Authentic Patterns for belts and holster.

Skeeter Lewis · January 21, 2011, 04:46:50 AM

Cliff, I'm with you on this. I've never seen a keeper on old belts and I never make them. It just depends if you're an authenticity nerd. I am......

Will's patterns are terrific and, as he says, you can adapt them to get that look you're after. For someone struggling with pattern making, they're the best resource I know of. The basic dimensions are all there.

But I guess it would be nice to see someone else come up with patterns. Chuck mentioned the possibility that he might, on his DVD.

Branding Iron, that's a pretty good Collins template. And that's the best close-up of the Roosevelt holster I've seen.

Skeet

Skeeter Lewis · January 21, 2011, 05:00:38 AM

Gotta love that double row of stitching on the seam and plug to hold the lining on the Roosevelt holster. Have pards ever seen that on other holsters?

WaddWatsonEllis · January 21, 2011, 07:01:45 AM

Branding Iron Bill,

I love Maine and Wichester patterns ... here is one Will Ghormley made for me from an original Maine And Winchester pattern ... which I wear when portraying a mid-1850s Californio ...

And while we are/were talking about adaptions of Will Ghormley patterns, I will put my 'modified' Will Ghromley patterned holsters on here as well ... I both lowered the loops so that the pistols ride lower and raised the outide of the 'bucket to give the holsters an 1880s look ... attached is a pic of how the holsters wwere supposed to look ....

outrider · January 21, 2011, 07:12:31 AM

Slowhand,

Was that Tandy pattern (slim jim) offered in the mid-70's? I had one from the old Tandy Leather Co. that they called the "hogleg" but I can't find the darn pattern...most likely lost during my move south.

Slowhand Bob · January 21, 2011, 08:30:23 AM

Ill try to dig those old patterns up when I get to the shop again. Its possible that they came from the 70s but I was thinking earlier due to an old holster I made from them. My memory is really bad now but there was a time in the late '60s to early '70s that I was really into the c&b revolvers and I thought this was when the holster was made. Ill be back with this within a day or so.

Marshal Will Wingam · January 21, 2011, 02:53:28 PM

BIB, I love that TR holster, too. That's a very nice reproduction of it. Thanks for the pics.

WWE, you really did a great job on those. The drop is not all that noticeable and surely effective. Good work.

Slowhand Bob · January 21, 2011, 04:44:05 PM

I found these two different sets of patterns from the past. It seems that Outrider has a much better memory than I as the pattern pack was Copyright-'84. The second set was cut from an old MIWL magazine and has a Copyright-'76 but I can not find an issue number or date.

The version that came as a pattern Pack had holster patterns for cap and ball guns from the little .32s up to the big Walker. It has patterns and instruction sheets for; a buscadero belt, two belt style powder flasks and a ball pouch. As I mentioned before, these have gone in and out of print several times through the years. It seems the envelope is now missing and it would have had nicer color photos of everything.

The second set of patterns, from the magazine, had one holster that was styled three different ways, a buscadero belt, a powder flask pouch and a ball pouch. These also have simple floral patterns to use on the various pieces. Im not sure who has the commercial rights to these now but a check with George Hurst or Tandy might get a few of them reprinted now that SASS has somewhat revived the old cap and ball guns??

outrider · January 22, 2011, 12:52:29 PM

Slowhand,

Seems to me that the pattern I was seeking had the powder flask pttern in it..because I made one of the flask holders years back. Problem now is that Tandy Leather Co., was bought out by the Leather Factory about ten years ago...so getting them to reprint these pattern packs would probably not happen.

Branding Iron Bill · January 22, 2011, 03:16:19 PM

Rifle sleeves. None of these are made by me.

And another one

One more

Branding Iron Bill · January 22, 2011, 03:23:52 PM

Here's some Collins dove wings. Again, not made by me. These old patterns are very inspiring

outrider · January 22, 2011, 05:53:11 PM

Very nice patterns...especially the rifle scabbard.

