View Full Version : New holster review
A few months back I started talking to Dwight about making me a plain, but practical and comfortable holster for my Springfield XD .45. We had a few conversations going back and forth about what I wanted but had never gotten to the part where we were talking price before I was distracted by a long business trip. When I got home, there was a box that came in the mail from Dwight and it contained this:
http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag23/InorTheBloody/20161218_194008_zpsfuctqcdm.jpg
Dwight was working on a prototype design for a new holster he wanted to start making and mine was the first! I put the gun into it and left it sit for 2-3 weeks to form perfectly to the gun (which it did). Then I started wearing it pretty regularly.
We went out shooting with it a couple times and it is really easy to draw. The thumb break is an excellent design and does not get in the way at all when drawing. It wears very well and I am happy with it in every respect.
The one thing I did not know how well it work when we are out hiking in the desert going up and down a lot of steep hills and climbing over fences. Today, Mrs Inor and I decided to find out. We were out for about 3 hours going through some really rough country. The holster worked out perfectly! Once I got it adjusted, I forgot I was even wearing it.
If you have a boxy plastic gun and are looking for an open carry holster option, definitely talk to Dwight about this baby! I could go on and on about the level of craftsmanship that went into it. But since everybody here knows Dwight turns out nothing but the highest quality stuff, that seems like more typing than I need to do.
Slippy
12-19-2016, 06:38 AM
Very nice looking holster!
DerBiermeister
12-19-2016, 08:11 AM
Nothing beats leather!
Baglady
12-19-2016, 09:17 AM
Nice work Dwight. I'd like to see a picture of the back.
Nice work Dwight. I'd like to see a picture of the back.
Ask and ye shall receive...
http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag23/InorTheBloody/20161219_104322_zpsgmvbas3v.jpg
Baglady
12-19-2016, 07:20 PM
That's really heavy leather, huh? Did you have to keep oil on it to form it?
Dwight55
12-19-2016, 07:56 PM
That's really heavy leather, huh? Did you have to keep oil on it to form it?
No, . . . never form a holster with oil. Water only, . . . with a judicious application of force, tugging, choking, . . . a couple cups of coffee, . . . and a vacuum pump.
The little brother to it is mine, . . . carries an ATI commander size 1911.
Got another even smaller version going out soon to a customer with a 9mm Shield.
May God bless,
Dwight
That's really heavy leather, huh? Did you have to keep oil on it to form it?
Nope. Whatever Dwight put on it when he made it. I just put the pistol in and seated it exactly where I wanted it, then wrapped it with a couple layers of rags. Then I tied rags tightly around it to put pressure on how I wanted it.
Note: Dwight did a really nice job of forming it to begin with, so my wrap job was probably not necessary. But since G. Gordon Liddy explained the whole process in his autobiography and stated that is how he perfected his holsters, I did it anyway.
Baglady
12-19-2016, 08:07 PM
No, . . . never form a holster with oil. Water only, . . . with a judicious application of force, tugging, choking, . . . a couple cups of coffee, . . . and a vacuum pump.
The little brother to it is mine, . . . carries an ATI commander size 1911.
Got another even smaller version going out soon to a customer with a 9mm Shield.
May God bless,
Dwight
Sounds like quite an ordeal. Gotta be a labor of love. Nice work.
Baglady
12-19-2016, 08:09 PM
Nope. Whatever Dwight put on it when he made it. I just put the pistol in and seated it exactly where I wanted it, then wrapped it with a couple layers of rags. Then I tied rags tightly around it to put pressure on how I wanted it.
Note: Dwight did a really nice job of forming it to begin with, so my wrap job was probably not necessary. But since G. Gordon Liddy explained the whole process in his autobiography and stated that is how he perfected his holsters, I did it anyway.
Kind of like forming a ball glove...
Kind of like forming a ball glove...
Exactly the same process as breaking in a new baseball glove.
Dwight55
12-19-2016, 08:11 PM
Sounds like quite an ordeal. Gotta be a labor of love. Nice work.
Actually it is, . . . retired back in 08 from the normal 40 hrs per week, . . . do my pastor thing for the church, . . . and run a little leather side business.
www.dwightsgunleather.com will open the door to what I do.
I have done leather work since a sophomore in HS back in 1960, . . . making this, that, the other thing, . . . didn't get serious about it until a little over 10 years ago, . . .
Now it is a labor that I am happy to do.
