Leathersmiths.....show us yer stuff, (#1) THIS THREAD IS NOW CLOSED

[Marshal Will Wingam]

The movie rig had been shortened to fit the actor.  They moved the billet back, took off two bullet loops, popped off two spots, and sewed the billet back on with a differnt stitching pattern, leaving stitching holes, and the marks where the spots had been.  The billet was sewn on a little too high, and the movie guy wanted me to re-create these details.

I can understand wanting that kind of authenticity. It appeals to my quirky side. It's as close as you can get to having the real one used.

[HorsePen Henry]

Ain't we a productive bunch? Will, do you make yer own silverwork? That's a real nice piece a work.

Here is the holster with the belt I showed earlier. I made up this tooling pattern myself. This is the first time I put spots on cowboy stuff. I started out with the antiqued brass and buffed them back with white scotch-brite pads. I also knocked off the bright white of the stitching with some brown dye and a tiny brush. Here goes it:





I think this is gonna be my 2gun NCOWS working cowboy rig. One pistol and one rifle.

Have a party,

X Horse Pen

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

                        Beautiful Horse Pen, what a piece of work, I like everything about it, you're a real talent.


                                                                      Regards


                                                              tEN wOLVES 

[Ace Lungger]

HP, 
WHOLY COW Pard, That's SMOKIN  8)There isn't much I can say except AWESOME Everything flows so nice, the arragement of the spots are perfect, and most of the time I don't like the big round skirt, but on that rig, I love it!!! Because it flows so good, hate to ask this, did you see one close to that in P.I. our did thst just come straitout of the old brain?
If I could carve, that rig would of taken me a week at least to do, no a Month to do!!

Great JOB
ACE

[Johnny Dingus]

Beautiful work Horsepen,

You do a great job carving and backgrounding.  I also like how perfect your lines are do you use a grover or a pair of calipers?
I am going to have to get a pair of long guns cause the sure have great looking holsters.

Johnny Dingus

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Looks good, X-Pen. That half-skirt righ should fit the working cowboy persona nicely. The simple double-groove border is a nice touch, it sets off that tooling beautifully. Impressive.

Hey Will, I took another look at your latest Johnny Ringo rig. How did you get the spot holes and such on it? Did you actually complete the rig then shorten it or just punch the holes to make it look like it was shortened? I really like what you did, there.

[HorsePen Henry]

Thanks fellas. I am glad you've enjoyed it.

I don't Have "Packin' Iron" yet, but I am gonna. I ordered it about 3 days ago on Amazon and got another couple a books while I was at it. All cowboy books except 2. I got a couple a cowgirl books comin' as well. They said there's a lot a pictures of cowgirls in 'em.
The holster and rig on the cover of Packin' Iron is attractive to me, though. I was checkin' out the color of that rig.

Johnny, I use a stitch groover for the lines on my borders most usually. I have a creaser that I use sometimes too. A friend of mine uses a Kerr's jar lid to good effect.

Cheers,

X Horse Pen

[Irish Dave]

Very nice X-Pen. Mi gusto mucho.

Whereabouts do you shoot NCOWS?

[Relentless Renegade]

Wow! Wish I were Modern Day Cowboy about now.
Those are sweeeeeet

[HorsePen Henry]

Irish Dave,

I just signed on with a good bunch of Vigilantes down around Garnett, Kansas. They ain't half bad. They put up with me and my dry sense a humor. This rig is a turn a the century rig for Texas on up into Kansas as near as I can tell. I doubt it's representative of modern holsters for modern cowboys a'tall. Our posse is represented by fellas from 1865 up through 1899 or so.
Get yer flour sacks on and come join us. 

X Horse Pen

[will ghormley]

Hey HorsePen,

Great lookin' holster.  Another trick you can use to take the shine off your stitchin' is to hit it will a brown colored pencil, the kind ya' pick-up at an art store.  Works great: don't have ta' worry about gettin' it on anything, no dryin' time, and it's fast.  Plus, it looks like the high spots of the stitchin' just got dirty, you can still see the whites of the stitches.

