Something to accompany the Old Girl

[Bead Swinger]

Hi All
Here are some photo's of my winter project - creating a fully beaded flap holster for a New Model Russian that I carry with my 56-56 Spencer Rifle. Two Flints is adding the photos...

The holster is shown in two photos (one with the flap open and the revolver half drawn, and the other with the flap closed and latched). The pattern was based on a photo of an original NMR flap holster, only the original wasn't beaded. The original also had a small pocket in the front, I think for a lanyard, but this feature would have required more leather and patience than I had when patterning. The holster is constructed from two layers of leather, stitched to hold it together.  The outer layer is a softer split cowhide (braintaned buffalo or elk being right out of the budget). The inner layer is a stiffer split cowhide. While beading I added several hundred tiny tack stitches to augment the heavy stitching and prevent unwanted separation of the two layers.

The beading is all seed work, done in two styles, with the patterns based loosely on a Sioux warshirt c. 1860-70, and the bead colors all c. 1870+. Basically, I replaced some standard 'light blue' and 'tan' colors with a translucent grey and translucent tan, which I liked, happened to have on hand, and knew to be available in trade in the 1870's and later.The white cross on the original was significantly smaller than that used on the flap, and lacked the maltese cross behind it. The medium red and blue on the flap was pretty close to the original on the warshirt. The pattern on the body is a copy of an original Sioux pattern of the 1860-70 timeframe, although with a few color shifts (I was running out of red beads). The tan and black stripes at the top and bottom of the holster body are all copied from the warshirt that the red, white and blue flap inspiration came from.

The flap is stiched in a flat 'running' stitch, like that used in rosettes or circular work. The body of the holster is done using a 'lazy' stitch, common to the western Sioux and Chyenne. I specifically avoided using a lazy stitch on the flap, because I was concerned that an uneven surface on the flap might get caught on things, and not hold up well.  It's not like I have real sinew to sew with - this is all done using modern beading thread (doubled in most cases).

It's not quite done yet - I have to finish the back of the holster body.  But is is certainly useable. With the latch open, the flap moves amazingly well; the weight of the beads really isn't a hindrance to the operation of the holster.  I figure if I carry a beaded holster like this, along with a rosary, I'll have lots of beads swinging around to go well with my alias, and just maybe folk won't notice the bead on the NMR swinging around so much.

The NMR is a Uberti in 44R, which so far has been a bit tempermental. She's been very tolerant of BP and substitutes, though, which I understand is not that common in the repros. She certainly is fun to shoot though.

Thanks for listening 
Beadswinger

[River City John]

Nice!

Did you bead right on the holster or on an overlay sewn to the holster?

[Will Ketchum]

Very Nice!!!  Everytime I have seen a beaded holster I have thought that they must be rather fragile.

I would probably catch the front sight on a string of beads and in stead of a bead swinger I'd be a Bead Slinger

Again very nice!

Will Ketchum

[Bead Swinger]

I did the beading right on the holster.  It was the only way to hide the support stitching, of which there are several lines besides the edge seam. The first beading was all of the edge work, and to be honest, it was a pretty piece with just the edging done.

The holster came out a little softer than I wanted - it holds its shape just fine, but I wound up putting a stiff insert to ensure that the holster mouth stays open.  Next time (I have to survive this one first  ) I'll use a stiff 8-10 oz cowhide for the inside, and use more support stitching before finishing the assembly.