Lobo

Not meaning to quibble or argue, but I must comment: 1. The Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States guarantees the right to keep and bear arms. Not a privilege to be exercised within government permitting processes. Not something limited by arbitrary rules or political limitations. 2. I have lived in Colorado for most of my 7 decades. I have seen our laws go from "may issue" to "shall issue". Back in the "may issue" days any one of Colorado's 64 county sheriffs or about 300 police chiefs could issue a concealed carry permit, or refuse to do so, without explanation or stated reason. One sheriff required a letter from a licensed psychiatrist essentially guaranteeing the applicant's mental and emotional stability. Many others simply refused to issue any permits (frequently to avoid any chance of political controversy). Although state laws clearly stated that a permit issued in one city or county was to be honored anywhere in the state, many departments consistently refused to honor any permits other than their own. I knew many retired cops, FBI agents, Secret Service agents, and other retired LEOs who lived in cities or counties that absolutely refused to issue permits. Under our current "shall issue" law any person who is not prohibited by law from possessing a firearm and completes a recognized firearms safety program will be issued the permit, valid anywhere in Colorado (and recognized by 30-plus other states under reciprocal agreements). 3. The entire history of gun control laws in the US is based on pre-Civil War laws intended to disarm and disenfranchise certain segments of the population, particularly slaves, freed slaves, immigrants, or religious minorities. Gun control is inarguably about political control, not crime control, not hunting, not self-defense. 4. Requiring training classes, whether on-line or in person, is a matter of inserting the camel's nose into the tent. What level of training? Provided by whom? How many hours, days, weeks, months, or years? When and where will training be made available? How much will it cost? Politicians and bureaucrats, when given an inch, tend to start thinking themselves as rulers. Sorry, but the folks who drafted the Constitution and Bill of Rights were not freshly home from a pheasant hunt, they were recovering from a traumatic revolution against tyrannical government and insuring against any recurrence. Accepting the pretexts of the gun control crowd such as "common sense legislation", "reasonable restrictions", "safe storage", registration, permits, licensing, or training requirements is the first step on the slippery slope to loss of all Constitutionally-guaranteed liberties. Individual rights are rights, not privileges to be granted by bureaucratic whim. Rant over, for now.

43 years making holsters and I don't remember a single request for the Colt Lightning or Thunderer models. I was ready, though! My collection includes an original Colt Lightning model that came to me via the estate of a long-time employee of Colt, reportedly assembled using parts left in stock during the 1930s Depression years. The serial number on the frame indicates 1902 production, but none of the other parts are numbered, indicating to me that the back story is likely to be true, especially with the original owner having been employed in the Colt factory for many years. The Thunderer .41 caliber was reportedly William Bonney's personal favorite (Billy the Kid). The Lightning model .38 was the standard issue revolver of the Washington DC metropolitan police, back in the day. Quite a few made, but relatively few remaining in serviceable condition. They are a bit delicate and replacement parts are impossible to find. I have fired my Lightning, but only sparingly and using very light loads. Very nice job on the holster! Great design, period-correct, and very nice workmanship.

