JLSleather

With your own site, you (nearly) set your own rules. If cutesy isn't your thing... why not? If it's fees and rules, you'll have that with any site of that nature, and the only place i know you'll significantly reduce that is your own site. If you "don't get many sales" on your own site, and your site doesn't have all that cheap crap, then cutesy's cheap crap may not be the issue. Cutesy got big because it's EASY TO USE. But SO MANY (most) people want to set something up, then have that work forever. It usually doesn't' go that way -- you have to adapt a bit now n then. The "down side" of cutesy (in addition to the sea of junk) is that IF you make some sales, you're still giving away your name in a way. Many people will buy something FROM YOU, then when asked where they got it they say "FROM ETSY". You are paying them to advertise for them BUT - they do keep the site updates current (this has to happen, since the rest of the 'net' changes, they have to change to still "work" with the 'net'). And they set up a structure so all you have to do is 'plug in' your picture and price. They calculate and collect tax. They purchase google ads that sellers benefit from. I only mention these because if you use your own site these are things you will need to do yourself (or pay someone to do). cutesy wants to increase their 'sales', just like you want to increase yours. so they do what increases the revenue. Makes sense. I call 'em cutesy because they have ALWAYS been ACRES of cheap crap. They are RELYING on the fact that people DON'T THINK. Most aren't stupid, they're just way too used to getting their information from television and apps, or from others who got their information from tv and apps. Whole planet of the blind leading the blind. I still have a few things over there, simply because the times I appear in Google Ads I DIDN'T PAY FOR is more than the fee I pay. When they pay at cutesy, they get a quality JLS thingie... and a card that has my own site. I don't have an issue with this. VERY few items available anywhere can claim to be original. There is sometimes not a hard clear line between "manufactured" and "hand made". Two guys on this site buy a piece of leather, one clicks out a front and back for a holster with a press and a die, sews it with a machine, calls it all 'hand made". other cuts around a pattern with a knife, sews with a needle and awl, calls it "hand made". When I go to buy something, I want something QUALITY. "hand made" is a GRIFT, a SCAM, a HUSTLE. MANY use that phrase to try to persuade you that their goods are "better", despite some being clearly NOT better. When I shop, I want WELL made. I have good boots. I have never asked how they assembled them, and I do not care.

I made wallets for YEARS with the innies about 1/4" shorter (lengthwise) than the outies. Leaves a slight bend in it when it's open - doesn't go completely flat (which, you wouldn't want anyway). And you absolutely can (and I absolutely DO) sew through the middle -- all the way around back to the starting point. I've always thought it looked stupid with that little patch between the stitching. Looks lazy - like the maker just couldn't be bothered with an extra dozen or so stitches. Long as this has come up, might as well say here that this is the same thing that happens with lined belts. The thicker the inside is, the longer the outside needs to be. I sew all the way around those, too.

cutesy is a strange place. I've heard horror stories in their forums about people so terrified at the thought of a "negative review" or "bad feedback" that they basically let the "buyer" keep an item, send 'em a refund, and all but apologize for the "buyer" being put out I got an email late last night, guy wants to know if this item is ready to send out or custom as "I’m looking for something now not in 3-4 weeks." I double checked the listing, which - sure enough - clearly says ships in 3-4 weeks. Right next to the pic of the goods. But that wasnt' the thing so much .. guy coulda missed it. But his "please advise" is a bit militaristic for me (only missing the ASAP), so I won't be replying. At all. Some people ...

WHAT THE ... @#!@! Some folk 'round these here parts make their own holsters, including those for the shield 9. If ya need a good leather one, maybe hit up that kid from Alybamy and tell him what you like ... His web site is being re-worked, but he'll get a message if you use the contact form

HEY I like it Bold lines and contrasting colors make this attractive and noteworthy without being gaudy and obtrusive. Decorated, but not over done.

