HideCrafters

[David Fields]

I noticed that HideCrafters web site is outdated and the online catalog expired in April 2007! I heard somewhere that they were bought out by someone. Has their name changed and do they have a different web site? I hope they are still around, they were a great supplier.

[gtwister09]

Yes they were bought out. The name is the same as is the website. Having talked to Ron a week or so ago he said that a new catalog would be available at the end of February or first part of March. He also said that they were dropping items from around 4200 to 2200 items. They are also in the process of updating the web site so that we can purchase directly from the web site. The catalog will follow after that.

Regards,

Ben

[David Fields]

Yes they were bought out. The name is the same as is the website. Having talked to Ron a week or so ago he said that a new catalog would be available at the end of February or first part of March. He also said that they were dropping items from around 4200 to 2200 items. They are also in the process of updating the web site so that we can purchase directly from the web site. The catalog will follow after that.

Regards,

Ben

Thanks for the reply Ben. I'm happy to hear they are still around and we will be able to order online when they come back.

[Roger]

they sure carried a lot of good stuff!! hopfully they will keep the better tool line ect. they had stuff that most places didn't

[Kani]

I think (if memory serves me right) the people at Silver Creek Leather bought them out.

they sure carried a lot of good stuff!! hopfully they will keep the better tool line ect. they had stuff that most places didn't

[outcast]

They dropped the Ellis Barnes tools, along with some other good stuff.

[Rawhide]

I think (if memory serves me right) the people at Silver Creek Leather bought them out.

It was a company called HIDECO. I don't know if they are in conjunction with silver creek, but that's the name of the company that bought Hidecrafters.

Marlon

[Randy Cornelius]

Jeff Ballard from Throurobred Leather is one of the investors that bought out Hidecrafters. I talked to him a couple months ago and he said that they were dropping several lines that just were not selling that well. He said they want to handle the items that sell good and that will make a profit. He said that along thoes lines they will be adding a lot more items as well as discontinuing others.

I think they will have some growning pains but give them a year to come around and get things sorted out.

RC

[Kani]

Tom Brown of Silver Creek Leather Co. said they are affiliated with Hidecrafter. How I don't know.

Guess that is where I got the idea.

[CitizenKate]

I've been trying to call them for two days to place an order, and nobody is answering the phone. The recorded message says, "We're currently assisting other customers... leave a message and we'll get back to you..." