:ballons: greetings , how is the weather out there is reallly cold here in new york , gentleman ( and ladies ) , i am doing research on the clam-shell holsters that were used by the CHP for there revolvers ( either safety speed , jewett, hoffman or stanroy )any and all help would be greatly apprecated , many thanks rob
greetings Shaun, which manufacture clamshell did you have ??\
have found four companies that made them and also what revolver did you carry in your clamshell and what barrel length , amny thanks rob
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaun
Not just chp but county agencies used them. -- very good holster and incredible speed out of them -- its what I used in the academy.
I used a Stanroy holster many years ago when I was a cop in Compton CA. (before LASD took over in 2000).
I had a Smith and Wesson Model 28 (the heavy highway patrolman .357). In fact, I still have the holster which is the only original item I have left back when I was in uniform.
greetings , does you stanroy have a date on the back of the holster ??also would you happen to have a stanroy catalog , ??
please advise many thanks robbt
Almost all of the Stanroy holsters (in the clam shell format) didn't have any date stamps unless the purchaser wanted it stamped on it.
As far as I know, Stanroy only had a folded brochure as its catalog. I don't know what happened to the one that came with my holster.
Safety Speed had the better concept design than the others. The reason being is that their holster shape was more narrower and when the holster cover opened, it would only open 1/4 of the way allowing the user to reholster their gun with one hand. I wanted to order one from Safety Speed but the wait time was forever so I decided to keep the Stanroy to get some use out of it.
The clam shell holster really got a bad rap since many of the folks who complained about it didn't really know how to use it and defend it against the bad guys. I carried mine for over 3 years without a mishap in Compton.
I plan on putting the holster on ebay during the month of January 07 since I really don't need it anymore.
Last edited by lilrays; 12-12-2006 at 02:56 PM.
Reason: Added information
howdy guys , does anyone have a Stanroy holster with patients dates stamped into the holster ??
also Lilrays when did you start police work with your Stanroy holster ??
My first post here. Funny where you find your old friends hanging out.
I'm retired Kern County SO, 31 years. Those on this thread are probably aware that Bakersfield, California, County seat of Kern County, is the home of the original Clamshell, known then as the Jewett Safety Holster.
Frank Jewett, the inventor/patent holder was a Kern County deputy sheriff. I have found a small bit of info on him. "Mr." Stanroy (I'm still trying to find info on him) was Frank Jewett's father-in-law. They were more or less in business together. Jewett owned the patents, Stanroy did the work - all by himself.
With that link I have always pursued any of the holsters I could find and have about 40 in various guns, barrel lengths, colors, finish, what have you.
Jewett and Stanroy are the same company. I've never taken the time to count all the labels he sold them under, but there are quite a few. Will do that as I continue my research.
Anyway, Hi Rob, it's been a while. I've been meaning to write you but lost your address again. Mine is bdarling@hughes.net
I was going to post on Handcuffs.org and see if you and Tim picked up.
I've never seen patent numbers on the holster, only the patent dates. However, some time back I sent you a picture of the "naked" clamshell. Stripped to the metal, no leather. On the metal, sure enough, was stamped the patent number, so it is covered by the leather covering. Hope you got the pic, if not, let me know and I will resend.
Now, for my news. I just got a weird one, a Stanroy, and it is for an 1877 Colt Lightning or Thunderer double action, even weirder it is for a 6" "Sheriffs Model" (no ejector rod). That gun was all but forgotten by the time Stanroy started making holsters. Would sure love to know the story. Send me new address and I will send pics with gun in it.
My apologies to all for being so long winded on my first post, but really appreciate the opportunity and venue for all 4 or 5 of us clamshell collectors in the world to get together again.
If I remember correctly Bianchi leather made some for CHP which was called "THE JUDGE' AND i BELIEVE THE MODEL NUMBER WAS 28. tHIS WAS WAY BACK IN THE 60'S OOR 70'S. I don't remember if they were adopted or just on trail. I was LACSO so didn't follow to close.
Bianchi did make a holster called "The Judge". I still have the one I bought and hated. You needed a friend to help you get your gun out of it. I haul it around to every gunshow I set up in hopes somebody will give me $10 for it. Cost me almost $100 in 1973.
It was a break front type holster, not a spring actuated "clamshell" type holster.
