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McGear Kydex Cell Phone Holster - Made by Barry


wwillson

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All,

I asked Barry if he could make me a cell phone holster that would do a couple things that no other hostler on the market today can do.

1) Protect my phone from being flexed if I roll up onto it when crawling around under a car, playing with my kids, etc. Smart phones are great, but if you flex or twist them, they will break.

2) Make a holster that if snagged on something as you walk by will not break. So many times I've broken the belt clip off of a holster by simply catching it on something as I walk past.

This holster is exactly what I asked for and man is this thing tough. You could stand on it with the phone inside and the phone would be fine. The belt clip has a 'hook' on either side that has a death grip on the belt and won't let go. There really isn't a chance that the holster would fall off your belt. The belt clip is longer than it needs to be, so you can pivot the whole holster to make it more comfortable when you're sitting and/or driving. I had it made a bit larger than needed so both of my smart phones (personal a bit smaller than work) will fit. It isn't small and it isn't cute, but it does exactly what I want it to do.

Thanks Barry!

Finger hole in bottom to push the phone up for removal.

You can see why it won't come off your belt.

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I'm glad you like it.

It's not my prettiest work, since the belt loop looks sorta bent and distorted in order to tilt/swivel on the belt and from using my thickest black Kydex. The thick stuff makes it stronger obviously, but it doesn't want to make nice small radius bends. Given the need, it seemed like the way to go.

I think I spend a lot more time on planning this stuff out than the actual making of it!

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Hmmmm. Maybe. I see two problems, one that looked bigger than the other until I thought about it, then they traded places.

First is that I don't have a P238 to have a magazine to form it to. That's not insurmountable, as I can just buy a P238.

Just kidding. But even though I'm not a .380 fan, I did stop in my tracks after seeing how cute they were in the case at the shop last week.

I could either get some measurements from you and/or see how close it is a Walther PPK mag (that I do have). Right now, I'd guess the width and fore-aft sizes would be close, but length would differ. Just a guess. If that's the case, it would get me something to work with.

Maybe I can borrow a mag from the local gun shop. Or buy one, then I'd have a reason to get the gun. There's that again.

The other problem is the snap or magnetic closure. Simply put, Kydex doesn't lend itself to flap-like things. The thinner Kydex will bend some at room temp, but maybe not so tight as to go over the top of a .380 magazine. I don't know how many times it could be closed without it either breaking off or perhaps more likely- getting distorted so it wouldn't close right.

Retention with Kydex is usually done with tension screws or by molding it so dents fit into depressions of the item carried, like trigger guards in the case of holsters. There aren't many holes in magazines big enough to do this, unfortunately.

An alternative plan in this situation might be to make it extra long up the back, and bend a little tab over the top that would just barely hook over the magazine's base. When you withdrew the magazine, you would be pulling it past this tab. Kydex has some natural springy properties that I think could be put to use more, like this way.

Obviously, this way would require magazine length to be measured and pretty well set in stone. I don't know if the P238 comes with mags having both flat and finger rest bottoms like a lot of guns, but if so, this way wouldn't work with both. It would be one or the other. At least not without some more thought. You never know.

Let me know how that sounds, and if you like it or have a better idea, we can figure out what to get a pattern from. I'll measure a Walther mag to see how it compares. With Wayne's phone case, since he obviously couldn't give up his phone, he measured it and I cut a substitute from a wood block.

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Don't need a case for the magazine, just the gun.

I was thinking some kind of soft top, riveted on the back (body side) and strong magnets/snaps on the front. One company makes such a thing in all soft, but even the useless S&W .380 won't fit. (It might fit, but you'll need to call the fire department to get it out)

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Ohhhhhh!

Now I see what you want to carry (but less clear on how to do it).

But clearly I would have to buy a gun!

This is the one I bought:

http://www.bulldogcases.com/case-vaults/...products_id=235

No way would my Kahr CM9 fit.

It says the S&W BG will fit. No way, if it was 1/2" longer and 1/4" taller yes. So just a hair larger and the P238 should fit.

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Hmmm, OK. Let me think about that. The top cover is the problem still. Anything I'm thinking about worries me as far as creating a way to set up an ND when reholstering. The rigid Kydex could make a good trigger finger.

Yes that's a concern. Just grabbing by the rail to remove. Pushing from the top of the rail to insert there should NOTHING sticking out....

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  • 10 years later...

Barry

I am getting a new smart phone (not sure of model/size yet but was looking for someone to make me a tough kydex type case  similar to what W. Willson described above  and I copy and paste his words below in BOLD letters.

"

All,

 

I asked Barry if he could make me a cell phone holster that would do a couple things that no other hostler on the market today can do.

