ltwguns.com

Alex Nossar from Peru, the guy whose holsters I sell a few of, came to the SHOT Show this year and we stayed together. He came home with me to Michigan and stayed a week. I took to calling him the Peruvian Vin Deisel as, after spending a few days with him, I realized there is a strong resemblance to the actor. In fact when we went to my nephew's 8th birthday party the other day, I had him and all his friends convinced that the guy with me was Riddick himself, of The Riddick Chronicles.

Alex is a real outdoorsman and does a fair amount of hunting down there. He does suffer from a shopping disorder though and while here bought three new bows, a couple dozen arrows, several handfuls of points, some fletching tools, a quiver, and, well, just a sh'load of hunting gear. TSA treated us really well when I took him to the airport, though. In larger city I'da been concerned.

I knew he was a gunman but didn't realize the extent of it until he spent a few days in the shop with my while I worked. I started explaining some 1911 things to him and he would interrupt and finish my sentences. Then I got to where I tried to outright stump him with stuff and it was not easy. He does quite a bit of gunsmithing down there for his family's gun shop, but also for the real high-end guys down there who know who he is. I could tell just by the way he handled a pistol, that he was competent. Well, down there, in certain areas anyway, it is very important to be so.

Turns out that he is, in fact, a bit of a movie star-- well, OK, it was a bit part in a Peruvian action series, plus the "technical advisor" gig. He had to screech to a halt in his Jeep, jump out and go prone, and fire several bursts from his HK33. In the city. With live ammo. They cordoned off a block for the scene, and part of his job was to provide a safe backstop (and make sure he hit it). The backstop was a frame full of sand with Kevlar front and back, and was propped up against a brick wall at pretty close range. It was going to be a problem getting blanks and especially a blank adaptor for that particular rifle, so 55 grain ball it was!

The high point of the show for Alex, beyond all doubt, was meeting Lou Alessi. He was really on Cloud Nine about it and repeated to me several times about what a nice guy Lou is (and he is). Alex had had an experience with another holstermaker, one sorta known for grumpiness, and was totally pleased to find Lou so friendly and open. Thanks for being the gent you are, Lou!

I learned a few things about how holsters are made, and got to see a few new and experimental models. From my meager stock, he took a few back, but left a few new ones. We went through them and he marked several down, I'll probably post an inventory when I can. I'd had quite a few for the Glock 27/28 (the 28 is a .380 which they sell in Peru). He took some of those back as the super-stubby Glox don't seem that popular here.

The day after he bought the bows he said he was going to go out and hunt snow mice. I just sorta nodded and said I'd give him a $1000 bounty on each one. Everybody knows they've gone south by December!

Fortunately, I got to meet Alex, quite a gentleman and certainly seemed to be enjoying himself at the show. He has agreed to provide leather for an LTW gun, which for us is huge. Ned, thanks for bringing him along. Alex, it was a pleasure.

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Heirloom Precision, LLC.
480-804-1911

"If everyone is thinking alike, someone isn't thinking."
- General George Patton Jr

First of all I´d like to thank you Ned for your hospitality, I really enjoyed the time I spent with you and your family, I also want to thank you for your kindness by giving me the opportunity to be part of the show, i got to meet great people such as all the LTW staff I could notice that each one of them are great persons and masters at what they do, as you said I was looking forward to meet Lou and it was a pleasure meeting him and finding out the gentleman he is. Thanks Lou for being so kind and easy person to talk with.

Steve thank you for your comment, it was my pleasure.
I did was enjoying myself at the show.
About the next LTW project, it would be an honor for me to be part of the huge effort that each one of you invest in this kind of projects.
I´ll be thinking to come out with something unique for the LTW project.

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Alex NossaR
www.nossargunleather.com

Hey,, I just saw this thread..
Alex, I really enjoyed meeting you, and seeing your holsters. If you ever get back to Michigan, make the trip to Buffalo. Traveling through Canada, it's about a 5 hour drive.
Bring Nedley with you, and we can talk holsters while he's learning how to stitch..
I hope you make it to the Shot Show next year also. Bring lots of stuff!
Lou

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Alessi Holsters, Inc.
You'll never know it's there, until you need it...

I just saw this thread too....

It was a real pleasure meeting Alex at the show. He was even cool to me after I dragged him all over Vegas lost in my truck

I was lucky enough to see his leathercraft and I gotta tell you it is just fantastic. There were so many well thought out detailed touches. And as he explained them to me, you could easily tell that this guy is seriously passionate about his craft.

Hope you make it back next year, Alex. This time we'll have to have a few more rounds early in the evening to survive the crazy sisters!

Mouse huntin' w/ a bow, I gotsta see that!

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Stan Chen Customs
http://www.chencustoms.com

Well, since I just joined this forum, my post on this topic is a little late.

I was also lucky enough to spend some time with Lou and Alex at the SHOT show. I must have talked to them for 2 hours! I learned quite a bit about holster making from both of them, and they were more than happy to share tips from their bag of tricks with a newby holster maker. Alex brought a couple of Sharkskin Rigs, belt, mag pouch, etc. and they were awesome. Lou's rig for LTW #1 was a work of art.

There are certain people in this industry that are more Embassador than craftsman and when you are talking about the tallents of these two, that says a lot!

I also pestered Stan and some of the other smiths while I was there, and they were all fantastic.

Take care guys,

5Shot

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I will never forget you Lou......February 21, 2009

John Ralston
5 SHOT LEATHER, LLC - Finely Crafted Custom Handgun Leather

http://www.5ShotLeather.com

Hi guys, sorry for beeing late to answer but i´ve been out of town some weeks, because some of you may know that i have a second job. I work in the fishing industry ( lot of sharks to catch!!) and that takes some of the little time i have to write to my friends.
Thank´s Lou, it would be terrific to make that trip some time. We just need to convince Ned to learn to stich. I will send him a manual to practice in miss Michigun´s sewing machine, so he won´t waste too much of your fine leather.
Hey Stan, its good to hear from you and it was my pleasure meetin you but sorry for carrying that over weight all over Las Vegas.
OH, the crazy sisters; Next year we will have to begin at 5 pm.
By the way here in Peru we don´t hunt mices, we hunt rats and i´m building a bow, large enough for them. That day i was overbowed for that mice in Ned´s house. hope i´ll find it next time.
I hope we can all spend more time together next year.

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Alex NossaR
www.nossargunleather.com

Hey John, hope everything´s find with the holster making, guess you find those brass buckles you were looking for...
just remember that if there´s anything that i could help you with, just drop me a mail....

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Alex NossaR
www.nossargunleather.com