Hickok Holster

[sequoia]

I am making a Slim Jim holster for my 51 Navy and was thinking of patterning it after Wild Bill's crossdraws. Where can I find a picture to base my pattern on?

 

[dennis benedict]

Any of the Guns of the Old West magazines will have pictures of the holster you want to make. Good luck. Dennis.

 

[Lostrifle]

If I recall right, Ol' Wild Bill didn't use holsters. He kept his twin Colt navies shoved into his sash, butts forward.

 

[Claude Mathis]

If I recall right, Ol' Wild Bill didn't use holsters. He kept his twin Colt navies shoved into his sash, butts forward.

And a rare, never seen before childhood photo.

 

[Lostrifle]

Okay, that last one was justtoo much!! :surrender: :rotf:

 

[Padraic]

According to Joseph G Rosa's biography of Wild Bill he wore his guns in his sash and sometimes in holsters. I have seen photos of him wearing his guns both ways.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

The photo of him standing with an unsheathed butcher knife tucked in a sash and pointed at his left wrist is a studio shot. Unfortunately many are and it can be difficult to be certain exactly what they did carry their guns in.

 

[ronrryan]

I thought I once saw a picture in which he was wearing a sort of vest with a butt-forward gun on each side, likely made for him, I would think. Ron in FL

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Could be. I think Hardin had a similar get-up at one point in his career.

 

[sequoia]

I've decided to use the Will Ghormley California pattern in a cross-draw style from Tandy Leather. This pattern pack is very complete with patterns to fit several differant revolvers both C&B and those new-fangled cartridge guns. It has a carving pattern that can be done with just a swivel knife. I'm going to make a double rig as I have two 1851 Navies. One I just purchased at Cabela's in Utah and the other one is a Lyman with a silver backstrap that I've had for years.

 

[LaBonte]

Will's patterns are a good chocie and a SLim Jim is in fact what Hickok used, only he did not wear them as cross draws but rather used the reverse or cavalry twist draw.

Here's a pic of one of only two holsters attributed to Hickok, along with one of his ivory handled Colt Navies....

The black leather holsters has minimal tooling, a sewn in toe plug, and is lined with lightweight pigskin.

As for Bill carrying his guns in a sash - with all due respect to Mr. Rosa and others it is unlikley - try packing 6 pounds of loaded Colt Navies that way and you'll see what I mean.
1) The only citations for Bill carrying his revolvers that way are some newspaper reports and dime novels. IMO Bill was a "clothes horse" and whn in town dressed fancy, often wearing a frock coat (note the 2nd pic above), but unlike the pic more often with his revolvers beneath the coat. Worn that way with a sash over his belt and holsters would make it look like her was wearing just a sash and no holsters.
2. In the second pic he is in fact packing his guns in holsters
3. As Russ noted that pciture of him in buckskins is a studio shot and was in fact taken while Bill was back east in the 1870's while doing a theatrical tour with Bill Cody, Texas Jack, and others...

Anyway good luck on your holster build........

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

It's fun to peruse these old "frontier" photographs. It's a bit like picking out the errors in period Hollywood films. Incorrect garb and weapons galore mixed in with correct items. Lots of fun!

 

[crockett]

I tried to cut and paste but couldn't do it so... go to the web and search "Hickok's patten Leather Holster", and then select the book by Rosa and there is a photo of the holster. If any one knows how to post the photo please do so.
There is also another holster with fish scale tooling, suede lined, that is supposed to have belonged to Hickok. I read that at the time of his death Hickok had 130 guns so he may have had a lot of holsters-unfortunately I'm not sure.
The "stuck in the sash" that was probably for walking around town on a short trip- at best.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Just paste "Hickok's patten Leather Holster" in the Amazon search at the bottom of this page.

 

[Mike Brooks]

The "stuck in the sash" that was probably for walking around town on a short trip- at best.

A tightly woven sash that doesn't stretch is ideal for carry pistols, almost as good as a holster. Stuck through a belt works too, but not hear as well.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

The "stuck in the sash" that was probably for walking around town on a short trip- at best.

A tightly woven sash that doesn't stretch is ideal for carry pistols, almost as good as a holster. Stuck through a belt works too, but not hear as well.

The original "Belly Band" :grin:

 

[Mike Brooks]

The "stuck in the sash" that was probably for walking around town on a short trip- at best.

A tightly woven sash that doesn't stretch is ideal for carry pistols, almost as good as a holster. Stuck through a belt works too, but not hear as well.

Good Golly, I can't spell worth a damn today! :rotf:

 

[LaBonte]

A tightly woven sash that doesn't stretch is ideal for carry pistols, almost as good as a holster

Mike - have you tried it with a pair of loaded 51's?
I have (and so have a number of experienced pistoleros) and a pair of holsters is MUCH better with revolvers......plus - again - NO where is there definitive documentation that Hickok did it - IIRC the only photo of him not carrying his guns in holsters is the studio shot and he may in fact have had the holsters pushed around to where they can't be seen and the guns pulled up and out - look close at that photo and it doesn't look secure at all........

and yes Hickok had more than one set of holsters, although the ones pictured in Rosa doesn't have the definite provenance the way the one's with his invory handled Colt's do.....
the correct search should be
"Hickok's patent Leather Holster", here's the link
Hickok Holster

 

[crockett]

Thanks LaBonte- I'm computer challenged. And, as the photo caption says "believed" to have been owned by Hickok.