You provide some of the best instructional videos young lady. I appreciate your firearm knowledge and enjoy your presentations. Keep up the great work.
Your content is some of the most practical and well thought out tutorials on concealed carry I've ever seen. There's no posturing or overly tactical mumbo jumbo, and it's presented in a very serene NPR-esque style. You've succeeded where others have failed in making this content simple.
Fortunately I got a black block and velcro from Walmart. Like 14 for both. Wasn't feeling purple. Lol Saved me a lot. I was about to buy some wedge kits.
This is the most useful video I've found regarding holster comfort. With your help I am much more likely to be carrying when/ if I need it. I am so thankful for your videos and will recommend them to friends and family. Thank you!
Ok so, my wedge is working great but my GF punched me in the lip for cutting up her yoga block. The self defense classes I have been sending her too are really working because she threw hands like Ali 🤷
I use 'lifts' short folks put in their shoes to make them look taller. They come in half and/or three-quarter inch increments of dense foam, are already in wedge form. Glue 'em together, stick on some velcro and done.
This a great DIY. I wanted to add the little modification that I did. I cut out a square block that was roughly the right side and then traced the outline of the bottom on my holster on the top of the block. Then I cut out foam in the shape of my holster at an angle that would make the pistol grip not stick out. That saved a bit of cutting with a hack saw. Thx for the video, it gave me the idea.
excellent well done video , i have been making these wedges for my holsters for years out of the very durable black foam packing that most people throw away and for the adhesive i use rolled duct tape , a recipe i have developed over the years , please keep up the great videos , we need to bring more people into the concealed carry fold ;-)
Outstanding and likely better than the more pliable foam on my current IWB holsters. Will give this a try. Glad I found your channel! Subscribing for sure!👍
Hi Sarah, I began being a firearm enthusiast late in life around 2004 and have since purchased numerous holsters and never found any combination that made me feel comfortable carrying and of course at a significant cost over the years. I've been on many vacations where I brought my firearm only to leave it behind for fear of being outed by a concerned citizen. I watched this video and purchased the supplies to make my own wedge, by my second try I think I was pretty successful, but I'm still not getting the comfort I hoped to achieve. I'm 50% sure it's because of the holster I'm using and not an issue with my DIT wedge. I just wanted to say your videos have been great instructional tools and have inspired me to purchase the Enigma Express. I purchased it along with a holster so that I'm hoping it fits my carry firearm of choice. Hopefully the adjustments necessary for proper concealment will be minimal. I hope that I made the right choice, the cost of this set-up is the most I've ever invested on one product, but technically it includes the cost of the holster itself so it's really not bad. I will keep you posted and let you know if it works out for me. Thank you. Louis
I’ve made this type works great! The 2nd one I made did some improvements like placing the wedge in a stretch silk sock before spraying it in contact glue so it bonds then cut excess meld edges this way protects frm any foam frm wearing off and the Velcro sticks better.
If anyone has issues with getting the Velcro to stick to the holster or wedge, one thing I always do any time I use Velcro, and don't want it to fall off, I use spray adhesive instead of relying on the Velcro adhesive, which I find is often not what it should be. However, there are a couple things that must be done, or else the spray glue is useless. 1. Apply it to both surfaces that you want glued together, and make sure it's sprayed on in a light even coat. No big globs. 2. Let it sit until it's tacky. If you stick it together wet, it won't dry right and it won't hold. 3. While this should be first, it's just a reminder to mask off anything you don't want glue on. So use masking tape at least as wide around the glue area, as the spray is from the can so you don't over spray. Anything that does get over spray on it if you don't mask properly, comes off best with any kind of cleaner that has citrus in it. Citrus kills sticky stuff very well. So if you get Velcro that doesn't stick well enough. This will fix it. Personally, I get the industrial strength stuff and I still do this to it lol. Maybe over kill in some scenarios, but ever since I've started doing this, I've not had any issues with any Velcro coming off.
The easiest way to make the velcro stick like crazy is to clean the holster surface with an alcohol wipe and, after removing the plastic adhesive cover, warm the adhesive with a hair drier. This makes it incredibly tenacious and I’ve never had it peel unintentionally.
