A rant - I give up....Aggggh

[Ian]

So, this guy, says - "can you make me a set of saddlebags exactly like the ones I have now". "Sure thing" Well, the bags he had were the aweful imported bags made of split leather. I know about those bags, because I once bought a bunch to sell at a flea market. They cost $35 wholesale, but were so bad, I couldn't even dump them for $20. Still, I didn't want to tell him that his bags were basically crap, because he's a friend and a nice guy.

But, I digress. This guy, I'll call him Ray (because that's his name) insisted that the new bags be identical, except made of good leather. There were all kinds of deficiencies in the design, like the straps being spaced wrong and too long, but I was able to talk him into welted seams and more overlap of the flap, heavier back, etc. Still I wasn't happy with the design at all, but I made them (pic below, along with the old bags after a year). Now Ray, in looking at some pictures of other bags I'd made said "I wish you'd have made them like these". DUDE, THAT"S WHAT I WAS TELLING YOU!!

Well, to make the story longer, today we went to a show and were looking at bikes, etc. There's this dude selling some seats. Now, I don't claim to be an expert seat maker, but I do what I can and have seen enough hundreds of seats to know what's good and bad technique. I forgot to mention, I also made Ray's seat last year (pic attached along with the old bags). Well, Ray spots a seat, which to my eye was pretty bad - just roughly cut outlines and painted design, with 'X' style braid. His comment was "check that out, it's much better than mine". Now, like I said my seats can't compare with the professionals I admire, but they aren't as bad as what we were looking at. And to add to that I charge my friends very little for the work I do for them. I was pretty much floored.

Anyway, this rant is more to get this off my chest and avoid saying something that will ruin a friendship, but jeeez! Thanks for letting me vent.

Edited January 17, 2010 by Ian

[leatheroo]

Unfortunately many people wouldn't know quality if it hit them in the face...keep away from them or over charge them!! I can usually spot them by their stupid demands or ideas....they usually wont listen to good suggestions.The bag you made is really great, as it your seat.

cheers

[Suze]

it might be that he liked the painted design (the image not the work) over what you had done for him

and I really like what you did for him. Some people only see the flashy bits and never look past them to the construction.

some people have to have the quality of constrution pretty much shown to them step by step and some of them still don't "get it"

[dirtclod]

Ray sounds like a couple of customres i have had. They had bought some junk headstalls and brought them buy to show me. Then telling they were better and cheaper. Well they were cheaper both in price and quality. When i pointed that out i was told they were better because he the shop they bought them at was bigger than mine. I'm like DUH !!! I never knew a bigger shop put out a better product than small shop.

It's just like Ron White says you can't FIX STUPID !! Tell Ray to buy from the other folks sense theirs are better than yours and let him get burned with poor quality and higher prices.

[Suze]

well - like they say -- let him buy the junk stuff

he will be back to buy your good stuff

and you can have a good laugh later about how he just paid TWICE the price for ONE thing

(first the crap one -- and then yours)

[terrahyd]

MANY YEARS AGO I WAS LIVING IN CENTRAL TX , AND A RADIO STATION WAS PROMOTING A FUND RAISING EVENT, AND ASK ME AND THE OTHER LOCAL LEATHER ARTIST TO PRODUCE A LARGE NUMBER OF BUCKLES FOR ACTION . WHEN WE DELIVERED THE BUCKLES , THE OTHER FELLOW RAISED HELL BECAUSE I SEALED MY WORK WITH VARATHANE PLASTIC SEALER...HE SAID MANY UNPLEASENT WORDS ECT'' WELL THE FUND RAISER WAS A BIG SUCCESS ,BUT HE WOULD NOT SHUT UP ABOUT MY WORK.......COUPLE MONTHS WENT BY AND SEVERAL OF HIS DIAHARD COMST'''CAME BY THE SHOP WITH THEIR BUCKLES;;;;SCRAPED SCRATCHED SOILED (HE TOLD THEM THEY ABUSED THEM) ...SMALL TOWN ,,,DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR PEOPLE TO COMPARE NOTES....MY BUCKLES MOSTLY IN VERY GOOD SHAPE ,,REPLACED ONE ONLY ,YOUNG MAN RUBBED BELLY ON PARTS COUNTER ALL DAY..MADE HIM A NEW ONE FOR BEING HONEST....ALSO REPLACED (HIS) BUCKLES AT HALF PRICE AND GAINED NEW CUSTUMERS......I SEAL MY WORK BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT THEY WILL HAVE'T GO THROUGH AND I HAVE LEARNED WHAT IT TAKES TO SURVIVE ON A MECHANIC'S OR WELDERS BELT AS WELL AS LOOKING GOOD ON A BANKER...MY WORK IS RATHER PRICEY BUT I KNOW IT WILL LAST ..DOC...

[rdb]

Without being longwinded, even friends can be @$$#073*'s. Open mouth, insert foot. The problem is that they don'n even know they're doing it.

I like your rants...it's good to know I'm not the only one that gets po'ed once in awhile. Artistic temperments...lol.

By now, you're probably over it. It's good to get mad sometimes, better when you let it go.

[DonnieBlaze]

those saddle bags look great and the seat is exalent don't worry about offending your freind if he is a good freind he will appreciate your oppinion

[Ian]

Without being longwinded, even friends can be @$$#073*'s. Open mouth, insert foot. The problem is that they don'n even know they're doing it.

I like your rants...it's good to know I'm not the only one that gets po'ed once in awhile. Artistic temperments...lol.

By now, you're probably over it. It's good to get mad sometimes, better when you let it go.

Hey Dave, long time no chat. Yes, I'm about over it now. Here's another funny part of the story. He really is a good friend, but man, I wonder about the priorities. I spoke to him today - he was is Vegas, getting ready to take a $200 helicopter ride. He's also tattooed from head to toe - work that costs him $100 an hour. Just put 5 grand into his bike, and here I am losing sleep over whether I charged him too much. I am soooo close to giving up this craft, or business in general - I just can't seem to get pricing right. The plumber (also a friend) has no problem asking for $75 an hour when he comes over, neither does the electrician, or the dude who installed the replacement windows, or the mechanic who works on my car. If all of us could get that kind of dough, the truism about starving craftsmen would be obsolete.

[rdb]

Your circle of friends sounds like mine. Bro comes back from Afghany with a ton of money, buys everything he sees for six months, now he's broke again. Another friend has no problem charging $65 an hour, but never has a dime for lunch.

You and me...struggling for the legal tender.

The pricing thing is tough, but I'm coming around to just stating the prices now. You want an $89 saddlebag from China, go online, want one from me...pay me for the days of work. Want something one off...be prepared to pay the T&M. Even friends are gonna pay the hours. I might give materials at cost, or put a little extra love in it, but no more loss of hourly pay.

Too bad I didn't still live up in Ma., we could of rocked the Commonwealth...lol