WillGhormley

You guys are funny! Yeah, the EPA is trying to get rid of anything that works good or makes money. Here in Ioway country, the EPA was trying to outlaw farming because it caused too much dust. You think I'm kiddin' don't you, but that's essentially what their mandates would have done. They also tried to outlaw feed-lots because of "Bovine Flatulence". They say that cow-farts release too much methane and worsen their imaginary global warming. The EPA has already run most tanneries out of the country. Who knows what will be next, saddle makers? When it comes right down to color penetration, nuthin' beats Fiebing's Professional Oil Dye, nuthin'! However, when it comes to bleedin' of on clothes when wet, nuthin' beats Fiebing's Black Professional Oil Dye. For that reason, I'm goin' to start usin' the Waterstain products on my modern carry gear. And, Go2Tex, I can't agree with you more about how coloration sucks the beauty out of carved leather. But, the customer is always right. I did another test with the Waterstain using the Waterstain Finish and Cream Conditioner. Those two extra applications really armored-up the abrasion resistance. But, again, like Go2Tex said, try to avoid gettin' drug across cement. You can see the results of the last test at the same webpage. http://www.willghormley-maker.com/OldDogsAndNewTricks.html Hope this helps, Will

OK, I tried another test with the Waterstain, applying it to dampened leather to see if I could get better color penetration and abrasion resistance. The answer is "Yes!". To see the results of that test, visit the same webpage as before: http://www.willghormley-maker.com/OldDogsAndNewTricks.html However, this test got me to thinkin' there are better results to be had with the Waterstain. So, I guess I'm goin' to have to do at least one more test. Will

Hey Luke, The vast, vast majority of the work I've done has been reproduction old west gear. My edge treatments have been pretty much limited to organic bee's wax and Gum Tragacanth. Neither one really cover the actual leather, just burnish it down. I have used Fiebing's, but I didn't like the look on my old west gear, so my experience is limited. However, I liked the way the Waterstain edger went on. But, I don't have a whole lot of experience with that either. Not much help I'm afraid. Will

I got to wunderin' if the Waterstain wouldn't penetrate deeper into the leather if the leather was damp when the Waterstain was applied. I'll have to do some tests on that. Will

Wow Spinner! Nice. Been a long time since I did custom leather on a bike. I had forgotten how nice it looked! Hey Electrathon, No, I hadn't done any abrasion tests. I was too focused on the color fastness of the project. However, I do remember Byron telling me I needed to put on multiple layers of the conditioner in thin coats to protect the finish. I think you are probably right about the relative nature of the surface application. Easy, fast, colorfast, not so deep. Makes sense. But, Spinner seems to be on to something with the oil dye undercoat. You get the best of both worlds with that application. Genius! I'll have to try that on another project. However, one of the things I do is the distressed look. I can see some real applications for some cool effects. I'll have to play around with it a bit more...past the color-fastness issue. Maybe a saddle tan undercoat with Black Waterstain overcoat for that "Hollywood" distressed look. We'll see... Excellent point! Will

I'm a stickler for the "Old School" and I mean real old. So, it was difficult for me to try anything new. However, I finally had a project that I could use the Eco Flo Professional Waterstain on, (a modern paddle holster). I was particularly interested in the Eco Flo because I had heard it was pretty water-fast. When you are carrying things so close to your person, (shirts especially), you hate to have dye bleeding off on the clothes when wet or sweaty. So, I tried the Eco Flo Waterstain and was very impressed. I took photos and made a webpage for how I used it. If you are interested in my experience with it, visit the link: http://www.willghormley-maker.com/OldDogsAndNewTricks.html Hope this helps, Will

Hey Guys, I'm sure my dad, Mr. Ghormley would be proud. I'm proud of you too Boothill, you've done a great job. And, I made the patterns available so folks could make and sell their own reproductions of the movie rig. There are some very specific hidden things I did on the movie rigs, so no one can ever pass off a cleaver copy as one from the movie. I don't know that there would ever be any legal problems with "Hand of God", or "3:10 to Yuma", unless you were trying to pass off fakes. But even then, who is goin' to sue a poverty stricken leather crafter? There's no money in that! I wouldn't worry about legalities. Will

Hey Folks, Just got my Johnny Ringo Rig "How-To" page up and runnin'. I'll be addin' the Johnny Ringo spur leathers to it soon. But for now, it's runnin'. http://www.willghormley-maker.com/MakingRingoRig.html Will

Ouch! That must have been harsh dmr400! To go from the point of the sword to a Bat Shop. You probably had to eat a bunch of words you had uttered about REMFs. But, I'll bet you have more appreciation for 'em now. What were you doin' at the the S1 Shop? It all greases the wheels of the big machine. And, like most of us, you did what you had to do for your ideals and your mates. Good to have you home! Will

dmr400, Thanks for your kind words, but your service to our country is what is inspiring! I spent 12 years in the Infantry serving my country. While I don't agree with what the government is doin' any more, I still back our soldiers, sailors and airmen, 100%. And, as a grandfather, I will still gladly sacrifice myself, my children, and my grandchildren to defend our nation's Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. On a more cheery note, the HOG Rig pattern will be goin' to the blueprint shop Friday. It should be in the mail next week for all who pre-ordered the pattern. Will

