Forming a leather holster with a vacuum press

[@kobolila-yt]

Nice, thanks for the tutorial. Cool how videos can still teach us things 7 years after they were uploaded. FWIW, I find a food dehydrator works well for drying the wet formed leather as well, certainly cuts down on the drying time.

[@Akhazmat907]

I use my vaccum sealer from walmart lol. It works good, a little extra work smoothing out the lines left in the leather. But all in all works very well.

[@AndTheCorrectAnswerIs]

I use a Foodsaver machine. They pull high vacuum and the bags can be sealed to hold the vacuum. I cut the bags large and can reuse them several times (they are cheap too). Then wrap a sheet of thin children's craft foam around the holster (it will keep the bag texture from imprinting on the holster). I leave the mold gun and holster in the bag under vacuum for at least 6hrs. Then dry the holster for several hours with the mold inside before removing it to complete drying. Then apply the finish of your choice.

[@mabul513]

Try a fridge compressor? Think can nearly pull full vacuum. 30 something? " of Mercury in tube maybe like old days? Guess. If I'm right )

[@johnhoward3516]

Excellent ! If you could , help me with info to buy vacuume pump and plastic bag .

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

Thanks John - I have a blog article on my site with links to where I bought everything. www.adamsleatherworks.com/post/vacuum-press

[@johnhoward3516]

@@AdamsLeatherWorks thank you very much.

[@manbearpig2164]

I just made my first vacuum molded holster today, I used my regular food vacuum sealer, it seems to have worked pretty well

[@alvinseaside790]

I use mine on my smoke. The clear vacuum seal bowls are the best. Seal it up. Fresh.

[@manbearpig2164]

@@alvinseaside790 nice, I used to too, but moved to a state where it's still illegal 3 months ago, I want to smoke and 4 miles away its legal, I've been thinking about going and picking up a sack

[@alvinseaside790]

@@manbearpig2164 it’s still a reason to loose 30 minutes of your day getting a ticket here on South Padre, and a felony if it’s wax or altered in any way. I don’t care man. I finished 34 years for the state of Texas august 2020. I’m clean, free for the first time in my life since 1983. I’m smoking, I’m smoking now, and Id pass you this here Tobacco smoking device right to ya if they had a pass the cigarette button. Yeah, freedom.

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

That is awesome! Mine is in bad need of upgrades. After about a decade of use, my bag doesn't hold suction very well since there's a few tiny holes in it. I've never tried a food vacuum before - were you able to mold the holster at all while it was in the bag using your forming tools?

[@manbearpig2164]

@@AdamsLeatherWorks yeah a little bit, I used mainly the back of a toothbrush, a lighter and my fingers, the bag is somewhat sturdy, but probably not as tuff as what you use, I plan on making a couple more soon, just waiting on a leather order

[@stephencunliffe3426]

Eric, excellent video, best I've seen so far on vacuum forming leather holsters and the boning process afterwards, thanks again for posting this for me.

[@elkeanddon]

I am wanting to do this using a seal a meal vacuum bag and maybe let it set over night or even a couple of days.

[@stevendee2831]

Nice video! I've been doing this for years with space bags and was trying to explain this to my wife . Great!

[@gergemall]

Just found your channel and website. Great stuff ! I’m old and want to learn to make some things myself.

[@kypi0055]

Great video Eric! Very timely too because I plan on vac forming my 1st holster later this week. I got the equipment you recommended. Thanks for your help!

[@brianandjazmine]

Can you share what equipment was recommended please?

[@diegoconde2728]

Adam, would you be so kind and tell me where I can buy a vacuum pump and the vacuum bag like yours. Eternally grateful

[@ericp726]

Great video. You make some beautiful holsters.

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

Thank you!

[@papersack4290]

3:45 you're welcome.

[@pliniovassallo8358]

Onde acho esse saco de vácuo ?

[@jason6762]

What is a platen? I was going to buy a vaccum bag from the place you suggested. I want to make sure I get everything I need. I am going to buy a vaccum pump from harbor freight for $90

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

The platen keeps the opening in the bag from immediately closing as soon as the pump is turned on. I just use a piece of MDF with grooves cut in it for air tunnels.

[@jason6762]

I have the pump and the bag. The bag came with a small brass fitting. What do I need to connect the bag to the vacuum pump?

[@antonyi4739]

Greetings you use an air compressor but how does it remove the vacum from the project?

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

Hi - the sound you hear in this video is a vacuum pump. You can read more about it here: www.adamsleatherworks.com/post/vacuum-press

[@xdshooter1]

Eric. You are a true craftsman my friend. Love your work. How wet do you make the leather for molding?Thanks for another great video.

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

xdshooter1 Thank you sir! I usually dunk my holster in luke-warm water (with a drop or two of soap) for about 7-10 seconds. 7 seconds for natural, undyed leather, and 10 seconds for black. Sometimes I might give it a quick dunk again if it's not absorbing water very well, or I might rub a damp sponge on the outside if necessary to add a little more moisture.

