Pull Up A Chair!
I'm glad you stopped in to take a look at my goods. My name is Will Ghormley and I make all of this myself. Everything I craft is hand-made for my customers. I cut each item from the hide when it's ordered. It's worked and tooled right here at my bench. I dye and oil and clamp it in my stitching pony to sew by hand.
It's unusual to find anything made by hand by one person any more. Mass-produced gun leather is flooding the market. Oh, most of it is pretty good leather, but there ain't much of it that bears a man's name, his sweat and his pride.
Years from now when you hand your leather down to your kids or grandkids, it will have stories to tell: sweat stains from hours in the sun or astraddle a horse - the gouges along the cartridge loops in back where you spent the heat leanin' up against a pine tree swappin' stories in the shade - the dark stain that wouldn't ever come off after that hunting party with your amigos, was it from that prize buck, or from that chili you spilled on yourself? - and you'll tell them about the man who made your rig, pointing to the worn and creased stamp bearing the words, "Will Ghormley - Maker".
I started crafting leather nearly thirty years ago, and I've honed my craft considerable in the last few years. I've even started publishing patterns of my Old West Gear for other leather craftsmen to work with. Along the line I started carving pictures in leather and painting them. Now some of the most recognizable names in America own my carved leather paintings. I don't do this because it's easy. I don't do it 'cause I'm smart. In fact, about the only reason I stick with it is because I'm stubborn and I love the work I do.
You can get store-bought leather most anywhere, but during my lifetime I'm only going to be able to craft so many rigs bearing my name. I make 'em like the pioneer craftsmen made them over a hundred and fifty years ago. I'd like to make one for you, friend.
Most of the photos you will see are stock items I manufacture for my catalogue, but it is custom work that has built my business. By nature I've always been an artist - and I use that gift when I make your leather. If you don't see exactly what you want in the stock orders, I'm more than willing to create something to your specifications. Sketch something out, send me a copy of a photo, or tell me what movie you saw it in. Call me with the details and we'll talk about it.
