Secrets Revealed! Tucker Makes A Holster – Part 4 – Wet Molding
Posted by Rob Longenecker on August 11th, 2006
Once a holster is cut (often dyed and stamped) and sewn, it’s time to wet mold the holster to the gun.
The holster is dipped in water until just the right amount of water is present. Years of experience dictate just how much. Either the actual gun, or more often, an aluminum “form gun” is inserted into the holster.
Just the other day, Crimson Trace Laser Sights sent us some forms (the laser sight casings with the guts missing) so Tucker can make sure your holster will fit perfectly when you add them on.
Then, with clean hands and fingers, Tucker presses the leather around the gun and the leather begins to show the outline of the gun itself.
Then Tucker has some favorite hard cocobolo wood tools he uses to press and mold in the fine details. Soon every detail of the gun is visible through the leather.
Some people remove the form gun from the holster at this point and then press the leather back in shape because it spreads a bit when the gun is removed. Tucker doesn’t remove the gun at this point.
He leaves the gun in the holster and hangs it upside down to dry for 24 hours in an air-conditioned space. If the gun falls out, the holster isn’t fit correctly.
For the record, Tucker hasn’t had one fall out in 20 years.
After 24 hours, the gun is removed and the holster is allowed to dry another 24 hours. In the past, Tucker has used a drying cabinet that uses warm air to speed the process, but his present method works very well.
Once the holster is dry a special combination of warm waxes and oils is used to apply the final finish and seal the leather. Very little is used because a holster should be hard and stiff, not soft and pliable.
November 14th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
where can I buy the gun molds
November 14th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
http://duncansoutdoor.com/customs.htm and http://www.blueguns.com/