Cheap and Easy EDC Flashlight Holster

Intro: Cheap and Easy EDC Flashlight Holster

This will show you how to make a cheap and easy EDC flashlight holster for your belt. This can be made for under $5 and only takes about 15 to 20 minutes. This holster is quite durable and easy to make and use. Obviously, this will not work with every flashlight, but it should work with most.

STEP 1: Items You Will Need

You only need a few items/tools for this job.

1. A flashlight that you wish to carry. In this example, i used a Nebo Micro Redline OC.

2. A section of black polyethylene pipe, roughly twice the length of your light. In this example, it is 3/4" diameter.

3. Mechanical fastener of your choosing. This is used to secure the belt loop at the bottom.. In this case, i used a small coarse threaded screw designed to mount a PC case fan. You could also use a small bolt/nut or a rivet.

The only tools I used for this project were a Swiss Army Knife (Vic. Huntsman) and a lighter. The small blade on the knife was used to cut the pipe and bevel the edges. The awl was used to make the two holes to attach the belt loop. I used the screwdriver to insert the screw.

The lighter is used to soften the plastic while bending.

The pipe was purchased at Home Depot. They sell it in small sections (3ft i think) for a few dollars. They have different diameters to choose from. You will want to select one that has an inside diameter that closely matches your light. ( slightly smaller is better)

STEP 2: Cut Out the Belt Loop

Using your knife, start by cutting out the part that will become the belt loop. You want to start at one end and make two vertical cuts a little over half the length of the pipe. I made mine about 1/2" apart.

STEP 3: Form the Loop

Using your lighter, heat the pipe at the buttom of your cut and slowly bend the loop piece backwards. Make sure it is long enough to reach the bottom end of the pipe. With a little heat, this pipe is very easy to bend and work with. Make any adjustments as needed.

Once you are happy with the length of your loop, trim off the remaining of the top half of the pipe with your knife.

STEP 4: Trim and Bevel

Trim up any rough areas with your knife. Gently take your blade and slightly bevel the rough edges.

STEP 5: Cut the Front Slot

Take your knife and cut out a small section of pipe, on the opposite side from the belt loop. This will allow the pipe to expand to fit the body of your light. In this case, i cut out a slice about 1/4" wide. Bevel the edges.

STEP 6: Create Hole to Attach Loop

The belt loop needs to be attached to the bottom of the tube. The easiest way I found to do this was to drill a hole in the end of the loop and tube and attach them with a screw. I didn't have a drill handy, so i simply used the awl on my knife. I made a small hole in the loop portion, held it to the body of the pipe to mark the location and then made the hole in the pipe body.

In this example, i used a small coarse threaded screw that came with a PC case fan. It is designed to be threaded into plastic. I used the screw driver on my knife to thread this screw through the loop and into the pipe. It sticks out on the inside a little. This is no problem at all. This provides a stop to prevent the light from sliding into the pipe too far.

You could also use a small bolt and nut, or a pop rivet to do the same thing. On one of my other holsters, i used a rivet, if you go this route, you will want to use a small washer as well to prevent it from pulling through the plastic.

STEP 7: Insert Your Light Into the Holster

At this point you should be able to insert your light into the holster. This one is a little tight, but holds very well. It is fairly easy to slide the light in and out, yet i can hold it upside down and shake it without fear of it falling out.

STEP 8: Different Sizes

You can adjust this plan to fit a variety of lights. You just may need a different size of pipe. Here you can see the one we just made (on the right) next to one i made for my Nebo Redline RC (on the left). This light is a little larger, so I used a 1" diameter pipe. I had to cut the front slot a little wider to accommodate the side mounted switch on this light.

The Redline RC (larger one) is my standard EDC light. It is 320 lumens on it's brightest setting, has a 4x adjustable zoom, magnetic tail cap, and is rechargeable.

Enjoy!

Comments

[GarethR5]

Nice, I like the way you left a slot for the... um... belt. clip. on. the. torch! LoL.

Seriously though, nice idea, I may well use it.

[severdhed]

The slot is more for the expansion of the pipe to fit the light than it is for the belt clip. If you have ever used a belt clip on a light, you would know that they don't work very well for securing the light to your belt. I could remove the clips, but on my larger Nebo RC light, the pocket clip works well to prevent the side mounted switch from being accidentally activated. Plus this way the clip is still there if you want to clip it on your hat

[John T MacF Mood]

Excellent, and well thought out. I'm making one soon! I agree with your comments on the belt clips, they often disappear after a little rough handling, the screws back out. I put removable Lok-Tite on those screws for "duty" type use.

[John T MacF Mood]

BRILLIANT! This one is a "must do" for me, I carry a flashlight with a built in stun gun, and this would be perfect for me. (I'm a retired cop, and the stun function may never get used, but I like preparedness!) I'm going to share this one with my police officer friends, the cost of commercialy made holders for police use is downright rideiculous.

[sandalwood1]

Beautiful in its functional simplicity.

[dj_segfault]

That pipe looks like PVC, not polyethylene. Are you sure? Usually polyethylene is thinner and flexible, not thick and rigid.

[severdhed]

this is polyethylene pipe. it is flexible and relatively soft. I'd never be able to cut pvc like this with a knife blade.

[zelko]

Just like PVC pipes, PE pipes come in various diameter and wall thickness. For example, new mains water pipes are HDPE over 200mm diameter and wall thickness of almost 20mm

[zelko]

Very clever use of PE pipe. I must keep an eye out for some off cuts now!

[hp5551935]

Simple, easy, inexpensive, and it works!! Outstanding....nicely done.

[chefspenser]

Good-0! Well done, clean easy with great pics-thank you!

[JamesN75]

Guess I need to make one of them for my nebo

[instgct]

I was thinking this idea could be adapted for storing telescope eyepieces on a belt for ease of access when star gazing.

[RonB2]

Great idea, nicely done.

[4DIYers]

Awesome idea, thank you for sharing!

[Nuonaton]

I did something similar with Kydex. This is cheaper though for sure!

[bwett10]

cool i like it