John Taffin
original Tom Threepersons holster.
for double action sixguns.
Tom Threepersons served in the El Paso Police Department during Prohibition at a time when gunfights occurred for over 230 straight nights. The Southwest was still quite wild and unchanged, however, one major change was being instituted. Four legs were rapidly being replaced by four wheels as peace officers switched from horses to horsepower and they found what worked well in the saddle sixgun-leatherwise did not work in the cramped quarters of an automobile. Mexican loop holsters and wide cartridge belts were no problem on horseback, but were a definite problem seated in an automobile.
Threepersons came up with a better idea designing a holster that exposed all of the triggerguard, hammer and grip frame of a Colt Single Action Army, which at that time still remained the handgun of choice by many peace officers and certainly most Texas Rangers. It was made to ride high and tight on the belt with a rearward cant and the grip frame, hammer and trigger placed above the belt where nothing could interfere with quick gun handlin’.
Threepersons took his design, cut out of an old can, to the shop of S.D. Myres in El Paso where it was soon cataloged as the Tom Threepersons holster. There is absolutely no unnecessary leather in Tom’s design with the back part of the holster folded over to become the tight belt loop. It became very popular with both peace officers, including the FBI, and outdoorsmen, and has been made by virtually every major manufacturer. From Bianchi the basic design is known as the No. 1 Lawman, and from George Lawrence it was the No. 120 Keith after being slightly modified by Elmer Keith.
S.D. Myers’ originally designed Tom Threepersons has not been available for some time until recently. For a short time, a fellow in Texas was offering an exact rendition of the original S.D. Myers, however serious illness in the family caused him to stop production. Going north from Texas all the way to British Columbia, we find a perfect replica of the Tom Threepersons from Master leathercrafter, Walt Ostin.
Walt has long offered superb reproductions of movie and TV western rigs as well as authentic old West leather. At my suggestion he turned his talents towards the Tom Threepersons using pictures of the original carving to duplicate the Threepersons holster as offered by S.D. Myers. Shown are pictures of a Colt SAA in an Ostin/Threepersons as well as S&Ws, a .357 Combat Magnum in a black basket weave version and a .357 Highway Patrolman in a full floral carved holster.
Walt’s work is as good as one can find anywhere and his Tom Threepersons is a fitting tribute to both the old lawman and S.D. Myers.
Threepersons came up with a better idea designing a holster that exposed all of the triggerguard, hammer and grip frame of a Colt Single Action Army, which at that time still remained the handgun of choice by many peace officers and certainly most Texas Rangers. It was made to ride high and tight on the belt with a rearward cant and the grip frame, hammer and trigger placed above the belt where nothing could interfere with quick gun handlin’.
Threepersons took his design, cut out of an old can, to the shop of S.D. Myres in El Paso where it was soon cataloged as the Tom Threepersons holster. There is absolutely no unnecessary leather in Tom’s design with the back part of the holster folded over to become the tight belt loop. It became very popular with both peace officers, including the FBI, and outdoorsmen, and has been made by virtually every major manufacturer. From Bianchi the basic design is known as the No. 1 Lawman, and from George Lawrence it was the No. 120 Keith after being slightly modified by Elmer Keith.
S.D. Myers’ originally designed Tom Threepersons has not been available for some time until recently. For a short time, a fellow in Texas was offering an exact rendition of the original S.D. Myers, however serious illness in the family caused him to stop production. Going north from Texas all the way to British Columbia, we find a perfect replica of the Tom Threepersons from Master leathercrafter, Walt Ostin.
Walt has long offered superb reproductions of movie and TV western rigs as well as authentic old West leather. At my suggestion he turned his talents towards the Tom Threepersons using pictures of the original carving to duplicate the Threepersons holster as offered by S.D. Myers. Shown are pictures of a Colt SAA in an Ostin/Threepersons as well as S&Ws, a .357 Combat Magnum in a black basket weave version and a .357 Highway Patrolman in a full floral carved holster.
Walt’s work is as good as one can find anywhere and his Tom Threepersons is a fitting tribute to both the old lawman and S.D. Myers.
Walt Ostin
39-1260 Fisher Road., RR2
Cobble Hill, BC VO3 1LO
Canada
(250) 743-9015
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