Members Forester Posted March 22, 2018 Members Report Posted March 22, 2018 Hi All Work in progress, this is my take on President Theodore Roosevelt's colt .45 holster, to fit a 7.5" barrel. My question is, does anybody know if this holster had a sewn in toe plug or was it open. Regards Forester Quote
Members Dwight Posted March 22, 2018 Members Report Posted March 22, 2018 I really don't have any idea whatsoever, . . . but my guess would be, . . . as loose wound as he was, . . . it was probably open. Ol' Teddy was one of my heroes growing up. Always loved the fact that he was HIS man, . . . no matter what the opposition had to say. And that is really good looking from this end. Make sure you throw up a bunch of pics as you go along, . . . and of course when it's done. May God bless, Dwight Quote If you can breathe, . . . thank God. If you can read, . . . thank a teacher. If you are reading this in English, . . . thank a veteran. www.dwightsgunleather.com
Members DisplacedLouisianaGuy Posted March 24, 2018 Members Report Posted March 24, 2018 Very cool holster you have there. I didn't realise there was a holster out there still in existence with provenance that showed ownership by Teddy Roosevelt! I fell down a rabbit hole looking at pics of Teddy's 1883 Colt and holster. Unfortunately, the only hanfway decent pic of the holster I could find showed the holster in the background, with the camera focused on Teddy's Colt. And to add insult to injury, the holster is displayed in such a way as to not show the toe! But I was able to see a line along the very bottom on the holster that looks suspiciously like a stitching groove, which indicates the distinct possibility of a toe plug. Also, all the reproductions I have found have toe plugs. This is circumstantial, and very inconclusive, but if I had to put money on it, betting for or against a toe plug... I'd bet it had a plug. Good luck! Quote
Members RickHodges Posted March 24, 2018 Members Report Posted March 24, 2018 (edited) I'm in agreement with DisplacedLouisiana.....the pictures I see look like a stitch line around the toe. My vote is it had a toe plug. Edited March 24, 2018 by RickHodges Quote
Contributing Member fredk Posted March 24, 2018 Contributing Member Report Posted March 24, 2018 I can't answer your question but I have one to you - have you left yourself enough room for the stitching up the edge? It looks like it will be rather tight and close to the edge Quote Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
Northmount Posted March 24, 2018 Report Posted March 24, 2018 Photo includes view of the holster. http://collections.theautry.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=M539660;type=101 Also see https://gunsoftheoldwest.com/2015/09/45-maker-tr-cowboy-holster/ Description says the original had a sewn in toe plug. Quote
Members Forester Posted March 24, 2018 Author Members Report Posted March 24, 2018 Hi All Thanks for your input, i think i will insert a toe plug. As for the question on the stitching line, i was going to put it just shy of the camouflage stamping which makes it just under a 1/4 inch or 5mm, should be enough, have done it with less. Attached picture is what i have been working off. Regards Forester. Quote
Members dikman Posted March 25, 2018 Members Report Posted March 25, 2018 Just because there's stitching at the bottom doesn't mean it's got a toe plug as it could simply be decorative, as in carrying on the edge stitching to give it a "finished" look. Quote Machines wot I have - Singer 51W59; Singer 331K4; Seiko STH-8BLD; Pfaff 335; CB4500. Chinese shoe patcher; Singer 201K (old hand crank)
Members DisplacedLouisianaGuy Posted March 25, 2018 Members Report Posted March 25, 2018 12 hours ago, dikman said: Just because there's stitching at the bottom doesn't mean it's got a toe plug as it could simply be decorative, as in carrying on the edge stitching to give it a "finished" look. You are absolutely correct! What I was getting at is that with a stitch line, the POSSIBILITY of a toe plug existed. If there was no stitch groove, then there would be no chance of a plug. Add to that the fact that all the reproductions I have found have had a plug made me lean towards the probability that it did, but as I said, that would only be a bet on my part. BUT... Northmount's links went ahead an put that question to bed, at least for me. The second link basically says the original had a toe plug. Good research, Northmount! Quote
Contributing Member fredk Posted March 25, 2018 Contributing Member Report Posted March 25, 2018 20 hours ago, Forester said: ... As for the question on the stitching line, i was going to put it just shy of the camouflage stamping which makes it just under a 1/4 inch or 5mm, should be enough, have done it with less. ... Grand, its just that in the photos it looks like the stitching would be terribly close to the edge. Wouldn't like to see all that nice stamping go to waste cos you couldn't sew it Quote Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
