Well, that didn’t go as planned.
In Part 1, I walked you through the initial build of the new Resurrection Tek-Lok OWB Leather Holster. We had the leather cut, the hardware prepped, and the excitement was high. The goal was simple: create the perfect silent draw.
Today, I have to report a casualty. The prototype didn’t make it.
The “Oh No” Moment
Everything was looking beautiful right up until the wet forming stage. For those new to the process, wet forming is where the magic happens. We soak the leather to make it pliable, insert the mold gun, and press it all together to get that custom, high-definition retention.
I slid the mold gun in, expecting that familiar, firm resistance that tells you the retention is going to be snappy. Instead, I hit a wall.
I pushed harder. It moved an inch. I pushed again. It stuck.
In my pursuit of the absolute tightest, most low-profile fit possible, I had dialed the tolerances on the stitch line just a hair too close. When the leather swelled from the water, it didn’t just grip the gun — it locked onto it like a vice.
The Point of No Return
I spent the next 20 minutes wrestling with it. I tried every trick in the book to ease that mold gun out without damaging the leather. But physics was not on my side today. The friction was absolute.
At that point, I had a choice. I could have potentially forced it, stretched the leather out of shape, and maybe salvaged a “usable” but ugly holster. Or, I could accept defeat.
I chose the knife.
I had to physically cut the brand-new, nearly finished holster apart just to retrieve my mold gun. It was painful to slice through that beautiful leather I had just spent hours working on, but it was necessary.
Why This is Actually a Good Thing
It stings to throw hours of work into the scrap bin, but this is exactly why we prototype. This failure taught me two things:
· Tolerances matter down to the millimeter — leather is a living material and behaves differently wet vs. dry. What looks perfect dry can become a trap when wet forming.
· Quality over salvage, every time — a mediocre holster leaving this shop is not an option. If it’s not right, it doesn’t ship. Period.
The Fix
So, what now? We go back to the pattern.
I’m adjusting the stitch line — moving it out just a fraction of an inch. It’s a game of millimeters. That tiny adjustment will give the leather enough room to breathe during the wet forming process while still maintaining that silent, secure hold we’re aiming for.
Leatherwork is a humbling trade. Sometimes you make the masterpiece, and sometimes you make scraps. Today was a scrap day.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll take the revised pattern and show you a finished, perfect Resurrection Tek-Lok OWB Leather Holster.
Learn more about The Resurrection Tek-Lok OWB Leather Holster →
Back to the cutting mat.
Jason ArnettOwner, Fox Tree Creations
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