Idle thoughts from a really old guy who has been carrying daily for 52 years and was making holsters 49 years ago: 1. Metal is described by "gauge", a term generally referring to how many layers of a particular thickness will equal a total of one inch. 20 gauge metal is about 0.05" thickness, 10 gauge metal is about 0.10" thickness. "Gauge" and "millimeters" are not equivalent, or even within the same standards of measurement. 2. Everything in holster design involves compromises among the 4 basic factors of comfort, accessibility, security, and concealment. Whenever one factor is emphasized there will be compromises among the other factors. 3. IWB-style holsters tend to emphasize concealment by keeping the bulk of the holstered handgun inside the waistband. Security is also emphasized by applied pressures exerted on the holster between body and waistband/belt. The compromises necessarily fall on accessibility (limited by close contact with body and clothing) and comfort (many people cannot tolerate the bulk of holstered handgun inside the waistband for extended periods of time). 4. Reinforcement of the holster mouth area (whether by leather, metal, or other materials) requires increasing bulk, further aggravating comfort and to some degree affecting concealment. Short version: this is the quickest method known for overcoming any advantage of IWB-style carry. 5. For customers demanding ease of one-handed reholstering my first response has always been to choose just about any holster type except IWB-style. 6. Although I have been fully retired for nearly 6 years now, I am sure that the Holster Genius Academy continues to graduate another class every week or so, each of whom believes they have an idea in mind for the "perfect holster". A few of them are trying to make it themselves, but most are looking for someone to turn their dreams into reality. A very few will break new ground and create useful improvements in holster design or production methods. Those who convince a holster maker to take on their projects will probably never remember that the stupid ideas were their own, but they will always remember the dumb-azz holster maker who failed to make their stupid ideas work as they thought they should. By the way, the requirements for graduating Holster Genius Academy include reading two or more popular gun magazines or at least 5 internet forum posts. Diplomas provided upon request and proof of performance. Smile! I'm not really all that smart!

The "Avenger" moniker came from Bianchi's "Askins Avenger" design, named for Colonel Charles Askins (a noted author and combat shooting instructor), and was actually a rendition of the earlier "Professional Model" by Bruce Nelson. Both John Bianchi and Bruce Nelson were law enforcement officers who developed businesses in holster making. The basic design dates back to the mid-to-late 1960s when Nelson was a narcotics detective and John Bianchi was transitioning from city cop/part-time holster maker to major international businessman (over 40 million products delivered prior to his ultimate retirement, while also rising to the rank of Brigadier General in the USAF Reserves). Interestingly, this general design was one of the earliest examples of production holsters that provided a fully-covered trigger guard area. Most holsters for law enforcement and sportsmen prior to that time did not cover the trigger or guard area completely, but in today's market that has become a "carved in stone" requirement. What we now refer to as the Avenger design is a modified scabbard-style made of a single piece of leather for the holster body joined at the rear (behind the trigger guard area) by a pancake-style belt slot, with an applied belt loop behind the holstered handgun. The applied belt loop serves to support the weight of the handgun while the rear belt slot serves to pull the grip-frame snugly into the body. A good combination for either revolver or semi-auto that provides an excellent balance of comfort, accessibility, security, and concealment. More meanderings by an old retired holster-maker and cop. Best regards.

Clothing manufacturers have been using "vanity sizing" for many years. Many people know their trouser waist size, but that is not an actual measurement. Example: I wear size 34 trousers, but my belts must be 37.5" from buckle engagement to tongue hole in use. I always recommended a measurement (as shown by Dwight in his post above) and made it absolutely clear that I would not accept returns due to improper fit. Also to be noted, not all belt buckles have the same dimensions, so if a special buckle is to be used with a belt that must be taken into account when making the belt. It is bad enough to have belts sitting around waiting for a customer with the correct waist size, but custom tooled belts may sit around forever before you find a guy of the right size whose name just happens to be TOBY, or JIM BOB, or whatever.

Yes, basic paraffin wax. Basic beeswax. If you are going to be melting and blending waxes you must be aware of some dangers and precautions. Waxes in melted form can result in flammable vapors which can be ignited by any exposed heat source,. This is not something to be done indoors! A safer way of melting and mixing waxes is to place the waxes into heavy duty zip-lock plastic bags, immerse the bags into a large pot of boiling water until the waxes flow, then pour into molds (aluminum muffin pans work well). The best method is to find a candle-maker with a wax melting machine to melt and blend your waxes for you. Quick, clean, easy, no flammable fumes. The lady I found used a machine with 10 lbs. capacity, took about 30 minutes start to finish. 5 lbs. paraffin and 5 lbs. beeswax made about 80 muffin-sized cakes of wax, each cake of wax would do 100 or more burnishing projects. Last batch she prepared for me was done after making vanilla-scented candle wax in her machine, so my finished wax had a pleasant scent (when polishing on the wheel the shop smelled like cookies baking). When I retired and sold the business I think I sent along about 20 lbs. of burnishing wax in ready to use form, probably a 10-year supply.

