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Old 05-16-2017, 02:36 AM
crazyphil crazyphil is offline
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Default WOLFRAM TO S&W HOLSTERS

Bangor-Punta acquired Smith & Wesson in 1965 and
started looking for ways to grow the business. They
acquired Wally Wolfram's holster business. Wolfram's last
catalog was 1967 (Thanks to Turnerriver). S&W's first
catalog was 1969, so sometime between those two dates
would have been when the Wolfram business transitioned
to S&W.

I remember reading somewhere that Wally worked for S&W
for a while, helping them get started. Red Nichols said in another
post that Al Kippen, formerly Bucheimer's man, handled the start up.
I suppose both could be correct.

Photo below left shows an early Wally Wolfram holster
that he made in Albuquerque, N.M. where he was a police
officer. He called the New Mexico holsters his "Wolf" brand.
He made this one for F. M. Pitt Co. It is holding my vintage
Charter Undercover (because none of my Smith snubs have
exposed hammers).

To it's right is Wally Wolfram's "Blazer" brand holster made
for a 2" J-Frame. It is holding my Taurus model 94, again
because my Smith J-Frames have no exposed hammer spurs.
It was made for George F. Cake Co. at Wally's shop in
Monrovia, CA. Wally had also been making holsters for Colt,
but of course that ended when he sold to S&W. I doubt Colt
would want S&W to make their holsters, nor would S&W want to.

The second photo from left shows an S&W holster that I
just acquired. It was made for the 2" J-Frame. It is holding
my vintage Charter Undercover, with Altamont stocks this time.

3rd, 4th, and 5th photos show the back side of those
three holsters in the same order. The S&W is almost identical
to the Blazer. I recall that S&W even called some of their
early holsters Blazers. It is interesting to see how Wally
changed the shape of the belt loop from the New Mexico
Wolf to the California Blazer.

John Bianchi was mentored by Wally Wolfram. John told
me that he, Wally, and Tex Shoemaker often worked together.
He credits Wally with many holster innovations, including the
hammer protector. On one of this forum's posts, Red Nichols
agreed that Wally originated the hammer protector. Holsters
in the old west and early 20th Century often had the leather
high enough to cover the hammer, but when I say hammer
protector I'm referring to the flap that looks like a "dog ear".
That's the name used by Texas Rangers.

I suppose Bangor-Punta wasn't enjoying the holster
business because in 1979 they made Bob Gould, head of
their holster division, an offer he couldn't refuse. So he,
and his partner, Goodrich, took over S&W's holster operation
in North Carolina. G&G is still very much alive and well.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg SAM_0331.jpg (121.6 KB, 285 views)
File Type: jpg SAM_0483.jpg (60.9 KB, 267 views)
File Type: jpg SAM_0485.jpg (35.6 KB, 262 views)
File Type: jpg SAM_0486.jpg (38.2 KB, 249 views)
File Type: jpg SAM_0484.jpg (66.9 KB, 236 views)
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