Pattern preferences

[JDFred]

I was asked to build a western style holster and cartridge belt for my buddy’s brother.  It’s for a Colt Anaconda.   I’ve never built either of these things so I was looking into different patterns.  I’ve seen some threads on here recommending Will Ghormley patterns so I looked into those and some Slickbald patterns came up as well.  So that brings me to my question; has anyone used one or both and what was good, bad, and ugly about them?  Any help would be appreciated.

[Dwight]

I doubt you will find a western rig pattern for the holster for an Anaconda . . . the cartridge belt should be easy to find . . . remember that when you make it . . . the belt length he uses for his trousers will be 4 inches shorter than that of the cartridge belt.

I don't have a video of myself making a holster from a pattern . . .  but I scrounged over on youtube . . . and found you a couple of them.

Watch both of them.  The guy in the wavy grey hair will show you how do do a pattern.  He does not stress it . . . I will . . . when you are making that pattern . . . DO NOT try to scrimp on  the leather.  If you cut off and toss an extra 1 inch all the way around . . . it's a heck of a lot better than being 1/4 inch short and having to cut it out all over again.

The video where the black guy is in there . . . he shows you the best way to make the cartridge belt.  I make all of mine basically the same way . . . have never had any serious complaints . . . 

Holler back at me if you have any questions.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

 

 

[TonyV]

"How to Make Holsters" by Al Stohlman is still available at Tandy leather.  Shows how to build several different types of holsters, including western.  It doesn't get into belts.  It teaches the fundamentals, provides some patterns, and lets you take it from there.  

[JDFred]

11 hours ago, Dwight said:

I doubt you will find a western rig pattern for the holster for an Anaconda . . . the cartridge belt should be easy to find . . . remember that when you make it . . . the belt length he uses for his trousers will be 4 inches shorter than that of the cartridge belt.

I don't have a video of myself making a holster from a pattern . . .  but I scrounged over on youtube . . . and found you a couple of them.

Watch both of them.  The guy in the wavy grey hair will show you how do do a pattern.  He does not stress it . . . I will . . . when you are making that pattern . . . DO NOT try to scrimp on  the leather.  If you cut off and toss an extra 1 inch all the way around . . . it's a heck of a lot better than being 1/4 inch short and having to cut it out all over again.

The video where the black guy is in there . . . he shows you the best way to make the cartridge belt.  I make all of mine basically the same way . . . have never had any serious complaints . . . 

Holler back at me if you have any questions.

May God bless,

Dwight

Thank you Dwight, I watched both videos and when you are saying don’t scrimp on leather on the holster it would be better to go about an inch wider than the gun outline rather than the 3/4” he recommended?  Is the ranger style belt better than a regular type belt or is it just a style thing?  I was going to try to keep it as simple as I could for my first attempt.  I had a thought about making the whole thing out of harness leather.  Would that work or would that be a poor choice?  Thank you again for the help.

 

11 hours ago, TonyV said:

"How to Make Holsters" by Al Stohlman is still available at Tandy leather.  Shows how to build several different types of holsters, including western.  It doesn't get into belts.  It teaches the fundamentals, provides some patterns, and lets you take it from there.  

Thank you Tony, I was looking at some of Tandy’s patterns for this project also. That book looks like it may be more useful.  I have one of the “How to Make Cases” books by Al Stolman and there is a lot of information and tips in it.  If it’s the same way it may be good to have for a reference source. Thanks again.

[Thadrick]

Harness leather is fine, in fact for the first couple holsters I recommend it.  I've never used Herman leather on anything myself and I feel as though I've knocked out some perty dang fine holsters. I've also thrown out some holsters due to mistakes and I didn't throw out something that was very expensive. 

 I started with Al's book and it's a good one.

 Today when I plan a holster for a new pistol I make a pattern and then build one that is bland and Un attractive using my pattern. After I've proven to myself that the pattern fits i can adjust areas i dont like then I build my trophy holster. I've discovered I wear my bland holsters more than my trophy holsters.

 Belts are designed for specific functions. I prefer a drop holster belt for daily use and the other types for wall hangers. For me, drop holsters belts are most comfortable someone else might prefer a different belt for specific tasks or looks. 

 As for me, building my own holster rig is for my own satisfaction,  some think it's to save money, I haven't found that to be the case. Some think they can start a business building holsters but considering how much time I need to make a holster, I'd have to work for $2.00 an hour to compete. 

Good luck with your project, everything is a learning curve. Keep your nose up when you need to start over. Most of my failures happen on the very last step of the build process. 

[JDFred]

2 hours ago, Thadrick said:

Harness leather is fine, in fact for the first couple holsters I recommend it.  I've never used Herman leather on anything myself and I feel as though I've knocked out some perty dang fine holsters. I've also thrown out some holsters due to mistakes and I didn't throw out something that was very expensive. 

 I started with Al's book and it's a good one.

