SickMick

I'll second the Will Gormley patterns. They are excellent. Pick one closest to the style you want.....then you can modify them for other styles. The fit of the pistols is perfect with these, and Will is a great guy. One pattern from Will will have patterns for most Black Powder, Colt, Remington and Schofield style firearms.

Yeah...you can find a cigar you like in the $10 range pretty easily. Lots of good choices these days. It's just a matter f trying a few. If you're a beginner, stick with a milder one.

I've made a couple......they have to be the most comfortable shoulder rig I've ever worn. However...on the historical side, that rig is a Hollywood creation. Doc never used one. His 77 Lightning was carried in his front pants pocket. Doc was "very cosmopolitan".... The pistol is in a private collection in Tombstone.

Not just "cedar". Cigars are stored with "Spanish Cedar". It's different than what you find in the lumber store. Far less aromatic. What I've seen most guys do for a lining in these, is to just get a few cigars that are wrapped in cedar (the right kind). Unwrap it from the cigar and stuff it in holder. It works great. For a form, you can simply use dowels the appropriate size screwed together. Keep in mind that there many different "vitolas"...which basically means size...in thickness and length. So it's better to go a little bigger than the average size the smoker uses. And yes......cigars aren't just for guys. I work a bit in a cigar shop. The ladies are a big part of our business. And last but not least.....great job!

Well done!

..... sounds like the sage advice of somebody that doesn't know much about them. Too bad. For those of us that have some experience with them, they are a heck of a lot of fun and do have their place.

The canvas belt with leather bullet loops was military issue in the 1870's. Custer's men had them (unfortunately) at Little Big Horn. They were also using copper cartridges. The leather caused severe verdigris on the cartridges causing the heads to tear off the cartridges when they were extracted rendering their '73 Trapdoor rifles useless in many cases. Thus, the move away from copper..... ...and just a couple other comments...... The "Slim Jim" started out (most likely) when the flaps were simply cut off military flap holsters. In the western deserts, the need for rain protection was minimal so the flap wasn't as necessary. Eventually they were just made without the flap. Holsters changed again when the cartridge guns came along mostly because of the size of the belt loop on the back of the holster, which simply wasn't large enough for a belt filled with cartridges to slip through. The military came out with several evolutions with larger belt loops, but soldiers during the later years of the Apache Wars (lasting from 1861 to the 1880's) would usually toss the military issued holsters and opt for a "Mexican Loop" style holster which gave them the needed room and eliminated the need to wear 2 belts, one for the holster and one for cartridges. It's hot here, so you can't blame them. This is a great thread! Thanks for all the info. The history of gun leather is quite fascinating. I've been studying them for years. I'm lucky enough to get to do period holsters for many of the reinactors in Tombstone. It seems there is always something new to learn.

I agree on the sling stud......fantastic idea.

Just one of the many designs of the Mexican Loop holster. My biggest seller. You don't need "hardware" to make a holster.....:)

Great job. Simple clean lines. I've got 4 Cimarron 45's, they are excellent firearms.

If this is still available, I be willing to pay for a copy..... my email is xsickmickx@gmail.com Thank you....

I'll second Will Gormley's patterns. One pattern has everything for all the popular western revolvers, including percussion in various barrel lengths. Well worth the $40. There was a transition in 1800's holster design when cartridge gun were introduced. Basically going from the "Slim Jim" California style to the Mexican Loop style. The major difference being the Mexican Loop can slip over a belt loaded with cartridges and the Slim Jim was designed for percussion guns.....and had a much smaller belt loop. Most had little embellishment as it was more of a tool than a fashion statement until the 1900's. I'm fortunate enough make holsters for some of the reenactors in Tombstone and sell through a gun shop there. These guys are PICKY!.....:) With that said, with one of Will's patterns, the sizing is perfect and it's easy to make small changes to the design as needed. Here's a "Hand Of God" I made quite some time ago. You may be able to find this pattern for a little less than any of his others, it's been pretty popular. Will's dedication to authenticity is awesome. This one has a bit of Hollywood flair with the tooling, but the basic shape is great.

Excellent work! Yes, you should make some more!

Beautiful work.......especially the holster. Love the period correct stuff. Great job!

If it was me, I'd check the value. On a historical piece, there could be more value in a "broken" holster than a "repaired" one. If value dictates, I would just pull out the old stitching and redo it along that seam. I'd try to duplicate the color exactly by staining or marking the new thread to match the stains and marks on the old thread. Just my 2 cents....