Christmas Revolvers & Holsters

[crestoncowboy]

Very nice.
I've always wanted to make some. I went as far as reading a bit and bought a nice leather stitching kit.

Between beef we kill and the deer during the season, and occasional horses that get messed up and put down, I always think how I should try to make some. Maybe someday.

 

[Rodfac]

Creston... we kept horses for over 30 yrs here on our place in KY. My son still does on the adjacent farm. We started doing leather work as a natural part of taking care of our tack then made up holsters that would work on horseback as well as tractor, 4x4 and the farm trucks without getting in the way of the chores. We've all found it an enjoyable way to spend an evening stitching on the latest project using a home-made stitching horse while watching the evening's entertainment.

At one point in my shooting history, I thought a cross draw, butt forward rig would work out just fine while mounted...spent some time getting the cant just right but quickly found that reining with the left hand put my elbow in line with the hammer spur & butt of my single actions with painful consequences at the trot or even a gentle lope...

There was a reason cavalry carried their Colts butt forward on the right side!! Always a quick study, I now carry on the right, when mounted on 4 legs or 4 wheels and the bbl. length is pretty much confined to 5" or less...anything more and the gun's poking you in the ribs all day long on the truck/tractor/4x4 etc....

Best regards, Rod

 

[willb]

Handsome work. Nice job on the stain.

 

[Hal]

Just as a matter of interest while on the subject of holster making: I've ordered two from Doc Barrantito have no finish applied, just a natural leather exterior. I finish it with a couple applications of Johnson's Past Wax. This darkens the leather slightly and provides a very nice soft sheen to the leather. Here such a finish:

View attachment 1119883

Bob Wright

Just to make you aware...&..to let anyone know that wishes to follow your method.
SC Johnson paste wax is no more. They discontinued it.
It's still being sold though by some unscrupulous people that are taking advantage of people and selling it for many times what it sold for.
It used to be about $8 for a 16 ounce can. Now it's going for about $60.
Minwax paste wax is pretty much an exact match, Renaissance Wax is a higher quality that will also work.

Auto waxes such as Turtle Wax contain silicone. I doubt that would hurt anything though. I prefer not to have any auto wax around though since I also do wood working & silicone is death to finishes.

 

[BobWright]

Just to make you aware...&..to let anyone know that wishes to follow your method.
SC Johnson paste wax is no more. They discontinued it.
It's still being sold though by some unscrupulous people that are taking advantage of people and selling it for many times what it sold for.
It used to be about $8 for a 16 ounce can. Now it's going for about $60.
Minwax paste wax is pretty much an exact match, Renaissance Wax is a higher quality that will also work.

Auto waxes such as Turtle Wax contain silicone. I doubt that would hurt anything though. I prefer not to have any auto wax around though since I also do wood working & silicone is death to finishes.

Last time I was there my hardware store still had some on the shelf. Right near the stove polish!

Bob Wright

 

[Riomouse911]

Those look fantastic, well done. There are some really talented people here on THR that can work some magic with leather.

Stay safe.

 

[doubleh]

Silicone on leather just helps to waterproof it. Back in my working days I used some stuff that was a spray on my work boots to keep them from leaking. I bought it from the local bootmaker and he wouldn't sell any product that would damage leather. He was also the one that turned me on to Hubberd's Shoe Grease for work boots. Spray them a couple of times with the silicon and then a good coat of grease and they were almost as good as galoshes at staying dry inside.

I have a holster in the works and am trying to decide on the finish. I have clear lac, resolene, Johnson's, Feibing's shoe cream, and can swipe some olive oil from my wife. Decisions, decisions. Hubberds is reserved my old work boots.

 

[Dunross]

Just as a matter of interest while on the subject of holster making: I've ordered two from Doc Barrantito have no finish applied, just a natural leather exterior. I finish it with a couple applications of Johnson's Past Wax. This darkens the leather slightly and provides a very nice soft sheen to the leather. Here such a finish:

View attachment 1119883

Bob Wright

Thanks for posting that as I was recently wondering about using Johnson's on leather. It looks good to me. Now I have to go to my local Ace to see if they still have any. I think I have a full can left.

I've never made a holster before, but I just this week ordered a book on holster making along with some leather working tools I didn't already have. I'm looking at making pocket holsters, but if they come out ok I might work up to something more ambitious.

My oldest daughter is getting big into our local medieval faire so has done a little simple leatherwork for her fair gear so far. I'm hoping to get her more interested along those lines. My youngest is the family Serious Artist. I'm hoping to entice her into some leather art. We'll see.

 

[DR505]

Just as a matter of interest while on the subject of holster making: I've ordered two from Doc Barrantito have no finish applied, just a natural leather exterior. I finish it with a couple applications of Johnson's Past Wax. This darkens the leather slightly and provides a very nice soft sheen to the leather.