Hey Marshal,

No, I didn't build the belt and then shorten it, too much work.  When I layed out the cartridge loops, I just punched the top holes of the two extra loops.  For the spots, I put 'em in place and then flipped the belt over and tapped between the prongs with a big seeder tool to set the spots into the leather.  Then I just pulled the spot out and used it on the next space.  As for attachin' the billet off-center of the belt, that was a hard one for my obsessive/compulsive brain to get around, but I managed, for the sake of the customer.

So many folks have remarked about the rig, I'm thinkin' about makin' a pattern for it.  I need to figure out how to make the conchos more affordable, but I'll work on it.

I posted a page on my website with a larger, newer photo, (didn't use my "Hand of God" pistol this time).  It looks better and you can get a better look at the details.

http://www.willghormley-maker.com/JohnnyRingoHolsterRig.html

Will

P.S.  Oh, HorsePen, I forgot:  I made the conchos to look like the originals, which were stamped silver, (the best I could tell from photos).  I made masters so they could be cast in a variety of metals, but I flattened and distorted the masters the same as happens when you stamp silver.  So, they look pretty good, unless you get your nose up on 'em.

[HorsePen Henry]

Thanks for the tip on the colored pencils, Will. I use Prisma-Color pencils by Berol for drawing. They are a beeswax base pencil and I can see where those would wok just perfectly for this perticular job. Also,...i wondered about yer silver. I do silverwork too. Yer doing great things. Keep it up!

My hats off to ye,

X Horse Pen

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks for the info, Will. I was wondering about that. The colored pencil tip is a good one. Next time I want to subdue the stitches but still leave them white, I'll try it. Actually, I'll probably try it on the holster I'm throwing together to try new stuff.

[Johnny McCrae]

Howdy Horse Pen,
Simply outstanding work and design! You will be pleased to see how much your work resembles what is on the pages of "Packing Iron".

Howdy Will G,
Your Johnny Ringo rig is beautiful! I'm sure you are very proud to see your work used in one of the best westerns ever made.

Many thanks for sharing this with us.

[santee]

Horsepen, thanks for putting those closeup shots of that awesome rig in so we can see the detail. I think that helps us amateurs a bunch! Love that flower.

Will G, you've got a great color on that rig (and the others on your photos page). It looks used, but not too antique. Perfect for the Ringo rig.

Do you mind me asking if that a spirit, oil or a walnut dye?

[will ghormley]

Hey Santee,

It's one of the simplest thing I do to color leather.  I take Fiebing's Professional Oil Dye, Black, and mix it 50/50 with extra virgin olive oil.  It goes on kinda spotchy, and you have to put it on with a rag in the other hand to wipe it up and smooth it out, but it comes out nice, and it is easy to make and easy to use.  I like the looks of it and it's simple.  I like that.

Will

[santee]

Ahhhhh! I see. Thanks for the tip.

[Ace Lungger]

Howdy Horse Pen,
Simply outstanding work and design! You will be pleased to see how much your work resembles what is on the pages of "Packing Iron".

Howdy Will G,
Your Johnny Ringo rig is beautiful! I'm sure you are very proud to see your work used in one of the best westerns ever made.

Many thanks for sharing this with us.

JM, You are right on every word you stated in your post, HP. & WG. are flat showing there stuff and I love it
and the movie, AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME, my favorite to!
ACE

[kid sheleen]

 :)Great work Horsepen!  I told you your work was always good!  Nice carving!

:)Will, I knew there was a reason I bought some of your patterns!  I hope you'll offer a pattern of the Ringo rig.

:)Ace, I like that black holster you made for your friend!  Lookin' good!  Great dye job!

Here's my latest, a single gun rig.  And since I made a cap gun rig for my grand nephew, I had to make something for his sister.  I kept tellin' myself it was a little possibles bag, but when it comes right down to it, It's a kids purse.

[kid sheleen]

   OOPS! Forgot the pics!  Can't blame it on the bourbon, too early in the day.  Must be age!