K-Man

Thank you, Gesa. That's who I was referring to.

I would agree that your skins are lower quality. I got mine last time from a guy out in California. I can't think of his name right at this moment. He was in Santa Monica, but had moved to a new location. I want to say it was Jerry at Amburg(?) exotic skins. The cost was ~$20/skin. I'll go back through my invoices and see if I can find it for you.

I'm upgrading my stamping tools to Barry King and Hackbarth. So I have these 14 Craftool stamps available. Would prefer to sell them as one lot. They are: A108 - Craftool A106 - Craftool Co 101 - Craftool Co A101-3 - Craftool Co 103 1/2 - Craftool Co A104-2 - Craftool X534 - Craftool Co X502-2 - Craftool X511 - Craftool Co B200 - Craftool Co B203 - Craftool USA U710 - Craftool USA U855 - Craftool U857 - Craftool Co Most of the tools are 20+ years old and in excellent condition. The X534 (basketweave) has a couple of very small spots where the plating has come off. It's on the exterior/outside of the stamp itself, so it does not affect the stamping image in any way. The price for the lot is $50.00/shipped ($3.00/each + $8.00/shipping). If you want individual ones, then the price is $5.00/each + shipping. Prefer Paypal for payment. Can also accept credit card (Mastercard/VISA). Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Quickest way is by email at Kevin ((AT)) kdholsters ((DOT)) com.

It's a very durable skin. I've used it on a number of applications, and would choose it before some of the other exotics. There's also the "cool" factor. This was a holster and belt we made for a 9-year old a couple of years ago. His first "custom" holster and gun belt. This one was done for an article that appeared in one of the gun mags.

I have a 4.75" version, if that would help. It's a genuine frame that is welded up that I got direct from Ruger back in the day when they used to sell those to us holster makers. I'd sell it to you for $75 + shipping. That's what I paid for it. LMK.

You might consider Hansen Silver - http://hansenwesterngear.com. The majority of their offerings are in the price range you're looking for.

Bobby hdflame: Sorry about that. ALD = American Leather Direct - leather tannery in KY. H.O. = Hermann Oak - leather tannery in MO.

Chris: I've read/heard of experiences like yours from other folks here. Not a good thing in my opinion that that could happen. I only use H.O. now, and have found their customer service, and that of their outlets I've used, to be quite good. Go2Tex: You might consider the folks at ALD in KY. I've seen some of their latigo and also have a small sample pack. I'm just around the corner from you - just north of Karnes City, along 80. Give me a shout if you want to stop by.

woodandsteel: It was very much a profitable design. The picture shown is of the prototype. I made a couple of minor tweaks afterwards, but nothing that changed the shape or function of the holster.

woodandsteel: I set aside making/offering IWB and OWB holsters last year when we went fulltime living in our 5th Wheel RV. I simply did not have the room to accomodate all the logistics associated with making those styles of holster. katsass: I don't know that anyone has claimed here to be an EXPERT when it comes to holsters. Malabar asked for suggestions/criticism. I simply related what my experience(s) has been and the foundation for the same. In my comments, I don't see any reason to waist bandwidth with flowery responses. My experience has been, too, that people are not very receptive to being told they're doing something wrong, especially if they've been doing it that way for years. If I was offbase, I doubt seriously we would have the long term success that we have had. I have learned from Tony Kanaley, Matt Del Fatti, and Lou Alessi (rest his soul) primarily - followed their processes and basic design form. Each of those gentlemen have/had 30+ years of experience designing and making holsters. I think it would be fair to say they know what they're doing. Though I've seen some holstermakers with an equal or greater number of years of experience who's advice/processes I wouldn't give you a wooden nickel for. Why? Because their holsters break down in short order in all respects. Designing a new holster is a challenge for most, while others have a much easier time at it. I agree that lack of age or experience should not be a block for designing and incorporating new features. Understanding the basics, and implementing those in the design, is holstermaking 101 though. People are welcome to do whatever they want, however they want, when it comes to making a holster. If I stepped on toes with my responses, well, maybe they should have been wearing steel toe boots....

