Pit Bull Tex Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 I just saw this 1860 uberti 45cal that was all engraved.It had TO MY PARD RICK MACK FROM BIG ED on one side and on the other BIG ED DOUGLAS.I just thought it sad that it was up for auction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafe Conager SASS #56958 Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Big Ed used to make cowboy leather in Tombstone Az. Not sure what happened to him but his old shop is empty. Rafe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goody, SASS #26190 Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Big Ed used to be a holster maker. Ran into some hard times and left people with a terrible taste in their mouths. I have some of his work and it was really top notch. Not sure what happened to him to cause the downfall. Don't know Rick Mack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruff Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Howdy pard, I think that Rick Mack was known by the alias of Mr. Bisley. I have bought some things from him on Gun Broker and Auction Arms, a pard to ride the river with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCandless Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Bought stuff from both of them. Rick is a great guy to do business with. Big Ed was a great craftsman, fine leather work, as a businessman... not so much. I won't tell you how many years it's been since I paid him for work that was never done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Ron Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Howdy, My opinion tha t Big ED just tried to do the work of about five men and couldn't do it. Made nice leather when he could. Also he had workers who quit and left without warning. He got way behind and just never caught up. Best CR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Big Ed made 3 really nice rigs for me. Here's the prize ... http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/rightholster.jpg http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/twoholsters.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Kiowa Jones #6765 Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Easy guys, Ed had a lot of health problems. I may be wrong on this but I don't think he is with us anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Brasse, SASS #3562 Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Rick Mack was a collector of Old West firearms who passed away last year. He used to set up at the big gunshows here in AZ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCandless Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Sorry to hear about Rick, I hadn't talked to him in a long time, I bought some antique holsters from him. Big Ed, well... his wife musta hated having to answer the phones for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WymoreWrangler SASS 46187L Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Big Ed had a big heart, but family health issues and no insurance, and the death of his daughter, he made more promises than he could keep... I also didn't get everything I paid for, but wish him well where ever he is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixgun Shorty, SASS #35717 Life Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Rick Mack and Big Ed were both close friends of mine.I was even best man at Big Ed's wedding in Tombstone. I lost touch with them both about 6 years ago .I know about Rick , as he had terminal cancer, but did not know he had passed away. Rick was a stand up guy .I had not heard that Big Ed had passed though it doesn't surprise me. Ed was at one time and for quite a few years one of the top 'go to' guys in leather making for CAS. Incredibly gifted in his craft, he just was not a business man. Ed was maligned in his later years, unfortunately, perhaps rightly so. But he was a Good friend to me and I have mostly all great memories of Big Ed. RIP, Guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pit Bull Tex Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 The rifle went for 675.00 on the 15 th.There was a pair of holsters by Big ED that went for 250.00.I just thought it was a shame that a cowboys stuff has to be sold like that.Just went back on site and checked prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota Doc Martin, SASS #21774 Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 The last I heard of Big Ed Douglas was about 4-5 years ago. He was living in his son's garage and wheelchair bound. His hands were all crippled up and he had a bad case of stenosing tenosynovitis (trigger finger). He was going to try making leather for EMF until I informed them of his widespread questionable business practices. He made some excellent leather and I used to be one of his dealers. And, I've heard a thousand silver tongued excuses out of him. But, ponzi schemes eventually collapse. I'd go into details but I'd get thrown off of here again I reckon. It took me about 5 years of chasing him to get my Johnny Behind the Deuce rig complete with everything you can think of. But, I sold it to a feller in Texas just to get it out of my sight. It put a sour taste in my mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowhand Bob, 24229 Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I have always thought one of the most foolish business deals for both parties was the notion that a customer would pay full price up front to stand in line. The customer stands to lose his cash and the businessman stands to lose his reputation. When confronted with lifes everyday problems it just becomes to easy to start using tomorrows business receipts to solve todays survival problems. At some point it is like rewarding the maker for getting further behind, more moneys collected today for less products shipped today. Works great until the day of reckoning! I prefer doing business with businesses that practice the concept of having a product ready to ship when my payment reaches their hand. Mernickle and Kirkpatrick are both equal, or superior, to any individuals doing business in the leather market place today and deliver rapid turn-around quality that is obtained by very few, I would tend to leave the so called pre-paid custom leather to those who have the money to gamble! Big Ed had a long and good run but eventually life through him a curve and many of those who got caught up in it did so after the warning signs had become very noticeable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 There is no doubt there was the Rise & the Fall of Big Ed's business practices. He told me the downturn started when he lost his help - the orders continued flooding in and not one word from Ed that he couldn't produce to satisfy the orders. I consider myself very lucky to have had 3 of his rigs made for me on the cusp of his being able to produce. If I didn't have the 3, I too probably would have gambled for one of his rigs during the period when he was being vilified on the Wire. As is said ... By the Grace of God, Go I and am truly sad that his career came to an end - scorned and living as he had - then to pass on in shame Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Ed made some good stuff. Sure wish he could stayed caught up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCandless Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Beautiful, beautiful work... I talked to him every three months for almost two years, and he always apologized and always said, I'll get right on it, you'll have it soon...usually promised 4-6 weeks. Even though his wife had to dig through to find the order. I knew I'd never get what I had ordered, just wanted to see if he'd ever own up and say, "I screwed up, I can't do it, and I can't pay you back..." That would have been really hard to do... so instead, he did the worst thing...he kept taking orders. But his skill, and his artistic eye, and his craftsmanship... that you can't fault. What he turned out was excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mustang Gregg Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 We went to see Big Ed & his kin whenever we were in southern AZ. Big Ed made several holsters & belts for our outfit. All were top shelf. God bless him where ever he is now. MG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Alpo, I have Ed's cousin to your rig ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Kiowa Jones #6765 Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Ed did this Johnny Behind the Deuce for me and a pair of these 7.5 " Tom Three persons, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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