 Today when I plan a holster for a new pistol I make a pattern and then build one that is bland and Un attractive using my pattern. After I've proven to myself that the pattern fits i can adjust areas i dont like then I build my trophy holster. I've discovered I wear my bland holsters more than my trophy holsters.

 Belts are designed for specific functions. I prefer a drop holster belt for daily use and the other types for wall hangers. For me, drop holsters belts are most comfortable someone else might prefer a different belt for specific tasks or looks. 

 As for me, building my own holster rig is for my own satisfaction,  some think it's to save money, I haven't found that to be the case. Some think they can start a business building holsters but considering how much time I need to make a holster, I'd have to work for $2.00 an hour to compete. 

Good luck with your project, everything is a learning curve. Keep your nose up when you need to start over. Most of my failures happen on the very last step of the build process. 

Thank you Thadrick.  That’s good advice to go plain Jane on first attempts.  I ended up ordering Al Stohlman’s holster making book.  Since this is my first gun belt I’m not sure what a drop holster belt is.  Maybe you could explain it to me.  I’m looking forward to this project I like building things I haven’t tried before. Thanks again.

[Dwight]

6 hours ago, JDFred said:

Thank you Dwight, I watched both videos and when you are saying don’t scrimp on leather on the holster it would be better to go about an inch wider than the gun outline rather than the 3/4” he recommended?  Is the ranger style belt better than a regular type belt or is it just a style thing?  I was going to try to keep it as simple as I could for my first attempt.  I had a thought about making the whole thing out of harness leather.  Would that work or would that be a poor choice?  Thank you again for the help.

 

If you watch Gunsmoke / Wyatt Earp / Death Valley Days . . . or other smokey westerns . . . the  biggest lot of them wore ranger style belts.  

In Clint Eastwood's spaghetti westerns . . . his was not a ranger . . . but the ends were narrowed from the 2 1/2 inch gunbelt . . . to a 1 1/2 inch buckle.

I won't make anything but the ranger unless definitely told differently.  The reason for that is I can add up to about 4 inches to my gunbelts if the owner needs me to . . . on a regular belt or a Fistful of Dollars belt . . . cannot be done.  I can also shorten it if he/she loses weight.  That's a thing these days . . . need to be ready for fattening up or slimming down.

And I did have one guy I made a 55 inch belt for . . . had to stretch it to a 58 when he came to pick it up.

For almost all my western holsters I don't use anything buy veg tan . . . I try to do the holster and belt out of the same hide if I can . . . and both the belt and holster are lined.  Usually I will just use two pieces of the same hide . . . cut side by side and glue them together with contact cement.  Makes a beautiful holster that will be thrown out long before it is ever worn out.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Dwight]

3 minutes ago, JDFred said:

Thank you Thadrick.  That’s good advice to go plain Jane on first attempts.  I ended up ordering Al Stohlman’s holster making book.  Since this is my first gun belt I’m not sure what a drop holster belt is.  Maybe you could explain it to me.  I’m looking forward to this project I like building things I haven’t tried before. Thanks again.

If you look at John Wayne's holster . . . I don't recall him ever using a drop belt.  His holster has a back flap that the gun belt passes thru.

Marshall Matt Dillon was one of the first to have a drop leg.  It is made by a small tab put on the bottom side of the gunbelt . . . where the holster will ride . . . and the back side of the holster threads thru it and hangs down.

Drop legs automatically "drop" the gun by 3 to 5 inches from the John Wayne style.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Dwight]

Just now, Dwight said:

If you look at John Wayne's holster . . . I don't recall him ever using a drop belt.  His holster has a back flap that the gun belt passes thru.

Marshall Matt Dillon was one of the first to have a drop leg.  It is made by a small tab put on the bottom side of the gunbelt . . . where the holster will ride . . . and the back side of the holster threads thru it and hangs down.

Drop legs automatically "drop" the gun by 3 to 5 inches from the John Wayne style.

Most people you will make them for . . . will want a ranger style . . . drop leg . . . and give them 25 ammo loops on the cartridge belt (5 reloads for a traditional Colt 6 shooter).

May God bless,

Dwight

 

[JDFred]

21 minutes ago, Dwight said:

I won't make anything but the ranger unless definitely told differently.  The reason for that is I can add up to about 4 inches to my gunbelts if the owner needs me to . . . on a regular belt or a Fistful of Dollars belt . . . cannot be done.  I can also shorten it if he/she loses weight.  That's a thing these days . . . need to be ready for fattening up or slimming down.

That makes sense as to the ranger style belts.  I’m struggling which way to go on this rig since the guy won’t tell me exactly what he wants.  I get told just do whatever your stuff turns out good.  As far as making it out of the same side was why I was kinda thinking about harness leather because I had a side of that.  I also have a side of 5/6 oz skirting would that get to thick if I used that for the outside and the lining?