@@PHLster hmm now you have me thinking about using my heat gun lol. Half tempted to try heating some Velcro onto kydex. I do need to get my heat gun out anyways to try to increase retention to an acceptable level on a holster that seems to have lost it's hold while sitting unused for a month or two.
You have excellent fabrication skills. The wedge looks excellent and the way you explain the purpose is on another level. I would like to see your review of the abdominal carry band, I recently ordered another one and I have to say they work great during exercise and in casual wear. Thanks for sharing.
Thinking that drilling some small holes from a couple different angles (so the 'tubes' connect) would help with aeration, reduce sweating. Would want to do that before velcro attachment. Assuming it would not compromise it, that block seems pretty solid.
I'm in the opposite camp on this. Add bulk under the belt to pull the gun in above the belt? Add width across the belt line to pull the grip in closer? At what point are there diminishing returns? Instead of adding a backing pad, a 'wedge', a 'claw', or whatever else to an already hard and bulky rig... all just making the rig thicker/bulkier/more uncomfortable to deal with... I'm looking for less. I carry in the most minimal holsters I can find because sometimes less is more.
@@PHLster I have gone through a laundry basket full of holsters to find what works for me. My wife, who is shaped like an hourglass, could probably concealed carry a Remington 870. Big hips, little waist, double Ds... no matter where she puts her gun, even in tight clothes, it just disappears. A couple of belly bands and a couple of small Kydex IWBs and it's all good for her.
This may seem like a silly question... That yoga block looks fairly sturdy and dense. I picked one up from amazon, and it's got a bit of squish in it... is that fine, or would you recommend something more rigid?
Do you have a dremel tool? When I have to “scoop out” to make it fit the back of the holster, I use my dremel with the drum type sanding attachment and it works great. Like she did here I use a hacksaw to cut the general size like she did here, but my hacksaw is much smaller, then use the dremel for fine tuning it.
Can this method be used to add a “keel” to a shorter holster? I’m playing hell trying to keep my p365 from tipping out of my jeans at the top, and a way to attach a firm point of contact past the muzzle would be a lot cheaper than an xl slide and barrel.
Absolutely. You can attach a wedge and let it overhang the bottom of the holster, providing a little extra Keel. If that doesn't give you enough stability, you can also just run your p365 in a p365xl length holster.
That’s the key right there. Use the holster designed for the longer slide. For instance a Glock 43 or 43X into a Glock 48 holster. This will keep everything from flipping over and you looking down at your own pistol pointed at you.
The added benefit of adding a wedge is to get the muzzle away from your body. Remember a femoral artery is in the appendix area, so you want the pistol pointing to an area that will cause no “real” damage, just in case. A little bit longer holster and wedge will do that, but baby steps so you don’t sacrifice exactly what Sara is showing.
I'd add that a reholstering technique that keeps you from sweeping ANY part of the body at any time is crucial. John from Ballistic Radio has a great demonstration here: ua-cam.com/video/JGU7HbgDIvE/v-deo.html
I suspect this may be a yearly process, but one’s body can also change in a year so it may be good to reassess the wedge anyways. Additionally, you might be able to get away with dunking the wedge in a rubber or silicone dip to prevent wear, as well as getting a more hygenic surface, as foam tends to collect sweat and bacteria.
If you remove the wedge from the holster and the hard hook side is on the holster, it will be uncomfortable. If the soft loop side is on the holster, it won’t be scratchy or painful
do you have your own personal youtube channel I would like to subscribe. please leave a link your style and ease of teaching is easily asorbed thank you
good info: added a little tip, run a heat gun over both holster and hook &loop adhesive the heat will activate adhesive and it will stick better and last longer.
They usually last 8 months to a year, depending on material and use. For a couple bucks, it’s not bad. Or you can buy commercial holster wedges which last longer.
"And if you make a mistake, that's ok!"
Sarah over here being CCW Bob Ross. She's even got the hair right.
No mistakes, only happy accidents.
Thank you so much you make my job even easier. I love watching you work. You are the best thank you very much girl. God bless you always.❤
You provide some of the best instructional videos young lady. I appreciate your firearm knowledge and enjoy your presentations. Keep up the great work.
Your content is some of the most practical and well thought out tutorials on concealed carry I've ever seen. There's no posturing or overly tactical mumbo jumbo, and it's presented in a very serene NPR-esque style. You've succeeded where others have failed in making this content simple.