Bob Wright

Did you mean Doc Barranti? https://barrantileather.com/ He makes very nice holsters; almost as good as RodFac!

 

[Hal]

Last time I was there my hardware store still had some on the shelf. Right near the stove polish!

Bob Wright

Well - I guess you're all set then huh? For the rest of the world and especially those individuals that follow your advice in detail - SC Johnson quit making paste wax in 2021 & what you see on ebay is some unscrupulous person preying on people's ignorance. There are much cheaper versions available.

 

[StrawHat]

…The back on each is full length, from belt loop at the top to the toe at the bottom. The cross strap is stitched to the back, then the actual holster is turned down inside it forming the belt loop, then stitched to the toe. The cross strap and toe stitching is not fun...awkward even, when compared to the relatively straight forward edge stitching. The front and back of the holster, and back flap are all one continuous piece of leather. Only the cross strap is a separate piece.

In building them, the paper pattern is transferred to the 6-7 oz leather, cut out, then the stitching groove is cut and stamping is completed. Next I stain the 'good' side of the entire piece, allow it to dry overnight, then Barge cement the lining to the back side. Same for the cross strap. All edges are then boned to a smooth finished appearance while still slightly damp & re-stained where necessary.

Once completely dry, I edge stitch the lining to the heavier, outer leather using the time honored two needle and awl technique, leaving the welt area below the trigger guard for last. Once the cross strap is stitched to the back & the last below trigger guard welt is stitched, I fold/bend the gun holding part of the holster and slip it underneath the cross strap, forming the belt loop. Lastly, I stitch the toe to the back flap.


...Rod

Sounds like the way a Sunday Scabbard, aka Brill, is done.


Those look very nice. Let me know when you want to tackle a black floral engraved one for an N frame.


Kevin

 

[balin]

I am jealous. You have beautiful holsters and talent.

 

[armoredman]

I should buy one like the middle rig that for my Model 64, gonna be my poor man's barbeque gun.

 

[Rodfac]

Well, I finished the 3rd Xmas present holster, last night...it's for our son now living up in NY, north of Albany...several years ago, I'd given him my Smith M-60, the one they'd once offered with a 5" bbl. A 'J' frame with a 5" bbl., who could resist but he liked it more than I did! So out the door it went.

The gun is a keeper, & especially useful as a trail piece. That longer than usual bbl., gives it some muzzle heft out front and dampens recoil with moderate loads. But even with a 5" tube, it still hangs on the belt without poking me in the spare ribs while seated on the tractor or in my truck. A quick scan of GB pricing shows it to be an in demand item...probably for collectors, but our family has found it to be a great shooter.

Anyway, here's the open top, OWB, finished up like the others. It's my version of a Tom Threepersons design typet, that'll work on a two inch, or less, gun belt. While the pic below shows it with my 3" bbl'd M-63 Smith and a pair of Altamont grips, we'll see if it's really a good fit with the 5" bbl. on Christmas morning.
Best regards, Rod

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[Y-T71]

Well, I finished the last one, last night...it's for our son living up in NY, north of Albany...I gave him my Smith M-60, the one they offered years ago with a 5" bbl.

The gun was a keeper as a trail piece. The longer than usual bbl., gave it some muzzle heft and added some much needed weight for moderate loads. But even with a 5" bbl., it still hung on the belt without poking me in the spare ribs while seated on the tractor or truck. A quick scan of GB pricing shows it to be an in demand item...probably for collectors, but our family found it to be a great shooters.

Anyway, here's the open top I finished, a Tom Threepersons type as I interpret it, that'll accommodate up to a two inch belt. The pic shows it with my M-63 Smith with a pair of Altamont grips installed. My son has a set of S&W finger groove combats on his IIRC. Best regards, Rod

Forgot the pictures buddy!

There it is!

Looks great!

 

[CraigC]

Beautiful work and you know I'm really looking.

 

[Rodfac]

Thanks Craig for the compliment...and I DO study your leather work!!

The 5" bbl'd M-60 is a comparative rarity but works very well even with size "L" hands. The Monogrips make a big difference when I fire it...and the 5" bbl. adds accuracy to what is a really good trail/fishing gun.

My son and his family were here for Christmas and the holster I'd made for his 5" M-60 .357 was a big hit. Here's the gun and holster (fugly grips I know, but comfortable) plus a back view for one of you who requested it. The pic of the back side looks fuzzy for some reason, but in reality, it's the reverse side of a vegetable tanned piece of pig skin...a good choice for holster lining IMHO.

Best regards, and a Happy and prosperous New Year. Rod

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