Post by kings6 on Mar 8, 2014 18:02:03 GMT -5
As some of you know I recently sold several sets of leather gear and grips and among those was a leather holster by Andrews Leather for a 4" N Frame Smith. The gentleman on the forum that bought it is tickled with it but he asked why I was selling it and I told him I had a holster that I got from John Gallagher when the model 29 came here to live. The holster has Johns logo on it but it was made by his friend Thad Rybka. Most of you have heard of Thad but in case you haven't here is what little I know if him. First of all, he does a very top notch job on his holsters. Not real fancy but very well finished and built. Second, Thad lives a little off the "modern" beaten path in that he handles all his orders and questions the old fashioned way, by snail mail. You want a holster form Thad, you write him a note with your thoughts and ideas then you wait for the mailman to bring back his response. All the correspondence goes that way. Now John is a friend of Thad's and he may know if that just prefers to not use a phone or if he even has one but I have never asked John about it. I figure if the man likes doing business that way and I want his leather, fine with me. It is kind of like getting grips from Roy Fishpaw even though Roy does have and will use a phone.
Over the years I have been lucky enough to order or pick up a few of Thad's holsters. When the man who bought the Andrews asked if I had any pictures of Thad's work I sent him a picture then decided that we have enough new members who might have never heard of Thad so I decided to do this post and add the pictures. The holster on the left is the first one I have own of his that is carved and it is for a 4 3/4" Colt or Ruger midframe. The middle one is the one that John sent with the 4" model 29 and the one on the right is Thad's Tomahawk crossdraw which has been my go to holster for years when I am in the brush rattling blacktail bucks.
Over the years I have been lucky enough to order or pick up a few of Thad's holsters. When the man who bought the Andrews asked if I had any pictures of Thad's work I sent him a picture then decided that we have enough new members who might have never heard of Thad so I decided to do this post and add the pictures. The holster on the left is the first one I have own of his that is carved and it is for a 4 3/4" Colt or Ruger midframe. The middle one is the one that John sent with the 4" model 29 and the one on the right is Thad's Tomahawk crossdraw which has been my go to holster for years when I am in the brush rattling blacktail bucks.
