purse

[BruceGibson]

Nice work, Luke. Please keep 'em coming.

[K-Man]

It's really good to know you are NOT a "one trick pony" and can do other things well.....not just holsters. I kept real quiet on the other thread, but it torques my jaw pretty good to have some one go off on another for anything like that. I tried real hard to think of anything made in the last hundred years or so that ANYONE can take full credit for inventing. Everything you or I do has elements of someone else's idea or design in it somewhere, plus the fact that there is so much business out there to be had that all of us put together can't keep up with it.

Paul

IMO, you're right on a couple of points - most anything made today has been influenced by a predecessor to some extent; and there is plenty of business for folks to be a part of. Pure, blatant copies tend to put a bad taste in one's mouth though. I had it happen recently to me where someone made a clone of mine. In my instance, the guy actually bought one and then copied it. He tried to say it wasn't the same because he used a different dye color and gave a couple of other less than stellar excuses. The best I could do was expose him for what he was - a less than ethical business person.

OzarkMountainGunleather:

That being said, I don't recall anyone (user or moderator) say that you couldn't post about the holsters you have made or might make in the future. You appear to make a quality product, though you don't have much on your website yet.

Edited November 26, 2007 by K-Man

[OzarkMountainGunleather]

IMO, you're right on a couple of points - most anything made today has been influenced by a predecessor to some extent; and there is plenty of business for folks to be a part of. Pure, blatant copies tend to put a bad taste in one's mouth though. I had it happen recently to me where someone made a clone of mine. In my instance, the guy actually bought one and then copied it. He tried to say it wasn't the same because he used a different dye color and gave a couple of other less than stellar excuses. The best I could do was expose him for what he was - a less than ethical business person.

OzarkMountainGunleather:

That being said, I don't recall anyone (user or moderator) say that you couldn't post about the holsters you have made or might make in the future. You appear to make a quality product, though you don't have much on your website yet.

I dont Have my website up and running is because With the contract that I have with Wilson because of my ETHICS I wont sell any holsters to anyone else and I dont have the time to make enough other leather products to keep a website profitable.

For example I had a saddle made to take to Witcataw Falls In Oct. But the day I set it on display in the shop a man came in and wanted it (next year) any way I never said anyone said I couldnt post anymore I simply stated that Im not here to argue about diffrences or pick fights with anyone. I am here for the betterment of the leather working trade and to learn what I can from those who are more experinced than myself. I felt that the thread was not benifical to any one at that point. I am 26 years of age and own and run a succsessfull leather business in arkansas. I have a lot to learn about the leather business but still feel that I have alot to give as well I am here only for that reason. I was given alot of advice, help, and support by fellow leather workers in my home town. I know that not all leather workers have that good fourtune and I think this is a great place to give them that. I personaly feel that there is no room in this trade for negativity, nor in this forum. And as for (copying, stealing, bad ethics, ect.) I will say that I have been given a chance that most people in our trade would love to have. an opertunity to build for a Nationaly Reconized Company. I gained this by my own Skill, Craftmanship, Eye for Quality and Detail, and Ingenuity. You dont get to work for a company as well recognized or as respected as Wilson Combat without ETHICS. period

[K-Man]

I dont Have my website up and running is because With the contract that I have with Wilson because of my ETHICS I wont sell any holsters to anyone else and I dont have the time to make enough other leather products to keep a website profitable.

For example I had a saddle made to take to Witcataw Falls In Oct. But the day I set it on display in the shop a man came in and wanted it (next year) any way I never said anyone said I couldnt post anymore I simply stated that Im not here to argue about diffrences or pick fights with anyone. I am here for the betterment of the leather working trade and to learn what I can from those who are more experinced than myself. I felt that the thread was not benifical to any one at that point. I am 26 years of age and own and run a succsessfull leather business in arkansas. I have a lot to learn about the leather business but still feel that I have alot to give as well I am here only for that reason. I was given alot of advice, help, and support by fellow leather workers in my home town. I know that not all leather workers have that good fourtune and I think this is a great place to give them that. I personaly feel that there is no room in this trade for negativity, nor in this forum. And as for (copying, stealing, bad ethics, ect.) I will say that I have been given a chance that most people in our trade would love to have. an opertunity to build for a Nationaly Reconized Company. I gained this by my own Skill, Craftmanship, Eye for Quality and Detail, and Ingenuity. You dont get to work for a company as well recognized or as respected as Wilson Combat without ETHICS. period

Each of us I suspect have their own success stories to tell, and that is, in part, what offers encouragement to others in the leathercraft industry. IMO, the day a person stops willing to learn is the day they stop being a craftsman. And it's my perception that Johanna put this site/forum together to bring people, from all levels of the trade, together as a resource for folks to draw from and contribute to. I know I've learned quite a bit from the postings here and am pursuing other avenues of the leather trade as a result of that.

Yes, I'm sure most people in the leathercraft trade, and on this forum, would feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to make something for a high profile company. I personally believe/hope that most in this trade operate from a higher level of ethics than some have portrayed, as sometimes ethics are glossed over (or hidden) in the pursuit of one's success.

Versatility in being able to make a variety of high quality leather items is key to one's success as well. By pictures you've shown, it appears you have the ability to do that, and I would encourage you (and anyone else) to continue to coss over into the different areas. I wish you continued success.

[Rayban]

K-MAN...am I reading you correctly??? If I see a post of an item that I think is pretty cool and I say..."I think that I'll try making one of them there..." will that makes me unethical??

I just want to make sure I understand what you're saying...maybe I should take a shower and come back to read it again...

[Go2Tex]

hey tex

looked at you site

beautiful saddles man

rivals chappells work

Saw your holsters to

leave those revolvers in the dust and start on autos

I would love to see a floral tooled pancake style

for a 1911 frame

also where do you get your afork trees from if you dont mind telling me

I have had a heck of a time finding a decent built wade tree

thnks

Luke

Thank you. Thank you very much. Well, I would like to make a nice carved holster for an auto. Been wanting to do that for a while but I can't seem to talk anybody into it. Maybe I should just do one, post a picture of it on here and see if it P.O.s anyone. ..... just for the heck of it.

As for the slick fork trees........ I have been using Timberline and Quality, (Felkins), mainly, unless a customer requests another maker. They're all hard to get lately. 3-4 months is about what you're looking at, minimum.

[K-Man]

Rayban:

I'm not saying that at all. The issue is where a person takes another's product, clones it, and then calls it their own and peddles it that way. For example, if you want to take a holster and make one that looks exactly like one made by Milt Sparks and use it for yourself, I don't think Tony Kanaley would have a problem with that. You cross the line into the less than ethical arena when someone asks you about it and you claim it's your own design and you then sell one (or 100) to them.

Custom holster making is an area that has a constant stress to develop an innovative and safe product. Oftentimes there is many hours spent in the development of those holsters. It's very aggravating to then see someone come along and take all that blood, sweat and tears (so to speak) and try to profit from it.

IMO, if a person wants to sink to that level, then they're embarassing themselves and, in part, the industry.

[Go2Tex]

.........It's very aggravating to then see someone come along and take all that blood, sweat and tears (so to speak) and try to profit from it. ...........

Hey, I think there's already a remedy for that. It's called a Patent.

[K-Man]

Hey, I think there's already a remedy for that. It's called a Patent.

That's not as easy as it may seem, and there are different styles of patents. Have you done any research in how to obtain one?

[Rayban]

I agree with you K-Man, that to copy someone's work and call it your own is not in good faith...but I also believe the point TEX is making is that unless you DO have a patent on it....your work is fair game once you show it to all on the internet..or anywhere else for that matter.