Here is the method I used for many years (veg-tanned holsters, belts, accessories): 1. Burnishing was done after edges were dressed, beveled, all dying completed. 2. Burnishing tool was a hard felt wheel/polishing bob mounted in a drill press, turning at ~1700RPM 3. I used beeswax and paraffin (50-50 mix poured into muffin-size cakes), rubbed cold onto all edges, then burnished on the hard felt wheel. This creates heat by friction, melting the wax and forcing it into the exposed edge fibers of the leather, and polishing the edge to a gloss. The felt polishing bobs typically last for 50-100 items, and the cost was about $0.30 each (purchased in bulk quantities). Most items (holsters, belts, etc) took about a minute to apply the wax and about 2-3 minutes to complete the burnishing. Approximately 20 pieces per hour. Short version: an excellent result with minimal time and effort. After burnishing I applied the sealant and finish coatings. The waxes provide a very good seal of the edges and resist abrasion and scratching in use. As I make this entry here I am wearing a belt and holster that were made over 10 years ago and have been used nearly every day since, and both still look very good. 43 years in the business, usually 1500-2000 products completed per year for delivery to customers in all 50 US states and 33 other countries. The only way of getting it done (30-40 items every week) was by learning to work smart instead of working hard!

Next time you find yourself around southern Colorado give me a shout. I'll take you around to see a dozen saloons and bars that still feature the original 19th Century furnishings, pressed tin ceilings, and hundreds of old photos from the wild west days! Personally, I prefer the public houses in English villages, many of which have centuries of history and continue to serve as a hub of daily life! Usually a better class of people as well. My first grandchild was born in Newmarket, Suffolk (while my son was serving in the USAF at RAF Lakenheath), and my family originally came from Bramerton, Norfolk, so I thoroughly enjoyed a few weeks in the surrounding areas. Cheers!

Nice piece of workmanship there, Josh. Also a very good example of the usefulness of this method.

The water-based dyes (marketed by Fiebings and Tandy) offer two qualities that some users want: 1. they are relatively inexpensive 2. they are non-flammable (institutional and school uses). These dyes are not very durable, largely because they do not penetrate well. This is the primary reason that most manufacturers of leather goods use other dyes and processes.

Typically there will be a washer of some type (rubber, leather, plastic) on the interior of the holster with a screw passing through to a fixed nut, from the front exterior to the rear exterior. Tightening the screw into the fixed nut compresses the washer and draws the leather more snugly together in the area of the installation. A machine screw and T-nut can be used, or a Chicago screw. Depending on the size of the screw-heads and nuts used a larger washer may be useful on both sides to avoid pulling through the holes in the front and rear holster panels.

I agree. Retention screws really sound like a great idea, but in practice what invariably happens is that the retention screw is always being cranked tighter and tighter in an attempt to make it work as some think it should. The natural result is that the leather around the retention screw (and adjacent parts of the handgun, typically trigger guard area) will stretch with each application of pressure, then stretch more with the next application of pressure, until all possible adjustment is gone and all that is left are leather fibers stretched beyond any hope of providing retention. With some customers the end result may take several months, but with others only a matter of weeks will go by before they are ripping your rear end for making a "retention holster" that has no retention. As with many things in life and business, it is always best to be very careful what you promise to people. What you say, even the specific words that you use, mean far less than what the customer's perceptions might be. "But you said.................", "you advertised"..............., "I thought you meant............", and THE BIG ONE "Either you give me my money back or I'll tell everyone on the internet that you're a lying crook" (If you haven't heard that one yet, you probably will). Many people have an idea in their heads of what the "perfect holster" should be (usually after reading a couple of internet blogs and watching a You-Tube or two), and when their new holster doesn't match up with their mental image they immediately jump to the conclusion that the holster maker screwed up. By that point in the game there is not enough knowledge, wisdom, or common sense in the world to convince them otherwise. Another class graduates from "Holster Genius School" every week, every one of them filled with ideas and looking for someone to turn their little ideas into functional reality. Again, be very careful what you offer and how you describe it.

