Thumb Break Holster?

[Niederlander]

Gentlemen,  Does anyone know when the thumb break holster came into use? 

[St. George]

1970s...

Scouts Out!

[Bat 2919]

Agreed, 1970's. 

[Advertising]

[Niederlander]

Anyone got any old catalogs to confirm this?  Unfortunately, I can't find much for old catalogs online.  With all the information out there, you'd think someone would have uploaded old Bucheimer, Lawrence, etc. catalogs for people like us to look at!

[Professor Marvel]

from Bianchi's website we find they lay claim to the thumbsnap safety strap in the mid-ish 1960's.

"The company grew out of John Bianchi's desire to create an effective holster that he could wear on duty as a police officer. That was just the start of the many innovations to come. The widely used thumb snap feature included on the original Bianchi Model 5BH/5BHL, as well as the 19/19L series, was first innovated by Bianchi in 1960, and has revolutionized holster designs ever since. "

https://www.safariland.com/bianchi-resources/bianchi-history.html
-------------------------------------------------

howver, noted holster historian and guy who used to work for people, Red Nichols states

http://smith-wessonforum.com/gun-leather-carry-gear/540473-history-bianchi-5b-holster.html

"I suppose the real story of the 5B is the story of the thumbsnap. John has claimed early and often to have invented the thumb snap, but the patent for it was filed by Mr. Bucheimer and the lesser-known Mr. Kippen (who worked for several companies and apprenticed at Heiser) before John took up holsters in 1958 after leaving the Army.

John's version appeared not in his earliest 1963 Protector Brand catalogue but in his 1966 Bianchi Holster catalogue. Ten years is a long time in patent history; where one man beating another by a single day is decisive. "


so I looked up patents and found this one by Herr Bucheimer, showing a thumbsnap safety device filed jan 11 1957

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/2917213.pdf

bottom line, it's very modernsich and 5 years off a fifty year old timeline ain't nothin.

yhs
prof marbles

[Johnson Barr]

Excellent article about John Bianchi's holster history in 'Guns of the Old West', Summer 2018 issue, page 61. His No. 3
Thumb Snap Holster came out in the early 1960's and was made for double-action revolvers and had a hammer shroud 'thumb snap' and sight protector 'molded front sight channel'. I have several from the early '70's when I finally was old enough to fill them with J, K and N frames. Still have all the holsters and revolvers including the big fat 4" 29-2. Gave $300 for the .44 and $30 for the holster, both brand new.