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Birthdays.

Today is mine. 59-years ago, in a land far away, I hit the ground butt-naked and screaming. I was born in California, so that could explain both, the naked and the screaming. But, it was different back then. California was a little goofy, but not completely off the rails insane like it is today. The weather’s still good, so they do have that.

I’m in Florida now, where I’ve been for over 30-years. We left California when I was around 8, and moved to Louisiana. In hindsight, I don’t think anyone knew what a communist hell-hole California would become back then. I count myself fortunate that I didn’t have to grow up there.

Birthdays, to me, are kind of like getting new tires. Brand-new when you’re born, and then over the years (the miles), the tread gradually unwinds. A roll of toilet paper is kind of the same thing, but for the sake of keeping this sanitary, we’ll stick with tires. At some point, down the road, after many, many miles (we hope), there’s a blowout, and you’re outta here. Having a choice, I’d like to go in my sleep. I came in naked and screaming. I’d like to go out with a little less drama.

Statistically, I should have another 20-years. Give or take. I choose to take.

I’ve been crazy blessed, and I’m ridiculously thankful.

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1911 Black Cherry Basket

IN-STOCK. ONLY ONE AVAILABLE!

Right-Hand Carry.

Black Cherry 1911 leather OWB pancake holster for 5″ barrel.

Hand-stamped rope basket stamp with half-flower border.

15-degree muzzle-rear rake.

Belt slots to fit a dual-layer (lined) 1.5″ wide gunbelt 1/4″ thick.

Back panel left natural (no dye) to eliminate dye bleed due to perspiration and abrasion.

Heavy Black machine stitching.

Hand beveled, dyed, waxed and burnished edges and belt slots.

Detail molding on back panel for excellent weapon retention.

Cherry, Basket Stamped, OWB, pancake, leather, 1911, holster

Handmade in Florida, USA, with premium American-tanned Hermann Oak leather.

Satisfaction’s guaranteed, and questions are always welcome.  Just send an email to BruceGibson@aol.com or use our contact form.

This one is available on our other website. We’ll be adding it to the shop here soon. If you would like to buy it now, just click the link below:

GIBSON BLACK CHERRY BASKET 1911 RH OWB

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All in the details.

stamping, basket, basket stamp, detail, tools, leather, belt, gunbelt, border, half flower, Hermann Oak, premium, leather, process, leathercraft, leather work, trade, craft, craftsman
You can click on the photo for a larger view in a new tab. This is stamping, as opposed to embossing. Each segment of the pattern is “set” as deeply as possible into the leather using a stamping tool and a maul.

“It’s all in the details,” is a pretty common statement, but it’s critical to making leather products one piece at a time. I thought I’d show a photo of a gun belt being hand-stamped with a basket stamp and half-flower border. This is the cleanest, longest-lasting way of putting a design on the leather.

There is another way I know of to do this. It is by embossing or pressing a design into damp leather using a press or a roller/wheel with an embossing machine. This is the mass-produced, inexpensive way of doing it. It also results in a fairly shallow imprint that is subject to fading away over time. It can be done quickly, whereas hand-stamping takes more setup, and much more time.

Embossing can be done in seconds. Stamping can take hours.

An embossing machine for straps or belts.

Here’s a video from Tandy Leather and George Hurst showing you some of how it’s done.