Probably the most useful tool in the shop was always a bench-top drill press. Used as a drill to remove broken snaps or rivets. Various size drum sanders for edge dressing. Chuck in a hard felt polishing bob for edge burnishing. I can't think of a single tool that did so many things or was used more often.

The Cobra Class 4 was the best investment I made over 43 years in the leather business. I hand-stitched for years (and I have the arthritis, carpal tunnel, and cupital tunnel issues that come with that), I struggled with a couple of lesser stitching machines, then I purchased the Cobra Class 4. Excellent performance, minimal maintenance, and Leather Machine Company is always there to assist with any little issues that come up. I made holsters, belts, and accessories, typically 1500-2000 orders annually delivered to customers in all 50 US states and 33 other countries. The Cobra Class 4 greatly reduced my production times and allowed me to stay on top of that side of the business easily. Highest recommendation.

I'm retired now, but I spent 43 years in the business and dealt with just about every supplier around. My experience with Springfield Leather was always the best, I wish I had discovered SLC years earlier. Best regards to Kevin and the great staff taking orders by phone and putting a shine on the company name!

For what it may be worth, the Colt Model 1917 US Army .45 revolver was simply the Colt New Service model with 5.5" barrel. Overall size and profile are similar (not exactly the same) as the S&W N-frame revolvers (S&W also made Model 1917 revolvers using their large frame Hand Ejector model as the basis). A holster made for the N-frame with 5.5" barrel channel should provide a functional fit, but not sufficiently close for detailed molding or boning. The ideal solution, of course, is to have your customer provide his revolver for patterning and forming.

The best advice will come from Cobra Steve and Leather Machine Company. Nobody knows the business any better and I'm sure he will be willing to share a few minutes to help you toward a solution.

Wet forming is a process that can only be used with vegetable tanned or rawhide, otherwise the formed shape has little way of being retained. Weight of the leather is determined by the intended purposes. I regularly used 7/8 for most holster applications, but 8/9 and heavier for really heavy pieces. I also did thousands of holsters made with two layers of leather cemented together, flesh side to flesh side, then made into holsters with total finished thickness/weight of 12-15 oz. All of these can be wet-formed, the differences being in the effort required to do the forming work and the drying times required. For most applications in our shop I found that water at room temperature worked just fine. I have also worked with very warm water, which tends to penetrate more quickly. My usual procedure was to immerse a holster into room-temp water for about one second per ounce of leather weight (7/8 oz. leather for about 7 to 8 seconds), then proceed with the basic forming to the handgun. I then placed the new piece into a drying cabinet (more later) with internal temperature controlled at 120-130F for ten minutes. Next step was the first detailed forming using the "boning" technique (smooth tools to force the leather into a final contour). Then another ten minutes in the heated drying cabinet, followed by a second "boning" to finish that process. That was followed by an hour or so in the heated drying cabinet. Horsehide requires much longer exposure to water prior to the forming. It is far more dense than cowhide and resists moisture infiltration, usually requiring 30 minutes or more in the water before wet-forming could be done. The application of heat in the 120-130F range has the effect of releasing the collagens in the leather fibers and a significant hardening effect on the final formed piece that enhances the wet-forming process and provides a more lasting effect. My drying cabinet was made from a kitchen wall cabinet 18"W X 30"H X 12" depth. I drilled dozens of 1/4" holes in the top to allow heated air to escape, and holes lower on the sides and back to draw in fresh air by convection. The heat source was made with two porcelain keyless light fixtures at the bottom controlled by a rheostat (dimmer switch) with 120V house current as the power source and 100W light bulbs to produce the heat. A thermometer near the top provided the internal air temperature, and the rheostat allowed control within the desired range. Drying holsters were hung on wire hooks inside the cabinet. Capacity was about 12 holsters at a time. All this might sound a bit primitive, but it worked very well for many years during which I produced 1500 to 2000 pieces every year for customers in all 50 US states and 33 other countries. All of my cutting was done by hand, assembly by hand, stitching on a Cobra Class 4 (Leather Machine Company, highly recommended) machine, wet-forming and boning by hand, and all finish work by hand methods. The only power tools in the shop were the stitching machine, a drill press, and a sander (for edge dressing). I retired 5 years ago with over a million in the bank, so maybe such primitive methods are still worth considering.

