JOHN WAYNE HOLSTER PATTERN

Django · January 15, 2011, 12:03:35 PM

Hi , i am making a JW rig for a customer and have cut an untried pattern.
If any one has an accurate copy pattern that you would share with me i would apreciate it.
Thanks
Django

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · January 15, 2011, 02:56:01 PM

No pattern. I bought one of these;

http://www.epsaddlery.com/popup.aspx?src=images/Product/large/16.jpg

outrider · January 15, 2011, 05:03:39 PM

What movie holster are you looking for....he used the El Paso Saddlery style for many of hismovies except the last one...in the Shootist he used a two piece Hunter holster. Prior to Hondo he used several different ones

Slowhand Bob · January 15, 2011, 05:18:21 PM

Though most makers with much of a catalog do offer these style holsters I have not seen anyone marketing or offering the patterns. Im sorry but I have never been very fond of the Duke style so have not made a pattern for it or I would share. With a good picture, like the one above, it should be fairly simple to overlay its outline over an existing well fitting pattern to get what you need.

outrider · January 15, 2011, 05:59:27 PM

Slowhand,

I have patterns for both the 5.5" straight drop and for the cross draw...if your interested

Curley Cole · January 15, 2011, 11:34:48 PM

Here is a pretty good pix of my Duke rigs (they are about 25-28yrs old) one is a 4 3/4 and other is 5 1/2.
If you want some other pix or anything, give a holler.

BTW all these are El Paso Saddlery and I think they are about as close to the originals as anyone..

curley and don't forget we want pix.

outrider · January 16, 2011, 04:39:23 PM

Django,

Here are two photos of the ones I made.

Django · January 16, 2011, 06:51:34 PM

Looking good Outrider!! what is the belt construction?
Django

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · January 16, 2011, 07:52:00 PM

Quote from: outrider on January 15, 2011, 05:03:39 PM
What movie holster are you looking for....he used the El Paso Saddlery style for many of hismovies except the last one...in the Shootist he used a two piece Hunter holster. Prior to Hondo he used several different ones

EPS claim that they made the holster for The Shootist;

http://www.epsaddlery.com/c-10-western.aspx

Slowhand Bob · January 17, 2011, 07:29:21 AM

Outrider, I really appreciate your generosity my friend. I would be flattered to receive a set of your patterns and if I can ever offer anything in return, all you need do is ask.

outrider · January 17, 2011, 08:21:00 AM

Sir Charles,

I always thought that he wore the "Duke" style in the shootist. Then I read an article about the fact that he wore a two piece Hunter holster. I watched the movie again and low and behold...the article was correct...in one scene he is talking to Lauren Becall and the holster is hanging on the wall behind them...you can definately see that it is indeed a Hunter Two piece.

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · January 17, 2011, 10:58:37 AM

EPS claim.....

See their link.

outrider · January 17, 2011, 05:56:19 PM

I checked the link and you are correct as to what they say...however he did not wear that "Duke style" holster in the Shootist....the one I saw in the movie was a Hunter Two piece....EPS makes the one style that the Duke wore from Hondo on.....but not the one from the Shootist...for conformation....watch the movie paying special attention to the holster. There was also an article in one of the past Guns of the Old West that first turned me onto the fact that it was a Huntet Holster. I will try an find the date of the article. As for what EPS says...it is incorrect as far as I can tell...I know the difference between the two style holsters in question.

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · January 17, 2011, 11:06:34 PM

I went to imfdb, but didn't learn anything. Could the holster be a HH Heiser?

outrider · January 18, 2011, 07:00:43 AM

The article I read was in the Fall 2007 issue of Guns of the Old West, written by Dennis Adler. According to the article Wayne used an H.H. Heiser holster with a Bohlin buckle set up to the making of Hondo. This is the movie he switched over to the rig we all think off as the Duke Rig. He basically used this rig...made by several makers (including John Bianchi) up until the Shootist, where he switched to the Hunter holster and belt. If you tske a close look at the scene where he is leaning on the bar (in the Shootist) you will see that the holster is not the same design as the one EPS offers. The scene where he is talking with Becall...the holster is hanging on a wall hook directly behind him and again you can clearly see that it ia a Hunter two piece holster.
As I mentioned earlier...I too always thought he wore the EPS holster in the Shootist ...until I read this article and then confirmed it by watching the movie.

Slowhand Bob · January 18, 2011, 08:41:51 AM

I fished through some of my old back copies of GOTOW and found the March 1999 issue containing a small article by Arganbright on Duke Holsters but alas, very little real information, seems to be just a souped up add for a few makers buying space in the mag. In one spot he seems to make a statement that differentiates between what is a purists Duke rig and "those appearing in later movies"

Many years ago I stumbled across something on the internet that was posted by a leather crafter whom I had never heard of. What I found unique was the photos he was using in his add, they contained views of one of the actual, well worn, Duke Rigs and were shot from all sides and angles. Naturally he had photos of his rig laid in with those of the Dukes for comparison but I have never again found that series of old photos and always wondered where he obtained them? One thing that stood out and is often missed by many copies is the color of the belt, it was definitely a gray tint in the photos, which leads me to think it may have been actual suede rather than a ruff out?? Though I have never been a big fan of the duke style, other than as a cross draw, for SASS use there is a guy (perhaps two) over on the Wire who definitely spent some time researching these rigs.

outrider · January 18, 2011, 01:32:39 PM

I think Jim Lockwood has duplicated several of the original Duke holsters...he may have some info on this.

outrider · January 18, 2011, 01:47:59 PM

Just did a search and found an article in Gun& Ammo by Jim Lockwood. He basically confirms what I posted earlier about the Shootist holster being a Hunter Rig. Do a search...."Hollywood Holsters" at www.handgunsmag.com

Curley Cole · February 23, 2011, 05:11:00 PM

There has been much discussion on the "original" duke rig, who made it and where it is. If you look close at the progression of movies, you will note that Wayne extended the belt with a method used on the the old Mattel Fanner Fiftys (the 4 holes and crossing a thong of leather to extend the billit.

On page 136 of John Bianchi's new book there is a picture of the "original" Duke rig. In the discussions on the SASS wire past many folks had many ideas as to who made it. I finally wrote to John Bianchi and we discussed it, and he told me that the best guess was the Bob Brown made the original. and was followed by copies by Alfonso, and Bianchi did one in the 1970. At the request of the Duke.

I personally think the closest to the original are done by Bianchi, Galico and the EARLY versions of the EPS rig. (I have 2 as pictured earlier in this thread)

If ya don't have a copy of Bianchi's book (and you all should,) let me know and I will post a scan of the rig...

good shootin
curley

outrider · February 24, 2011, 07:11:36 AM

Curly...good information on this subject...The one thing I have noticed is that the EPS version utilizes a pigskin lining with a "roll over" at the throat of the holster. Bianchi's version did not have the roll over and was lined with veg tanned leather. I don't know if anyone has attempted the roll over method..but it is not easy to get it right.

You are also correct...anyone who does not have John Bianchi's book should definately get one...the book is very well done. I have also trid to get ahold of a copy of Dennis Adllers newest book but no one seems to have it.