finished to form holster inner and outer body walls respectively in the finished holster connected by a third blank wall portion 58 to form low forward wall 34 in the finished holster first and second blank wall portions 54 56 are unconnected except by third blank wall portion 58 thereby resulting in the open front 26 in the finished holster a fourth blank portion extends from first blank wall portion 54 above third blank wall portion 58 to form forward ear 40 a fifth blank portion extending upwardly from first blank portion 54 forms upstanding thumb release part 16 in the finished holster a sixth blank portion extending upwardly from second blank portion 56 forms retaining strap 20 note that retaining strap 20 is flexible and hence metal interlayer blank 52 does not extend into the area of strap 20 the metal interlayer blank 50 can be formed out of 18 or 20 gauge galvanized steel the leather blanks for a smaller pistol can be formed of 3 4 ounce top grade cowhide the leather blanks for a larger pistol can be formed of 5 6 ounce top grade cowhide for the outside layer of the holster and 3 4 ounce top grade cowhide for the inside layer of the holster the holsters produced thus far have been hand fitted and tested using the customer 39 s pistol or another pistol of the exact same model for a form around which the leather and metal blanks 50 52 are fitted fitting of leather materials in holster fabrication involves a certain amount of deformation of the material to a good extend.