Pit Tan Steer Hide

[Matt S]

2 hours ago, chrisash said:

Have you considerd Sole leather at http://thomasware.co.uk/our-products/tanned-sole-leather/

Soling is very stiff, too stiff to bend much at all and very difficult to cut. Not only are specially stiff hides selected for its manufacture but the stuff is compressed and pressed during processing. I've not tried but imagine it would be near impossible to carve/tool in the normal manner.

[Matt S]

8 hours ago, Forester said:

Hello Matt S

Thank you for the time you spent on above message. I have always loved cowboy films and guns so I bought myself a replica Colt .45, then I started looking for a holster and belt, then saw that not many people in the UK make them and would have to buy from the USA, then saw the price and postage, then thought I can do that, then a few thousand pounds worth of tools later and a lot of looking at You Tube, I make my own, and now I am selling gun rigs in the USA, Switzerland, Germany, France, Japan and a few other places. I like to make period correct pieces and rigs from movies such as the Magnificent Seven. I have the book Packing Iron and nearly every pattern pack of the great Will Ghormley. I do line some of my holsters but it makes them really hard to bend into a Mexican Loop holster, that's why i'm looking for thicker leather. Attached is a picture of 2 holsters from Will Ghormley's pattern packs, not yet finished, the left is a John Wayne Holster and the right is the Hand of God Holster, from 3-10 To Yuma. The Hand of God Holster along with a belt has been bought by a customer in Nashville USA. So its just the leather I have to source, I used to get all my leather and hardware from Tandy, so looking for buckles and conchos has been a pain. You also seem very  knowledgeable about leather, are you a leatherworker?

Forester, that's some really nice work. Apologies if I was teaching my grandma to suck eggs re. Will Ghormley and Packing Iron! Certainly not my intention. I've got several of Will's pattern packs myself but not yet got around to making much from them, though I do have my last piece of russet shoulder earmarked for a couple of 1911 holsters.

Yep I'm a leatherworker. I mostly make bags, belts, dog collars and things -- mainly from English bridle and pull-up chrome leather.

 

[thefallguy]

15 hours ago, Forester said:

...may be the American leatherworkers could advise what thickness original Western gun leather was, or did they just use what leather they could get their hands on.

Buy yourself a used copy of Bianchi's "Blue Steel & Gunleather" on ebay. It will have the information you are looking for and the general subject matter will probably be of great interest to you as well.

[Forester]

Hello Matt S

Once again thank you for the information. I have made a few 1911 holsters, some from Will Ghormley's pattern packs and same I designed myself.

Regards Forester