"can I Have Your Design?"

[MdB Leatherworks]

In another forum I posted a picture of a holster I made:

Among the "Nice job" and "good work" posts, therre was this one:

"Actually, that is one beautiful holster. Nice work. VERY nice, in fact.

For those of us who can follow directions, did you ever consider open-sourcing a design, and publishing it as a PDF? I, for one, would likely be able to make it...it's the design process where I would fall down. Devil's in the details, y'know.

A series of community designed holsters for our beloved CZ82 would likely be a welcome addition."

Something just irritated me about this one. Here was my reply:

"I dunno... my leatherwork is kind of a "fallback position" if I should ever lose my job. I'm not sure I want to give away a design that I might have to rely on to feed my kids and pay my bills.

I might think about selling a DIY kit, though... "

I thought about it a bit and then posted this next:

"I'd also be willing to answer any holster design questions anyone has, or give advice on making them. After all, people helped ME when I needed it."

Here was the reply I got:

"Well, I did say *a* design. A few donations like that from a few members (XXXXXXX, for example, has also made holsters) and we'd have a library of designs from which to choose. The library could be expanded to include holsters for common pistols like the 82/83, various 75, etc.

Bottom line...your design is nice. However, your leatherworking skills are magnificent...it looks, not just "homemade" servicable, but beautiful. Even giving away the design, it is unlikely to noticeably impact your potential sales, because of your skill and the obvious quality of your product.

Anyway, the open source thing was just an idea. And, judging from the almost immediate response, it seems to be something that would be welcomed by the community. Heck, if I knew how to design a holster I'd start the ball rolling, myself."

I then said:

"I'd happily do a tutorial on holster making and design, if that would help."

Am I wrong here? I get where he's coming from- that forum is about a certain pistol, and there aren't a lot of folks making a holster for it. Having an open source design WOULD benefit them. On the other hand, how can you expect someone to just give away a design they developed? I get his point about skill, but it still doesn't sit right somehow...

Edited March 26, 2011 by MdB Leatherworks

[CitizenKate]

Open source, huh?... Another way of asking for a freebie. It's not out of line for this person to ask for the pattern, but is out of line to expect it, or to discredit you if you choose not to. It's entirely up to your own discretion whether to share it or not, or if you do share it, to offer it for a fee (assuming you have the legal right to do that).

Kate

[dirtclod]

Why not tell them about leatherworker.net and let them learn to make their own patterns and share their ideals ? Lots of things i don't mind shareing but others i'm not going to share. This is how i make my living. Sometimes it's great. business is good and i'm eating high on the hog and sometimes business is not so hot it's beans and cornbread.

[TwinOaks]

If you are making holsters as part of your income, then NO, don't give away the design. If they want one of your holsters, you can give them a discount as forum members, though. If you make a good quality product, don't be afraid to ask people to pay for it. If the guy tells you that you have to do it, or that it's 'only right'......well, tell him how much leather, thread, and hardware you used. Then ask what he's contributed to "open source".

I'm afraid that to say much more about it would violate LW's 'no politics' policy. You're idea of a DIY kit is a pretty good one, and worth pursuing. I recently had the manager of a FedEx ask if he could buy leather from me to make a Nook cover. I asked some questions and returned with ~2 sq. ft. of 4oz veg tan, uncut and in a roll. I priced it at a little above retail and had to restrain myself when he asked me where the sewing holes were, why it wasn't cut out in a pattern, and why it wasn't colored and finished. With that in mind, you'll probably want to include VERY SPECIFIC instructions.

[bkingery]

I'm with Mike, your design is your design if you want to give it away or not is up to you. The DIY kit is a very good idea also BUT how many of us have bought DIY kits from Tandy, then made a copy of the leather and then piecemealed the rest from what we have, I have and I bet almost everyone on here has at one point or another, how many crap holsters get bought at walmart and then torn apart, copied and remade better. Thats how we learn.

If you made the pattern and instructions then you would have an instuction pack and then the same thing would apply, unless you get a copyright which would take you years and lots of money people are going to use it, probably quite a bit.

Then there is the other thing with those of use that can figure it out on our own by looking at your pictures and then it would look Close to yours but wouldn't be close at all because all they have to do is change one thing and then it's not your design anymore.

I don't think I would do anything with it but if they keep bugging you then I would do a pattern pack and sell it on ebay or something, you probably could make a killing.

Just my opinion, I don't make Holsters

YET

Bryan

Edited March 26, 2011 by bkingery

[Eaglestroker]

Why not tell them about leatherworker.net and let them learn to make their own patterns and share their ideals ? Lots of things i don't mind shareing but others i'm not going to share. This is how i make my living. Sometimes it's great. business is good and i'm eating high on the hog and sometimes business is not so hot it's beans and cornbread.

I will second this. That is how I was turned onto this forum and it has been an awesome resource and the members I have personally spoken with have no problem going out of their way to help. It's pretty obvious you don't 'owe' them anything so that is personal discretion.

[MdB Leatherworks]

I think that what I'll do is write up a tutorial on basic holster design and construction. After all, I learned how to make holsters by reading tutorials that someone else wrote- it's only right that I help others get started. I have no issue teaching someone how to come up with their own design, but I won't give away the ones I developed.

Thanks for the advice!

[Deaf Ranger]

Why not tell them about leatherworker.net and let them learn to make their own patterns and share their ideals ? Lots of things i don't mind shareing but others i'm not going to share. This is how i make my living. Sometimes it's great. business is good and i'm eating high on the hog and sometimes business is not so hot it's beans and cornbread.

I thought beans and cornbread was high on the hog. Wink.

[TwinOaks]

That depends on the cornbread, now doesn't it?

[electrathon]

What has really surprised me with leatherwork is that so few peole are willing to SELL their patterns. It seems to me that it is a huge source of income to someone with the talent to draw them up. Tandy basicly sells totally outdated patterns that were drawn long ago. Think about it like if your wife went into the fabric store and bought a pattern to make you a shirt. The pattern was drawn up on 1953. She comments to the store that it seems like someone in the last 50 years must have drawn up more modern looking shirt patterns. The store owner looks at her and tells her to learn how to draw patterns up herself. I do realize that there are people who sew that can and do draw patterns, many more can't. Many leatherworkers are copy people. I can copy well, I have no talent to draw.