Fortunately I got a black block and velcro from Walmart. Like 14 for both. Wasn't feeling purple. Lol
Saved me a lot. I was about to buy some wedge kits.
Nice trigger finger discipline while using the hack saw. :)
I constantly do that with everything I grip. Caught myself doing it with the garden hose, drill. You name it.
This is the most useful video I've found regarding holster comfort. With your help I am much more likely to be carrying when/ if I need it. I am so thankful for your videos and will recommend them to friends and family. Thank you!
We appreciate that! Thanks so much for watching and recommending.
She's got a few of them, check out the others.
Ok so, my wedge is working great but my GF punched me in the lip for cutting up her yoga block. The self defense classes I have been sending her too are really working because she threw hands like Ali 🤷
You deserved it for being lazy AF & not hitting up Target 😂😂
Hahaha, good stuff there my friend.
I love the Blue Sun shirt! Oh and the DIY wedge is cool too.
These are the best videos about holster on UA-cam. Thank you.
Very impressive. Even your camera filming is impressive
EPIC SHIRT! Jayne would be proud.
There’s just something about the sound a hacksaw makes when cutting dense foam. So satisfying.
Agreed. We should branch out into ASMR arts and crafts videos.
I use 'lifts' short folks put in their shoes to make them look taller. They come in half and/or three-quarter inch increments of dense foam, are already in wedge form. Glue 'em together, stick on some velcro and done.
This is really funny. I’ve been using the yoga block for many years. It works perfectly. Much better than anything that is made for the same purpose.
This a great DIY. I wanted to add the little modification that I did. I cut out a square block that was roughly the right side and then traced the outline of the bottom on my holster on the top of the block. Then I cut out foam in the shape of my holster at an angle that would make the pistol grip not stick out. That saved a bit of cutting with a hack saw. Thx for the video, it gave me the idea.
This is by far the best custom wedge video out there. Very complete and helpful. Thank you!!
excellent well done video , i have been making these wedges for my holsters for years out of the very durable black foam packing that most people throw away and for the adhesive i use rolled duct tape , a recipe i have developed over the years , please keep up the great videos , we need to bring more people into the concealed carry fold ;-)
Thank you kindly! That's our goal, as well.
Same. Whole setup for pennies.
@@MachineNun I read the last word of that incorrectly and was REALLY confused for a moment. 🤣
@@aargvark I noticed how it read as soon as I commented, but I couldn't think of a better way to say it.
Love those paisley designs! My favorite shirt & tie are paisley.
Thx for the video! You guys saved me from buying another holster!
Great video! I wish I was that crafty and patient to do my own wedge.
Outstanding and likely better than the more pliable foam on my current IWB holsters. Will give this a try. Glad I found your channel! Subscribing for sure!👍
Hi Sarah,
I began being a firearm enthusiast late in life around 2004 and have since purchased numerous holsters and never found any combination that made me feel comfortable carrying and of course at a significant cost over the years. I've been on many vacations where I brought my firearm only to leave it behind for fear of being outed by a concerned citizen.
I watched this video and purchased the supplies to make my own wedge, by my second try I think I was pretty successful, but I'm still not getting the comfort I hoped to achieve. I'm 50% sure it's because of the holster I'm using and not an issue with my DIT wedge.
I just wanted to say your videos have been great instructional tools and have inspired me to purchase the Enigma Express. I purchased it along with a holster so that I'm hoping it fits my carry firearm of choice. Hopefully the adjustments necessary for proper concealment will be minimal. I hope that I made the right choice, the cost of this set-up is the most I've ever invested on one product, but technically it includes the cost of the holster itself so it's really not bad.
I will keep you posted and let you know if it works out for me.
Thank you.
Louis
Lovin' that shirt there Browncoat!
Awesome video, the thought of diy-ing a wedge seemed super daunting but this info was super insightful!
I’ve made this type works great! The 2nd one I made did some improvements like placing the wedge in a stretch silk sock before spraying it in contact glue so it bonds then cut excess meld edges this way protects frm any foam frm wearing off and the Velcro sticks better.
Very cool! Thanks for the video. Time to make a wedge!
Love all of these videos!
Great info here, thank you so much!
That was really good! Thank U!!
Love this! Thanks for taking the time to share!
