Blackey Cole

I would like to add two things. First I have a 1918 model might besides me and compared it to drawing as best as I can and they appear to be the same except mine is missing the leg tie down and not sure it it ever had it. It would be hard to make the item from that drawing alone as it isn't that clear where to place some of the beef up items. so refer to a photo if you are using that for a pattern on before constructing. Second find out which Ordnance Manual called for the 1911 model probably 1910-12 versions. I have used them in the past and they are public domain items find one with the plates in it also. I have a disc around here with a several years worth of pdfs copies that I paid for before learning that they were on line.

Since I shoot and dress up when attending SASS matches I try to go the military route for my costumes. Mainly since I retired from the military and secondly it takes the guess work out of it. 75-99% of the time I go for period correct although I save the wool for the cooler and hotter months. My wool pants were just as cool as my jeans. The only pants that were cooler was my pigskin ones. I'm tried shooting Wild Bunch a time ortwo and have the guns and a uniform for the turn of the century The only problem is the gaiters , they just will not stay on as they don't conform to my legs. Si I figure leather would stay put better. So now to find a correct pattern, preferably a usa manual link. That way I just copy what the suppliers used to make the originals. I also need a source for the oblong eyelets used for the upper strap . Any help with either would be great. TIA

If you check Tandys digital library you can get it digitally as of this month

Make a fitting belt with numbers at the hole so you can use the exact buckle and have them try it on using the fitting belt what ever hole they fit it to is the center hole on your new belt for that buckle.

Nice work King. Are you coming to Fiesta Leather in Albuquerque NM next month?

Get Al Stolman's three books on building cases one has everything you are asking for. Pattern, tooling, and by chance it has that 50's/60s look to it.

I have an eye patch around here somewhere and down the road I may be able to create a pattern.

Have you tried bag kote?

Try using a Sheridan beveler instead of the crafttool ones, the angle is steeper, Also fill the "hole" in using a USMC Black instead of the common black. It looks as you are using the sprit dyes instead of oil dyes. Myself I prefer the latter.

I hate to think what I have spent in the last decade for tools alone. Plus the books and patterns that I have gotten I don't think of the expendables because I usually find a way yo make most of them pay for themselves somehow.

I bent one of the craft tool's camouflage tools that came with the starter set in one of their kits.

Better than the holster book which doesn't have any belt patterns in it. Get the Buscadero Pattern and the other Holster and gun belt pattern from Tandy one of those have an excellent Oak Leaf belt pattern, I know because I hate the oak leaf stuff and it caught my attention I like the roses and sheridan stuff my self but there is a great pattern in one of those if I had to guess, mind you that is what I am doing, it was the Buscadero pattern set.

Go to the Ordanace Order for the period that you are looking for and look at the plates and read the description a good place to start is AO 29.

I am going to reach out there and say you are in the land of Oz or New Zealand. To send it back and forth between there and the USA would not be cost effective if at all possible.It would be cheaper to have the craftsman come to you and have you put them up during the restoration.

I think I will get them tomorrow when I get some money.

I was wondering what the thinest leather you have carved is? I know must use a 5oz or above but what is the thinest you can carve especially Sheridan style you the deepest tooling?

I have two comments on the new wheelgun holster. A) the camo barely shows up so you need to let the leather dry before forming it or at least let the tooling dry then rewet it. the lower part still looks big enough to allow the gun to rock to solve this how about stitching close to the mold lines like you would with a pancake and that will allow you to keep the same overall shape of the holster. I really like the two tone coloring on both. Off my soap box now.

Buy the Stolman book, you can even get it online now in PDF format. that is my prefered method of storage. I got it from Tandy's Leather Library. I also would visit the Tandy store and spend some money or even go there and have them help you with the techniques to producing a quality holster. They might even let you trace the pattern needed in the store that way.

Make Your own? Take a copper rivet, two leather washers and the clip and cell phone holder. Rivet everything together but do not set the rivet so tight that the pieces still rotate.

I just ordered a skin from Zack White Leather It hasn't arrived yet but I hope it will work out for the project that I have upcoming. I don't think it was as thick as you are wanting since it is for little bags that I am reproducing.

King X what would you be wanting for them?

Both of those were reprinted in the Leathercrafters & Saddlers Journal and you can call them and get the articles photocopied and sent to you. I have them in my collection of the LC&SJ but not sure which issue they are in

Was that an online source that you saw on the making of the bareback rig? If so would you please list it?

Springfield Leather Co. has a pattern out for pancake holsters for the top 5 handguns plus they have their police patterns that cover the whole same Brown rig except for a duty holster. THe book by Bianchi is blue steel and gun leather and good luck finding one at a reasonable price, I've been looking for it myself. Tandy has several project kits plus a book by Al Stolman on making holsters which you can get digitally from the Leathercraft Library. It is the typical folded holsters for most but there is a shoulder rig, a pancake and slide that I remember. I just picked up my dvds and books from the house today. I will be re-watching the holster dvd by George Hurst soon and see what it covers as I have forgotten. I also take an image of the holster I want to recreate in my way and blow it up to life size and then use it as a pattern along with using a Blue Gun for molding. I will try some Vacuum molding under heat with Kydex next month when I move closer to the house and can find everything I need to do it. I have a couple of project to knock out this month before I can do much for myself in learning new stuff plus I should have my Dusty Holster DVD tomorrow to watch.