At one time I had 200+ dummy and genuine guns for the purpose of making holsters. I now have about 25. If someone contacted me and asked if I could make a holster for xxxx gun, and it was available, I would purchase either the genuine or dummy version - preferably the dummy version. Duncan's used to offer quite a list and now they've pared that down significantly. Ring's has expanded their list over the last 3-4 years. The inquiries I get now center on the pocket sized guns. So, yes, there's still a lot of interest in the Ruger LCP, the S&W Bodyguard .380, the SIG P238, the Kahr P380, etc., etc. If someone contacted me for a holster for a gun I didn't have, I would reach out and investigate really how much discussion there is about it, get in touch with my contacts at the various gun manufacturers, talk to the well-respected mag writers to try and get a sense of the worthiness of the gun and whether or not it's going to be a popular model. See what there is for inquiries from potential customers; are they private citizens, are they law enforcement, what's their background, etc. For example, my experience has been that a law enforcement background usually indicates a higher number because normally their dept is dictating what guns they can carry. Then you'll just have to make a judgment call on acquiring the genuine or dummy version of gun. It's really a crap shoot on what's going to be popular and get a fair number of orders for. You'll get a rush after SHOT, which just ended, for whatever new guns are coming out. I turn down orders every day now for guns I don't have. My situation is a bit different from yours in that I'm limited on space - space for storage of those guns, space for the extra materials it takes to make holsters for those guns, i.e. clicker dies, hardware, leather. While it's tempting to take on those orders, it's just not practical. IMO, you have to decide, along with everything else, what guns you want to do. You don't have to say yes every time. I would only say yes now every time if I wanted to expand the business to a full fledge holster shop.

Here are the pics of the pancake holster we made, with a SIG P226 in it. There is approximately a 15-18 degreee cant on the gun. The holster is now about 8 years old and still functions as well as the first day. And a picture of the other holster design I mentioned:

I'm looking for the horsehead pattern in the picture below. It's either in a Make It With Leather or Leather Craftsman from about 1985 or 1986. I have the particular mag, but it's in storage in Florida and I'm in Texas. If someone who has the issue(s) could look it up for me and let me know which one/date it is, it would be a great help. Thanks!

Malabar: I'll go snag those pics and post them up shortly. Are you referring to Milt Sparks and Matt DelFatti as the other holster makers who use straps? If so, their strap designs are vastly different from yours. I can only tell you what my experience has been in utilizing the style of strap you show on your design. You're going to be replacing those a lot more often than you think. While you may think that's not a big deal, it affects your reputation as a holster maker who makes (or doesn't) a durable, functional holster. With respect to the flat back, all front pouch aspect, you are putting all the stress of carrying the gun on that single front piece of leather. Where do you think the relief to that is going to be ? It's on the stitch line. In addition, balancing a gun in a high ride holster creates additional stress. With a traditional pancake style of holster, you have both pieces of leather essentially carrying that stress. Thus it takes the stress off the stitch line to a great extent. Your attempt to make an all leather version (flat back/pouch front) of a hybrid (kydex/leather) holster is just simply not going to work IMO. I designed (and sold quite well) an IWB that some saw as an all leather hybrid holster. It wasn't really that though because I set it up as what I would term an abbreviated pancake holster. In fact, I took one of my existing pancake holster designs I had at the time and modified it. That particular holster was the most desired at the time of our IWB or OWB holsters we offered. The click or snap you get is from the holster being well-molded. Presentation/draw of the gun, and the ease to do so, is tantamount to a well-designed holster. And unless you've got a high/long middle body, a person is going to struggle getting a large frame gun out of a high ride holster that is near vertical in cant. If you're stuck on making a high ride holster, you would be much better off making something for a 3"/3.5" barrel length and no larger. In most short-barreled guns, i.e., Glock 26, 3" 1911, etc., where does most of the weight lie? In the grip. So you're right back to the balancing act. Like Denster said, trying to build in too many aspects is creating a complex situation. I encourage folks to think outside the box and to evaluate and investigate new ways to make a holster. Don't concern yourself with how it looks. The aesthetics (sp?) always follow suit to a well-designed holster. Simplicity is oftentimes key to success. I would encourage you to step back and re-evaluate your design and goal. Focus on the basic goals of function and durability. Design something that is going to function and appeal to the largest group of users. What you show in this design is only going to work, realistically if at all, for a very small group of people. That's my opinion, and I'm stickin' to it.

