Since there's no concealed carry in WI I've never payed much attention to the cross bred MTAC super tuckable belly band discussions, but I recently got a Minnesota carry license.  I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to try making a kydex holster, since I've wanted to do that for quite some time.  There's nothing I hate more than ordering a holster and dropping $$$ on something I won't ever use because it sucks.  If I make it myself and it sucks, at least I know who to blame and what to do different next time.  So here's my first attempt.



The materials I used:  Some .060" kydex and .090" kydex.  Some chicago screws (since I wasn't sure how to rivet leather to kydex, and these have a nice smoot button on the backside to ride against you).  A few buna o-rings and some 3/16" leather I have from making knife sheaths.  The picture is a the holster I'm attempting to copy.  







Here's a picture of the kydex pancake press I built from some scrap steel with some adhesive backed 1" foam I scrounged out of a dumpster at one shop or another I used to work at.  I'm a pack rat.







I didn't leave enough clearance so it doesn't close well enough over the foam and gun.  I ruined a piece of kydex at this point with a little trial and error, but I learned a few things.  1- Don't over heat the kydex.  I'm using a toaster oven and I don't think the temperature control is very accurate.  2- If you screw up, put it back in the oven and try again.  I got 3 tries with the first piece before I decided there was no way the press was going to work for a gun (but it will probably be great for knives).  3- If you're only molding one side, use somthing flat and stiff on the other side, not foam.



So I switched gears and went to my H press.  I used 2" of foam with the top plate of my pancake press on the top, with a piece of 1" plate on the bottom.  I put the leather under the gun to protect it's finish.







That worked well.







Here it is after trimming.







A vertical bandsaw would be ideal for trimming this stuff.  I don't own one yet.  Necessity is the mother of invention right?







Crude but it worked.  Now for the clips.  I made a couple of forms out of wood shims to do this by hand with the hot kydex.  It worked well.  Leather gloves are a must however, as you need to hold the stuff reasonably long for it to set.







Finally after drilling some holes and doing some edge deburring with a scotch brite wheel we have the finished product.







It's pretty comfortable.  I could wear it all day I think.  







With the tshirt untucked it was concealed completely.  Which is what I was shooting for.  So I'm pretty happy with how this turned out.  It draws easily but retains the gun even upside down with a shake.  The o-rings are being used as washers under the screws, and by adjusting the one nearest the trigger guard retension can be adjusted somewhat.

Very cool man, i love DIY crap.

Good job!



I think I would be worried about the depth of the kydex into the trigger guard while holstering.

Have you practiced any drawing and holstering?

Ah yes.  Something I forgot to mention.  Yes that worried me at first.  In the future I will make a wood block that will fill the trigger guard and prevent that from happeing.  Luckily the P64 has a 3,000lb trigger pull, and the leather has enough give that it's unaffected.  Clicks in, clicks out.  When I get my hand on a heat gun, I plan to reheat that area and try to push it out.





 

Yes.

good job man.
I gotta ask though where the name came from.
We've got 4 Kuraki HBM's at the shop

Not bad.  Makes me appreciate that I have access to an IR plastics oven and a vaccuform.

That's where.  Cool machines.  First CNC I really ran.  

 

very very nice.

Yes, that indentation behind the trigger looks scary! Nice job though.

Very nice work.

Brilliant! I really like to see guys that can do stuff for themselves. Very nice looking and it seems functional. The big boys get lots of money for the same thing. Congrats on a nice looking holster.

Good deal. I think it would scare the living shit out of me to holster while wearing it...

Never know



 

Does anyone know what tool is used for smoothing the edges of the leather?  I need something like that to really finish this piece.

Cool thread!

We need a Kydex molding forum.

first I was like
then  
after seeing the finished holster

nice work!

I think it's called an edge beveler.

http://www.onestopcandle.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=OSC/CTGY/LHTEB

Very good post thanks. nice holster.  

Nice!!



Jeremy

That was really well done.

 I decided when I made mine that I wanted something different than bare plastic.I just bonded it on with spray adhesive and it's holding up great.Multicolor monsters are the next digital camo,mark my words.

haha, I dig it.



 

Nice work. I've always wanted to try working Kydex.

Looking good!

There is something very, very wrong with you.

 That's what my mom's been telling me for years

Awesome work!

I use a convection oven instead of a toaster oven to heat Kydex for forming (any sort of indirect method is better than direct) and use a digital instant-read cooking thermometer to check the temperature.  One addition I've made to my oven is a "pizza stone" which once allowed to "soak" will hold a VERY uniform temperature making your heat times more accurate resulting in less scrap.  Heat times will vary depending on temperature and thickness...experimenting with some small pieces is a good way to determine your times.

DIY stuff like this kicks ass...especially since I worked for Kydex LLC for over ten years (color matching and R&D lab) and have a plentiful supply of cheap scrap available since I live about 2 miles from their plant!