That's a shiny shirt!
Tier 1 Concealment sells good wedges and wedge packs if you don’t want to make your own, but this way is more customizable.
Great tutorial. Well done.
Very helpful. Thanks
If anyone has issues with getting the Velcro to stick to the holster or wedge, one thing I always do any time I use Velcro, and don't want it to fall off, I use spray adhesive instead of relying on the Velcro adhesive, which I find is often not what it should be. However, there are a couple things that must be done, or else the spray glue is useless. 1. Apply it to both surfaces that you want glued together, and make sure it's sprayed on in a light even coat. No big globs. 2. Let it sit until it's tacky. If you stick it together wet, it won't dry right and it won't hold. 3. While this should be first, it's just a reminder to mask off anything you don't want glue on. So use masking tape at least as wide around the glue area, as the spray is from the can so you don't over spray. Anything that does get over spray on it if you don't mask properly, comes off best with any kind of cleaner that has citrus in it. Citrus kills sticky stuff very well.
So if you get Velcro that doesn't stick well enough. This will fix it. Personally, I get the industrial strength stuff and I still do this to it lol. Maybe over kill in some scenarios, but ever since I've started doing this, I've not had any issues with any Velcro coming off.
The easiest way to make the velcro stick like crazy is to clean the holster surface with an alcohol wipe and, after removing the plastic adhesive cover, warm the adhesive with a hair drier. This makes it incredibly tenacious and I’ve never had it peel unintentionally.
@@PHLster hmm now you have me thinking about using my heat gun lol. Half tempted to try heating some Velcro onto kydex. I do need to get my heat gun out anyways to try to increase retention to an acceptable level on a holster that seems to have lost it's hold while sitting unused for a month or two.
I dig the firefly/serenity shirt.
Another Firefly shirt! I have the same shirt in grey. ❤
A bit of 3m spray 90 adhesive and some mole skin works well to complete the wedge before the velcro.
You have excellent fabrication skills. The wedge looks excellent and the way you explain the purpose is on another level. I would like to see your review of the abdominal carry band, I recently ordered another one and I have to say they work great during exercise and in casual wear. Thanks for sharing.
Great video, gave me some confidence in trying my own. Sure beats buying $17 kit online and looks kind of fun. Custom is always better
Thinking that drilling some small holes from a couple different angles (so the 'tubes' connect) would help with aeration, reduce sweating. Would want to do that before velcro attachment. Assuming it would not compromise it, that block seems pretty solid.
I find using an old electric Turkey caver works GREAT on caving the block
Your voice is incredible cool video thanks
Great. Time to try it. Thanks for sharing
Shiny video from a browncoat. 👍
No power in the 'verse can stop us!
I'm in the opposite camp on this. Add bulk under the belt to pull the gun in above the belt? Add width across the belt line to pull the grip in closer? At what point are there diminishing returns? Instead of adding a backing pad, a 'wedge', a 'claw', or whatever else to an already hard and bulky rig... all just making the rig thicker/bulkier/more uncomfortable to deal with... I'm looking for less. I carry in the most minimal holsters I can find because sometimes less is more.
We have videos which discuss all of that. It’s all body and clothing dependent, as well as the level of concealment you require.
@@PHLster I have gone through a laundry basket full of holsters to find what works for me. My wife, who is shaped like an hourglass, could probably concealed carry a Remington 870. Big hips, little waist, double Ds... no matter where she puts her gun, even in tight clothes, it just disappears.
A couple of belly bands and a couple of small Kydex IWBs and it's all good for her.
I have a ccw quest . Are u an RN and do you carry at work? Cause every soft target in the tri state area is a gun free zone?
Thanks! Very useful. I carry 3:30 but I can use it as well.
Do we all use the same purple yoga block from Walmart for this lmao I haven’t seen anyone use a different block. Great video
Blue sun. Is that from Firefly? Just purchased your LB enigma. I definitely need to add a wedge. Thanks
This may seem like a silly question... That yoga block looks fairly sturdy and dense. I picked one up from amazon, and it's got a bit of squish in it... is that fine, or would you recommend something more rigid?
That’s totally fine. It might squish down more over time and you might have to re-make it a little more often, but it will still work.
Excellent video, thanks!
A Bic lighter can aid in smoothing any rougher edges of the foam.
