Frank James RIG

[Flinch Morningwood]

Below is my first attempt at the Frank James Rig as patterned by our Pard, Will G. 

I have made a few changes:

- Put the adjustment section on the left so I could have cartridges as far forward as possible on the right.
- Put on forty .38 loops and three .45 loops (These for the occaisional dud in my lever rifle)
- Used a length adjuster I picked up from Civil War Sutler and added a brass peice to the other side of the belt end.
- I used my makers mark instead of a rosette on the body of the holster

Thanks to Nolan for his Vinagroon recipe, which was used on this project - they really are a deep black but my photo skills are not what they should be.

The pistols are a pair of 1851 Navy's, each with the R&D gated conversion.  One has a curly Maple handle and the other handle is made of Holly, a pure white wood usually used in inlay.

These ride very high on the belt, due to the placement of the loops on the back of the holster.  Takes some getting used to but makes sitting with them much easier and more comfortable.

[Wymore Wrangler]

Nice rig pardner...

[Marshal Will Wingam]

That looks really good, pard. Isn't the vinegaroon recipe great? Yeah, it's another step to neutralize it but you're right, the black is nice and rich. Good work. Those holly grips are interesting. Is it a hard wood?

[Flinch Morningwood]

It is my understanding that Holly is technically from the Juniper family - so I would think it is a soft wood...but it's specific gravity is higher than cherry so it's pretty dense.  It sands about the same as soft maple, holds a nice corner and doesn't ding too bad (yet  )...

It was pure white when I sanded it but the grain came out SLIGHTLY (very light brown) when I oiled it...from more than a foot away you can't see the grain.

When I get back home this weekend, I'll take some close up pictures of it.

Like I said, I haven't seen that much of it but the local WoodCraft had several boards of it in stock...they let you cut what you want as long as you leave 4 linear feet of board...about $15 a board foot so my 1x6x24 peice was about $15 and I could get 5 or 6 grips from it.

BTW - There's a couple better pictures of the pistols down in the STORM listings...

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks, pard. I've never known about holly wood. Hollywood, yeah, but that's a different story altogether.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

In my hometown of Victoria BC, Holly is a pest species, origonally from the UK.  I'll have to try some.  I've been looking for an excuse to massacre a few!

[will52100]

where can I find a recipie for this vinagroon dye?  I've all but stoped using black die as it has a tendancy to rub some off and is hard to get nice and even.  I primarily do leather knife sheaths, but do make a few of my holsters and such.

[will52100]

never mind, I found it.    I'll have to give it a try, it sure produces a nice black.

Great looking rig also.