I came across an old 38 Arvo Ojala belt last week. It is well used, and too small for me. It is marked 38 2415 and then 38ch on the flap. I have a local guy who sells horse tack who would "restore" it. One loop is broken. The belt strap is a bit tired, and the leather finish inside is much better than the outside. It does fit 38/357 nicely.

Does anybody here collect or know a lot about this old rig? I have read all about his bio and current company run by his survivors.

I'm no expert but I've traded a few Ojala items and can tell you the belt has some value, but you know that having read Ojala's bio and understanding who he was. The maker's mark can roughly date the belt; if it reads "Patent Pending", it'll likely be an earlier item (pre-mid 1950s). I don't know if investing in a restoration would be worth it if you plan to sell it. Maybe just a light cleaning with a soft brush and damp cloth to remove heavy dust, mud or crud. The inside looks good, a good sign. Cleaned up, it might be a very nice belt. I'm sure there are a lot of folks out there who'd be interested in it. No matching holster, by chance? If so, then you'd really have something.

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SWHF #448

Here is a complete tooled on both sides quickdraw rig with a size to a good 40 inches.

It has a silver initial, and the owner's full name on the inside of the belt. It is shown
with a 1st Gen 44 Special-Pre-war-Post-war.









Sutton's name is nicely tooled. Wonder if that name is being used by
any SASS Shooter?

Funny, I was watching a black Cot SAA Ojala holster only on Ebay that closed today for around $120. Pretty good. I just took this pic yesterday of a rig I ordered over the phone from Ojala in 1985. It was $200 and this is a 1958 Colt .44 Special in it. I also picked up a beat up tan lefty Ojala holster on GunBroker for $16, cleaned it up, and made a belt based on my black one. I then beat it up to match the holster. AND....around 1987 I made my son a miniture Ojala. He's a lefty, too. Here's all that stuff below. You have a nice belt. I think there's a belt only on Ebay right now, too. Check it out and see what it goes for if it's still there.


GunBroker holster before...


and after I cleaned it up and replace the dries out little belt, hammer thong, and tie down...


With belt copy I made...


And my kid's rig...


And an envelope and Ojala paperwork he sent me in '85. I sent him a tape of "The Oregon Trail", a film he said was the only one he had lines in. He sent me $5 and all this stuff including an original Paladin card of his.

This is a very nice and unusual rig from Ojala. I've only seen a couple without the drop loop buscadero belt. I'm curious about the two chicago screws on the top in back. Do they by any chand screw through a lower extention on the belt we can't see, keeping the holster in the same place at all times? That bumpy tooling pattern is very strange. And compare the upper part of your holster with my standard ones. It has a different curve to it. It almost looks backwords. Very cool.

Arvo Ojala was a holster maker to the stars. My old prewar SA resides in a Geo. Lawrence # 120 that reading Keith I bought in 1957. Good today as it was then.

Does anyone know how his last name is pronounced? I think he was originally a Swede, so it may not have the H sound in Spanish for the J.

I've wondered for years, but never met anyone who knew.

Q-Ball, are you here? Is that a common Swedish name?

He was Finnish. It's definetly o"J"ala with a "J" sound. I forgot how I tracked down his phone number but I called him in 1985 and he was in Roseda, Ca. At least that's where I mailed that VHS tape to him. I thought he said his daughter in law made the holsters in Tacoma, Wa. That parts fuzzy with me though. I asked him a lot of questions about movies. He said some of the the Silverado guys never held a sixgun in their hands prior to the movie. He also said he was going to stand in (hands only) for Kevin Costner but got in a car wreck in New Mexico. I asked him if Marilyn Monroe smelled good since he was cheek to cheek with her in that one photo from the set of River Of No Return and he said, "Sure!" then chuckled. I talked to him twice and he was very gracious putting up wih my constant questions. Later I found out a cowboy town was built in Sonora, Ca. for Back To The Future 3 and he was there (along with ZZTOP, I believe). I went to Sonora all the time to see and get my son and if I knew this was going on I'd have called him again and try to weasel onto the set! Not that I assume I'd have a chance in ---- to do it. Now I watch old TV shows mostly to see guys wearing his rigs.