 

1) Protect my phone from being flexed if I roll up onto it when crawling around under a car, playing with my kids, etc. Smart phones are great, but if you flex or twist them, they will break.

 

2) Make a holster that if snagged on something as you walk by will not break. So many times I've broken the belt clip off of a holster by simply catching it on something as I walk past.

 

This holster is exactly what I asked for and man is this thing tough. You could stand on it with the phone inside and the phone would be fine. The belt clip has a 'hook' on either side that has a death grip on the belt and won't let go. There really isn't a chance that the holster would fall off your belt. The belt clip is longer than it needs to be, so you can pivot the whole holster to make it more comfortable when you're sitting and/or driving. I had it made a bit larger than needed so both of my smart phones (personal a bit smaller than work) will fit. It isn't small and it isn't cute, but it does exactly what I want it to do.

 

Thanks Barry!

 

Finger hole in bottom to push the phone up for removal.

IMAG0284.jpg

 

You can see why it won't come off your belt.

IMAG0286.jpg

 
  •  

with emphasis on tough and won.t flex phone because I am a fair size guy and my work puts me in many tight places and some times even lying down to be able to get low enough to see what's needed.

  Since I have never carried a smart type phone on my belt before I also wondered if you offer or can make a design that can be carried either verticle or horziontal and maybe this conversion feature could be accomplished by having two bolt on clips w/ two bolts each that could be unbolted and turned to provide that option.  I would want the kydex clips that make a full 360 deg  spring open loop so the phone will not come off if it gets accidently picked up on, and I like the idea he had of extra long clips to allow re positioning the case for the sake of comfort for the wearer. Also the finger hole mentioned to allow wearer to start to begin pushing the phone out of the case. I also think an adjustable retention bolt would also be in order.

I am very open to your ideas and suggestions

   Thx Larry

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 2/5/2012 at 5:13 PM, Pablo said:

 

 

Yes that's a concern. Just grabbing by the rail to remove. Pushing from the top of the rail to insert there should NOTHING sticking out....

 

On 2/5/2012 at 5:13 PM, Pablo said:

 

 

Yes that's a concern. Just grabbing by the rail to remove. Pushing from the top of the rail to insert there should NOTHING sticking out....

 

On 2/5/2012 at 2:05 PM, BarryinIN said:

Ohhhhhh!

 

Now I see what you want to carry (but less clear on how to do it).

But clearly I would have to buy a gun!

Barry

I am getting a new smart phone (not sure of model/size yet but was looking for someone to make me a tough kydex type case  similar to what W. Willson described above  and I copy and paste his words below in BOLD letters.

"

All,

 

I asked Barry if he could make me a cell phone holster that would do a couple things that no other hostler on the market today can do.

 

1) Protect my phone from being flexed if I roll up onto it when crawling around under a car, playing with my kids, etc. Smart phones are great, but if you flex or twist them, they will break.

 

2) Make a holster that if snagged on something as you walk by will not break. So many times I've broken the belt clip off of a holster by simply catching it on something as I walk past.

 

This holster is exactly what I asked for and man is this thing tough. You could stand on it with the phone inside and the phone would be fine. The belt clip has a 'hook' on either side that has a death grip on the belt and won't let go. There really isn't a chance that the holster would fall off your belt. The belt clip is longer than it needs to be, so you can pivot the whole holster to make it more comfortable when you're sitting and/or driving. I had it made a bit larger than needed so both of my smart phones (personal a bit smaller than work) will fit. It isn't small and it isn't cute, but it does exactly what I want it to do.

 

Thanks Barry!

 

Finger hole in bottom to push the phone up for removal.

IMAG0284.jpg

 

You can see why it won't come off your belt.

IMAG0286.jpg

 
  •  

with emphasis on tough and won.t flex phone because I am a fair size guy and my work puts me in many tight places and some times even lying down to be able to get low enough to see what's needed.

  Since I have never carried a smart type phone on my belt before I also wondered if you offer or can make a design that can be carried either verticle or horziontal and maybe this conversion feature could be accomplished by having two bolt on clips w/ two bolts each that could be unbolted and turned to provide that option.  I would want the kydex clips that make a full 360 deg  spring open loop so the phone will not come off if it gets accidently picked up on, and I like the idea he had of extra long clips to allow re positioning the case for the sake of comfort for the wearer. Also the finger hole mentioned to allow wearer to start to begin pushing the phone out of the case. I also think an adjustable retention bolt would also be in order.

I am very open to your ideas and suggestions

   Thx Larry

 
  •  
  • Quote
    On 2/5/2012 at 5:08 PM, BarryinIN said:

    Hmmm, OK. Let me think about that. The top cover is the problem still. Anything I'm thinking about worries me as far as creating a way to set up an ND when reholstering. The rigid Kydex could make a good trigger finger.

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