1. What is the purpose of your retention device (i.e., is it a holster, magazine pouch, etc.)? Why did you choose this purpose?
The type of retention device I decided to make for my first ever Kydex press was for an H&K VP9 magazine. Its purpose is to allow me to carry additional magazines on my waist and not just jammed into a pocket. I chose to make this in part because I did not already have one for this firearms magazine and because I did not want to waste a ton of material in the learning process and be stuck with too little Kydex to make another attempt if the first one did not turn out well.
2. What object did you use to generate the dimensions of the design?
I used multiple objects to determine how much material to use for the press I was about to do on the H&K VP9 magazine. I started off using the magazine. By placing it directly on the raw material I was able to see how much of the magazine I wanted to stick out and this let me see how much material I wanted to use for the press. By making a general mark I now had an idea as to where I needed to measure and mark. Next, I used a square that also has Measurements marked on it. I rounded up to the nearest inch to allow myself more material than I think I would need. It is better to have too much rather than not enough.
3. What, if any, challenges did you face when constructing the mold?
I did run into one issue while following the instructions provided and that was when attaching the top of the press. The text has you attach your hinges directly to the piece of 2x4 but when I did this the foam provided was way too thick to allow for closure. While I do understand that the pressure created by the foam is what aids in a good press in the mold, by following that step I found it really difficult to even close over the press. To remedy this I took another piece of the 3/4 Inch board and cut it to the same dimensions as the 2x4 then attached it to the top of the exposed 2x4. This additional 3/4 Inch allowed me to then finish attaching my hinges and allowed a tight, but more manageable closing of the press.
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