Needles and Leather Thread - $4Scrap Leather from Tandy - $8
Metal Clip from a Cheap Nylon Holster - $Free
Free time while I'm looking for work - $Expensive
Having enough leather left to do another one - $Priceless!
I have been wanting an Inside the Waistband (IWB) holster for quite awhile now, but options are limited to get a leather holster built specifically for my Magnum Research Baby Eagle. My Dad used to do leather work as a hobby, and recently made himself a holster for his Ruger Super Blackhawk when he couldn't find a crossdraw holster exactly like he wanted. (Of course, Dad has all the right tools so his looks 100 times better than mine...) Since I'm out of work and money is pretty tight, I decided to give it a try myself. The result is a sub-$10 holster that would cost me at least $70 new. Admittedly, mine doesn't have quite the same fit and finish as the commercial ones, but for something that is hidden by my clothes and is actually pretty comfortable, I'm very happy.
One of the things I really wanted, but is hard to find, is a flap that covers the rather sharp tang on the back of the Baby Eagle. I didn't want it digging into my side all day. The other thing I was looking for was a fairly strong cant to the holster. However, after making it, the one thing I would change is to increase the cant even more - to somewhere around 30 degrees or more. The "FBI Cant" is really comfortable wearing it just behind the hip on the strong side. The last requirement was a holster stiff enough to stay open so I can re-holster the weapon one handed. The extra layer of leather on the outside works perfectly!
I'm going to use the leftover leather to make an OWB (outside the waistband) holster for hunting and the range. I still like my fanny pack, but this gives me a few more options, especially when I need to dress up a little more for work. (That is, when I get my next job.)
Why buy it when you can make it yourself, and have fun doing it?
