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Thread: How to make a Kydex holster Picture Tutorial

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  1. #1
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hmac View Post
    It was interesting to note that buying an entire kydex holster/sheath production setup, including press, rivet tools, kydex and parts, etc, is not that much more expensive than buying a ready-made kydex holster and mag pouch.

    Yea it is. Don't let this tutorial fool you. I have a friend/local guy who is moving from making kydex holsters from a local level to launching a public website. After seeing his workshop, you need bandsaws, high end dremels, belt sanders, hand sanders, drill presses, arbor presses, dies, punches, convectional ovens, sanding drums, etc.

    PRG Godfather put it well. The amount of time that goes into each kydex holster prevents it from being profitable to most people. Without proper dedication and the right set of tools and well trained workers, it just isn't worth the time. After seeing first hand the time and required equipment to keep the time managable, it's no piece of cake. Plus there are the little things that make certain holsters nice. An example would be my friend, Steve, uses a 500lbs press and makes sure to countersink all the drill holes so they are clean. And an arbor press custom drilled for the dies is needed when selling because one busted rivet can ruin the whole project. Getting a split rivet out is nearly impossible according to him without scratching the holster in the process. He also said that the 2 piece pancake style is much more labor intensive than the foldover design that many custom kydex makers do.

    Anyways he does good work. Last I talked to him he was negotiating blue gun rates and websites to take it public, but I know he has a Beretta92/96 (no rail) and the M&P9/40 on hand because he made me holsters & mag holsters for those two models without needing my gun. I know he makes PMag/GI mag carriers as well, and last I heard was perfecting the M&P 15-22 mag carrier. I don't have a digital camera to upload the pics of the gear, so you may need to ask Steve if he has any pics on file.

    His name is Steve and his email is personalsecuritysystems@gmail.com if anyone is interested. He makes 2 piece pancake styles like the one here and Raven, not the foldover design you see at gunshows that most kydex makers do.

    Like I said, I know he has the 92 and fullsize M&P on hand, but not sure what else or if he got the blue guns. Great guy, fair prices, and told me he would refund me if I contacted him within a week if I didn't like the holsters. The lack of a lead time didn't hurt either.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Beretta96fs View Post
    Yea it is. Don't let this tutorial fool you. I have a friend/local guy who is moving from making kydex holsters from a local level to launching a public website. After seeing his workshop, you need bandsaws, high end dremels, belt sanders, hand sanders, drill presses, arbor presses, dies, punches, convectional ovens, sanding drums, etc.
    Yeh, I have all that stuff, even the oven. The tutorial didn't fool me. Years of building and flying R/C model airplanes has accumulated quite an array of such tools.

    However, profit isn't the point. Time isn't the point either. If I were to make the $150-or-so investment in a little holster-making corner of the workshop, it would be on the basis of another work-with-the-hands hobby, and to make tactical stuff for me and the boys that isn't readily available elsewhere.
    Last edited by Hmac; 10-18-10 at 13:07.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hmac View Post
    Yeh, I have all that stuff, even the oven. The tutorial didn't fool me. Years of building and flying R/C model airplanes has accumulated quite an array of such tools.

    However, profit isn't the point. Time isn't the point either. If I were to make the $150-or-so investment in a little holster-making corner of the workshop, it would be on the basis of another work-with-the-hands hobby, and to make tactical stuff for me and the boys that isn't readily available elsewhere.
    Haha, my bad. I went back and read my post and I kind of sounded like a dick. Definately not my intention. I was considering making my own Kydex stuff until I met this guy and seen what a PITA it can be. I also seen some of the stuff one of the guys he was training had made. His exact words were "be prepared to mess a few up when you first get into kydex".

    I gotta say it still looks fun and I'm still considering giving it a shot for making oddball stuff. That's the biggest perk of kydex I think. When I had went to that shop, I had seen them messing with making an iPhone holster, which I thought was the best thing ever. And I don't even own an iPhone!

    But my hat is off for those who do make the jump into kydex, more so for those who sell it, and its off the most for those who figured out how to speed up the process and actually make a few bucks off of it.

    I really wish I had a digital camera to show one piece of gear I bought that really impressed me. It's a stippled PMAG w/ ranger plate and desert camo mag carrier. Steve sold it as a package (the "ultimate mag carrier" he called it) and it's just awesome. I find myself wanting to go to Best Buy. If anyone knows of a good digital camera in the $100-200 range, send me a PM.

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    Thank you Rezarf2 for adding four projects to my list of important man projects i must accomplish while having a beer! As always these sorts of projects trump painting a room or insulating a crawl space. (at least I tell the wife this so don't blow it for me)

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    this has been one of the best posts I have seen in a long time,
    very inspiring to say the least.

    Sticky worthy too!

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    Deleted
    Last edited by PlatoCATM; 10-18-10 at 19:13. Reason: Weird pseudo-double post

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    Thanks

    I started making some kydex sheaths about a month ago and have now made a few sheaths and a holster from just a little info I picked up perusing knife forums. I wish I had this to read before hand, and have definitely learned some tricks from this thread. I made a similar holster for a j frame, but it's too wide to conceal on my hip, so I think I will have to try making a taco style one. Once I get home from my "business" trip next week I will try to get that accomplished with pics. I'm definitely going to be making a similar press because the two pieces of plywood and loose foam with clamps just isn't cutting it.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by E-man930 View Post
    Thank you Rezarf2 for adding four projects to my list of important man projects i must accomplish while having a beer! As always these sorts of projects trump painting a room or insulating a crawl space. (at least I tell the wife this so don't blow it for me)
    Your secret is safe with me...

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Beretta96fs View Post
    Yea it is. Don't let this tutorial fool you. I have a friend/local guy who is moving from making kydex holsters from a local level to launching a public website. After seeing his workshop, you need bandsaws, high end dremels, belt sanders, hand sanders, drill presses, arbor presses, dies, punches, convectional ovens, sanding drums, etc.
    I get your basic point, but the reality is that this is possilbe with just a few hand tools. I've done it, so have lots of other guys.

    Now... setting up for production, yes, that is an entirely different story.

    Its not difficult to get a good functioning holster from kydex... it is however a bit more involved to get one that also looks good.

    Not trying to bust your chops, but I don't want to discourage the average joe from taking it on themselves, everyones gotta' start somewhere.
    Last edited by Rezarf2; 10-18-10 at 21:53.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rezarf2 View Post
    I get your basic point, but the reality is that fthis is possilbe with just a few hand tools. I've done it, so have lots of other guys.

    Now... setting up for production, yes, that is an entirely different story.

    Its not difficult to get a good functioning holster from kydex... it is however a bit more involved to get one that also looks good.

    Not trying to bust your chops, but I don't want to discourage the average joe from taking it on themselves, everyones gotta' start somewhere.
    No I totally misread the post. You can most definately get by with some basic tools from what I understand. It's doing it in a timely and profecient manner that requires some serious gear.

    In fact the guy I bought my gear off encouraged me to try it myself. He just said "be prepared to make mistakes at first".

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