My all time favorite is the leather business I started in 1972, worked it part-time for 32 years, then went full-time with a website for another 11 years. After 43 years I retired and sold the company to a good family that continues to make an excellent living with my original designs and product line. Sale of the business paid for my retirement home and funded several years of retirement before I finally started using my savings and investments. Retail? No way! Customers walking in any time of the day, hours of questions and BS. No, I did everything by website and email, never published my phone number. Products? I'm a retired cop so I stuck with what I knew; holsters, belts and accessories for professionals who need to carry a defensive firearm comfortably and discreetly. 13 basic designs, with or without 4 common options, left-hand and right-hand, in 4 finish colors, for 162 different handgun models (about 80,000 possible variations depending on customer preferences), plus belts, ammunition pouches. Custom work? Never again! Endless chit-chat over trivia. A never ending line of people who think they each have an idea in mind for the "perfect holster" and looking for someone to make their dream a reality, but when their little half-baked idea is all done and doesn't work as they dreamed it would none of them ever remember it was their idea to begin with, but they always curse the name of the craftsman who just couldn't get it just right. Everything I made was done to fill an order and paid for prior to delivery. I provided a one-year warranty covering any defects in materials or workmanship. Any order placed that wasn't paid for never got made. There are many, many people in the world who want a "try it before you buy it" deal, so I let them order from others. Employees? Never again! Being an employer makes you a professional baby-sitter. Grown up humans show up claiming to want a job, but showing up every day, on time, finishing what they start, cleaning up after themselves, or showing any basic responsibility just doesn't happen anymore. Their little soap opera lives always make it impossible to make it to work when necessary, some show up 2 hours late then make up for it by leaving a couple of hours early. Some think it's OK to spend half their working hours on side projects for friends, using my materials and supplies while I pay them to be there. Down side? I worked 7 days per week, usually 10 to 14 hours per day for 11 years. No weekends off, no vacations, no hunting or fishing trips. Two days off for an old friend's funeral 300 miles away, two hospital stays for cancer treatment, other than that it was every day and all day. Up side? I served customers in all 50 US states and 33 other countries, and made a number of good friends along the way. I also retired debt-free in a new home with over a million in retirement and investment accounts. Be careful what you hope for because you might just get it.

I will take issue with this to some degree. Like everything else in life firearms and holsters have evolved quite a lot over the past 30 years or so. Today just about every public shooting range, and many privately owned ranges, require holsters that fully contain the trigger guard area; this is something that was very seldom seen back in the 1970's and 1980's. The difference has come about because of the widespread acceptance of striker-fired semi-auto pistols (many with no manual safety devices, like the Glocks), and leaving the trigger exposed is an invitation to an unintentional discharge. As a retired police chief I have read dozens of reputable studies reporting that unintentional and accidental discharges of police handguns has been a growing problem since the transition away from double-action revolvers (30-plus years ago now). Back in my puppy policeman days we carried double-action revolvers, typically Colt or Smith & Wesson, each having passive safety devices built-in that require the trigger be completely pulled to the rear and held throughout the hammer fall, and double-action firing required about 20 pounds of continuous pressure applied to the trigger. We carried those revolvers in holsters with the trigger and trigger guard areas completely exposed with no problems whatsoever. Today's striker-fired semi-autos may, or may not, feature a spring-loaded tab on the trigger that must be actuated by the trigger finger during the trigger pull. Trigger pull weight is typically 4 to 6 pounds (unless modified, and modification kits are widespread, allowing significantly lighter trigger pull weights). Holsters now almost universally feature full coverage of the trigger guard area as a means of preventing unintentional discharge caused by impact, interference of clothing, pressures applied by car seats, and other causes. Law enforcement officers are usually trained and drilled on safely drawing and holstering the handgun to avoid conflicts and accidents. That doesn't mean that accidents do not happen. Training, even when done properly and repeatedly, can easily be overcome by adrenaline-fueled incidents, or simply stupid acts done with little or no thought of consequences. A holster may have an approved fully covered trigger guard, but when the handgun user attempts to holster the pistol with his finger inside the trigger guard there can be some ugly results. Not everyone who purchases or owns a handgun is a trained law enforcement officer. Many people acquire handguns without any training in safe handling or operation, or (perhaps worse) had some level of training years earlier and assume that they know everything necessary without regard to weapon type, holster type, or other factors in play. Even if you, as a holster maker, sell your products only to full trained and experienced users there is nothing to prevent those products from passing through other hands and used by less qualified people. There are also holsters that remain in use way beyond the point in time that they have become so worn or damaged that they should be retired or trashed. The one thing that will always be a factor in every incident is that when an accident or injury occurs the user will be looking to blame anyone but himself, and the user can easily retain an attorney to seek damages from the holster maker based on a theory of faulty design or poor manufacturing practices. I will restate my earlier advisements to spend a few bucks now for competent legal advice, purchase a comprehensive business liability insurance policy, and always keep all of your personal assets (home, bank accounts, retirement funds, etc) completely separate from the business operation to shield yourself from today's litigious idiots and their cut-throat lawyers.

