California Slim Jim Holster Tutorial and Patterns

[Josh Ashman]

I am about to tool this design. From some research it looks like every line, including the leaf veins are swivel knife cuts correct?

Would you start you leaf vein cut at the stem and then lighten up at the end?

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

[Billy Hell]

I'm doing a slim jim for a CSA re-enactor friend. Since he is a reb I have more freedom in what holster he carries. My goal was to get close to the old nail engraved holsters so I did it all with the swivel and a few seeders. No backgrounder, no bevel. I should be done tonight. The only thing I really don't care for so far is my janky edge grooves. I'm looking a different groover to see if I can improve around the corners. Since it's supposed to be moderately old I'm not sweating it on this one.

Edited September 29, 2015 by Billy Hell

[sideforce]

Excellent! Great tips in the tutorial!

[Dorado]

I made a pair of these and a cartridge belt for my 1873 SAAs. I love how they turned out. Very good pattern and tutorial. If you've never made a holster I'd highly recommend this as a starting point.

[ALH22177]

lookin' forward to trying the Slim Jim for my 1851 navy colt. I've seen some versions that have instead of a flap, a leather loop that fits over the hammer, so I think I'll give that a go.

Thanks so much for the pattern and tutorial.

AL

[Doug1145]

Thanks for the information. going to try it on an 1851.

[Tommy765]

I'd like to view this material but I'm getting an err code say I don't have permission. 

What to do ?

[MikeRock]

Is there a similar tutorial for Mexican Loop holsters? Or is there a full sized drawing for them, like the ones in the California Slim Jim tutorial?

God bless

Edited September 2, 2020 by MikeRock

[fredk]

Two places I can think of to direct you;

1 Will Ghormley, he sells pattern packs; http://www.willghormley-maker.com/OWC.html

2. Free from the old Tandy Library  Belts_and_Holster_Patterns.pdf

Edited April 15, 2023 by Northmount
To remove dead link and replace with the previously referenced file

[RemingtonSteel]

On 9/2/2020 at 2:43 PM, MikeRock said:

Is there a similar tutorial for Mexican Loop holsters? Or is there a full sized drawing for them, like the ones in the California Slim Jim tutorial?

God bless

@MikeRock, I know this may be a little late, but there is a pinned thread just above this one, that does have a tutorial by Jim Simmons on making a Mexican Loop holster. Don’t be fooled by the photo on the cover of the pdf, as it covers both types of holsters.  I used this tutorial to create my first holster, and still use many of the techniques he teaches today. There is no pattern, but he walks you through creating your own. In my opinion this is something a holster maker should really know how to do anyway, as it allows you to customize things such as the holster’s cant, recurve, length, toe style,  etc. Here is a link:

 Hope this helps, even if it is a little late in coming.