Hello Everyone,
do any menbers here make there own pocket holsters? Here's the deal, I have enough alligator, lizard, & snake skin to make about 5 holsters for a j frame ( model 36/49 ). I would like to use my skin and to make 2 holsters for myself and the maker can keep the rest of the skin 2-3 holsters worth for them selves as payment. I don't need anything fancy just your basic pocket holster maybe with a belt loop depending of the style you have made. Anyone here interested? please email/message me or post some ideas.
thanks

in for pics!

Why would you use exotic leather to make a holster no one will see?

old milk jugs,cat litter tubs, and laundry detergent bottles make the best pocket holsters.  Seriously, Google it.

because he can

Because I'm doing it for myself not others, and I like the way it looks. I have a bunch of left over skins from my days as a watchband  business owner. It should look very nice. I might of found someone already to do it. Will post updates

Please post pics ignore the haters......

+1  This. I have made several IWB holsters out of 20oz Mountain Dew bottles.  Heat gun reforms them nicely.

If I remember correctly thrthumper (I think that's the right username) made one for himself.

Eta: his username is THR-thumper and here a 2007 link to a DIY pocket holster. I believe his holsters are more refined now.

I can and do.  See the LCP.380acp holster in the post about the LCP test I just found off the page and bounced up for you. I added some text and photo's below here.

No clue on odd skins.  What you need is a solid piece of leather, a slidding fit wet form design, hooks in the design and real rough out to make sure you do not draw the holster with the gun.  Finger grip space is a necessity.

Lots of commercial designs draw with the gun (DeSantis plasticy one).  Some have no way to finger grip the frame in the pocket because of a a layer of leather over the frame.  Slippery fancy leather outside is a bad idea.  The smooth goes inside against the gun.  The rough out side keeps it in the pocket.

Extra layers just make it print more.  I bought a $150 fancy maker one that had three layers of leather and stuck out like a sore thumb.  It went back.  One solid layer lasts for years.

The wet form shape is both loose sliding and not heavily formed to gun shape.  Just enough to locate the handgun but not show a shape through a pocket.



M&P340 .357 and M43  (both airweight size frames)

well here are the end results. I think they came out pretty good. One is a matte gray/blue alligator and the other is a white snake skin ( only stuff I had big enough pieces  ). I would like  to thank Mr. Robert Mika  of  Mika's Pocket Holsters http://mikaspocketholsters.com/ for the custom work. Great quality and a true gentleman.
Pictures attached below. taking a picture of anything white is not easy. I do look for any excuse to post pictures of my 1971-72 floating j's

I made this one for my 642 out of some scrap leather.  I kinda roughly (very roughly) modeled it after pics I'd seen of Kramer's pocket holster.  A few years later, I finally sprung for a Kramer, and as it turns out, I like mine better.  Smaller and doesn't create as much of a lump in the pocket.

i use kydex