VGJ Report post Posted October 19, 2011 Hello Gentleman/Ladies, I'm new here and to leatherworking. Other than it's addictive nature, I find with every project (mainly holsters, sheaths, guitar straps for now) that I need a tool I currently don't have. My question to all of you: When starting out making holsters, what 5 or so molds are MUST HAVES? Currently, I'm using actual guns from customers, okay, friends that allows me to practice the craft. Thank you for your time and this wonderful resource for us newbies. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rickybobby Report post Posted October 19, 2011 I asked this quesstion several years ago trying to make the most of my first blue gun purchase. Several people responded and the main theme seemed to be "see what is popular in your area" if selling to your friends or law enforcement people in your town/city. Use the "Search" box in the upper rt corner of the screen and type in "Blue Guns" or "Blue Gun" and you will get several threads to follow. I have collected some of mine just watching the forum here and when a maker is selling off "extras" they no longer use I have picked up several, otherwise I just buy a few that I need at a time. They pay for themselves just making one holster (the expence of the blue gun) and then you start making money with it as you make additional pieces and sell them. Make several (4 or 5) at a time to start building a stock. Here is a list I got from several people when I asked... Glocks, several variations 1911, several variations J Frame, 2 inch snub XD, in .40cal and .45cal I live outside of Phoenix Az. so the 1911 is the "gun of the day" locally here but you will get orders for others as your friends start to need holsters for their other weapons and that is how the collection of blue guns grows. Search for threads done by forum member "Lobo" in advanced search. Ray has a lot of good business advice about the holster business and his information is solid when it comes to cost vs. payoff. Hope this helps, Rick Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RMB Custom Leather Report post Posted October 19, 2011 (edited) Hello Gentleman/Ladies, I'm new here and to leatherworking. Other than it's addictive nature, I find with every project (mainly holsters, sheaths, guitar straps for now) that I need a tool I currently don't have. My question to all of you: When starting out making holsters, what 5 or so molds are MUST HAVES? Currently, I'm using actual guns from customers, okay, friends that allows me to practice the craft. Thank you for your time and this wonderful resource for us newbies. Here is a post that may help. My suggested part numbers are data collected from actual sales which I plan to update a few times a year. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=34659&st=0&p=214816&hl=+blue%20+guns&fromsearch=1entry214816 Edited October 19, 2011 by RMB Custom Leather Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VGJ Report post Posted October 19, 2011 Thank you for all the recommendations guys, it's much appreciated! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
particle Report post Posted October 19, 2011 A lot of it will depend on which gun you want to promote the most. For example, I initially started with my personal 4.25" 1911. I posted progress work here, and also posted a lot on my state's concealed carry forum. And of course, I posted on the 1911 message board. Since then, I've added quite a few other makes and models to my dummy gun list, but I don't visit any of the related message boards - I'm not marketing to that sector of shooters. Thus, the overwhelming majority of my work is for the basic 1911's - 3", 4.25" and 5" non-railed models. Lately I've gotten a lot more requests for the EMP as well. So, my suggestion to you is this - If you're relatively new to making holsters, find a particular gun you really like and enjoy working with. Get used to the lines and details of that firearm, then focus on perfecting your skills at holster making with that one make/model of gun (for example, all the 1911's, or all the Glocks, etc.). Once you're comfortable with "how" to make a holster, diversify your model offering to other makes/models. If you're already comfortable with building holsters, then figure out which message boards you want to frequent and start posting photos of your work (don't immediately start pushing your products, just show off your stuff). If you have loads of money set aside, then by all means, start buying as many dummies as you can afford. But, be prepared to sit on them for a while until your name gets out there and people start promoting your product for you on the various message boards. Likewise, make a list of all the possible dummies out there. Look at the list and determine which guns you absolutely do not want to make/buy. Then, put the rest of the dummy list on your website. If someone buys a holster for "X" gun, order the dummy right then - just make sure the customer knows there is a basic turnaround time for new orders (like at least 2-3 weeks), since it will take a while to receive the new dummy and build the holster. That way, you're not out a lot of money for dummies up front, but it will take a while to turn a profit if you're always buying new dummies. But, if you're putting out a good product, your customers will hopefully show off their new holster on their favorite message board, and you'll likely get repeat orders for that dummy. Hope this helps... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VGJ Report post Posted October 19, 2011 (edited) A lot of it will depend on which gun you want to promote the most. For example, I initially started with my personal 4.25" 1911. I posted progress work here, and also posted a lot on my state's concealed carry forum. And of course, I posted on the 1911 message board. Since then, I've added quite a few other makes and models to my dummy gun list, but I don't visit any of the related message boards - I'm not marketing to that sector of shooters. Thus, the overwhelming majority of my work is for the basic 1911's - 3", 4.25" and 5" non-railed models. Lately I've gotten a lot more requests for the EMP as well. So, my suggestion to you is this - If you're relatively new to making holsters, find a particular gun you really like and enjoy working with. Get used to the lines and details of that firearm, then focus on perfecting your skills at holster making with that one make/model of gun (for example, all the 1911's, or all the Glocks, etc.). Once you're comfortable with "how" to make a holster, diversify your model offering to other makes/models. If you're already comfortable with building holsters, then figure out which message boards you want to frequent and start posting photos of your work (don't immediately start pushing your products, just show off your stuff). If you have loads of money set aside, then by all means, start buying as many dummies as you can afford. But, be prepared to sit on them for a while until your name gets out there and people start promoting your product for you on the various message boards. Likewise, make a list of all the possible dummies out there. Look at the list and determine which guns you absolutely do not want to make/buy. Then, put the rest of the dummy list on your website. If someone buys a holster for "X" gun, order the dummy right then - just make sure the customer knows there is a basic turnaround time for new orders (like at least 2-3 weeks), since it will take a while to receive the new dummy and build the holster. That way, you're not out a lot of money for dummies up front, but it will take a while to turn a profit if you're always buying new dummies. But, if you're putting out a good product, your customers will hopefully show off their new holster on their favorite message board, and you'll likely get repeat orders for that dummy. Hope this helps... Wow...thanks for all that information Adam, greatly appreciated! And HOW did you KNOW I had loads of money set aside?? Now that this leather working addiction has taken ahold, I'm slowly watching the 'ol bank account dwindle..BUT...ITS....FUN...DAMMIT. Seriously, this is the friendliest, most helpful site I've seen; it seems there are no ego's here, and no one has any problem helping someone else out, even if it gives away "trade secrets". That's really cool. And I thank you. It probably doesn't help that I live only an hour and a half from SLC, so I don't have to wait on mail delivery to force me to be patient, a new idea pops into my head and off I go to SLC, and once through the doors, the aroma of thousands of types of leather hits my nostrils, and about an hour later, my wallet! Edited October 19, 2011 by VGJ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoelR Report post Posted October 20, 2011 +1 to what particle said. Don't blindly invest in items you have no guaranteed way of recooping the cost of - business 101. Well, unless it's a sewing machine, or that exotic skin (or two) that would just look perfect hanging on your wall, or those really nice silver buckles that your sure you will find a use for, or... Heck, forget the dummys and just get the real thing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steelhawk Report post Posted October 21, 2011 I decided to get the real thing with the Ruger LC9. A dummy gun wasn't available yet. I've almost paid for it with holsters. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TOM123 Report post Posted October 27, 2011 air soft make some that are the same as the leal thing, look at ebay for ones that will not work most of the time they are under $10 exept for a colt, you can't get them colt will not let air soft make them. also the S&W M&P40 is populer right now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
