Twice In One Week!

[Lobo]

About once per month I receive a request that goes something like this:

"I really want a XYZ Brand, Model 111 holster for my Super Frazbat .43 caliber automatic. But their prices are ridiculous! How much will you charge me to make one?"

or like this:

"The ABC Brand, Model 999 holster is perfect for my Bojon Special .34 caliber revolver. But their waiting time is over a year! Will you make one for me?"

The home page of my website clearly states that I will not copy the work of another maker. I would prefer to be polite about this type of thing, but it just keeps coming up. Twice this week I have received specific requests to do knock-off's of other makers' products. I find myself sending one-word replies, "NO".

Am I the only one having to deal with this?

[Denster]

No Lobo you're not the only one. I believe that happens to all of us who charge in the range of $50 to $75 for our holsters or have only a couple of week lag time. Just goes with the territory. I try to be polite also and every once in awhile they order something of my design that meets their needs. I suppose it could be taken as a left handed compliment that they like our displayed workmanship well enough to ask in the first place.

[RickHodges]

Lobo,

Perhaps it is not so much a wish that you duplicate another's work but a lack of knowledge and vocabulary to describe what you want. I went to your website to see what is there and was gratified that you make a "Threepersons" style, an "Avenger" style and a "Pancake" style. Yes they are now considered generic but were once the result of other's work. I'm a retired lawdog too. I have carried handguns since 1971 and I have a hard time describing holsters because I don't know the terms. I can say I like the XYZ design, or the XYZ holster has served me well.

For example: I once owned a highly touted piece of horsehide concealment holster from one of the nations most highly touted holster-makers and it fell apart in an abysmally short time. Would I be out of line to ask you if you could make something similar, but put together right with better materials and/or changes that would improve upon it? I'm asking for your input and advice on a holster and the XYZ holster is my frame of reference.

By the way I'm not asking for answers to the above, just an example. Your website has excellant photo's and they provide a very good frame of reference. I have followed your advice in this forum and have admired your work---it appears first rate. I may contact you and I sure don't want to tick you off. Sometimes the written word is a difficult way to communicate.

Thanks for your time----Rick

Edited February 5, 2010 by RickHodges

[Lobo]

Lobo,

Perhaps it is not so much a wish that you duplicate another's work but a lack of knowledge and vocabulary to describe what you want. I went to your website to see what is there and was gratified that you make a "Threepersons" style, an "Avenger" style and a "Pancake" style. Yes they are now considered generic but were once the result of other's work. I'm a retired lawdog too. I have carried handguns since 1971 and I have a hard time describing holsters because I don't know the terms. I can say I like the XYZ design, or the XYZ holster has served me well.

For example: I once owned a highly touted piece of horsehide concealment holster from one of the nations most highly touted holster-makers and it fell apart in an abysmally short time. Would I be out of line to ask you if you could make something similar, but put together right with better materials and/or changes that would improve upon it? I'm asking for your input and advice on a holster and the XYZ holster is my frame of reference.

By the way I'm not asking for answers to the above, just an example. Your website has excellant photo's and they provide a very good frame of reference. I have followed your advice in this forum and have admired your work---it appears first rate. I may contact you and I sure don't want to tick you off. Sometimes the written word is a difficult way to communicate.

Thanks for your time----Rick

All very good points, Rick. In the instances I have described people have specifically asked me to directly copy currently-offered products of other makers.

I have no problem in creating a new design based upon the customer's stated preferences, or in altering one of my existing designs to incorporate other features for a customer. But to intentionally copy another maker's work would be little more than theft, in my opinion (excluding individuals making an item for their own use, of course).

[gregintenn]

All very good points, Rick. In the instances I have described people have specifically asked me to directly copy currently-offered products of other makers.

I have no problem in creating a new design based upon the customer's stated preferences, or in altering one of my existing designs to incorporate other features for a customer. But to intentionally copy another maker's work would be little more than theft, in my opinion (excluding individuals making an item for their own use, of course).

Lobo, I see your point and feel you are a guy with great integrity. If a maker's design isn't patented or copyrighted, why wouldn't it be fair game to copy it? Would you be upset or flattered if someone copied your designs? I think I'd lean more toward being flattered. Just giving you a different perspective from which to look at it.

[TwinOaks]

Lobo, I see your point and feel you are a guy with great integrity. If a maker's design isn't patented or copyrighted, why wouldn't it be fair game to copy it? Would you be upset or flattered if someone copied your designs? I think I'd lean more toward being flattered. Just giving you a different perspective from which to look at it.

Greg, when a maker creates something, it IS copyrighted. The little copyright sign is just saying that the maker wishes to let others know that it isn't a freebie. Patents are horribly expensive, and for something like a holster, almost impossible to enforce - unless the maker is just fantastically rich and has money to throw at lawyers. Then there's the issue of knock-offs. These are made (generally) in places where US laws have little or no meaning. Regardless of the legal enforcement issues, the design(s) is/are the legal intellectual property of the maker. Period. Immitation is a great form of flattery- unless a person is using his/her designs to put food on the table, and free copying of that idea throws the designer under the bus. It's a tangled mess to get into, for sure.

Lobo: No, you're not the only one who gets the requests. Since the majority of my business is face to face (I'm working on internet sales....but SLOWLY) I just explain the situation to the customers. I had one guy ask me if I could make a "Crossbreed Supertuck" for him. I told him "Sure, no problem!". When he asked me the price, I told him a price that would cover me ordering a CB supertuck, shipping, and a nice little profit margin for me to boot. When he said he could order one from them for less, I agreed. Then we decided on a nice design that wasn't someone else's property. You might consider the same track- put a little notice on the website saying that you can get other holster makers products for people- just at twice the price.

For anyone who DOES want to share their patterns, you may wish to consider a Creative Commons license. click here. I'm not saying it's the best way, but it's something to consider.

Edited February 6, 2010 by TwinOaks