Horse Shoulder Holster

[Josh Ashman]

Here is a horse hide shoulder holster I put together for a Ruger P95. It's basically a modified Jackass type rig with heavy influence by a post that Lobo made a while back. This is the first time I've used horse and it really seemed like a good choice for this type of set up.

Thanks for looking and thanks to Lobo for giving me a great starting place.

Best regards,

Josh

[Steve75]

Nice work. The marbling effect of the horse hide being dyed does make an interesting appearance. Once I have made a few holsters I think I will try using horse hide. What did you use to dye it?

[Josh Ashman]

Thanks Steve, that just two light coats of NF oil with a little saddle butter rubbed on to give it a finish.

Best regards,

Josh

[Frank]

Great looking rig. You can definitely see the Lobo influence. I really like the horsehide for concealed carry leather.

[Lobo]

_{Josh: I am flattered that you have taken the trouble to mention my design.}

_{Best regards.}

[Samalan]

Really nice job!

[D Fingers]

I don't like horse but I got to admit that you really made that look nice.

[Josh Ashman]

Thanks Frank & Samalan!

D Fingers, I really liked the horse for this application. It's light, stiff and from what I've seen and heard so far pretty dang durable. I'm hoping to make a personal concelead carry holster and try it out for a while myself before making any more for sale. Why don't you like it?

Lobo, just giving credit where it was due, thanks again for sharing your experience!

Best regards,

Josh

[D Fingers]

Thanks Frank & Samalan!

D Fingers, I really liked the horse for this application. It's light, stiff and from what I've seen and heard so far pretty dang durable. I'm hoping to make a personal concelead carry holster and try it out for a while myself before making any more for sale. Why don't you like it?

Josh

I dislike it so much that it would be easier for me to just say that I feel cow hide is superior in every point of comparison. The absolute worst feature of horse in my experience is that it does not hold its rigidity after formed and dried, like say a month down the road your retention is massively degraded. I find it silly that some holster makers are promoting horse as a premium product. They are up charging customers for materials that cost less, I find that a little bit disingenuous to put it nicely.

[Big O]

That's a beautiful rig.

I make them out of horsehide as well, oiled to bring out the patterns.

I've taken to using thick suede for the straps, though, for comfort.

[Josh Ashman]

Thanks Big O, suede straps sounds like a good idea.

D Fingers, but how do you really feel? Sounds like you had a bad experiance with horse but there are a lot of very experienced makers that seem to like it. I wonder if the piece you tried was the horse equivelent of belly leather or possibly it wasn't tanned with the intent of making holsters (maybe oil tanned or something like it). I'll make one for myself and draw my own conclusion, seems like that always works out best.

FYI, as far as premium pricing for substandard materials, the horse I used came from SLC and cost $24. It wasn't the cheap stuff, and the butt I got seemed pretty nice. Between the holster, mag pouch and harness I pretty well used the whole piece. I charged $120 for the rig which was built for a repeat customer, a new customer would have been charged a little more. I think he got a fine deal. In addition I made him aware that it was my first go around with horse and we work together, if there's any problem with it holding up it'll be asy to make it right. I don't think there's anything disengenuous abot that, do you?

Best regards, Josh

[Haystacker]

Josh,

Great job. I really like this rig.

[Eaglestroker]

Josh, looks pretty dang near perfect! Good job.

[Frank]

I have made several holsters and mag pouches with horse and they all turned out great thanks to Lobo. He sent me a detailed list of the best How-To's when it came to working with it. I've never been disappointed with it. I do not use it a lot but always keep some on hand. There is a Thad Rybka style holster for a 1911 that turns out great when using the stuff.

[Josh Ashman]

Thanks Haystacker & Robert, I appreciate it!

Thanks Frank, I'm glad to hear it's working for you. How bad do you want to share Lobo's how-to's???

Josh

[D Fingers]

Thanks Big O, suede straps sounds like a good idea.

D Fingers, but how do you really feel? Sounds like you had a bad experiance with horse but there are a lot of very experienced makers that seem to like it. I wonder if the piece you tried was the horse equivelent of belly leather or possibly it wasn't tanned with the intent of making holsters (maybe oil tanned or something like it). I'll make one for myself and draw my own conclusion, seems like that always works out best.

