Josh Ashman

Hey Billy, Here is a pic of one of these I tooled (I slapped it on a different holster, but it's one of Jim's flowers). I used a flower center, a back grounder and a beveler, everything else was a swivel knife. My cuts tend to run a little crude so it's hard to say where I stop and start but running from the stem out and lightening up at the end is a great plan, Good luck, post some pictures when you get it done! Josh

I'm with Big Sioux and CWR. I also make mine to be 9" from center of fold to center of fold. Good luck! Josh

Thanks Steve!

The chape is folded over the buckle and riveted to the main belt with a little bit of stitching around on the far end. I "lifted" the flower and most of the vine from a Tandy pattern they send out with one of their wallet kits. Here's a pic that shows it a little better. Hopefully I made sense this time! Have a great day! Josh

Hey JLS, I run all the rivets through the main belt. The main belt keeper is riveted in place, although you can't see the front of the rivets as they are under the piece that hols the buckle, I think people call it a chap, maybe? Anyway, that's how I do it. I've seen them done lots of different ways, as long as it works, it's good. I about went into why I like this set up but it involves descriptions like "floppy", "rigid" and "firm" in reference to where you buckle a belt and this is a family site After posting this I re-read your question and I think I understand it better now. The billet end does not go through the main belt when you put it on. So, yes, it does go on just like a ranger type belt! All the best, Josh

25b pretty well nailed it. Here is a picture of how I build them with it installed on the main belt piece. After the 2 rivet holes that hold the buckle on it's skived off. Good luck on your project! Josh

Very nice Billy! That's some fine work and really quite amazing considering you started in June!

Clearview, Here is a pic of a holster that I double stitched on the gun side in one continuous stitch line. You could double, or triple, quadruple, etc. stitch the whole thing that way if you wanted to. Back stitch a few holes at the start and end to lock your stitches and plan where to turn or offset to jump into the next line and away you go. Good luck, Josh

Thanks for looking an giving your thoughts Blackey. I am happy with how it turned out and although it is a little bit of a novelty item I would be fine to carry this rig under a mid weight jacket or coat. Two full size 1911's and 32 + 2 rounds would all but disappear under a Carhartt chore coat. Not sure that I'd want to pack that around all day although it seemed comfortable enough the little bit I did wear it before sending it out. Having the spare mags on a belt and not packing 2 full size steel frame pistols does make more sense from a practical point of view. You'll get no disagreement from me on that. Thanks again for looking! Josh

That's a very classy looking set up! Great work!

Thanks guys! The customer is happy with them too! Have a great day! Josh

Amazon or Tandy Leather would probably be the easiest place to find them.

I recommend getting and reading the Al Stohlman saddle making books. He wrote 3 full books of basically what you are asking for here and he did a fine job of it. Building a saddle is a awfully big job to "wing it" on. Good luck, Josh

Martin, I've run into that a few times as well and I always just figured that at sometime it was taken apart and put back together wrong. I always just reroute the leather to the front of the rigging and move on. Maybe somebody else has more insight to it. Have a good day! Josh

Just finished this up. The mag pouches are flat backed and attach to T nuts that are installed in the reinforcement/tie down snap piece. They do not go all the way through the main holster. This makes it so there is no hardware to rub on the pistols. Anyway, 8 oz HO on the holsters and mag pouches, the harness is some black drum dyed stuff somebody gave me. It's not quite veg tan and not quite chrome tanned, not sure exactly what it is but it made a nice harness. Fiebings Pro Oil Black on the HO and a light swipe of NF oil then a dunk in 50/50 M&G mixed with water. Thanks for looking! Josh

Thanks Malabar & Red Bear! Correct on the thickness Malabar. The belt comes out to 16 oz or roughly 1/4" thick with the 2 layers of 8 oz glued and stitched. Between the leather being that thick, the cement (I use Barge or Masters, whichever I happen to grab) and the double stitching I don't bother to add any other stiffeners. The holster, as well as the mag pouch, is also 8 oz leather so it's roughly 1/4" thick where it's stitched and 1/8" at the "pockets". Red Bear, I probably should keep better track but it's usually mixed by whatever is left int he bottle or however much will fit in the bottle I'm mixing it in. If I had to guess or wanted to replicate it I'd try 4 parts brown, 2 parts oxblood and then cut that almost in half with alcohol. That may need adjusted somewhat but it should give you a starting point. Have a great Friday gents! Josh

Red Bear nailed it!

Very nice Bobby! I've been thinking of doing something similar but haven'y gotten around to it yet. SF

I think it looks pretty good. The fit and finish, dye, molding and stitching all look great. A few things I'd do differently would be to cover the muzzle so the front sight doesn't want to hang up or if the barrel hits a hard seat the pistol doesn't bump up out of the holster. I'd also follow the curve of the trigger guard with the stitch line instead of the square corner you have. And, it might just be the angle of the picture but I'd try and make sure I had the top cut in such a way that you can get a good grip that you don't have to shift around in order to present and fire. It might be fine, but it looks like the pistol might sit a little deep in the holster. Overall a really nice job and just a few things I'd have done different, that's sure not to say that it would be better or worse, just different. All the best, Josh

Grumpy, Due to leather being a natural material that stretches and depending on how thick it is, what part of the animal it was cut from and where it was tanned the amount of stretch can vary a huge amount. if you want a flat back holster that will fit and work decently you should mold the front piece tot he gun first then figure out your belt slots and the outside shape. Then you can use that to cut out the back piece. Glue it up, sand your edges, stitch it and you're all set. Or, somebody might have a pattern they'll give you. I don't worry about getting flat backed holsters, so I do not have one to share. Good luck! Josh

I really like the contoured, split back wool pads. I've purchased a bunch and my favorites are some I got from Diamond Wool Pads that have a canvas cover in addition to wear leathers. It seems to me like the canvas really helps them to hold up to busting brush as well as just general use. For starting colts I generally use 2 doubled Navajo blankets, so 4 total layers of blanket. This seems to "slip" less then a 1 piece wool pad on a young horse and has worked well for me. Good luck with your pad design!

Great looking saddle, nice job!

Thanks gents!

Thanks 0341 (mortors up!) SF Thanks Billsotx! Just the one Blackhawk for me, so just smoke wagon, not wagons. It is one of my favorite pistols and I would like to have 2! The customer just picked it up and she was very happy. It's a surprise B-day present for her husband. Hopefully he likes it as much as she did.

Just finished this up and thought I'd share. 10/11 HO for the main holsters and belt, 8 oz HO for the belt billet and chape (sp?) and 5 oz for the bullet loops and holster reinforcements. Dyed with Fiebings british tan cut 50/50 with alcohol then 2 coats of NF followed by 2 rub downs with Aussie wax and left in the sun to melt in after each application. The final touch was a little saddle soap to put on a little shine. Thanks for looking! Josh