What Era Holsters?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I have two basic era holsters depending on which pistols I shoot. For my SAA's or cartridge Remmies I like the late 1880's Cheyenne style. For my NMN's with cylinder conversions I have mid to late 1870's Slim Jims. I have tie-downs on them, but mainly because of the safety factor with my crossed double belts. I voted for the 1880's because it could cover both. I guess your vote should be with whichever you use the most for your persona.

[Slowhand Bob]

Will, I personally like the California Slim Jim style for my personal holsters.  I do tend to make mine a bit more form fitting and heavier than most orriginals though.  I guess that second on my list would be the 1870s era Mexican Loops, also made a bit more form fitting than the actual versions usually were.  The later variations of the Mexican Loop were actually very beautiful in style and function but those time periods, after the early 1880s, are not as interesting to me.

[Tommy tornado]

I like Slim Jims all the way!  I currently have 15 in various stages of completion.

[Kaboom Andy]

I love the Slim Jim style too, I made it lil bit more heavier and if you modify the belt loop you can have a stiff lock on it, enough for the competition use !!!!

[Silver Creek Slim]

I'm not sure what mine are. Can ya tell me?

Slim

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I'm not sure what mine are. Can ya tell me?

Slim

LOL, Mexican Jims?

[Rap Scallion]

I personally like the Loop types, and of a more modern style like about 1875-1900.  I think also a holster should be an implement made to carry and protect the firearm and not necessarily a launching platform.  Lets face it most "Cow persons" were working men who packed a gun for protection and self defense, not one for offensive situations.

I make all of my own leather gear and therfore can incorporate most of the features I like into my rigs.  I like a high riding rig with lots of leather around the cylinder and a closed area around the trigger, to help keep my finger out of it until it is cleared......a natural oiled finish without a lot of jewelry on the rig!

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I see you're new in these parts, Rap Scallion. Welcome. Looking forward to your posts. If you have any pics of your work, we'd love to see 'em.

[Rap Scallion]

Howdy and thanks Will.........I've been on the "other" lists and found this one when my other favorite one took a dive.  I think that I'll like this much better than the others now that I see how it is set up!

I do have some pics of my work and need to figger out how to load them up so every one can see them.

I love the leather work almost as much as the shooting, but I don't know how much longer my hands can take the sewing and such!

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Howdy and thanks Will.........I've been on the "other" lists and found this one when my other favorite one took a dive.  I think that I'll like this much better than the others now that I see how it is set up!

I do have some pics of my work and need to figger out how to load them up so every one can see them.

I love the leather work almost as much as the shooting, but I don't know how much longer my hands can take the sewing and such!

When I worked in a saddle shop, the owner bought a big machine that would sew through a full 1 1/2" of leather. He used it to punch the holes rather than an awl. Maybe you have a sewing machine in your future?

[Slowhand Bob]

A couple of years back I started having problems with my hands.  After a couple of minor surgeries and some cortizon shots they started doing better but the hand sewing had to go.  I bought an Aerostitch sewing machine and just absolutly could not get it to perform properly.  The wife surprised me last Christmas with a Toro 4000 which seems to be a rehashed Juki 2000.  After a while I have figured that the problem was with me and not the machines.  Learning to use sewing machines has been a nightmare for me but it is a must situation.  Kinda wish one of the companies would have made a video to help us ease into machine sewing.

[Rap Scallion]

I may see one of them machines yet, but I'm getting too close to the "end of the trail" to start any large investments,  and my Kids and GrandKids don't show any interest until they want me to make something for them

I did do something just a few months ago on a 45 1911 auto loop type holster that I made.  Swore I would NEVER do either!

I had 2 thicknesses of 9oz and a filler plug of 9oz and it was just too much even for a sharp awl and hands, so I broke out the Dremel tool with a small little bit and drilled/burned them stitching holes in through all three thicknesses.  Of course I would tell a bald faced lie, IF confronted with that, but it was slick and it will be used again!  Funny how older age will make you see things that just wern't there 10-20 years ago!

[Slowhand Bob]

Rap, one of my winter projects will be a photo presentation of assembly instructions for several styles of my future holster kits and all assembly will be by hand.  One will be a competition holster with a main seam thickness approaching 40oz of leather thickness which includes TWO heavy fillers.  Keep an eye out, you might find my hole punching method for accomplishing this to be interesting.

[Rap Scallion]

Rap, one of my winter projects will be a photo presentation of assembly instructions for several styles of my future holster kits and all assembly will be by hand.  One will be a competition holster with a main seam thickness approaching 40oz of leather thickness which includes TWO heavy fillers.  Keep an eye out, you might find my hole punching method for accomplishing this to be interesting.

That sounds interesting for sure Bob!  Where will this series of instructions be seen?  I've heard tell that a drill press will work for super thick sewing too!

One of my projects is to build some kind of powered edge slicker too.  I need to get a motor turnwed down to 750 rpms and some felt or wood grooved whels for it.. I figger I can use some kind of step down belt drive from my Baldor to the wheels and it shouldn't be too bad making some wheels!  We'll just have to see, I don't want to get no long range investments, but I really want to keep playing with the cowhide!

[Slowhand Bob]

Rap, as for the site, I guess it can be shown here as its not a viable buisiness site at this time.  There is one big problem, you gots to remember that Im not a web designer or photographer so you caint laugh now.  Buisiness on a bootstrap is turning out to be harder for me than leathercraft was.  Lets see iffen I can figure how to do this http://hometown.aol.com/twomacleather/index.html  Im not to proud to ask for help so if any advise or other ideas are forthcoming they would be greatly appreciated (with one stipulation, Im broke so has to be cheeep fixes). 

I have used the drill press but never cared for this much and worked out my method based around the set of three diamond hole punches I used for hand sewing.  At its best it was usually faster than the awl and where multiple layers were involved it was about equal, time-wise, to the awl.

As mentioned in the Marshalls new post on home made tools, I used a bench mounted electric drill for most of my power needs for a mighty long time.  You can chuck in buffing bonnets, sanding drums, sanding discs, polishing heads and several outfits offer drill mountable edge slickers for use in the drill.  Im considering offering the drill mount edge slicker from Weaver on my future site but do consider it as a bit pricey though.

Im retireing from my day job in about a year and will have more time for my hobby, if I can afford to keep playing.  Im looking for some really big jumps in leather pricing soon due to the fuel cost issue.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Will, I've got three rigs. One is a basic modified Slim Jim type, one is a JW rig, and the third is an Arizona Ranger style. So they're part of three of your categories. Didn't do the poll.....Buck ( The JW rig is in my avatar)

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I have and use holsters from nearly all those years.  (un)Civil War issue, Slim Jims, Mex loops and my pride & joy is a Cheyenne Loop that's (nearly - slightly different carving) a dead ringer of the FA Menea holster on the cover of Packing Iron