Remember C-96? LUFA must still be around (Law Abiding Firearms Owners, an association of Canadian citizens that defeated that ugly bit of legislative over-reach a few years ago). I'm sure that many Canadians are already working on plans to put a stop to this latest rubbish legislation. Google search for LUFA and read a very interesting story about how law-abiding Canadian people taught their government to keep their hands off basic liberties. It took about 10 years, but good Canadians made the government give it up.

Here in the United States anyone can sue anyone else for any stated claim. No proof is required to file the lawsuit and there are plenty of lawyers willing to take on any case for a contingency fee (a percentage of any settlement). When you are the defendant in a lawsuit you must respond within the allowed time period and defend against the action or face summary judgement by default. There lies the very real danger, which is the expense of defending against the lawsuit, and that could easily reach into the tens of thousands of dollars before any hearing or trial occurs or any evidence is presented in court. A good business insurance policy can provide a manufacturer with significant protections against claims pertaining to product liability or completed operations. I carried such a policy for many years and the premiums were a few hundred dollars per year. In the event of a lawsuit I knew that I could expect the insurance company to assign an attorney to take over the response. The insurance premium was very cheap compared to having to prepare and file a response, much less prepare for trial in court. My most recent experience with attorneys involved a death in the family with no will left behind. The attorney charged $350 per hour and required a $3500 retainer to begin work on the case. Over the following 12 months I spent $15,000 in legal fees and court costs while dealing with a fairly uncomplicated matter of an older single man with a home and a few assets (totaling less than $100.000), and no one was contesting the action at the courthouse. If you are engaged in a business (holsters or otherwise) I strongly recommend: 1. Establish a business entity for conducting the business. This can be a simple LLC (limited liability company) or a subchapter S corporation (very easy to do, very little expense, and tax filings are very simple to do) 2. Establish a business bank account to receive every dollar that comes in and pay every bill that relates to the business. Do not co-mingle personal finances with business finances in any way. Keep everything at arms length from your personal assets 3. Consult a good insurance agent and get a business insurance policy that includes liability coverage (premises liability, completed operations, product liability, etc). Even if you work in your home you will have no business coverage at all under your homeowners insurance policy (specifically excluded in most policies). 4. A modest consultancy fee for an hour of a lawyer's time now may save you everything you own, and maybe everything you ever acquire, in the event of a problem in the future. 43 years in the holster business (32 part-time, 11 full-time) and I was never the target of a lawsuit because of that business. But I carried the insurance anyway and always slept better because of it. My business operated as a limited liability company, all the tools and equipment were owned by a Subchapter S corporation, and the business checking account and credit cards handled all the money and the bills. My home, my personal accounts, my pension plans, and my investments were always kept completely separate. I hope all the rest of you folks never need to worry about these things, but I know there is an idiot born every minute and a lawyer ready to take his case any day of the week. If you don't have your business affairs in order and properly managed you are risking everything on every sale.

