The Fairbairn Sykes Fighting Knives
  • Home Page
    • The Beginning
    • Modern Warrior
    • End of an Era?
    • Fighting Knives For Sale
    • commando knives for sale
    • Recommended Reading
  • WW-II Commando Knives
    • Rarest of Them All
    • X-Daggers
    • First Pattern >
      • Examples
    • Second Pattern >
      • Standard P-2
      • Nickle, Silver, & Gold
      • Beaded & Ribbed
      • Fatman Knives
      • Named Knives
    • Third Pattern >
      • Nickle plated P-3
      • Wilkinson P-3
      • FR693
    • French Commando Knives
    • Variants >
      • knuckle knives
      • Wood Hilted Knives
      • Leather Hilted
      • Stag Hilted
      • Cast & Alloy Hilts
      • Cutlery Handles
    • Australian Knives
  • Derivative knives
    • Odds N Ends
    • USMC & OSS Stiletto
    • Geber & Randall
    • EK Knives
    • Case V-42
    • Post WW-II Versions
    • Custom F~S Knives
    • Commemoratives
  • Agent's Daggers
    • Smatchets & Kukri
    • Thumb Daggers etc.
    • Capt. Peter Mason
    • Shanghai daggers
  • The Stories
    • Our Family Stories
  • Minutiae
    • Sheaths >
      • Field Expedient
      • Sheath Minutae
    • Inspection Stamps
    • Blade Etches
    • Top nuts
  • Contact Us & Links
    • Combined Military Services Museum
    • What is it? Who made it?
    • About Us
  • Blog

A follow-up to the last post

2/12/2022

0 Comments

 
One of the gun magazines used to have an ad that said, "don't you buy no ugly gun".  I don't remember which manufacturer it was, but they were referring to the modern all black, plastic and steel pistols of the day. Being a fan of something a little more classy, I could relate. The last three pistols I bought came in those horrid "Uncle Mikes" cordura contraptions they call holsters. Why would anyone spend nearly a thousand dollars on a gun and stick it in a $5 holster? A pretty nice belt holster came with the Ruger Blackhawk but I have learned that my hips have shrunk (or my waist expanded) and belt holsters with a heavy pistol tend to work their way south. The best solution is a shoulder holster. BUT I didn't want to put an old-style revolver in a Miami Vice rig either. When I want something special my solution is always to go to El Paso Saddelry.


On December 22nd I ordered a custom model 1879 shoulder holster with what they call Frontier Floral carving. The carving is all hand cut, not embossed like many modern western holsters. It came about the first week of February and it's another work of art. It's not cheap, it's not off the shelf and it is not kydex or cordura. But it is what a fine handgun deserves. We see the same thing sometimes in knife sheaths. Kydex has its place, but not in all applications. Often a sheath is poorly designed or fitted, made of cheap materials, or just not worthy of the knife itself. For those knifemakers who are not skilled in leather work, there is no shame in that. Find a sheath maker who will do your knifemaking skill justice. I know that personally I am willing to pay extra for a fine sheath and that a knife or sword without a sheath is incomplete. If anyone out there wants to send me photos of your sheath work, you may find them placed on my website. Some ideas of your prices would be helpful too. 


Here is a photo of two El Paso 1879 shoulder holsters. The one on the right is for my Colt Python. The one on the left is for my Ruger Blackhawk. They are works of art and make carrying a heavy handgun a pleasure. The current price with carving is about $300.
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author:

    You can find out more about me on the "Stories" pages. My hobbies have included training in Japanese martial arts, including Kenjutsu, many forms of knife fighting, long range rifles and tactical firearms. I have written several self published books on muzzle-loading firearms, knife-fighting and textbooks on gas engines and compressors. I am working diligently on my 400+ page F-S book.

    Picture

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.