Leather Working - Leather Holsters

So, I'm not very good at this craft - yet. But I managed to pull off two functional holsters! Both made from vegetable tanned leather, and were already dyed when I bought them. Hobby lobby sells leather scraps for cheap. They are usually pretty small, but most often come with at least one scrap large enough for my small gun. 

Turns out it's harder to find a large enough piece of leather in a scraps bag. So the first time around  I stitched two pieces together. It kind of looks like it has a Mohawk. I'm not a huge fan, but it's perfectly functional, and thus i was proud of it for my first try! The primary goal was to protect the trigger, and the finish, and fit into my glove box, as the holster I had was too large. It accomplished all of those goals.

My second holster as you'll see is a little more advanced. I wanted something that fit Into my glove box, and was equipped to wear on my belt. Even though I mostly carry it in a back pack, it's nice to have the option. This one features a belt strap, and a strip of leather around the top to help the holster keep its shape while the gun is drawn. This way it can easily be re-holstered without needing to use the other hand. 

The leather for this holster was quite a bit thicker than the first one. You'll notice the level of gun detail is less. Tried as I might, I could not get the detail as sharp as I wanted. I may have even tried too hard, because the skin started to bunch in places I put the most stress.

The finish is Tandy Eco floor super sheen. I haven't quite figured out the types of finishes that are available to me. But this Eco flo has worked nicely. It even gives the leather a nice water resistance. Make sure to shake before using.

Maybe next time I'll learn to finish the edges properly.