El Paso Saddlery vs. Rick Bachman Cheyenne holster?

[jphendren]

Hello,

I have wanted a Cheyenne holster for my 4 3/4" USFA SAA for years.  I think I may pull the trigger soon, and was wondering who makes the best quality/most authentic copy of a F.A. Manea Cheyenne holster?  I've read good things about both makers.

Jared

[St. George]

Take a look in Rattenbury's book - 'Packing Iron' - then, take a look at their offerings and decide for yourself.

That's pretty much what everyone else will do.

Scouts Out!

[Skeeter Lewis]

If you want authenticity, go with Rick Bachman.

[Red Cent]

Is it not allowed that any of you very fine gentlemen who make beautiful authentic holsters make him an offer, either by PM or post?

Jphrendren, these guys here are what us modern speed freaks call purists. Unless we are in a fist fight, we mean it as a sincere description of their devotion to the authenticity of the Old West.

It might be beneficial for you to peruse old posts on this site and look at pictures of holsters that are as good and look as authentic as any other.

[treebeard]

It was my understanding that El Paso Saddlery traditional cowboy era holsters were from patterns they made pre 1900. 

[Skeeter Lewis]

Bachman's Meanea rig resembles the original more closely than El Paso's.

BTW pards, is EPS the original company or a recreation of it?

[Camano Ridge]

My, understanding is that the original SD Myers moved from Sweetwater to Elpaso In 1920's SD Myer bought out the original Elpaso Saddlery. In 1970's SD Myer was sold and moved to Oklahoma. The El Paso Saddlery brand was bought byMcnellis.

"In the 1970s, S.D. Myers was sold and moved its operation to Oklahoma. At the same time, Bobby McNellis purchased the El Paso segment of the company and retained it in El Paso, making it the longest continuously operating company in the city. McNellis modernized the company by adding the latest designs in sixgun leather to go with the Western and military holsters already being produced. A look at the current El Paso Saddlery catalog, compared with an old S.D. Myers catalog, reveals that McNellis did more than simply purchase El Paso Saddlery, he also obtained the holster patterns of S.D. Myers. The excellent designs of both companies now continue under the El Paso Saddlery banner."

Remeber the original post was for a Cheyene holster. I don't know if El Paso or SD Meyer had an original pattern for a Cheyenne from the 1800's I have not found a catalog with one in it.

[Shotgun Franklin]

Camano Ridge made my holster like I wanted it, with a touch I thought of, my initials on the Loop.
I'd think since you're asking these leathersmiths their opinions to make your choice that one of'm
could make what you want.

[1961MJS]

Hi

+1 on what Red Cent wrote.  I have a Slim Jim and a Fair Weather Christian belt from David Carrico that looks like the ones in "Uniforms, Arms, and Equipment, 2 volume set The U.S. Army on the Western Frontier 1880-1892".  From the pictures I've seen here, I'd be proud to wear what the guys here make (except me so far...).

Later

[St. George]

Rick Bachman - www.oldwestreproductions.com - does F.A. Meanea proud with his work, but then, he 'knows' those holsters well, because he lives where they were in use.

And you can try Chuck Burrows at Wild Rose Trading Co - wrtc@wrtcleather.com - he can do a beautiful Cheyenne-style Meanea holster, too.

Since Rattenbury's 'Packing Iron' was printed, that particular style has probably been the most copied of them all, so pretty much any of the holster makers whose work you like will make one for you.

El Paso Saddlery never made them originally - they were a 'Northern Plains' style, after all - so any patterns they now have are new.

I had a plain one some time ago - it was nice enough, though heavier than their earlier efforts, but someone liked it more, and bought it, and an El Paso Saddlery 'Hardin' shoulder holster from me.

Scouts Out!

[Cliff Fendley]

It was my understanding that El Paso Saddlery traditional cowboy era holsters were from patterns they made pre 1900. 

Some of the patterns may be but the Cheyenne holster would not have been theirs to begin with. F A Meanea can be attributed to the design of the traditional Cheyenne holster as we call it today. J S Collins also made holsters like that in their Cheyenne saddlery, their holsters from their Miles City location look different.

Maybe somewhere there was an original Cheyenne style holster that they copied like that but the top profile and main seam profile is not the same as the F. A. Meanea holsters I have had the pleasure to study.

Rick Bachman owns some nice original examples and he makes an awesome Cheyenne holster that is authentic.

My Cheyenne holsters are also made from detailed measurements taken from a couple original rigs and I can tell you from first hand comparison the offering from El Paso is not like mine and Ricks.

El Paso saddlery makes some very nice holsters but if you want an authentic styled Cheyenne holster Rick Bachmans offering is the obvious choice between those two makers.

[Skeeter Lewis]

Rick Bachman is a pard on this site using the name Buck Stinson. You can't do better IMHO.

[c.o.jones]

Rick Bachman makes ALL my holsters and belts and knife sheaths. He does outstanding work. I would use no other......

[jphendren]

Thanks guys,

Rick Bachman sounds like the obvious choice.

Jared