IMO, the flat back designs are worthless. They push everything out and away from the body. In addition, they put added stress on the stitching because all of the weight is supported by those stitch lines. If Malabar would allow me, I have a couple of pics of a customer wearing one of our pancake holsters with a SIG P226 in it, and can post them here. If you compare his pictures of his holster being worn with mine, you would be able to clearly see how a pancake design is markedly better in concealing in comparison to the flat back design. My experience has been that a snap-on holster, if built/designed properly, is but a variant of the pancake design. Separate straps have a greater potential of stretching and wearing out than a strap that is an extension from the body of the holster itself.

Malabar: What does the current model have for a degree of cant? From the current picture, it looks like a near vertical cant. I know of at least one holstermaker who patented a design for a high ride holster with an elongated paddle on it. That design was very short-lived. Where in central Florida are you? Never mind - I found your Facebook page. Looking at the pictures you've posted there - I have to be honest and say I don't see how you can claim that the gun/holster is concealed (other than it being under the black sweatshirt). You can clearly see a large object. Another issue present with high rise holsters is the larger gun requires an extended draw in order to clear the holster. You start pushing that holster farther back on the waistband, with a small degree of cant, and the user struggles to clear.

Malabar: You can take this information for what you deem it's worth. From the looks of it, your design apprears to be worn only in the appendix area. A high riding holster such as that, and worn in that area, is not going to conceal well at all for the vast majority of people because of body shape. A high riding holster in and of itself has the great tendency to lean out away from the body, and with all of the form of the holster on the outside, you just compound the issue. You thus have two issues - lack of concealability and discomfort in wearing the gun/holster. If you go with a paddle style attachment, you're still going to need some way to secure it in place, otherwise it's going to slide all over the waistband. With respect to hand sewing versus machine stitch, my experience has been that I have never had a stitch pop loose or the thread deteriorate with machine sewing. I've used nylon bonded thread exclusively. Some of the gear I've made has lasted for over 10 years and still functions today. I would estimate that I have made 15,000 pieces in the last 8-9 years alone. Some of that gear has been used in some pretty harsh environments to include the middle east and special ops. The machines I have used to sew nearly all of my products has been the Artisan Toro 3000 and Cobra Class 4. Good luck with the holster design.

Welcome to the real world. I can tell you it happens all the time in the holster industry. Oftentimes, even if you point it out, it falls on deaf ears. As long as someone is willing to make the copy and someone is willing to buy it, the market will continue. Intellectual property issues/violations seem to be rampant. I've seen examples of the violations everywhere.

No, they are not the same.

Really nice looking holster. The Angelus dyes and finishes are the best out there IMO.

Glad I could help.

Talk to Tony at the Leather Factory store, as he knows a few holster makers in the Tampa area. There may be some holster makers in the area who would be willing to help you get started.

....

Glock 17 is sold.

Glock 36 is sold, pending receipt of $$. That leaves the following available: Guns: Glock 17 (Ring's) SIG P226 w/rail (Ring's - cut out on grip for Crimson Trace Laser grip) Magazine: .22 Mags (2) (Duncan) Glock 17 (1) (Duncan) SIG P229 (Ring's) SIG P239 (Ring's) H&K P7M8 (Ring's)