Lee Marvin rig The Professionals

[Wiley Desperado]

Sometimes you make something just to see if you can, and this is one of those projects. I know everyone remembers the very cool double buckle pants belt Lee Marvin wore in the 1966 movie The Professionals, well with the help of a Will Ghormley holster pattern, this is my version of the style.  Hope you like it. 

[Baltimore Ed]

Very nice rig but you're missing the mexican piteado, the round piece of leather between the double buckles. It was a carved leather circle usually depicting something about horses. Here's a pix I found of a nice one. If you look in the leather shop forum from early 2017 you'll find a good discussion about Marvin's belt. I would love to have a rig myself. If we're not shooting anything special at my clubs monthly match I often carry my  1911 strong side and a Colt New Service in a crossdraw. I've created a couple of matches based on The Professionals over the years, my favorite line " Amigo, we've been had." [DC right now.] I even built a dummy lewis gun out of my wife's Marlin 1894. A great movie.

[Wiley Desperado]

Nope, Lee's belt didn't have that check it out. 

[Baltimore Ed]

Yes it does. Hard to see but it does.

[Wiley Desperado]

Yep, you're right! How about a Mexican silver piteado, I like it better.  Thank you for pointing that out Baltimore Ed.  Much obliged!

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I have made a couple of double-chape pistol belts. instead of piteado on the center piece, I had three double shotgun ammo loops.

Change shotgun? Change center-piece.

[Baltimore Ed]

I've always thought that if I had something like this built I'd want to have a couple of 1911s carved into the leather piteado maybe with some bullet loops for 6 .45 acps and a matching mag pouch and atleast 6 bullet loops. Seriously though, where did Lee Marvin keep his extra ammo?

[Wiley Desperado]

 I am nearly finished with my military style double clip pouch for this set-up. 

[Coffinmaker]

I don't often dip my toe in here.  I only attempted leather work oncest.  That project never got finished (it did ..... trash can).  However ... I really really like the first rig.  That flat britches belt makes it possible to really snug the gun Belt right up to it.  Exudes some serious CLASS!!  Looks really good.  Were I not Old and Fat, I'd want one 

The second iteration with that great honkin buckle like thing in the middle is just too much FLASH.  Looks more like something a Saturday Night Cowboy might wear to a Singles Bar.  Still ..... nice though.  I personally wouldn't want one of those.  But it is really Nice.

Yes.  There is no doubt I am Opinionated and sometimes Rude.  I like my attitude!!

[Forty Rod]

I've always thought that if I had something like this built I'd want to have a couple of 1911s carved into the leather piteado maybe with some bullet loops for 6 .45 acps and a matching mag pouch and atleast 6 bullet loops. Seriously though, where did Lee Marvin keep his extra ammo?

In his hat? 

[Wiley Desperado]

Well now Coffinmaker, I appreciate your opinion and I don't see anything you wrote as being rude.  I appreciate and take it as a serious compliment that you like the first version of that belt.  I liked it, but honestly, I felt it was missing something, and didn't know what it was until Baltimore Ed clued me in.  Now as far as something some Saturday Night Cowboy might wear in a singles bar... maybe so, but that ain't all bad either.  The way I see it, we all like to be Cowboys, some on the ranch, some on the rodeo circuit, some on the shooting range, and some in the Cowboy Bars.  It's all good!   

Thanks for the compliment much appreciated! 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Looks nice. I have often thought about making a Marvin rig with a tooled piteado in the center. I do have the hat, though.

[Baltimore Ed]

Just out of curiosity, are there any holster makers actually marketing a Lee Marvin 'Professionals' rig? I also have the correct hat. Wiley, your belt needs a leather piteado otherwise it just looks like a belt with a large show buckle.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

The inspiration for my belt with the double billeted front panel is at page 130 of PACKING IRON. "Pitiado" refers to the embroidery with yucca or cactus thread, and is also mentioned at page 105 of COWBOYS and  the Trappings of the Old West.

I also recall an old Kirk Douglas oater, where he attempted "suicide by sheriff" with a double derringer hidden behind the center panel of a double billeted belt.

[Wiley Desperado]

Okay, I'll remake that section of the belt and get it back on here next week.    

Sir Charles deMouton-Black, yes, I have seen that rig, very nicely done.  

Thanks for the remarks much appreciated.  

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I think I remember reading somewhere that the gun belt of Marvin's was so heavy that they had to wire it to the other belt at the back to keep it from slipping off his waist. He really didn't have  much of a butt to keep it there, I guess. At any rate, Baltimore Ed asked where he kept his extra ammo. I remember seeing the movie and he had a mag pouch in the center of the back. Probably to cover where the belts were tied together. You can just see the pouch in this photo:

[Wiley Desperado]

Baltimore Ed, check out this new version of my Lee Marvin style 1911 rig.  I made a Pitiado. 

[Coffinmaker]

Now THAT .... is a real CLASS Marvin rig.  Really really nicely done.  Were I little less portly these days, I'd be clamoring for one.  You betcha!!  OUTSTANDING.

[Baltimore Ed]

Very nice Wiley, you nailed it. Sharp!

[Marshal Will Wingam]

That looks great! Nice work. Very 'Professionals'.