Speaking of patterns...I got an order today for a flap holster for a Civil War LeMat revolver...will let you know how it turns out...have to make the pattern first

Skeeter Lewis · January 22, 2011, 06:01:24 PM

Beautiful work, BIB, whoever made it. Those scabbards are terrific, both the original and the remake. Do you have more information on them?

Interesting to see the similarity of design between the Collins dove wings and the Roosevelt holster. Either the same artisan or else there was a Collins design book.

Skeet

Branding Iron Bill · January 22, 2011, 10:54:19 PM

I have no info on any of them. They have all been lifted from other forums, most of them from http://leatherworker.net/content/ I have a few others, but those are the cream of the crop. I too have wondered about a Collins design book. If there's any around, I'm sure they are worth a small fortune.

Dalton Masterson · January 23, 2011, 10:21:39 AM

Outrider, I have the one with the flask holder, and the ball pouch.
Its called "Hog-Leg Holsters Pattern Pack". Its catalog number 2692 and was from Tandy in 1976.
Its got a Mexican single loop that looks a lot like the Cabela's offerings in the blackpowder section of their catalog. It has a nice flapped holster pattern in it as well, along with a ball pouch, and a flask carrier.

The copyright says "The Leathercraftsman, 1976". Makes me wonder if it wasnt a pattern in the magazine that they put into an envelope.

DM

Slowhand Bob · January 24, 2011, 08:07:08 AM

DM, I am unable to find the pattern numbers on either set and figure it was on the envelope for the really nice patterns copy righted in the '80s but alas I no longer have the envelope. These patterns are really nice looking styles but on two or three are actually accurate to the period. Though the lines are very reminiscent of early Slim Jims they changed the mout to be a more modern fully exposed trigger guard style on most of them. Still looks cowboy and I like them but definitely not something you will see in Packing Iron.

As you can see in this scan, a pack was offered for the one that appeared in the old magazine but this patterns holster appears to be done up in three different styles from one basic design.

Dalton Masterson · January 24, 2011, 08:17:36 AM

Slowhand,
Thats the same pictures on the pack I have, except I also have the flask holder and ball pouch pictures on the back. It also looks like the same furry guy in a different pose than what you posted earlier. My pack doesnt include Walker patterns or anything other than the normal 51, 60, Rem58 generic size patterns.
DM

Slowhand Bob · January 24, 2011, 09:52:49 AM

The other set is much much larger and actually includes several instruction booklets on project creation. Another item of interest that does not follow the topic heading is the fact that the belts included with both pattern sets is for buscadero belts and I am sure that someone on this forum told us years ago that the belt mounted black powder flask pouches were never actually there. Kinda like ruff out holsters, if they were not, they sure look like they shoulda been!

Wild Billy Potts · January 24, 2011, 03:52:47 PM

Quote from: Slowhand Bob on January 24, 2011, 09:52:49 AM
The other set is much much larger and actually includes several instruction booklets on project creation. Another item of interest that does not follow the topic heading is the fact that the belts included with both pattern sets is for buscadero belts and I am sure that someone on this forum told us years ago that the belt mounted black powder flask pouches were never actually there. Kinda like ruff out holsters, if they were not, they sure look like they shoulda been!

Ready rolled cartridges were commonly available and easier to carry. Therefore loose powder, balls and caps would be carried in baggage or packs.

ChuckBurrows · January 24, 2011, 05:32:42 PM

Quote from: Skeeter Lewis on January 22, 2011, 06:01:24 PM
Interesting to see the similarity of design between the Collins dove wings and the Roosevelt holster. Either the same artisan or else there was a Collins design book.

Skeet

J & S Collins built all of TR's leather goods that are so often seen today: holster, saddle, and spur straps.

Slowhand Bob · January 25, 2011, 06:10:26 PM

I was looking over some of the patterns in one pack and was intrigued by one and decided to ruff one out to see what the pattern would do. The leather is some of the old dry 10oz leather I have on hand with a small piece of 8-9oz used for the belt loop. The first picture is of the commercial pattern and the rest show the unfinished holster, please forgive my poor camera skills. Note that the one gun that rides as a cut away trigger guard is a '51 Navy with a 5 1/2" barl. A second post will show the back of the holster with a much smaller '49 Colt in place.