Modifying kydex holsters?

[NickA]

I've got an MTAC and a Bladetech Nano for my G19. I always planned on buying a 26 that would of course fit those holsters, so of course I ended up with a 17 and now need a holster. Has anyone opened up the ends of a kydex holster to allow for a longer slide? What's the best way to go about it (dremel, file?) And are there any downsides to such a mod?
I don't mind shelling out for new gear if it's necessary, but if it's not, there's always ammo to buy.

[John Ralston]

Heat gun to the end of it (and only the end). I would put a rag in the inside to keep the heat from getting up there, and probably some type of insulation on the parts you don't want to flatten out. As soon as it starts to soften, you can shove the gun in there, and work the Kydex around it until you are happy with it.

I would wear gloves, since it will be too hot to touch.

As always - I work with leather, so do this at your own risk :cool:

[orionz06]

If you want the G19 ends to be completely covered I would heat gun the end and jam the G17 through. If you do not mind a small amount of G19 slide poking through just sand away until the larger gun fits.

[NickA]

Thanks guys. I'll have to decide if I can be trusted with a heat gun, otherwise I'll just file away.

[orionz06]

Thanks guys. I'll have to decide if I can be trusted with a heat gun, otherwise I'll just file away.

It would be more money on your end, but if you wanted to send it to me I could do it for you.

[NickA]

I appreciate that but it's not worth the hassle. No doubt you could make it look better, but I think I can make it work.

[John Ralston]

Not real hard - I made a couple Kydex pieces without too much trouble on my first try.

[ToddG]

Not real hard - I made a couple Kydex pieces without too much trouble on my first try.

Now that's funny.

Q: Mr. Mozart, I'm thinking of writing some music. What do you think?

A: I don't know, it always seemed pretty easy to me.

:cool:

[John Ralston]

Now that's funny.

Q: Mr. Mozart, I'm thinking of writing some music. What do you think?

A: I don't know, it always seemed pretty easy to me.

:cool:

Although I appreciate the compliment - I am NO Mozart! I've only made a few pieces of plastic, so it isn't like I have had a lot of practice with it either :p

And you should see my early work (it is on the right)...http://www.5shotleather.com/images/two%20gens.JPG

[NickA]

Looks good to me, but that's a really odd place to attach a mag pouch ;)
Just an update- couldn't round up a heat gun and was feeling too lazy to file or dremel. I ended up using the wife's super duper hair dryer. It got the kydex hot enough to push the 17 through, but not hot enough to really smooth out where the corner of the slide was molded. Anyway, it works fine, and they're IWB anyway so I'll clean them up when I get time.

[John Ralston]

You are better off with too little heat than too much...It won't be hard to clean that up, just make sure to use a concentrating tip, so that you only have to heat the areas that need it.

[JodyH]

I just finished modifying my P2000 AIWB holster to fit my P30 (basically the same mod as making a G19 holster fit a 17, extend the muzzle another 1/4").
One trick I learned is to put one or two layers of blue painters tape on your pistol slide.
Heat the kydex with a heat gun until it's just flexible, if you see the kydex turning "shiny" it's too hot.
I'll heat it for a few seconds then try to bend it with my finger (be careful, it gets HOT). You want it just at the point where you can mold it by hand.
Insert the pistol while the kydex is still flexible and then cool it with a damp cloth while the gun is still inserted.
The blue tape gives you a few thousandths of an inch clearance so the kydex doesn't rub on the slide.
Most kydex holsters tension off the trigger guard, so a little clearance on the slide doesn't hurt anything and makes for a smoother draw and reholster.

[NickA]

Thanks Jody, sounds good.

[NickA]

Being cheap came back to literally bite me in the ass. I've used the modified Bladetech with a G17 in an IDPA match and part of AFHF, no issues. Yesterday I shot a steel match and OUCH! Not sure if it was the 98 degree weather or faster shooting, but I got a nice burn.

[John Hearne]

I guess I'm more ghetto than you guys. When I needed a holster for my long slide P220, I simply took a hack saw to the bottom of my Comp-Tac belt holster. I simply removed the material they had turned in so that the holster was a straight tube for lack of better words.

[vcdgrips]

My First G35 holster was a Blade Tech G17 Holster that I took a dremel to and "opened" the bottom up by removing the last of the 1/4 inch holster.

Ghetto Indeed.

David Barnes
www.vcdgrips.com

[JM Campbell]

Next time we meet up I'll bring a heat gun for you to use. I have plenty over the years of work and other hobbies.