THE FIELD STYLE HOLSTER

[crazyphil]

I was reading about a holster this morning on a site that I probably should
not mention, but it was the same style that many of us on this thread have
referred to as a field holster.

It is the style made to slide over the belt, or snap over the belt without
needing to remove the belt, or possibly loop it through the slot of a
Buscadero style belt.

The style was made by just about every maker, with many examples
shown on this thread.

The writer, who's information I was reading this morning, referred to
the style as a SNAP LOOP DESIGN. He said it was patented by Brauer
Brothers in 1928.

Kinda makes me wonder what good is a patent when almost every
maker made the same style in the ensuing years. Perhaps our resident
Holstorian can explain.

 

[rednichols]

I was reading about a holster this morning on a site that I probably should
not mention, but it was the same style that many of us on this thread have
referred to as a field holster.

It is the style made to slide over the belt, or snap over the belt without
needing to remove the belt, or possibly loop it through the slot of a
Buscadero style belt.

The style was made by just about every maker, with many examples
shown on this thread.

The writer, who's information I was reading this morning, referred to
the style as a SNAP LOOP DESIGN. He said it was patented by Brauer
Brothers in 1928.

Kinda makes me wonder what good is a patent when almost every
maker made the same style in the ensuing years. Perhaps our resident
Holstorian can explain.

Indeed the Brauer was patented. Few can read a holster patent and really grasp what the improvement is or how it is limited because a lot of wishful thinking figures into the process. Long expired now so we need not get into it. But. Think back to the prior art and you'll realize the older straps didn't unsnap.

 

[crazyphil]

I just examined my Heiser and Colorado Saddlery "field style" hosters
and sure enough, no snap on the loop that goes around the holster. You
are right, but you knew that.

But then there are those that came after the 1928 patent date that
do snap. I'm thinking of Hunter for example. How long does the
patent protect Brauer? Or do they just incorporate slight differences
to defeat the patent?

And thanks Red for your response.

 

[VaTom]

Great S&W Field Combo. Model 63 and S&W Holster. Holster was a great find at a yard sale for $15!

 

[brucev]

Have always liked the Bianchi 10L for field use. Still do. But, a while back I found a very nice holster by Lawrence marked Challenger. It is also stamped 1C, 2, 5 1/2. It is a very good fit for my 625-2 revolver. Just a all round good holster for use in the woods and fields when out and about. Makes sense. After all, it is a field holster. Sincerely. bruce.

 

[S.B.]

Great S&W Field Combo. Model 63 and S&W Holster. Holster was a great find at a yard sale for $15!

I use the same S&W holster for my 62-0. Like it vvery much!
Steve

 

[rednichols]

I just examined my Heiser and Colorado Saddlery "field style" hosters
and sure enough, no snap on the loop that goes around the holster. You
are right, but you knew that.

But then there are those that came after the 1928 patent date that
do snap. I'm thinking of Hunter for example. How long does the
patent protect Brauer? Or do they just incorporate slight differences
to defeat the patent?

And thanks Red for your response.

I mean no offense when I say that 'incorporate slight differences to defeat the patent' isn't a real 'thing'. The patent code has provisions for that kind of thing, one of them being 'does substantially the same thing in substantially the same way to achieve substantially the same result'. The reality of going up against someone's patent is largely 'how much money do you have' -- and it's one's own lawyer who keeps asking you that.

In them thar days, a patent's term was 17 years from date of issue. Nowadays it is 20 years from date of application, to prevent the applicant from stalling the application process to get the longer term that would result. Then 'maintenance fees' must be paid periodically to keep the patent in force; and USPTO doesn't send reminders. Fail to do that and the patent is no longer valid. And it's actually ILLEGAL to collect royalties from an expired patent . . ..

Don't get the idea that a patent 'protects' anyone; although yes, it is called 'patent protection'. In fact a patent is a negative right; that is, it does NOT give even the patent holder the right to make the product because it may still infringe on someone else's patent. What it gives is the right to STOP someone from making the invention. And that stopping is complex and expensive.

Again, one could study the patent carefully and still the question would be 'moot': it's been expired for so long it doesn't matter what was considered novel and useful enough for a patent to issue. And I've seen a lot of holster patents written without a thorough understanding of the prior art; Baker's pancake patent being one of them. Come to think of it, Baker himself wasn't really a holster person and doubtless didn't know the prior art, either, to assist his attorney.

My strategy with patent applications was (I don't bother any more) is to throw in every relevant patent I can; Bill Rogers' strategy is to submit NOTHING and let the examiner put in anything he/she can find. His big strength was the early belief that he had Safariland bankrolling his suits; when in fact they were only licensees and he was on the hook to defend them against infringers .

 

[crazyphil]

Excellent explanation Red. Helps me understand, and hopefully others
who read this.

 

[turnerriver]

I'm on the road so don't have access to all my material but I know Brauer Brothers made a big deal of their snap-off belt feature. A picture of a lawman home from work throwing his happy baby up in the air while his holstered revolver rested safely nearby advertised how easy it was to take off your pistol. Lawrence's model 25 field holster didn't have the feature but the model 24 did. Here's a cut from Heiser's late Sportsman line showing several models with the snap-off feature and some without. I don't recall ever taking a holster off that way, it seems less cumbersome to me to just unbuckle the belt and slip the holster off but apparently it was a useful feature to many.
Regards,
turnerriver

 

[crazyphil]

I'm with you John. I always found it easier to just undo the belt buckle
and slip it off the belt just like any other holster. If anyone does use the
snap off without undoing the belt, maybe they will tell us why. Maybe
some advantage I have been missing.

 

[rednichols]

Perhaps Professor Witty thinks that Col. Criswell has been taking notes and remembers that . . . the HeiserKeyston branding appeared early 1950s, likely as early as 1952? And by the late '50s the brand had become Heiser-Keyston-Lichtenberger. In terms of relevance to the date of the Brauer patent. Late '60s it had become just Keyston, not even the 'Bros', with addresses in the SF area, the LA area, and the Denver area.

Heiser as a company actually disappeared from Colorado when the operation was sold to (or simply taken over by) Keyston during 1950. Instead, the company really was Keyston Bros., a foreign corporation (i.e., from another State) that was d.b.a. (doing business as) The Heiser Co in Colorado. Still the Heiser name, but now the Keyston Co.; even all the players had changed including all the Heisers; and its staffers who had long since moved over to Colorado Saddlery; which at that exact moment fired up Hunter Corp to be their gunleather arm.

Heiser was not Heiser, Bianchi is not Bianchi, Safariland is not Safariland, Rogers is not Rogers, it's all kind of a 'shell game' for us commoners. I know even Hunter has been under different owners for quite some time now. Ditto Hume, Myres, Berns-Martin, perhaps every darned one of modern makers. There has never been a family succession plan for any of the makers that I can think of; if the founders don't sell up then the heirs will.

 

[crazyphil]

Not just in the holster business. If a business name has any value, any
business, someone, somehow gets the use of that name and tacks it on
to their products. We can all probably think of some product we have
purchased, because of an old, well known name. Then the product turns
out to be made in China.

BTW thanks for the promotion to Col. but actually I would prefer to
remain a lowly Sgt. I, and any other former Non-Com, knows it's
the Sergeants and Chiefs who really run our military.