FYI, as far as premium pricing for substandard materials, the horse I used came from SLC and cost $24. It wasn't the cheap stuff, and the butt I got seemed pretty nice. Between the holster, mag pouch and harness I pretty well used the whole piece. I charged $120 for the rig which was built for a repeat customer, a new customer would have been charged a little more. I think he got a fine deal. In addition I made him aware that it was my first go around with horse and we work together, if there's any problem with it holding up it'll be asy to make it right. I don't think there's anything disengenuous abot that, do you?

Best regards, Josh

Josh

I was not insinuating that you were doing anything wrong. Far from it, I think that your shoulder holster looks great and at $120 you are practically giving it away. I was speaking generally about the use of horse in holster making, not you. I just think up charging $10 to make a standard holster in horse is silly. Just my opinion. You were correct I have had bad experiences with horse, SLC horse butt same as you.

[Lobo]

Josh

I was not insinuating that you were doing anything wrong. Far from it, I think that your shoulder holster looks great and at $120 you are practically giving it away. I was speaking generally about the use of horse in holster making, not you. I just think up charging $10 to make a standard holster in horse is silly. Just my opinion. You were correct I have had bad experiences with horse, SLC horse butt same as you.

Horsehide is definitely different than cowhide, no question about that. Vegetable-tanned horsehide can be had either "hard rolled" or with a softer consistency, and that will make a significant difference.

Forming horsehide requires more time and some different methods than doing similar work with cowhide. Horsehide requires much longer exposure to water before enough is absorbed to permit forming. Temperatures during the forming operation will make a big difference in the work, with higher temperatures allowing you to mold and form the horsehide more closely and achieve greater detail in boning.

There is definitely a learning curve to be overcome when moving into horsehide. Trying to achieve specific results while using techniques that work well with cowhide will usually result in disappointment. For those willing to acquire a new set of skills to achieve the desired results in horsehide the effort can be very rewarding.

Formed horsehide holsters can be extremely rigid and hold the shape exceptionally well over extended use, but only when the maker has worked through the learning curve and applies different approaches to achieve the results that horsehide is capable of providing. I have a couple of horsehide holsters that I made up while working through the learning curve, I have used them extensively over the past couple of years, and they continue to retain shape, form, function, and rigidity seldom seen in any other leather products.

Horsehide of the quality required for this work is seldom available in significant quantities. There is only one North American tannery producing veg-tanned horsehide (Horween's) and the majority of their production goes out to their regular customers (custom shoe industry is a major market). What comes to be available is generally limited and quality can vary considerably. The horse butts that Springfield Leather has been offering over the past couple of years has generally been very good, but you may have noticed that the prices have gone up considerably in recent months, so the bargain days appear to be over. So, the argument about makers charging more for materials that cost less has much less validity now than it may have had for a very short period of time, and the additional time and labor involved in making horsehide holsters will justify a certain increase in prices.

Sometimes opinions are formed on facts determined by experience. Sometimes opinions are formed without the benefit of sufficient experience to determine the facts. Opinions will remain opinions; what counts is producing what customers want to have and are willing to pay for.

Best regards.

[D Fingers]

...Sometimes opinions are formed on facts determined by experience. Sometimes opinions are formed without the benefit of sufficient experience to determine the facts. Opinions will remain opinions; what counts is producing what customers want to have and are willing to pay for.

Best regards.

Fair enough Lobo. I'm not going to argue with a guy who's been in the business since before I was born. I was asked by Josh to state my opinion and I did. Let me change my statement to this: in my own situation I know that I can make a vastly superior holster using cow hide than i can using horse. Also maybe an up charge is necessary because many of the horse butts you buy will not be suitable for holsters.

[Josh Ashman]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts D Fingers, I'm sorry if I put you on the spot for doing so.

Lobo, thanks for sharing your thoughts as well.

Best regards,

Josh

[rickybobby]

Very nice rig! I will try the HH on some holsters. I have always liked the "pattern" that pops when oiled and finished.

[Bronson]

I'm not generally a fan of shoulder holsters but I gotta say I'd be proud to run that rig. You did a really great job.

Bronson