[@VoluntarySynesthesia]

​@@AdamsLeatherWorks i have a little hand-held clothes steamer, do you think it would be good to use that instead of dunking since the steam would theoretically penetrate better with less overall water? (obviously I wouldn't hold it too close/get the leather too hot)

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

@@VoluntarySynesthesia It would be worth a try, but I think it might work better on thinner leather. The leather I use is 7-8 ounce (1/8" thick) and I don't think steam would penetrate very far. But who knows - i might be completely wrong! Lately I've been dunking the leather in soapy water for 3-5 seconds, then adding more moisture if necessary with a sponge.

[@bagramdave883]

How much forming is too much. My holsters all seem to come out "muddy looking" when they dry. What temp is oven? How long in the oven? Should I let it dry with the blue gun still in the holster, or do I pull it out at some point before it is fully dry?

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

Not sure what you mean by muddy looking - but are you having trouble getting the leather to hold the detail? If so, the leather might be too wet. How much forming is too much? If you lock the gun inside the holster because you molded the retention points too deeply (ejection port, trigger guard, etc.), that's too much. Otherwise, I don't think you can mold it too much. But on the flip side, you don't have to mold a whole lot of detail if you don't want to. Just make sure the holster securely holds the gun without allowing it to wobble around inside the holster and mold in the previously mentioned retention points a bit to help secure the gun. I don't use an oven anymore - too hard to regulate the temperature. But I aimed for no more than 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and I left it in the oven around 40 minutes. A safer route is to hang the holster(s) inside a drying cabinet and warm the interior with a space heater set on a very low temperature. I actually used my airbrush cabinet for a drying cabinet. I hung the holsters from the top via hooks, then set the space heater on the shelf inside the cabinet and adjusted the temperature to low. And it is a good idea to leave the blue gun inside the holster while it dries.

[@bucketlistbeginner]

Great job , wipe holes with rubbing alcohol , go to Walmart etc. and buy a tube of "goop" stays pliable and permanent you can also use plastic clay on the nubs so they won't puncture again . Good luck

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

Great idea - I never thought to try adding any type of sealer like that. I could probably screw in the male side of a Chicago screw to cover up the posts. Thanks for the comment - I'll try it on my next batch.

[@jason6762]

Where can I buy the vacuum bag and parts?

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

www.veneersupplies.com/products/Project-CRS-Continuous-Run-Pump-Vacuum-Press-Kit.html

[@mabul513]

What thickness are these bags?

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

Never tried that, but I think I’ve heard of people doing that with food saver bags. Not sure how well it works.

[@wescarpenter4289]

Is 6 to 7 oz. leather okay for a holster or would I need some heavier stuff?

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

It depends on the gun and holster style, and the density of the hide. Light / smaller guns can get away with thinner leather. OWB, in my opinion, can also handle thinner leather, whereas IWB needs to be thick enough to withstand the extra pressure from the belt and pants trying to close the holster. Zach White Leather has some 6-7 ounce premium double-butt bullhide (item # Z1076DB) that I really like.

[@ckonthebay1950]

I read your blog on the vacuum press. Your sure put a lot of time into that to share with others. Thank you. The link to the bag is not loading on there site. Witch bag are you using "20 or 30 mil, vinyl or polyurethane"?

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

I believe this is the bag I bought. I need to go back and check all those links again. www.veneersupplies.com/products/VS-Extreme-Polyurethane-Vacuum-Bag-2-x-4.html

[@kammomile]

I was waiting for this video for a long time. Eric, where could I buy vacuum bag like yours?

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

ЖиваяКожа I have a link to the bag and other parts on this page: www.adamsleatherworks.com/vacuum-press/

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

I believe this is the bag I purchased. www.veneersupplies.com/products/VS-Extreme-Polyurethane-Vacuum-Bag-2-x-4.html

[@johnisabeth2504]

A strip of leather with 2 holes over thin pins would prevent damaging bag

[@Stevieboy7]

What leather is this? Hermann Oak or W&C?

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

This is Herman Oak.

[@rhuerta2002]

where do you purchase one?

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

I have a whole blog post with all the parts and pieces - the link is in the video description.

[@brianandjazmine]

I love your video, I’m wanting to Join the vacuum forming club. Would you be able to let me know what I sold be looking at for equipment? Size/power of pump and bag sizing. (Like yours) Thanks so much... Brian

[@AdamsLeatherWorks]

Hi Brian - thanks for watching! I have an article on my website that goes into more detail about my setup. www.adamsleatherworks.com/post/vacuum-press

[@kimballscarr]

Perhaps this goes too far. I would be worried that level of forming would wear the gun finish. Why would you put the rough out to the inside? I would think the added friction would be better on the exterior and the smooth finish on the interior. But then again, in a plastic frame world who cares, in the blued gun world it's a consideration.