When the wife comes home and catches me midway this project… arts and crafts babe..
So glad it was helpful!
Beautiful Lady ❤😊
Are you concerned about covering the lower holes in your holster? Is there a way to remediate that?
Tried this, but the struggle is to cut it to size. Any suggestions as to what type of knife to use especially to cut the crevices to fit the holster?
Do you have a dremel tool? When I have to “scoop out” to make it fit the back of the holster, I use my dremel with the drum type sanding attachment and it works great. Like she did here I use a hacksaw to cut the general size like she did here, but my hacksaw is much smaller, then use the dremel for fine tuning it.
Can this method be used to add a “keel” to a shorter holster? I’m playing hell trying to keep my p365 from tipping out of my jeans at the top, and a way to attach a firm point of contact past the muzzle would be a lot cheaper than an xl slide and barrel.
Absolutely. You can attach a wedge and let it overhang the bottom of the holster, providing a little extra Keel. If that doesn't give you enough stability, you can also just run your p365 in a p365xl length holster.
That’s the key right there. Use the holster designed for the longer slide. For instance a Glock 43 or 43X into a Glock 48 holster. This will keep everything from flipping over and you looking down at your own pistol pointed at you.
try a NEXBELT appendix carry gun belt , i think you will be amazed how much difference it makes with any/all types of concealment holsters ;-)
Just a quick comment. Applying contact adhesive to surfaces where the velcro is applied will greatly increase the adhesion, especially on the foam.
be cautious and test a sample as a lot of contact adhesive will melt many foam products.
That’s an awesome idea. I have been having problems with my velcro coming undone but I bet this would solve it. Thanks.
Hi! I want to buy the enigma standard, but you don’t ship to the philippines
super helpful vid
The added benefit of adding a wedge is to get the muzzle away from your body. Remember a femoral artery is in the appendix area, so you want the pistol pointing to an area that will cause no “real” damage, just in case.
A little bit longer holster and wedge will do that, but baby steps so you don’t sacrifice exactly what Sara is showing.
I'd add that a reholstering technique that keeps you from sweeping ANY part of the body at any time is crucial. John from Ballistic Radio has a great demonstration here: ua-cam.com/video/JGU7HbgDIvE/v-deo.html
Lol no...this has been covered so many times by warrior poet and others...appendix carry isn't going to shoot your femoral artery.
How long do these wedges last if worn daily? In other words, how often would one have to replace them due to wear?
The wedges are covered under a 1 year warranty: ua-cam.com/users/shorts4tdpWYC6yts?feature=share
I suspect this may be a yearly process, but one’s body can also change in a year so it may be good to reassess the wedge anyways. Additionally, you might be able to get away with dunking the wedge in a rubber or silicone dip to prevent wear, as well as getting a more hygenic surface, as foam tends to collect sweat and bacteria.
Tactical arts & crafts 👍
I imagine you could use floral block from dollar tree in a pinch.
Hi, a electric knife might be useful in making the wedge
Shiny shirt.
Why would it matter which side the velcro is on to remove the wedge ? 8:35
If you remove the wedge from the holster and the hard hook side is on the holster, it will be uncomfortable. If the soft loop side is on the holster, it won’t be scratchy or painful
I made one out of an old work boot insole. Now you can't see my gun but you can smell it.
do you have your own personal youtube channel I would like to subscribe. please leave a link
your style and ease of teaching is easily asorbed
thank you
Holy crap the squeeky foam sound was like fingernails on a chalkboard
Its like npr arts and crafts but if npr was cool.
Her NPR voice has me suspicious. LoL
Pistol packing Martha Stewart🤙
i have a craft knife... *pulls out kiridashi
credibility just went up 1,000%
good info: added a little tip, run a heat gun over both holster and hook &loop adhesive the heat will activate adhesive and it will stick better and last longer.
embarrassing moment should have watch to the end before commenting ..
this is not your kid's arts and crafts project, lol. well done
Sheep wool works better
Why didn't you use a razor knife? you have shavings all over the place due to the serrated blade. smh
Sorry that looks really dumb and seems like it may fall after a few weeks
They usually last 8 months to a year, depending on material and use. For a couple bucks, it’s not bad. Or you can buy commercial holster wedges which last longer.