Members Forester Posted March 25, 2018 Author Members Report Posted March 25, 2018 Hi All The holster is lined so the stitching at the bottom could be there to secure the lining, just a thought. Regards Forester Quote
Members dikman Posted March 25, 2018 Members Report Posted March 25, 2018 DLG, my apologies, I missed the bottom line in Northmount's post that said the original had a toe plug. My bad. It made my post somewhat irrelevant in this case. Quote Machines wot I have - Singer 51W59; Singer 331K4; Seiko STH-8BLD; Pfaff 335; CB4500. Chinese shoe patcher; Singer 201K (old hand crank)
Members DisplacedLouisianaGuy Posted March 26, 2018 Members Report Posted March 26, 2018 No need to apologise at all. Your point was correct! A stitch line alone does not definitively ensure a toe plug. I myself have made holsters with a stitched bottom edge that did not have a plug. I was just clarifying that I guessed at it, and wasn't saying it for sure had one. Although, like you said, the point is moot now that we have Northmount's source. But again, no need to apologise at all! Quote
Members OLDNSLOW Posted March 26, 2018 Members Report Posted March 26, 2018 I didn't read all the answers but it could have also been for a liner if it was a lined holster, a lot of makers will sew in a liner all the time, if you take a look at Slick Bald Custom leather you will find many fine examples of that. Quote
Members Lizardo Posted March 28, 2018 Members Report Posted March 28, 2018 (edited) I have seen the original (or a direct copy of it) in the museum on board the USS Theodore Roosevelt and as I recall, this was better than twenty years ago, it was stitching for the lining and not a toe plug. They had one of his Winchesters and a Peacemaker on display also. I was ships company and went there every chance I got. It was only open when we were in port and special occasions. Edited March 28, 2018 by Lizardo Quote
Members Vikefan Posted March 30, 2018 Members Report Posted March 30, 2018 From what I can tell by looking at his holster, I too would be it had a toe plug. Many this style do! Quote
Members Lizardo Posted March 31, 2018 Members Report Posted March 31, 2018 It was many years ago when I saw it, so I could very easily be mistaken. It does look like the toe is holding it's shape very well for not having a plug, so there must be one. Quote
Members Forester Posted May 21, 2019 Author Members Report Posted May 21, 2019 Hi All Messed the first holster up so I had to remake, took a while but got there in the end. Also went with a toe plug. Regards Forester Quote
Members dikman Posted May 21, 2019 Members Report Posted May 21, 2019 Looks very nice, Forester. Quote Machines wot I have - Singer 51W59; Singer 331K4; Seiko STH-8BLD; Pfaff 335; CB4500. Chinese shoe patcher; Singer 201K (old hand crank)
Members plinkercases Posted May 22, 2019 Members Report Posted May 22, 2019 I love your reproductions sir (and your originals but...) . Very well done. Quote "Oh my God....I beseech thee grant me the grace to remain in Thy Presence; and to this end do Thou prosper me with Thy assistance, receive all my works, and possess all my affections" Brother Lawrence c.1614-1691 plinkercases.ca
Members noobleather Posted May 22, 2019 Members Report Posted May 22, 2019 Great work on the reproduction. Nice carving and sewing. Toeplug turned out really good Quote
Doc Reaper Posted June 3, 2019 Report Posted June 3, 2019 Most holsters do not have a toe plug! Most holsters are open toed, so water ma drain and not cause damage to the barrel interior Quote Doc Reaper
Members JayInOz Posted June 3, 2019 Members Report Posted June 3, 2019 If you know where the original is, can't you ask whoever is looking after it if there's a toe plug or not? Prolly make some fellers day to be able to help with an answer. JayInOz Quote
Members Steve75 Posted June 10, 2019 Members Report Posted June 10, 2019 On 5/21/2019 at 3:15 PM, Forester said: Hi All Messed the first holster up so I had to remake, took a while but got there in the end. Also went with a toe plug. Regards Forester Thank you for posting the finished holster. That turned out really nice. Good job! I am curious, where did you find a pattern for the tooling or did you recreate it yourself? Quote Steve "No man is above the law and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man's permission when we ask him to obey it." Theodore Roosevelt
Members Forester Posted June 10, 2019 Author Members Report Posted June 10, 2019 Hi Steve 75 I found a picture of the tooling pattern somewhere online, just try searching for his pattern. Regards Forester Quote
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