Tandy Leather Factory.. Has Anyone Noticed That They're Faking Their Loyalty Anymore?

[WScott]

"pretty much the only reason I dealt with The local Tandy store was because they used to have a good manager now that he is no longer there I have very little reason to deal with Tandy except fort when I need something in a pinch."

I feel the same way......emergency or a HUGE sale only

[FlHobbyist]

It breaks my heart to hear that Tandy may have decided to follow the path of 'get rich quick' and then 'close up shop' like so many businesses have. I hope this is just a bad phase they are going through, but I'm never optimistic where greed is concerned.

On a more positive note, thank you for guiding us newbies towards Springfield. I had come upon them a few days ago, but I only glanced at them thinking they were another Tandy distributor like Stecks. Because of this thread, I went back and checked them out more thoroughly, and they are much more. Rightly, or wrongly, I'm mostly interested in stamps right now and it was with utter amusement I saw their packs of 5 Baron stamps for 1.99. I've been seeing those very same stamps at Ebay for $4.00 - $6.00, which isn't a bad profit margin when you can get it ....lol

I'm going to give them a try on my next order.

[Bob Blea]

It breaks my heart to hear that Tandy may have decided to follow the path of 'get rich quick' and then 'close up shop' like so many businesses have. I hope this is just a bad phase they are going through, but I'm never optimistic where greed is concerned.

Unfortunately I'm seeing this trend in American business more and more lately. It's a drive to increase profits or increase share price at the expense of all else, to the point of destroying a company in the pursuit of short term gain for a few individuals. It's a trend I hope to see come to an end in the near future, but it probably won't end soon and won't end well....

Bob

[St8LineGunsmith]

Yes, that will end up working so well. SLC is already working on their own stamp supplier and are beginning to roll out their own kits. The kits are just wallets right now, but I expect we will see more. So we will see how that goes.

Speaking of which I was watching SLC 10 day deals or now called Kevins Value channel where they have introduced their new tool line called craft master so I will be keeping my eyes open for these new tools coming out

they look to be high quality tools at a more reasonable price point.

[Glendon]

I saw that yesterday as well. That filigree set looks pretty nice.

[Art]

If you are buying Tandy and complaining about it, you have grown out of it. We all kind of start at Tandy, but in normal progression of skill level and even just basic curiosity, you should be moving on. We all need basic things, tools, leather, and supplies. Back in the '80s and 90's I could get decent product at Tandy, but in the 21st century their business model changed, they just didn't have what I needed. That's not good or bad, it is just the way it is. So suck it up and get on the phone.

Some places to start:

SLC -- Novice or experienced, this is a good supplier, carries darned near everything, if you can't find it, ask!

Sheridan Leather Outfitters -- Vandy is the direct line into Bob Douglas' toolroom. good leather too.

Brettuns Village -- I find some rather unique items there, if you have a use for them you may be in luck. Good tools too.

Ohio Travel Bag -- best quality findings

Weaver Leather -- They have everything.

I buy veg or veg/retanned leather only from Horween, Wickett & Craig, and Hermann Oak, and special oak tanned products from Baker in England and JR in Germany.

There are really good sellers of chrome tanned product all over the country.

Hide House

Hidecrafter

SLO

SLC

Golliger

Thoroughbred

There are many others but I've used all of the above.

For exotics I only use 2,

Jerry van Amberg

Eric Edrich (Hidecrafter in Houston)

That should give you a start.

Art

Edited to add Zack White Leather in NC ~Johanna

[WScott]

Well put Art and thanks for the supplier list...that is the best part of this whole thread

[Johanna]

Ironically The Leather Factory was started by disgruntled Tandy employees, and Hidecrafter was founded by Tandy's George Hurst. Springfield Leather was once a Tandy store, and Kevin was one of the top managers they ever had. He bought his store when Tandy shut down the retail outlets in the late '90s. Independent stores (like SLC, Zack White, Standing Bears etc) have to have so many dollars worth of Tandy inventory to be considered a "dealer" and get to use their logo and be included in some advertising. Tandy used to make most of their stuff- I got to tour their facility in 1997 and saw the ladies with the huge thumbs from making lace, the craftool line, the clickers and the lines where kits were assembled, the Pro-Dye lab and so forth. As store managers, we were encouraged to court prison, hospital and camp sales because you could spend all afternoon with a customer who wanted to make a holster, and that wasn't as good for sales as the institutions, even though they got wholesale pricing.

Any leather store is only as good as the people that work there. When you find a supplier that works with you and gets you what you need, stick with them and shout their praises from the rooftops to keep them in business.

~J

[St8LineGunsmith]

I got a flier from my local TLF advertising a fathers day sale which they had a few managers specials that included the Al Stohlman mauls on sale for $39.95 for the small one. I have to confess I had been wanting one of these for a long time but just was not going to spend full price of $89.95 (or $72.00 with my gold club membership) so I just waited because I knew eventually I would catch them on sale.even at the sale price I am pretty sure they made at least ten dollars profit if not more.

I have to admit it is a really fine quality maul and the weight of the small maul is just right for stamping.

so I have decided that when my club membership expires I am not going to renew and just catch the sales and keep My SLC membership current.

[LBennett]

I have been mainly ordering through SLC ( where i am there isn't a local leather shop!!) I've been looking at Weaver Leather stuff, but trying to find a place where I can order ( since i don't consider myself to be good enough or big enough doing leatherwork to get a biz number and try to order wholesale.... need to just call them when I get a chance.

Thank you for that supplier list it is wonderful. And glad i'm not the only one frustrated with the quality of Tandy right now.