How to Wet Form a Leather Holster

Please find a few extra tips and details about the wet forming process below.

Luke warm water is preferred but cold water works all the same.

If using your own handgun, before wrapping in plastic wrap, you can also oil up the gun a bit to help prevent any moisture touching metal parts.

One of the shaping tools is a pear shader, I tend to call it a pear shaped tool – but it is your standard leather stamping tool. As for the wood shaper you can use any number of items to get the same effect. You just need one end to be narrow to get into tighter corners and the other end a bit wider. It all helps to have a longer straight edge you can press in along the slide etc.

Make sure not to press the leather inside the trigger guard area, except for the very front edge as shown in the video. Always double check after finishing that this area will not catch the trigger itself when holstering.

You can bake the holster after wet forming, in a regular oven at 160 degrees F for 30 minutes. This helps harden it quite a bit, then let it air dry for another 12 to 24 hours. You will want it completely dry before applying any kind of finish.