13 replies to this topic

[Thewebleyman]

Hello All , I am new to this forum and I hope that collectors, historiand, and enthusiasts might be able to assist me.

Does anyone have any knowledge of small arm holsters being made in Felt  please ? It has been suggested to me that felt was used to keep the weapon from getting too cold and were used by the RFC or other air forces.

Any information on tis would be gratefully received.


Thanks

[khaki]

I was once offered a mkVI leather holster that was covered in a light material, I don't remember exactly what it was, but it wasn't canvas. I was told at the time, that it was probably private purchase. I hope others can help more, but at least they did exist.

khaki

[squirrel]

The battalion preliminary instruction for the 18th Londons for the battle of Loos September 1915 refers to officer's dress as being "exactly as for the men" and their leather equipment being "covered in khaki cloth" with a reference to them seeing the RQMS about it.

[Thewebleyman]

squirrel, on 02 May 2012 - 02:40 PM, said:

The battalion preliminary instruction for the 18th Londons for the battle of Loos September 1915 refers to officer's dress as being "exactly as for the men" and their leather equipment being "covered in khaki cloth" with a reference to them seeing the RQMS about it.

Thanks very much. This holster is definitely in felt though. But I appreciate it.

khaki, on 01 May 2012 - 09:32 PM, said:

I was once offered a mkVI leather holster that was covered in a light material, I don't remember exactly what it was, but it wasn't canvas. I was told at the time, that it was probably private purchase. I hope others can help more, but at least they did exist.

khaki

Thanks very much for your response.

[khaki]

I am still intrigued with the concept of a felt holster provided to keep a revolver warm in the air, however I am not convinced about this as the Webley has been used in extremes of temperature from the Western Front to Siberia. I do understand that in the early days pilots took the occasional pistol shot at each other, however if the weather was that cold at high altitude, would that not also freeze the mechanism on an aircrafts machine guns etc. If such a holster existed would it not have been worn against the body under a flying coat?

khaki

[Thewebleyman]

khaki, on 03 May 2012 - 06:48 PM, said:

I am still intrigued with the concept of a felt holster provided to keep a revolver warm in the air, however I am not convinced about this as the Webley has been used in extremes of temperature from the Western Front to Siberia. I do understand that in the early days pilots took the occasional pistol shot at each other, however if the weather was that cold at high altitude, would that not also freeze the mechanism on an aircrafts machine guns etc. If such a holster existed would it not have been worn against the body under a flying coat?

khaki

Hello again Khaki,  I too am not sure about this idea of keeping the weapon warm. It seems perfectly plausible but I have seen lots of photos of aircrew wearing standard leather holsters but never anything other than that. Quite possibly it was one officers private purchase which never caught on ?


Regards

[khaki]

Thewebleyman, on 01 May 2012 - 09:02 PM, said:

.

It has been suggested to me that felt was used to keep the weapon from getting too cold and were used by the RFC or other air forces.




Thanks

Hello WM,

I think that without any available data on this question, it may be useful to go back to your source and find out  where the information originated from.

khaki

[truthergw]

The only thing which can keep an object warm, is a source of heat. Try warming your hands on a felt hat. Felt will help a warm revolver retain its warmth for a time but it will get inexorably colder, minute by minute. A revolver in a felt holster will not derive as much heat from body warmth as it might have due to the insulating qualities of the felt. I know nothing of revolvers and even less of holsters but my guess would be that the advantage of felt would be its flexibility and softness if tucked in close against the body.

[Thewebleyman]

truthergw, on 07 May 2012 - 03:49 PM, said:

The only thing which can keep an object warm, is a source of heat. Try warming your hands on a felt hat. Felt will help a warm revolver retain its warmth for a time but it will get inexorably colder, minute by minute. A revolver in a felt holster will not derive as much heat from body warmth as it might have due to the insulating qualities of the felt. I know nothing of revolvers and even less of holsters but my guess would be that the advantage of felt would be its flexibility and softness if tucked in close against the body.

Thanks Tom . I don't ha e any access to the original source so this may remain a mystery.

Regards



Webleyman

[khaki]

Hi WM,

Oddly enough I was looking at a large frame holster? today,  that is close to what you described,, the only thing was that it was made from some sort of woollen fibre, definitely not  felt, It got me thinking that this item was clearly devised as a  pistol 'sock' used for storeage or transportation and that it is obviously not for wearing on a belt etc. What I am getting at is that a 'sock' case is possibly what was meant and that the word 'holster' is confusing the issue a tad.

khaki

[Thewebleyman]

khaki, on 07 May 2012 - 08:31 PM, said:

Hi WM,

Oddly enough I was looking at a large frame holster? today,  that is close to what you described,, the only thing was that it was made from some sort of woollen fibre, definitely not  felt, It got me thinking that this item was clearly devised as a  pistol 'sock' used for storeage or transportation and that it is obviously not for wearing on a belt etc. What I am getting at is that a 'sock' case is possibly what was meant and that the word 'holster' is confusing the issue a tad.

khaki

Its possible I guess Khaki athough I have seen the holster and it is definitely not for storage but for carrying purposes. I appreciate your comments but I rather think it might take a bit longer to get to the bottom of this .

Regards

Webleyman

[Thewebleyman]

Felt holster which I think is probably for .38 semi auto NOT a larger firearm such as a large frame Webley or Colt M1911.

Regards



 felt holster.jpg   30.68K   2 downloads

[khaki]

Hello WM,

I did not realize that the 'felt' holster was actually a belt holster, that places a different perspective on it, (I reread the previous posts in case I missed it)  i have to imagine that if it's a belt holster made of felt then it would have to have a stiffening in it or around it, probably leather, otherwise it  could not support the weight of a large frame handgun,

  Hopefully some of our  RFC/RAF enthusiasts will offer an opinion.

regards

khaki

[Thewebleyman]

khaki, on 08 May 2012 - 10:34 PM, said:

Hello WM,

I did not realize that the 'felt' holster was actually a belt holster, that places a different perspective on it, (I reread the previous posts in case I missed it)  i have to imagine that if it's a belt holster made of felt then it would have to have a stiffening in it or around it, probably leather, otherwise it  could not support the weight of a large frame handgun,

  Hopefully some of our  RFC/RAF enthusiasts will offer an opinion.

regards

khaki

I'm hoping someone will recognise it Khaki.

Thanks



Webleyman