Yeah, the Ranger Belt has a lot to offer in style. It's probably my favorite all-'round belt. Oh, on the holster measurements, those are for traditional holsters without any welts or whatnot. Will

For what it's worth... I make all my patterns to fit the specific pistol. I use a series of minimum measurements to make sure the gun fits in a holster constructed of 9-10 oz. leather. You can make it larger without any problem, but it starts gettin' tight if you go much smaller than these standard measurements. Now, I like a holster that fits a gun tight enough it's still in the holster when you need it. I don't mind yankin' that baby out, I just hate checkin' my back-trail looking for iron. For instance, for a Colt 1873, (or clone thereof), I lay the pistol down on the folded paper just as mentioned before and trace it. Then, I add 5/8" around the trigger guard, 1" around the frame and ejector housing, and even down the barrel, (though you can start to fudge a little on the barrel, don't get under 3/4"). If the holster is goin to get a toe-plug, I allow 1/4" at the end. If it is goin' to be a sewn, round toe, I allow 3/4" at the lowest portion of the curve. If I'm addin' a lining, I generally ad 1/4" to every measurement, except for a toe-plug. The lining doesn't add enough thickness to change that measurement. With those basic measurements as my, "not tighter than this" guide, I give the holster the contours I want to see after that. Works every time for me. Will

OK, I've posted the last photo on the "Hand of God" "How-To" series. It is a detailed photo of the finished rig. http://www.willghormley-maker.com/MakingHOGRig.html There ya' go! Will

Hey Guys, Glad you're enjoyin' the "Hand of God" "How-To". I just finished the third page, dealin' mainly with braidin' the hammer tie-down. Since hammer tie-downs weren't typical to 1800 gunleather, I had to design it so it would hide away during close-ups. So, I braided the string for it so it would be flexible and have some give to it. I attached it on the back-side of the holster so it could be tucked between the holster and the belt for those close-ups. I think I did see it stickin' out in one of the close-ups, but, for the most part, the kept it invisible. http://www.willghormley-maker.com/MakingHOGRig.html Will

Hey Boomstickholsters, You are absolutely right. There's dishonest folks aplenty in all walks of life. That's one of the reasons I have a carry permit. But, I refuse to build my life around the bad things other people might do. Now, that may not be the smart way to look at it. That may not be the practical way to go about it. That may not be the safest way to do it. But, if I was smart, practical and played it safe, I wouldn't have spent twelve years in the infantry or be a small business man. Will

Yeah, rookies my.... I'm happy folks are gettin' somethin' out of it. Will

Since I was already on the forum today, I figured I'd post a link to a webpage I've started on the details I used making Russell Crowe's "Hand of God" Rig for "3:10 to Yuma". I've had a lot of requests for the pattern, so I've finally gotten around to gettin' it made. But, as I've been puttin' together the pattern, I started a "How-To" page to help folks get the details right when they get around to makin' it. This isn't a complete "How To Make Gun Rigs" webpage. It just covers the specifics of the "Hand of God" Rig that folks might not be familiar with. http://www.willghormley-maker.com/MakingHOGRig.html If you have any specific questions about what's on the webpage, drop me an email. willghormley@mchsi.com Will

