How Bianchi Used To Deliver Holsters

[ordnanceguy]

Gentlemen:

Back in the olden days it used to take quite a while for that nice Bianchi holster you ordered to show up. I have now learned why. See the Bianchi delivery method below.



Just kidding! I ran across this 40 year old image in a Bianchi advertisement from way back when and thought our resident holster nuts would enjoy seeing it on a lazy mid-summer day. Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[Oldsalt66]

Nowadays they just truck them in from Mexico.

 

[CajunBass]

My first holster was a Bianchi, about 1978 or so. I just bought my second this week. I had pretty much forgotten about them

I've still got my copy of "Blue Steel and Gunleather" too. Dust jacket fell apart years ago though.

 

[Muley Gil]

I used to have the Bianchi cowboy themed posters. I've owned some of their holsters over the years. Good gear.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Neal Perkins and John Bianchi worked together in the beginning. Then they split and Neal started Safariland Holsters and John continued on with his name brand. I have and still use a lot Bianchi holsters from the 60's and 70's.
Neal and John are gone now and the owners of Safariland bought the Bianchi brand.
A favorite holster holster I always wanted was any of the above WITH A HEAVY STITCHED NYLON OR CANVAS belt loop......So it would NEVER stretch and stay tight on my belt. On some of my old Bianchi holsters the belt loop has stretched from sweat/rain and wear. Wish I could tighten them back up........Maybe a shoe artist(shoe repair) guy could work his magic and make them like new again.

My favorite John Bianchi commercial was when he was wearing Tux and concealed about a dozen pistols.

 

[Old Corp]

Bianchi always brings back memories of my first real 'paycheck job' at a LGS when I was ~16 in 1974.

We carried nearly the ENTIRE Bianchi line and it was often up to me and sometimes another young clerk to inventory them. This is when inventorying meant a legal pad, a pencil and hash-marks.
Seemed to take forever - the Models 5B, 5BL, 19, 19L, X15 SH, etc, etc.
And then the lefty versions of all those. And all the belts.
Bianchi was our 'top' line'.

Cheaper choices were Bucheimer ('Federal Man'), and a brand I can't recall that closely resembled Hunter. - - ** just remembered - 'Brauer Bros.'.

All leather.

A whiff of leather-smell can usually be counted on the resurrect those memories.......

 

[CajunBass]

Bianchi always brings back memories of my first real 'paycheck job' at a LGS when I was ~16 in 1974.

We carried nearly the ENTIRE Bianchi line and it was often up to me and sometimes another young clerk to inventory them. This is when inventorying meant a legal pad, a pencil and hash-marks.
Seemed to take forever - the Models 5B, 5BL, 19, 19L, X15 SH, etc, etc.
And then the lefty versions of all those. And all the belts.
Bianchi was our 'top' line'.

Cheaper choices were Bucheimer ('Federal Man'), and a brand I can't recall that closely resembled Hunter.

All leather.

A whiff of leather-smell can usually be counted on the resurrect those memories.......

That's IT! The first Bianchi (or any other holster) I ever bought was a Model 5BL for a Model 19, with a 4" barrel.

Thanks!

 

[123paulg]

Neal Perkins and John Bianchi worked together in the beginning. Then they split and Neal started Safariland Holsters and John continued on with his name brand.
Neal and John are gone now and the owners of Safariland bought the Bianchi brand..

John Bianchi is still around, running Frontier Gunleather in Rancho Mirage, California. Anything you read on the internet to the contrary is erroneous.

 

[SG-688]

Gentlemen:

Back in the olden days it used to take quite a while for that nice Bianchi holster you ordered to show up. I have now learned why. See the Bianchi delivery method below.



.......

Not shown in the picture: Red Nichols is pulling the wagon.

..

 

[lihpster]

All leather.

A whiff of leather-smell can usually be counted on the resurrect those memories.......

My father once walked into a trading post on the Sho-Ban reservation to see an entire wall of smoke tanned moccasins. The whole place smelled like it. He knew he was in a good place.

 

[boykinlp]

As much as I LOVE vintage holsters, I must admit to being a leather sniffer! The vintage ones aren't too good for that, but when I have bought new stuff from El Paso Saddlery, opening the plastic bag is a nasal treat. I would love to walk into their place of business.
Larry

 

[chief38]

I always thought that Bianchi holsters were good quality however I also thought they were a bit on the bulky side. While being bulky for CCW - it did make them durable.

Now days I roll with Kramer's Horsehide Leather which is very light in weight and I have found nothing stronger or that has better retention and longevity. Of course you pay for that!