
Don't look back something might be gaining on you.
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Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
CEMENTHEAD wrote:Thanks Gabby!
I'm not quite that eager to try it....I'll end up stitching my fingers together!...LOL
Thanks, Tom
Trust me when I tell you this. Before I got smart and used learned to use an awl to prepunch my stitching holes I used to just push the needle through the leather ( which is very hard ) and I stuck myself right to the bone with the stitching awl. Once you do it, you be cafeful not to do it again.
JT
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
soon 2 retire wrote:Gabby,
What is the wooden handled tool next to the ball peen hammer?
Bob in NE Indiana
Hi Bob,
That is a Stitching Groover. It's used to make a groove in the leather for your stitching to lay in, this way it doesn't stick up higher than the leather. Here is a better look at that tool. http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/home ... roduct_219 . It's a must have for leather work !!!
JT
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
These are a couple that Hagler made for me about four years ago (man, time flies). I carry my 3" SP101 in the black holster. I know he didn't set out to do so, but that holster couldn't be a better fit for the SP101. I especially like the detachable strap because I can carry it secured when I'm working around the ranch, and when I use it for concealed carry I take the strap off altogether.
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
RSY wrote:These are a couple that Hagler made for me about four years ago (man, time flies). I carry my 3" SP101 in the black holster. I know he didn't set out to do so, but that holster couldn't be a better fit for the SP101. I especially like the detachable strap because I can carry it secured when I'm working around the ranch, and when I use it for concealed carry I take the strap off altogether.
Very nice !! Good job Hagler
JT
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
[quote="RSY"]
RSY,
Here is a set I made for a friends Hi Point .380. I made the holster, mag pouch, zippo lighter case and key chain out of horse hide.
RSY,
Here is a set I made for a friends Hi Point .380. I made the holster, mag pouch, zippo lighter case and key chain out of horse hide.
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Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
RSY,
I am thrilled, and a bit humbled, that you are still using those holsters. What a blast! 4 years seems like 4 months. Time sure flies.
**************************
Gabby,
If you want to see some more of my leather creations, then you can look at my gallery, here:
www.bigloopleather.com
Shawn
I am thrilled, and a bit humbled, that you are still using those holsters. What a blast! 4 years seems like 4 months. Time sure flies.
**************************
Gabby,
If you want to see some more of my leather creations, then you can look at my gallery, here:
www.bigloopleather.com
Shawn
"That's right, Billy, I'm good with it. I hit what I shoot at, and I'm fast!"-Lucas McCain, c1882.
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Hagler wrote:RSY,
I am thrilled, and a bit humbled, that you are still using those holsters. What a blast! 4 years seems like 4 months. Time sure flies.
**************************
Gabby,
If you want to see some more of my leather creations, then you can look at my gallery, here:
http://www.bigloopleather.com
Shawn
I checked it out Shawn,
Very nice, keep up the great work !!
JT
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Well, it's definitely one of my favorite mementos from my time in Louisiana. I still appreciate them. Maybe I'll post a more recent photo of it so you can see how it's held up. As you'll recall, though, I had to quit using the pocket holster because the tanning agent was messing with the nickel finish on the S&W.Hagler wrote:RSY,
I am thrilled, and a bit humbled, that you are still using those holsters. What a blast! 4 years seems like 4 months. Time sure flies.
You and Carla often come to mind and I hope y'all are doing well in your new place. In fact, I still follow St. Tammany news because I still feel a connection to the place. By the way, have they solved that case of the burned car with the Slidell woman in it down by the lake, yet?
Scott
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Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Thanks for that very interesting post.
Re: Handmade Ruger SP101 Holster
Old Savage wrote:Thanks for that very interesting post.
Your welcome.
JT