Plastic breaks if enough pressure is applied. Plastic wears when enough abrasion is applied. Nothing lasts forever unless it is a government program funded by tax money. Yes, you can expect some wear and tear when using dummy guns in the holster shop, and eventually you will have to replace a piece to get back into the groove for production. This is especially true if you use a press (pneumatic or hydraulic) for your forming processes. But it is much better to snap off a trigger guard of a Rings Blue Gun than to do the same thing to a Glock, Sig, Springfield, or other actual handgun (those with plastic grip-frames anyway). That is when the real tears start flowing. When I started making holsters in 1972 things were pretty simple; about a half-dozen handgun manufacturers each making about a half-dozen models. By the time I retired in 2015 there were over 70 dummies in my shop and the gun safes held nearly 100 actual handguns; dozens of manufacturers each offering dozens of variations, and something new coming on the market every few weeks. It can be a challenge keeping up with everything! I regularly had customers requesting holsters for guns I had not heard of before. Always have to make decisions about which to go for and which to pass by, and the dummy makers are almost always a year or so behind the curve of public demand. I remember when Colt, Ruger, and a couple of others offered dummy guns made up from scrapped parts, non-functional but externally a perfect match, usually a frame/receiver with barrel, etc, taken from rejected parts bins and welded up for the holster makers to purchase for a few bucks. Haven't seen that for a long time. Sig USA used to offer anything in their product line to recognized holster makers for distributor cost (less than wholesale), but you still have to have a federal firearms licensee receive the shipment and do the transfer legally, so the cost is much more than any dummy gun. Being a retired cop, I have taken advantage of Glock's law enforcement sales program, typically 10% off. My local FFL knew I was purchasing for use in the shop and had a copy of my sales tax license, so I saved the taxes on each deal also. During my final several years in the business I would usually purchase about one new gun every month, as needed to stay current, and the costs were considered as tax deductible business expenses. After retirement those handguns were fully depreciated business assets that could be sold with the proceeds reported as long-term capital gains (recovered depreciation) which provides preferential tax treatment. Maybe something to think about. What other business allows you to grow a gun collection while writing off the costs as business expenses?

The main thing to keep in mind is that trouser waist sizes have no relationship with the actual measurement of the user's waist. Clothing manufacturers have engaged in "vanity sizing" for so many years that very few people really know what their true waist size is. I wear a size 34 trouser waist. My belts are made to fit at 37.5" from the buckle engagement point to the tongue hole to be used. Over the years I made a point of asking each customer to measure a belt now in use, from the buckle engagement to the tongue hole in use. Without fail, that measurement will be from 2" to 4" different than the customer's stated trouser size. This created problems so frequently that I made it a policy that belts would not be accepted for return due to size. I always made a point of asking for the exact measurement, then I made the belts to the size provided by the customer, period, end of discussion. Another issue that can arise with specialty or custom belts is the buckle to be used. Not every buckle has the same "throw length"; the distance from the point at which the buckle is installed on the belt to the point at which the buckle engages the belt tongue. These distances can be as short as 1.25" or as long as 3" or 4" with some custom buckles. If the customer expects the belt to fit his waist with his buckle in use I suggest having the customer send his buckle in with his order so the belt can be sized properly for use with that buckle. Nearly all of my belts were heavy-duty for carrying a holstered handgun, most being double-layer construction. The time required to make such a belt is very close to the time required for a typical holster. Every time I had to re-make a belt order I was taking time away from completing another order for another customer (and generating some income in the process). Add in some hand-carving, tooling, or customization (initials, names, etc) and you can end up with a lot of completed product for which there may be no buyers. I am happily retired now, but I have many years of memories dealing with customers who couldn't be troubled to take a simple measurement, and expected me to absorb the costs of their mistakes.