Although Stanroy was making his clamshell since about 1935 and selling it locally (Kern County) they do seem to appear in other departments around the country, but mostly California.
I don't know that the CHP ever paid any attention to it, although some of the local guys might have bought one on their own (once upon a time nobobdy gave us anything, except our badges).
LAPD really put the clamshell on the map when they adopted it as standard issue, but by then either Hoffman or Safety Speed was making them and Mr Stanroy was no longer combing the Union Avenue wrecking yards for fenders to make the frames out of.
Who could forget (well, okay, lots of us could forget) Milner and Reed (whatever their names were then) jumping out of their cruiser on a hot call and flicking open their clamshell holsters and perfectly handling their K-38s, never dropped them once, unlike the rest of us.
For what its worth, I have three clamshells. One for a model 10 K Frame swivel, another high rise. And lastly, I believe I was one of the few and probably dam near the last to get a Safety Speed Swivel Clamshell for an autoloader. Fits my S&W 4006 like glove.
Used Safety Speed for many years, rebuilt several for hi-rise PPC and other games before trigger fingers were bad. 2 problems on the job: first little nosey kids would creep up, as they are prone to do and "push the button" with their little kid fingers and drop the revolver on the floor or at least open it on the sofa you were sitting on. Lastly, "Re-holstering" took 2 hands, many times inconvenient. As in an altercation, while handcuffing or while riding the Harbor Freeway on a Motor Unit. A few fitted for semi-autos. Today, they could be re-designed for plainclothes use with small slim weapoons, perhaps with a hidden thumb actuator. A molded carbon fiber, with some foam inside and a Ruger-type coil spring. Just a thought.
Very sorry for this late response. I started working with the agency in 1978 first using a standard Safety Speed breakfront holster for my model 15 S&W.
A few months later, I traded it for a S&W model 28, that's when I got hold of a Stanroy holster.
The clam shell holsters were very popular in Ohio in the 1950's. The one I have in my collection was used by the Milford Ohio Chief of Police. It appears to be hallmarked Arlington Ca, clamshell-trade mark, with the numbers and letters 3 op 65
c 4
Here's a couple I've had for a while. The plain black design was made by Hoffman & Son for a S&W K frame model and the other, in a basketweave finish, is for a S&W N frame was made by Safety Speed when they were located in Montebello Calif.
Both spring mechanisms are in great condition. I sold my model S&W 28 and model 10 some years ago so I used a S&W N and K replica as substitutes.
I see it's been 2 years since I last checked here. I hate rushing things.
Picked up a few more, but they are really getting hard to find. Oddest was a high ride with safety strap around it. Guaranteed to make it twice as hard to get your gun. Unmarked but I suspect Safety Speed.
mcflsf, the prices are all over the place on these things and I don't think anyone could give a reliable valuation. I can say that I've paid as little as $10 and over $100 for one I wanted badly. There is one languishing on eBay right now for $129 and I believe it will languish until it blows away. Generally, they seem to be selling in the $40 to $70 range, more decided by condition than anything else as far as I can tell. However, to me, the Stanroy's and Jewetts are more valuable, but I come from the same place. Somebody else might value a SS far more.
Hi Pat, missed you at the National in St Louis in July, did you make it? The Arlington address would be the Hoffman & Sons factory. They were the second manufacturers, bought out Stanroy. A few early Hoffmans are marked "Stanroy Holster Co." Way rare. The codes on yours are "op" Official Police (Colt); "65" year made. "C4" Colt 4". Don't know what the "3" is, maybe style (black, brown, basket weave, swivel?) or maybe March. Hoffman sold to Safety Speed.
Robbt, haven't talked to you in ages, write when you get a minute.
I forgot to add...I'm looking for an article entitled "The Old Clamshell Holster" by E. Dixon Larson published inThe Arms Gazette. That mag is long since deceased, but copies show up on eBay. I don't know the date it was published and can't find a lead to it on the web. Anyone remember it or know anything about it?
lillray, I noticed in a couple posts in other places you attributed manufacture to a couple other companies, Audley and one or two others. I'd like to find out more on those. Can you source that info for me, I'd like to chase it down. Also would really like to see examples if you know of any. Thanks for the help and info.
stanroy holster 
stanroy patient dates 