May God bless,
Dwight
Baglady
12-19-2016, 08:19 PM
Actually it is, . . . retired back in 08 from the normal 40 hrs per week, . . . do my pastor thing for the church, . . . and run a little leather side business.
www.dwightsgunleather.com will open the door to what I do.
I have done leather work since a sophomore in HS back in 1960, . . . making this, that, the other thing, . . . didn't get serious about it until a little over 10 years ago, . . .
Now it is a labor that I am happy to do.
May God bless,
Dwight
I'm glad your able to do some of the things you enjoy, and (bonus), others enjoy it too! Thanks for all you do for us.
Infidel
12-19-2016, 09:59 PM
Nice work Dwight, an interesting design. Is there any advantage to doing the belt tunnels over a conventional belt slot? Seems like it might the holster more stable on the belt.
-Infidel
Nice work Dwight, an interesting design. Is there any advantage to doing the belt tunnels over a conventional belt slot? Seems like it might the holster more stable on the belt.
-Infidel
It is EXTREMELY stable and more comfortable to wear.
No, . . . never form a holster with oil. Water only, . . . with a judicious application of force, tugging, choking, . . . a couple cups of coffee, . . . and a vacuum pump.
The little brother to it is mine, . . . carries an ATI commander size 1911.
Got another even smaller version going out soon to a customer with a 9mm Shield.
May God bless,
Dwight
Your exactly right Dwight! I've bought new horse collars that didn't lay good on the shoulders and soaked them with water, put on the horse, and then drive the horses till the collar is dry. Next time you put it on them, it is nearly formed to their necks and shoulders perfectly.
DerBiermeister
12-20-2016, 09:33 AM
Exactly the same process as breaking in a new baseball glove.
I used to break in my ball gloves with Neatsfoot Oil
Dwight55
12-20-2016, 09:39 AM
Nice work Dwight, an interesting design. Is there any advantage to doing the belt tunnels over a conventional belt slot? Seems like it might the holster more stable on the belt.
-Infidel
Inor answered it straight up.
Advantage: more stable, will not rock fwd or back in the slots like a standard pancake, . . . draw angle also does not change, . . . lays more flat against the body, making the wearing much more comfortable on my old bony body.
Disadvantage: little more complicated to manufacture, . . . little more complicated to get on / get off if you have to unharness to go into some anti-gunner or a "gun free zone" type place. It also puts the gun out there as a "bump on your hip" that is visible to anyone watching, . . . where as a regular pancake can be made so it digs in to your side or hip, . . . and becomes a little less obvious.
I personally "most of the time" use my signature "Cactus" holster, . . . an IWB, . . . truly comfortable even all day. But this little OWB design will rival it for comfort. It's just the berries for around the plantation or woods stomping.
May God bless,
Dwight
hawgrider
12-20-2016, 09:48 AM
I used to break in my ball gloves with Neatsfoot Oil Do not use neats foot or any leather softeners on holsters. They will soften the leather and make re holstering difficult.
DerBiermeister
12-20-2016, 12:29 PM
Do not use neats foot or any leather softeners on holsters. They will soften the leather and make re holstering difficult.
Yes, I know that. But I was responding to Inor's comment on ball gloves.
Infidel
12-20-2016, 09:18 PM
Do not use neats foot or any leather softeners on holsters. They will soften the leather and make re holstering difficult.
Only if you use too much. I use Neatsfoot oil on every holster I make after molding and before the final finish. This replaces the natural oils drawn out of the leather in the dying and molding processes. After that an annual thin coat of oil is plenty, brush it on and then wipe off the excess with a paper towel. Do not saturate the leather or it will soften the leather. Neatsfoot oil is my preferred leather treatment since it's cheap and I always have it on hand.
-Infidel
hawgrider
12-21-2016, 05:06 AM
Only if you use too much. I use Neatsfoot oil on every holster I make after molding and before the final finish. This replaces the natural oils drawn out of the leather in the dying and molding processes. After that an annual thin coat of oil is plenty, brush it on and then wipe off the excess with a paper towel. Do not saturate the leather or it will soften the leather. Neatsfoot oil is my preferred leather treatment since it's cheap and I always have it on hand.
-Infidel
Maybe on super thick leather holsters. I have a Don Hume OWB that looked dry to me I put a light coat of neatsfoot oil on it and it softened the holster. I'll leave mine dry.
RubberDuck
12-21-2016, 05:57 AM
I have use Hoppes gun oil on leather just on the contact pionts inside to reduce carry wear I also picked up a nice older holster very dry and cracked sprayed it down with hoppes an brought it back to life it never over penetrated and softened the leather but can not say it's the same for all.
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