Holsters

[West Texan]

Two ready to cut patterns and basket weave

[William]

Nice!

[West Texan]

Jump forward I seem to be stuck on a style.

[graybear]

Why fix what ain't broke? If you keep working at a style until you've found out how to make it quickly and easily, then you can try something new and use things you found from the first item.

[West Texan]

Well, the shootin- iron and intended use determines much of the design. My holsters ( 4 by none) are for cap and ball revolvers and not for "fast draw". But utility carry. I guess that's the real reason for being stuck in one style at the moment.

[mongrel]

Having had the opportunity and leisure time to work at it, way back, I can say you'd be surprised at how fast you can clear leather and fire an accurate shot from a historically-correct, non-"fast draw" holster. Fast draw isn't a matter of the proper low-slung carry rig, it's a matter of a lot of practice, starting with very slow, deliberate movements that gradually increase in speed as the muscles of the arm and hand become accustomed to what you're asking of them. Under stress, a practiced user of a long-barreled sixgun in a slim jim or loop holster, either crossdraw or strong-side relatively high carry, will get off an accurate shot in less time than it takes an unpracticed shooter with a drop-loop buscadero rig to try to hurry and blow a hole through his own leg or abdomen.

The huge advantage of the correct old-timey holsters is that, unlike a modern "fast draw" rig where the holster and gun are locked into a low-cut loop in the gunbelt, and stay in the same position and orientation regardless of what the wearer is trying to do, the original holsters could be easily adjusted for comfort when walking, sitting a horse, lounging in a chair, or working at something where it's good not to have the gun up front and in the way. When one is practiced at carrying, his or her body will feel and register the location of the gun butt, so that in spite of the gun not being in the same precise location every time it's needed it is still easy to quickly get the iron into action. I used to carry a Ruger Single-Six in a plain ol' single-loop holster when chain-sawing multiple cords of firewood in a variety of rattlesnake-friendly Arizona locales; I just pushed the holster back over my right butt area to keep the gun out of the way, while still knowing it was there if I needed it in a hurry.

I would be remiss if I didn't comment that I really like your holsters. I'm soon to be moving onto a piece of land that I'm informed is an expressway for local coyotes on their search for someone's pet to eat (my manager at work, soon to be my two-mile-distant neighbor, lost one of his dogs a few weeks ago), and will be carrying a 7 1/2" barreled .44 Special SAA clone in a double-loop holster while sitting a mower or tractor or simply walking the premises. I am completely sold on the original holsters and your variations are very nice.

[West Texan]

Here they are competed

[graybear]

Very nice. Once I get my strength back, I'll have to try to make one for my 1858 repl.

[Hawken50]

   Excellent work there WT.......I am partial to that style holster

[West Texan]

I made a couple of holsters for a brother in law for his SASS matches. Seems like they are to tight. I wanted the revolvers to snap in. He needed loose. Anyhow I'll get em back and sell them. They fit SAA clone with 5 1/2 barrel mine are 4 3/4.  I think a Normal use holster ought to be like a DQ blizzard. When you turn it over the contents should not fall out. The SASS guys have a different need.