Sad that this continues to come up, been going on for YEARS. You'd think SOMEBODY around here would put out a quality product in an 'insert" fashion. I never liked Tandy's stuff, and I didn't care for SLC's that I used (though they have some out now I have not tried). But the Chaylor inserts sold at SLC are quite nice. I still have one or two of those around here somewhere... many include "id window". They aren't priced to go in $50 wallets, but if you're making a good product they are worth the expense. Actually quite nice. I have made my own a number of times, usually when I can't find what i need already packaged, but the amount of sewing involved makes the C-F inserts a good buy.

I fish alone. Yeah, with nobody else. You know when I fish alone, I prefer to be by myself.

Not dropping loads of weight as yet, but I do seem to be getting some of the vascularity back... so must be leanin' up a tad? Scale aint moved much just yet ... The goal is to lose about 20 lbs (turns out 15 isn't quite enough after getting on an actual scale) and to increase fitness until I basically look like something from invasion of the body snatchers --- like "before" ...

And maybe some screen to prevent squirrels and other rodents ...

My machine / thread is covered with clear plastic when not in use Looks like easy enough to make with a piece of plywood and some light dowels ...

I was thinkin' 'bout more time ta USE one

There ya go. Gotta git the work done, but it should be FUN. Look behind that "serious all the time" guy, you likely find somebody tryin'a sell ya sumthin' 'Preciatecha! I'm likely to be MORE fun without all that designin' ta do Genetics maybe? I remember 100 years ago or so, my Dad - hard workin' honest fella - got promoted. A lot. After a while, he was #3 on the pole at USS (which was big back when). Hired a couple of his old buddies to work in the mechanic shop on the company vehicles - because he knew them and knew they could do the job. Big on RESULTS, not personalities. They got him an office with a typewriter, but he doesn't type. They didn't like him to walk to work, he should drive that company vehicle. No, we can't have "management" down there in the shop building helping the mechanics (Dad had the nerve to hold a part while the guy put the bolts in it). Dad said I DO put my hand right there for a minute if it helps the guy do the job I hired him for. I don't type, so put that typewriter on the secretary's desk - I don't need it. I walk 5-6 blocks on a sunny summer day. If I'm the boss, like you say, then I can do what I want. So Dad said that cabinet place up the road been trying to hire him for a few years. Everybody said (with SHOCK) you don't wanna quit... few years you got a PENSION. Dad said he don't wanna spend the next 5 years doing something he don't like Not a different world, just a different man. Many - even then - would plod through for another half a decade ... tolerating their job ... so they didn't have to learn anything new or actually DO anything. Dad could have "rode it out" like so many. Wait on the pension.... gotta get the free stuff (as opposed to actually earning). Around here -- a lot of em spent 20+ years (some 30+) at Deere learning how to show up and put THAT bolt in THAT hole. And outside of that, really don't know anything. Had a couple DECADES of a babysitter... you show up at the daycare, you get fed (a check) and somebody tells you when you can potty. And now you call yourself a retired "man". Yikes. Wench bought the house, step 1 was tearing out the concrete kitchen counter tops the "engineer" at Deere had "engineered". Idiot. But, to the FUN stuff. The rivers haven't gone back in their banks, but they stopped rising, so this is good. Purchasing additional walleye rod this afternoon ...

Well, yah - 'custom' does tend to take longer. Sometimes just to help them decide I don't mind that, though. But the leather has been hit or miss for a while, and it's just getting worse. My buddy Robert got me doing holsters again - after a long break where i did leather but not holsters. That guy made it fun again. But, Robert passed away a while back, and the leather quality is nowhere near what it used to be, and it's simply taking the fun out of it. TWO reasons to do something... it's necessary, or it's fun. Ideally, what is necessary should also be fun. But holsters have become not really EITHER of those things. I dont NEED to do it, so take the fun out of it is really the straw that broke the camel. Not to say I won't still do one here n there. I got folks who always contact me when they buy new toys. But this will let me do EVEN MORE belts ... Might even catch me on poo-tube showing sumthin now 'n' then. And between a couple the boys on here, maybe git ya some mag molds ya didn't have before and some patterns ya aint used yet!

