Cowboy boots make GREAT holsters!

[MoRoadglide11]

Hey All!

I'm new here and wanted to show off one of my personal holster sets. This set is my favorite of the four sets I own. This set is built from a pair of Tony Lama Black Label boots that are made from Kangaroo hide and stitched up real fancy. I own my own little tiny, one man holster making business and build these holsters from cowboy boots I pick up online, or from trips to second hand shops. This year will be my year to add two more holster styles...a cross draw holster, a holster specifically for six shooters, and guitar straps....all decorated with cowboy boot leather just like the holster set I have pictured. I see the stitching on cowboy boots as a work of art so I'm very much in to this type of leather work. I build my holster sets primarily for Model 1911 hand guns but, I've been known to build holster sets for other makes and models of hand guns. I hope you all see the uniqueness of my holster....it took me a couple months to work out the bugs, acquire the right sewing machine (Techsew 5100), and find cowboy boots that were just right for holster making. All that said...I welcome any and all feedback from you. By the way....I've been an amateur leather worker for 40+ years and have been working on and trying to perfect holster sets and my skills for the last 3 years. You can see more of my work on my Etsy.com page by typing "Boot Hill Leather Co."(minus the quotes) into the search bar. Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Edited January 25, 2018 by MoRoadglide11
misspelling

[bikermutt07]

That is really neat. My wife is an art teacher and really likes upcycling. 

Thanks for sharing and welcome aboard.

[Stetson912]

I think that's a cool idea. Let's hope Lisa Sorrell doesn't find out hehehe.

[MoRoadglide11]

Hey Stetson912,

I actually introduced my first cowboy boot holster to Lisa about 3 years ago. She actually liked the idea and showed the photos, I e-mailed to her, to some of her students. Lisa is very talented and I would love to learn the art of boot making from her. Here is another set I built. This set comes from a pair of Nocona boots made from Kangaroo hide. This pair was already 18 years old when I acquired them. I researched this pair through Nocona, because they keep an archive of all the boots styles they've produced. Someone took real good pair of this pair. This holster set took one boot from the pair. The holster made built from the front of the boot top and the vamp. The magazine case is built from the backside of the boot top and the counter. I still have the other boot waiting to be built into another set.

[Stetson912]

That's an awesome story. I like her YouTube series and I think she is incredibly talented. I kinda figured she would have liked the idea. I can just imagine though.... It might be a little tormenting to a boot maker to see someone cut up some boots lol. 

On a more serious note, I think this is a great idea. Especially with boots that are old like the ones you've shown. They have served their purpose and are now getting a second life. I'd like to be a fly on the wall in your shop, seeing how you do things. Very nice work. 

[Texson]

Outstanding!  Love the idea.

[alpha2]

Hmmm. I've got this old pair of water buffalo boots. I could use another holster for my 1911.  This is something I'll have to research a little more!

Thanks!

[cradom]

Very nice work. Just curious, how do you keep the design stitching from fraying on the edges after its cut?

[kiwican]

That looks cool

[CalanColeman]

That looks awesome!

 

Did you layer layer some leather to stiffen up the boot top and toe box or is the original leather enough to hold its shape?

[MoRoadglide11]

2 hours ago, CalanColeman said:

That looks awesome!

 

Did you layer layer some leather to stiffen up the boot top and toe box or is the original leather enough to hold its shape?

Hey Calan,

Yes...the body of the holster and magazine holder is cut from Herman Oak leather. Cowboy boot leather lays on top of it...which is the part that you see.

[MoRoadglide11]

3 hours ago, cradom said:

Very nice work. Just curious, how do you keep the design stitching from fraying on the edges after its cut?

Hey cradom,

The stitching is sewn in all the way through the boot from the boot factory and is made of nylon. I burn the tails off.

[MoRoadglide11]

Thank you all for the positive feedback! I appreciate that because it lets me know that I'm on the right track and that people...including you guys as fellow leather craftsmen...can see the value and usefulness in a hair-brained idea like mine. I'll have a couple of new holster styles coming out shortly and will post them here in the future. I've included a couple more holster sets I've built recently. They are available on my Etsy.com page. If you would like to go and have a look...just go to www.etsy.com and type in "Boot Hill Leather Co" in the search bar on that page....minus the quotation marks. Thanks again guys!

[georgiapine85]

Very...very cool! I like it!

[MarkCdub]

This is great!  What a way to reuse something that is destined to the scrap bin.  I could see these being a great tribute to someones father/grandfather, as a way of having them with you.

[MoRoadglide11]

On 1/30/2018 at 9:43 PM, MarkCdub said:

This is great!  What a way to reuse something that is destined to the scrap bin.  I could see these being a great tribute to someones father/grandfather, as a way of having them with you.

Hey MarkCdub,

I actually have a customer that had me build holsters from 2 pair of his boots. He got the first one...than he gave the other three holsters to his 3 adult sons. Each got something that oonce belong to their father to have with them.

[Boriqua]

Stunning work and a wonderful wonderful idea!!

[RedDun]

That is some motivation to get the boots I'm wearing worn out, except they're my favorites. Thanks for sharing, will have to try this some day.