Pricing Holsters

[charlescrawford]

I just finished a custom a holster for someone. It's for a Colt 1911. How do you guys price holsters? Where I am in western CO there is no one else doing Sheridan style holsters. I look on eBay and ETSY and yes they have holsters and yes technically they have flowers on them it's just not the sheridan style. By sheridan style I am referring to raised floral pedals and vine work seen typically in the west like on saddles like Don King use to make. I am not seeing anyone doing that stuff online and I am trying to figure out how to set up my pricing since each sheridan holster takes me a couple days to make.

I have no idea why my iPad won't autorotate the first image.

[GrampaJoel]

No offense meant, but you aren't technically doing Sheridan style carving either.

Your holster looks useful, but only so.

Take a look around these forums and make a comparison between others and your holster.

Suggestions,

Edging needs lots of improvement.

Coloring needles lots of improvement,.

Finish needs lots of improvement.

Style, type, practical fit need adjusting.

I've been harsh I know. But I have been honest.

You really have some distance to go before bragging about selling custom holsters on a market hoping to have walk-up orders.

Good professional quality holster makers are almost a dime a dozen on this forum.

You're not there yet friend.

But please don't give up. We all start at the beginning. I'd like nothing better than see you become a high quality leather holster maker.

Joel

[Dwight]

Quite honestly, . . . I have found that the market will work with you to help you price something, . . . no matter what it is.

It also does not matter how much time you have put in on a certain project.

The buyer will have an idea of what he will pay, . . . and while the first few you sell, . . . you may not do as well as you want, . . . you'll get a feel for the market.

Take em to a gun show, . . . plunk down the table price, . . . lay em out there with a price tag on em, . . . if they sell right away, . . . they were too cheap. If they are still there at the end of the day, . . . most likely you missed a couple of buyers who would have bought if it were just a bit less.

May God bless,

Dwight

[camano ridge]

I am afraid I won't be much help to you in pricing idea either. Compare your holster to many of the ones in the knife sheath, holster, sling forum ask yourself wich one you would pay more for. 1st ignore the carving on your holster just look at it as a basic holster and ask yourself how much you would pay for it in comparison to ones made by katsass, Josh, eaglestroker and some of the others that regularly post their work. Compare your holster to theirs and see what improvements you can do. As to Sheridan carving. I would call what you did more western floral. There is more to the Sheridan style then just raised flowers and vines. If you don't already have one get yourself a book like the one shown below. Your holster has more of a western flair. Looks like you are trying to make something along the Tom Three persons style. Lobo has some Three Persons type posted on the holster forum, look at them and compare to your holster. Also go over to cascity.com leathershop forum and look at the western style holsters there. I know you did not ask for a critique, however my tips and the comments made by GrampaJoel are made in the spirit of helping you get to where you will know just by looking at your holster how much you are going to ask for it and no you will be able to get that price. You are right it takes a fair amount of time to do Sheridan style carving.

Edited October 21, 2013 by camano ridge

[charlescrawford]

Thanks for the responses guys. Grandpa Joel Can you send me a PM and elaborate a little more on the areas I need to work on? You mentioned style type, and practical fit. All of the holsters I make come from patterns I have purchased. I have purchased the pattern pack for 1911's that Will Gromly did as well as some from Tandy (4418 pack) and some from Eric Adams. This particular holster pattern is one of the pattern packs from the Stolhman holster books. I just had to expand his pattern by 1/4" to fit this model 1911.

[Eaglestroker]

I won't speak to how to price, but waiting until the order is completed to then price the order is a recipe for heartache. Ask me how I know? Been there and gotten that t-shirt.

The rest just stems from how bad you want it. If it is something your serious about you'll never be truly 'happy' with the end result because you know what could be better. If you don't learn from a project your just not looking to! Good luck with it all and keep at it.

[katsass]

Charles, ditto to what GrampaJoel has already said. To it I'd add that you need to REALLY learn to stitch. You don't just poke a needle in from one side and then the other. As said by camano ridge, your tooling produces a (more or less) 'western' flavor , but in a way that does not set well with a 1911 type shooter and/or the holster design you have chosen. When building a holster, it's my feeling that the style must coincide with the firearm's vintage, and do the job that it's intended for in a pleasing way. Now, I definitely am not trying to put your effort down, nor am I trying to show off, but I'm including this pic of a 'western' style 1911 holster for you to look at in respect to what has been mentioned by those on this forum. Take notice of the edges, the hand stitching, the dye job and the lack of a 'plastic' appearing finish. Finally, a symmetry to the design which fits the gun. Keep at it, but work slowly and pay attention to the basics. Mike

[charlescrawford]

Kat,

What I have been using is the waxed nylon thread. I saddle stitch most of my projects. Should I not be using the waxed thread? The sealer I use is probably giving the "plastic" look. I use Tandy's Super Sheen and usually do 2 coats. All of my dyes are the Tandy Eco Flo dyes. I know I am probably going to catch holy hell for that but my reason is simple I have to watch what products I use and what fumes these products. I hit the health lottery not only do juggle issues with the MS but severe asthma as well. Eco Flo doesn't send me into an attack. The other reason is cost it's cheap and when you're on a limited income cost comes into play. So if there are things I need to change let me know I am willing to try new things I just have to stay within parameters. My leather shop if you will is the upstairs landing. Don't have a garage to work from like a lot of guys do as well.

[camano ridge]

Charles, I use the Tandy Pro Eco flo and they seem to work fairly well. I would skip the super sheen because that is probably giving you the plastic look. Try resoline cut 50% with water or for cost savings and you can see in the above picture it works fairly well Katsass and others on here use mop n glo/water 50/50.

[charlescrawford]

Charles, I use the Tandy Pro Eco flo and they seem to work fairly well. I would skip the super sheen because that is probably giving you the plastic look. Try resoline cut 50% with water or for cost savings and you can see in the above picture it works fairly well Katsass and others on here use mop n glo/water 50/50.

Camano Ridge Do you get the Resoline at Tandy as well? I just did a search on their site and nothing pulled up. I see they have their Professional Finish in matte and gloss is that what you were talking about?The stain I have now the regular eco flow I am about 1/2 through the "big" bottles of them. Once I start running out of them I will starting going over to the eco flo pro like you suggested. Now with the pro dyes do you have to do a lot of mixing I have read on some of the forums where you almost have to have a degree from nasa just to be in the room with Fiebing dyes. Are the pro dies like that or is it like what I am using now where you add as much or as little water to get the shade you want and it is what it is. Everyone really seems to like the Acorn brown and the Canyon Tan in the regular eco flo. Might have to jump on the sight and see what colors they offer