Getting [almost] out of holsters. Not out of leather, but out of MOST models of holster. Meeting WAY to many "gun" people. If you don't know what that means, don't worry about it. PLUS, the quality of drum-dyed leather is through the FLOOR, and I just don't need the headache. So I'll be selling some blue guns shortly.. the ones I don't currently have orders for. Still be doing some leather, though. HEY, maybe I'll give CLASSES. I'm WAY prettier than anybody currently doing that! Need a specific model? Check at https://www.jlsleather.com/gun-models-holster-availability/ to see if I have it, then write me at jeff@jlsleather.com to see if it's available (if it's on the list, it's probably available). Keeping the 1911s and a few others, but most will go.

You learned to speak english, and you learned to type. You'll figure this out - it's easier than either of those things.

Could be the handle? For a while there, cocobolo was all the rage -- supposedly "toxic" chemicals within the wood. That might be rosewood, though.. aged. NZ just "banned" automatic (and semi-auto) guns. Uh.. no -- sorry, I don't answer for the actions of someone else. The fact that the govt failed to protect these people is reason enough to KEEP my guns. Clearly, defend yourself or get victimized. No, thanks...

Such is the process these days. Don't fix the problem... just market to "new guys" who don't know the difference. Get 'em early, convince them that the poop they're chewing is good for you Of course, it's a matter of time. You use a "name" to sell your poop, pretty soon you've got poop on the name.

I ordered leather from Weaver ONCE. I will not do it again. I did not return it, didn't even contact them to complain about it. What I got was advertised as Herman Oak's better grade, but the grain side was not good, and the flesh side was far worse. There was clearly a splitter problem -- the entire back side looked like that washboard you find on the highway when you're coming up on a stop. Now, some are going to say "well, how can they fix the problem if you don't let them know?". This - clearly - is ridiculous. They CLAIM to know leather. So one of these things is happening: They really DON'T know leather, and had no idea what they were sending me was below acceptable. OR They really DO know leather, but thought I DON'T know the difference. Sadly, this has become widespread... send out the dregs and if the customer doesn't complain you "got away with it". OR They really DO know leather, and they didn't care if I knew the difference or not. Send it out, and if he sends it back we'll send a different piece. If he's out a week or two, not our problem. OR They really DO know leather, but can't be bothered to either check what they are sending out, or train their help to check it. Regardless of the reason, I do not object to PAYING premium price as long as I'm GETTING premium stuff. Fortunately, I only ordered a couple of sides, kind of test the water to see what they stock. Now that I know, I avoid them. NOTE: What I got could have easily been SPLIT AGAIN once the splitter was adjusted, they could have simply sold it as a lighter weight. They'd only be out the time to split it. But they didn't.

Google will show you a bunch of steel die benders. Honestly, it wouldn't be cost effective for me to go through all of that. Even if i already had a cutter, and the proper welding equip, and the bending equip, and the space to put all of that, ... the time I save cutting with the dies would be negated by teh time I spent making the dies. I'd have to be making DOZENS of each item to make it worth all of that. I'm not trying to talk anybody into OR out of making what they want to make. But I have dies that work great, made by others while I was earning money with something else, at a cost that pays for the die on the second or third cut.

Don't remember where I've seen those sold that way. Didn't bookmark it cuz I didn't want 'em that way. 1 person's "line 24" is not like the next, so parts from one place may not mate well with parts from another place.

Wait.. you LIVE in St Louis, home of Hermann Oak, and you shop Tandy?@!

over here we call those mexican restaurants

Solid brass? At the shop, we had BINS full of those.. used for short-run bushings... for about the price of the shipping on that one

Yup, looked good. Did you not get my email?

I'm fixin'a just wait 'n' borrah yers