Hey Folks, I've noticed my name bein' mentioned under this topic before. I've bit my tongue and resisted saying anything. However, a link to this topic showed up on my search engine register again today, and I thought I would weigh in. When actors are riding my saddles in movies, I carry liability insurance. The chances of my workmanship or materials failing on a saddle I provide for a movie are non-existent. The chance of some wrangler not knowin' how to properly adjust an authentic 1800s saddle is probably a little higher. The chance of my gear bein' damaged on the set and becoming unsafe are higher still. The chance of some soft Hollywood beefcake fallin' off a horse is probably pretty good. From my dealings with the Hollywood crowd, I know many of them to be less than honest. So, when I have saddles in a movie, I carry insurance just in case. Now, in my dealings with real cowboys, I'd trust them with my life and my horse. In my dealings with Western Action Shootin' Cowboys, they can cover my six any day. In my experience, it is rare to find a shooter who would shoot a man in the back. I'm not worried about bein' sued by some cowboy. So, I don't carry liability insurance as a rule. Now, for the question of holster makers bein' liable for someone shootin' themselves: I've carried loaded weapons for over 40 years. I've never shot myself, and I've done some pretty stupid things. But, more importantly, I've never shot anyone else on accident. I make reproductions of Old West cowboy gear, including accurate and period correct holsters and gun belts. Since all of my gear is custom made according to my customer's desires, they are in absolute control of what they get. If any of my gear fails because of poor quality, and someone is injured, I should be responsible for the damage I've caused. That 'aint happenin'...ever. Nothin' I make will ever fail because of poor workmanship or quality. Each part of my rigs spends hours in my hands. I know if somethin' isn't up to the task and it doesn't end up in the finished product. If some shooter ruins one of my holsters in a horse accident, fallin' off a cliff, squeezin' through the back window of some shady house of ill repute in the middle of the night, and continues to use a dangerously damaged rig, it's not my fault. If they end up shootin' themselves, or God forbid, some innocent bystander, that's still not my fault. If they handle a gun in an unsafe manner, regardless of the condition of the holster they yank the iron from, that's not my fault. Now, as to the question of the safety of the "prairie twist" draw: Playin' with loaded guns 'aint safe to begin with. Guns are made to kill. They work pretty good at their designed purpose. If you are goin' to play with a tool that is intended to kill, you had best have your head where you can get fresh air. If you are incompetent, there isn't any holster that is goin' to make your gun-handlin' safe. Does that mean you can sue the guy who made the holster you yanked your gun out of? Sure. Why not? We live in a society that avoids personal responsibility. Why not penalize someone else for your own incompetence? But, that's not the "Cowboy Way". The bottom line is, guns are made to kill. They are not safe. The only thing that can make a gun safe is the way it is handled. The only one who is responsible for safe gun handling is the one handling the gun. If some guy shoots his dangling reproductive parts off, it just proves Darwin's theory of Natural Selection. I've carried my guns cross-draw nearly all my life and have eight kids and two grandkids to vouch for the safety of the practice. But, it wasn't the holster that made it safe, it was me. If some ignorant mamma's boy wants to sue me because he doesn't know how to safely draw a weapon from one of my holsters, have at it. After raisin' eight kids, I've got nuthin' to loose but my 26 year-old truck...and my guns. If a guy shoots himself on accident, I'm not worried about him gettin' my guns on purpose. All of you guys who think suin' folks is the answer to un-safe gun handlin', you need to man-up. Take responsibility for your own selves and quit tryin' to find someone to compensate for your own poor judgment. I can't say it any better than John Wayne, "Life is tough. It's tougher when you're stupid!" Will

Hey Folks, I was wonderin' if anyone knew who invented the Swivel Knife and when. I'm 51 and it's been around longer than me. It's all I ever heard Al Stohlman talk about, so I know it's older than dirt, or at least the 40's. If anyone has any information, I'd like to hear it. Thanks, Will

Hey Art, You can have those grips made. The most affordable is http://www.westernandwildlifewonders.com/s...dex.php?cPath=1 . The other would be http://www.outlawgrips.com/index_files/Page898.htm . The third option would be to buy a "Hand of God" Crucifix and inlay it yourself. Will

Hey Jon, I'm gettin' closer to gettin' those saddle "How-To" DVDs and patterns made. I'm gonn'a need somebody who can build the trees just the way I want 'em and duplicate 'em in large enough quantities to meet the demand. That way, the customer can get the tree the pattern was made for. Know anybody who can do that? Will

Once you learn how to sharpen a head knife, and then to use it, (cutting with dull head knives is the easiest way to loose body parts!), you wonder why you ever used anything else to cut leather. I feel rather inadiquate because I only have two head knives. One don't have no name, and the other is a Stohlman that I got in a trade. Neither one came sharp enough to do much with, but they cut as good as anything if you learn how to keep 'em sharp. Will

Hey Warren, Not a problem. It's what I do. Will

Hey Guys, Last year I tried to get Tandy Leather Factory to make the two rosette stamps used on Frank James' holster. They are nice, large, floral saddle-stamps. Good for fillin' corner decorations. TLF passed, so I started lookin' into where I might be able to get some made. At the same time, I was trying to find a source for good old west cartridge belt buckles. I ended up makin' the buckles myself, and now I've started in on the Frank James Rosette stamp project. I hope to have the first prototype stamps to test in about three weeks. This got me thinkin' about other stamp projects there might be a need for. Since the arthritis in my thumbs has made decorative cuts more difficult, I filed down a pair of veiners to make a fake set of opposing decorative cuts. I use 'em all the time. It saves a lot of wear and tear on my hands. I was wonderin' if anyone else thinks such stamps would be worth havin'. I've thought about makin' three or four sets: small, medium, large, and maybe a very curly set. Any thoughts? Will

Hey Don, I do recall your invitation, and actually stopped by this forum. It's just that I've been so busy. Add to that: short term and permanent memory loss because of repeated blunt trauma to the head, 50 years of livin', and workin' from home with all the kids runnin' around, and the result is, I don't get around to doin' everything I need to do. At this point, I'm not sure how much time I'll be able to spend on this forum, but I've been meenin' to stop by for a while. So, here I am. Thanks for the invite. Tell Willy I'm still tryin' to get my PayPal set up to make it easier to order. Again, I've got so many irons in the fire, some of 'em are gettin' cold, (and that computer stuff is so complicated!). Will