Two leather shops in town follow this tradition by using era-authentic equipment and machines to reproduce 1800s accessories: Bill and Barbara Brown's Wm. Brown Holster Co. on Fremont Street, and Geno D'Ambrose's Custom Saddles on Allen Street.

The shops' owners pride themselves on producing different products, but they share similar styles by making everything by hand and using the same sewing machines that were used more than a 100 years ago.

D'Ambrose's sewing machine dates to the 1890s and is generated by a hand or foot pedal. The Browns use sewing machines passed down through their family that range from the late 1890s to the early 1900s, but their machines have been converted to use electric power.

With a town full of cowboys and tourists, these authentic leather workers are well appreciated by the locals.

"I would like to see more of it," said Josh Hawley, who works at the O.K. Corral. "They don't get the respect like they should or like they got 100 years ago."

The quality of personal craftsmanship has decreased over the years with many leather products now being made in factories or in Mexico.

Bill Brown is best known for his holster reproductions and has produced famous replica holsters, among them John Wayne's and Geronimo's, at a cost of $2,000.

"Holsters and belts are the most common request," Barbara Brown said.

To be as authentic and close to the original product as possible, Bill Brown uses certain kinds of leather, namely natural range scarred leather, which he feels gives the pieces an aged look and feel.

"The only way you can tell the difference between my reproductions and the original is by looking at my stamp," he said.

Many magazines have taken note of Brown's skill and have published pictures of his work. He won True West Magazine's Best Gun Leather Artisan-Reproduction award in 2003 and made holsters for the third season of the HBO television show Deadwood in 2006.

What Brown does with holsters, D'Ambrose does with saddles. He specializes in saddles for professional ropers, but also makes holsters for professional shooters. He creates original designs for his productions.

D'Ambrose has worked for 25 years, providing western actors such as Ben Johnson and Buck Taylor with saddles.

"It takes about 80 hours and $800 worth of material to make a saddle," D'Ambrose said.

The most extravagant saddle he has ever produced cost $6,500 and had silver on it.

For collectors and actors, the money spent acquiring a quality leather piece is always a good trade.

"The makers build it with their own hands, so you know that it is personal," Hawley said.

D'Ambrose is also known around Tombstone because he's a champion in cowboy-mounted shooting.

"By winning all these contests I can say that I really am a cowboy," laughs D'Ambrose.

D'Ambrose gives off the appearance that he is a long-time Tombstone resident, but he has only lived in the town since 2005. The majority of his life had been spent living in Phoenix, but a few years ago he grew tired of the big city and decided that he wanted to find a city that suited him better.

"While we sold a decent amount of saddles in Phoenix, it just seems like there is more of a need here in Tombstone," he said. "Cowboys need their saddles."