US and CS stamp

[Pappy Hayes]

Is there anywhere to get the US and CS stamp that was used on civil war flap hosters? I am getting ready to make some flap holsters.

[Freedom]

weaver has the embosing plates...but they are kind of spendy if you don't use it much. They also will usually require a press of some kind..(not to hard to Jeri-rig a press )

There may be someone here that will lend you a stamp.

They are not too tough to free-hand with a little practice.

[Slowhand Bob]

Check out Bunhouse Tools, they have a version that is far more cost effective and he even has a set in about half size that make excellent accents.  These would be listed with his plates.  http://www.bunkhousetools.com/

[Slowhand Bob]

Forgot to mention, Weaver dropped the CS version several years back.  I do not have the latest catalog so do not know whether they brought it back or not BUT theirs was the best available.  Most fokes would be happy with the Bunkhouse Tools version as both dies cost only bout half the Weaver price for the one.

[bedbugbilly]

I got a set from Bunkhouse a couple of years ago and have used them a few times - they work well and I was happy with them.  You'll need a small arbor press or similar.  Harbor Freight has a small press that is reasonable and which works good for embossing dies.

[Camano Ridge]

Here are pictures and price information for the Bunkhouse Tool Company. They can be reached by email at tiptoncompany@gmail.com send them what you want and you pay pal account they will invoice you.

The #422 - US & CS Emboss Plate Pair sells for $19.00 and the #503 - US & CS Small Emboss Plate Pair sells for $11.00.  Either set or both sets will fit in a small flat rate priority mail box which costs $5.35 to ship anywhere in the US.

I have purchased several things from them including a few dummy guns. Tere prices are very resonable and the quality is good.

[Pappy Hayes]

Thanks pards

[Massive]

Not that I am any expert on such matters, but, apparently the south never used the CS stamp on wartime holsters.  That might be why Weaver phased it out.  That didn't stop me from buying both stamps

[outrider]

Massive

Neither did the North....the US stamp was not put on holsters until  after the civil war and closer to the Indian wars.  Trailrider may put some comments in on this...

The Bunkhouse tools are not really stamps...they are embossing tools..and require either an arbor press like previously mentioned or a large vice can be used..make sure you use a wood backer in the vice (keeps the pressure even over a larger area)

[Slowhand Bob]

I have both versions from Weaver and though they are metal, they came with wood backers glued in place.  One of my stamps is what I call a Confederate War Eagle and the southern boys love it with the small CS stamp under it.  Sometimes its not what was real BUT what should have been real!      

[David Carrico]

You are correct outrider. I haven't seen any originals stamped "CS". They didn't mark "US" until after the war. Probably in the 70's. To correctly mark Civil War holsters, you need an arsenal stamp like St. Louis Arsenal, Watervliet Arsenal, Frankford, etc. Selma Arsenal, Baton Rouge, Richmond, etc. for CS
Just FYI!

[Trailrider]

I generally agree with what has been posted regarding U.S. and C.S. stamping on CW leather. The U.S. inside the oval was NOT applied to CW holsters until after the war. It was applied to some cartridge boxes made during the war. As to C.S. inside an oval, Albaugh and Simmons in their book "Confederate Arms" do show a cap pouch and an infantry cartridge pouch with the C.S. inside the oval! I cannot find the article in my files right now, but I have seen a published article a long time back that showed a Richmond-made Confederate holster with a C.S. inside an oval on it. But I believe these were quite rare! Keep in mind that Confederate manufacturing resources were very limited, and, except for belt plates (of which there are a plethora of types), worrying about decorations was about the last thing of which the Confederacy had the luxury. Also, most of the Confederate units were actually individual state outfits. In addition, a LOT of C.S.A. accoutremont were captured form the Harpers Ferry Arsenal, or from Federal baggage trains, casualties, prisoners, etc.  Rebel infantry, for example would use Federal waist belts with the oval U.S. belt plate...by turning the belt so the buckles were upside down! BTW, early in the conflict, Confederate leather was black, not "russet" (which, BTW is oil-impregnated, undyed leather, rather than tan colored). This is because most of the ante-bellum state units conformed to Federal equipment pattern, hene dyed black! Later in the war, carbon black was unavailable to the Confederacy, and so the leather was left undyed, or was dyed with walnut, etc., dyes.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

To my knowledge, the Confederate Cavalry enlisted were never issued pitols or holsters,,,, and that most of their armament was from 'battlefield donations'... Enclosed is a pic of my 1862-65 Confederate belt and pistol group ... and accompanied by the Maynard
Rifle that was issued to the 2nd Fla Cav ....





*Although many Confederate Cavalry carried the Shotguns and rifles that they owned in civiliam life ... and would substitiute D-Handled Bowies for the long swords normally carried by Cavalry .....

[Massive]

I like to think that if I, a Canadian with a tiny second story shop, can stamp CS on a holster, anyone might have in the given day.  They were certainly even more likely to have done so back in a time when so many more things were made to customer preference, and modification.

[Slowhand Bob]

I do not consider these notions as my call, rather these are customer choices and when I make the stamp offer, most jump on it.  Many of the southern boys actually want the CS stamp on non military style holsters and it is the most common stamp asked for on my Wild Bunch holsters.  Course there is another fact, I am not doing CW or US correct reproductions of anything.  For those who have not seen the plates we are talking about.  http://www.ebay.com/itm/321032690836?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649