Carving vs Stamping on Slim Jims

[Wild Billy Potts]

As you can probably guess this inquiry is on the subject of historical holster decoration methods. I've seen some Slim Jims that were decorated with incise carving styles that are really nice. At what point in time did stamping, or is it called tooling, start to appear? I am a leatherworking neophyte and am planning on starting a Slim Jim project soon and am wondering if I should go learn carving.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Billie,

Whatever you do, first get a copy of 'Packing Iron' and look at the illustrations. I think that, like today, a person bought what he could afford ... and Slim Jims were availble plain or severely decorated ... I have one made by Will Ghormley that is a copy of a later 1870-ish extremely worked holster ... it is displayed here



Here is a quick history of Main & Winchester ... and although they focus on saddles,  they WERE  the intiators and set the form for the California Slim Jim

http://www.vintagegunleather.com/company-marks/mainwin_history.html

[JD Alan]

That is one good looking holster Skip. I sould have asked if you had any other holsters I should see when I was there!

[WaddWatsonEllis]

JD,

It looks different in real life ...  original photo was taken in a perfect light in perfect conditions ... here is a pic I took at home of it



And here is a sketch of the Main & Winchester pattern ... I would think it would work on 'most any Slim Jim Pattern ...

[Wild Billy Potts]

WWE, those are some fine looking holsters. I really like the old style of floral carving, they're just a bit beyond my current abilities. Would stamping have been seen by the early 1870s? My guess is not very commonly if at all.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Billy,

I would imagine it is not muich different than today ... that places like Sears & Roebuck offered a 'stamped' pattern that could be mass produced ... I have been told  that when Mexican clients bought their Botas, they were decorated in a pressed pattern similar to how one would make the top on a pressed-back chair ...

[JD Alan]

Thanks Skip, I do remember taking a gander at that holster, a fine representation of Will's work; very nice quality.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

JD,

Yes, as I begin to make my own holsters I find more and more just what an artist he is ....

And since you have seen it I added a Black Polwder Pouch to the belt .. here is a pic



And her is a pic of the whole rig together:



The white thing sticking out of the pouch is a piece of antelope horn narrowed down in order to press caps on without getting ones hand from being hurt ... and it is attached to the cap snail with a piece of leather thong ....

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Here is a pic of that cap snail and horn:

[ChuckBurrows]

Would stamping have been seen by the early 1870s? My guess is not very commonly if at all.

Actually your guess would be wrong.......... Stamping and carving are both as old as leather work - both types of tooling (tooling includes both carving and stamping) appear on work as far back as the ancient Egyptians with some even older i.e. Neo-lithic era..........

Plain, stamped, or carved are all proper for the Slim Jim - as noted above get Packing Iron for views of both types of tooling  on period originals. You will see that both the stamping and the carving use patterns which are not like modern styles. Copying the carving is pretty simple, whereas matching the exact tooling means make your own stamps, buy them from custom makers like Bob Beard, or use modern stamps selectively to get close, but not exact.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

On the one hand (of decorating) is Teddy Rosevelt and his superblely engraved Tiffany Colt and carved Cheyenne style holster:

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Here is another one that I forgot to post, but there is one I am looking for that shows off the holster and pistol better:

[Cliff Fendley]

Chuck is spot on as usual. You can duplicate 1870's carving more accurately than border stamped for the simple fact we cant easily find the stamps today. I have been using or modifying ones I had to give the same effect but not an exact copy and have been making some of my own along the way like some of the original stamps.

[Wild Billy Potts]

Thanks Chuck. It's good to be wrong sometimes. I don't yet have a copy of Packing Iron, it is on my growing list of need to get books.

So what are these period style stamps looking like? Got any pics?

[Cliff Fendley]

The pics are in Packing Iron

[Wild Billy Potts]

The pics are in Packing Iron

Great, with the way my wife budgets my fun stuff, I should see it about 5 years or so.

Anywhoey, what are you using to make the stamps from? And are you making them with files, dremel, mill?

[ChuckBurrows]

I use 1/4"-3/8" stainless rod (bolts with the head cutoff) or the stock and a Dremel and files to make the designs.

You can also use Delrin rod to make the stamps with and it's easier to work than the steel and work well for a good long time........

[Slowhand Bob]

I am not a collector and my eyes do not handle depth perception, specially photos, real well but my impression is that carving was not tooled to the relief  dimensions as what modern leather workers do.  I see a lot of modern copies based on books photographs and the recreated carving appears to be done with far more relief.  Is it possible that over time the carving could have flattened out or was it possible that the old carvers did not tool carving as much as we do?

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Slowhand,

That is a very good point ...


Anyone have an answer?