Where's The Quality In "custom" Gone

[Rayban]

I know a guy that constantly tells students that, "no one will notice but you" and "it is handmade, you can not expect it to be as good as something coming out of a factory". Both make me cringe.

I have to agree that much of the "custom" work I see I would not use at any price, let alone pay for it.

I have a story too. A couple years back I was at a fair and walked into a leather booth. The guy was selling handmade belts. Not very impressive, simply cam tools and veiners ran down the edge. I was looking (I always like to compare what I can do to others) and the guy walked up to me and loudly bragged that I was looking at a handmade leather belt. Stated that I had likely never seen a real handmade belt before in my life. I lifted my shirt up to show the tooled belt I was wearing. He turned and walked away, not saying another word to me. I guess he knew he had inferior work and only wanted to brag to those who were uneducated.

Aaron

We all know those things exist......the point here is.....do you post a link to that guys web site and tell everyone to go see the junk this guy is producing and calling custom?

[K-Man]

A google/web search will bring up umpteen examples of work people call custom. You could spend a fair chunk of time on eBay and Etsy looking at what people call custom. IMO, there is a great shortfall of "quality" in the majority of the leathercrafted items I look at. And I don't mean necessarily here on LW. LW for the most part, IMO, is a place you come to find out how to bring your items up to a higher level of quality. There are without a doubt some truly gifted craftsman here on LW. What gets me though are those who talk a bunch of smack about how good their product is, nigh unto calling themselves a master craftsman, yet you can clearly see the shortcomings. Pointing out shortcomings seems to be a no-no at the highest level.

IMO, quality goes hand in hand with the craftsmanship skill. If you lack the skill, you're going to lack the quality. People try to mask that with enthusiasm about their product, i.e., talking smack. Sometimes the enthusiasm/smack talking appears to be contagious and the viewer/reader sucks it all up.

People say we shouldn't criticize another craftsman's work. How commonplace is it where people critice/negatively comment on Ford or GM or Toyota or whoever about their products? Are they going to start shutting down those conversations/suing whoever because that person said their product was junk for the price you pay for it? How is that different from what we saw here? I'm just saying.

I suspect the politically correct way to have shown the item in question would have been to say something like, "I want to make custom XXX. The examples/pictures I've seen in my google research show a real lack in quality IMO, and what would be a corresponding high price for it. Here's an example: [link]. How can I make something in this style, and what would be a reasonable price for such an item?" That sound about right?

[Rayban]

There's a sub-forum here where we post our work and ask for criticism...

This OP has nothing to do with political correctness......and it looks like rdb handled it accordingly.

Edited June 18, 2011 by Rayban

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

OK, he made a faux pas for posting the link. What do you want LW to do, ban him, or would you prefer a lynching with a braided rawhide rope? Maybe 40 lashings with a flogger made by one of the members. Hmmmm, numerous possibilities here.

I feel that the original discussion is about so called custom handmade work that is not very professional in design, nor execution. Anyone can make something and put it out for sale at any price that they want because they live in this great country called America, well that is as long as the feds don't find a way to regulate,tax, or permit what you do Some will actually sell something. Why do they make sales? They talk a good game, the customer is uneducated, or it is priced so low that the quality doesn't matter for the purpose. I also do some blacksmithing, as well as ceramics, drawing, photography, lapidary, and other hobbies. I am not what I consider to be a master in any of these , but I have been told that I do some great work. I am my own worst critic. I look at my work from the craftsman's eye, not a consumer's view. I see my little mistakes, and what I consider flaws. Others who look at my items see something different. Why is that? I believe that it boils down to the fact that for those who do not possess any hand skills, what we do is somewhat magical. We can take chunks of leather, lumps of clay, rocks,or even old rusty metal, and make beautiful , and usable items from it. Yes I do sense some wonderment as I look at cheesy handicrafts with big price tags that are selling at fairs. But who is to blame for ME not selling better items? ME that's who. I choose not to do my hobbies for profit. I use, or give away what I make. So, it doesn't matter if you think someone else's stuff is low quality if you are unwilling to jump into the market yourself. Just like voting.......if you don't vote, you can't bitch about the way things are going. If you think you can do a better quality product, do it, but don't blame anyone else for trying, and making money.

[K-Man]

Rayban: You're right - there is a forum for asking for critique of one's own work.

That doesn't apply in this instance, does it?

And, yes, rdb took the action he felt appropriate.

I'm still curious how one determines levels of quality and what the parameters are in establishing those levels.

Edited June 18, 2011 by K-Man

[TexasJack]

There have always been folks who try to pawn off crap as quality. Go to a knife show and you'll see tables full of shiny knives that are absolute junk. It's always been that way. Roman writers complained of the same thing.

If you can't find someone who's doing a good job, then you're just not looking hard enough. Guys like Paul Long, Sandy Morrissey, and Chuck Burrows (and Dave Cole!) are out there doing work that would be considered first class in any generation. While the internet allows any idiot to open for business, it also allows the transfer of information from people who do quality work down to people who are striving to learn. Just look at the range of people who turn out on this message board!

[UKRay]

The whole issue of quality, as K-Man points out, is difficult. I sat down a while back and made my own list of characteristics that I felt embodied quality but I guess everyone has their own opinions.

For me it has to be about workmanship, material and presentation combining to create a feeling of satisfaction with the product. Okay, that isn't exactly specific but I believe it is worth using the best leather/fittings, the best tools and machinery and giving the customer the feeling that they have got something really special and good value for their money. If I don't achieve that then I'm not delivering the best quality I can.

Frankly, I'm not too bothered what anyone else produces (unless I see it as better than mine, in which case I obviously need to raise the game to keep up) and tend to concern myself with improving the stuff I make myself. Life is waaay too short to fall out with people I haven't met. I have quite enough trouble with the ones I do know! LOL

Ray

[$$hobby]

custom will mean different things to different people.

also, just because someone makes something (custom) doesnt mean they will have the same skills as you or I.

most of the time poeple want "custom" but arent willing to pay for the work so they keep on asking/looking until they find someone in the ballpark of what they are willing to spend.

[mkleathers]

most of the time poeple want "custom" but arent willing to pay for the work so they keep on asking/looking until they find someone in the ballpark of what they are willing to spend.

That is so true! Unfortunatelly it causes that sometimes It is necessary to put up with "customers" who would question your price and point that "they can get it cheaper". For me, custom is combining clients wishes with my style and meeting somewhere between.

Chief, I understand what you are talking about. When I was beginning my adventure with leathercraft (still am) I browsed through tons of sites with... different content. Dont know where you looked but my advice is to look on foreign forums as well. You might find some inspiration there. PM me if you want some links.

Regards

Mat.

[Rhide]

There's been a sign in my shop for 20 years that reads:

I have no quarrel with those who will do it for less.

They know what their work is worth.

As far as setting a parameter for what defines "custom", that's something you need to do for yourself.

Edited June 21, 2011 by Rhide