Mjölnir is the hammer of THOR, Mighty god of thunder! Mjölnir slumbers here when the borders of Asgard and the nine worlds are safe from the darkness abound…

Ok, Back to reality :’( lol

This started as a project on necessity, and ended up being an excuse to make something special. My last job required me to keep a hammer within arm’s reach. There was a rest for the hammer but I wanted a holster for rapid access. Rather then a tool belt or a pre-made holster I decide to make my own. The first one was just a old hammer hook from a tool, belt riveted to a old belt I had. I worked in a rough environment (Aluminium Casting), work gear wears through fast, so I expected this to eventually fail; This had to be repairable. When 2/4 rivets popped out I decided to upgrade. This is the result.

Step 1: Make a Template

I planned this in two halves, held together with Velcro. One half a sandwich of acrylic, wood veneer and aluminium. This half holds the hammer hook and attaches to the belt Via rivets and washers. The other a acrylic back with foam padding and wrapped in vinyl seat cover. They are joined with industrial strength Velcro top and bottom. If anything breaks again I can drill out the rivets and repair what I need.

Step 2: Lay Out and Cut Your Materials

You Will Need…

Hammer Hook
Old Utility Belt
Aluminium Plate
Clear Acrylic Sheet
Wood Veneer
Wood Stain
Contact Cement
Foam Rubber
Vinyl Seat Cover
Rivets
Drill Press + Bits

Begin by drawing a template. You will need this for five to six different cuts so if you used paper, make copies. Trace the template over your materials. For strength and weight concerns, I used ¼ inch aluminium plate for the structure of the holster, stained wood veneer for a touch of class and finally the (replaceable) acrylic to keep the wood looking nice. Be sure to cut a second piece of veneer; the veneer is really fragile and you can choose which you like best. You will also need a second piece of acrylic for the second half. Lastly, cut the high density foam that will be used as the padding. I had some smaller pieces around so I glued them together with contact cement. Take note that if you do this you will feel a harder spot were the glue bonded them together. Personally I moved forward like this so the foam would not be fully compressed, and bounce back faster. Take a moment to cut a piece of vinyl seat cover for the next step; It will cover the foam.

Step 3: Sticky Stuff !

Begin by laying out your veneer and aluminium. You will also need the contact cement and something to spread it with; I used a popsicle stick. Follow the Instructions on the back. Usually you will apply a thin layer to both surfaces, and let dry for 5-15 min, before pressing them together. Take note, after you place even a corner it will be difficult if not impossible to adjust. Glue the veneer to the aluminium, and the foam to one of the acrylic. Apply light pressure and let set for at least an hour, preferably overnight.

Step 4: Upholstery

This next bit is best explained as “tucking in the foam.“ refer to the picture and read this through a few times; Plan out what you will do.

After the foam is adhered to the acrylic in the pervious step, apply a ½ inch bead of contact cement to the top of the acrylic and a matching bead on the . Let dry and press until bonded. Then flip the vinyl seat cover over the top of the foam and repeat on the bottom. Be sure to pull it tight to eliminate wrinkles. Trim what you don’t need. Then repeat on the remaining sides and trim as you go.

You may want to take a moment and use the contact cement to bond the Velcro to the acrylic. I used industrial strength Velcro. The business end was so strong that the adhesive peeled off x_x.

Step 5: Pop Some Rivets, Enjoy !

So it’s almost time to finish up! First we need to rivet the acrylic, aluminium and utility belt sandwich together. Line everything up, and hold it with a pair of clamps. Place the hammer hook over the acrylic and use a drill press to drill your first hole. Rivet the first hole to hold everything together. Be sure to stick a washer on the back to help anchor it. Drill your second hole, ensuring everything is lined up just were you want it; rivet it on. Now that it won’t move on you, finish drilling and riveting the other two holes.

For a nice finish, Run it over a belt sander. You only need to square off the edges and smooth it out. It won’t polish the aluminium, but makes for an almost brushed finish. If you want to get all fancy, Try Burning some script into the veneer, or even vinyl letters!

Lastly, just stick the two halves together, with the Velcro you applied earlier, and Enjoy!

PS: Please handle weapons of the Gods, with care. Thank you.

Take care, Wired Mist