[lugerholsterrepair]

Tracy, Thanks for the photo's of your holster. I must say I admire your candid disclosure. Also your return policy.

I am not the holster Police and people are free to invest their money in any way they see fit. As long as you are showing good photo's they can make up their own mind as to authenticity. After reviewing your latest photo's I may have done you a grave injustice. Your rig does have the marks of being mostly authentic with some questionable parts.

I would love to see a photo of the back of this holster. You would have to remove it from the stock and I do not blame you if you do not want to do this. It can be a little complicated. Took another look at the thread and I see you have provided this photo. The stock block looks good.

There are several things about this holster that do not square with original German manufacture.
The large screw and washer holding on the toe strap to the stock and the boot strap which holds the boot. This is intirely too new to be period. The screw and washer should be a very dark brown color, some are almost black. Under this should be three small hand hammered rivets with washers. Either brass or steel depending on early or late manufacture. This one is sewn and consequently not of German make. I suspect the toe strap has been replaced but the boot is authentic.

The four screws with washers shown attaching the closure strap to the stock are both steel. The washers should be stamped brass. I have never seen steel washers on an original stock. There may have been some, I just have never seen any. I also don't like the corners cut on the leather above the screws. Too much cut.

The last photo you show is the closure strap. It actually looks pretty good but normally the Germans did not mushroom the tops of the rivets this much. Many on original rigs are slightly mushroomed and have three or more flat sides to the top as if they were struck with a small flat bottomed drift.

The photo of the boot you show is not too bad either. In the eBay photo I could not detect a rawhide liner but it seems to have it after all. The date you show certainly is authentic.

The stock wood is a little light but that may be the lighting. Generally they get pretty dark with age compared to the one shown. Maybe it was kept away from light all these years. The iron looks good to me and the metal to wood fit looks like German craftsmanship.
One question, below the 4 screws holding the leather closure strap to the stock, is there a mark stamped into the wood? Crown S for instance?

All in all I think the buyer will be happy with this rig. One thing I have found is accurate close up photo's help to inform those who might find a holster questionable.

I applaud your willingness to discuss your holster here.

Ron, I was discussing two different holsters. The first one was a holster alone. No rig or stock and it is a genuine phoney. The seller sent me a photo of the back but did not put it on eBay.

Jerry Burney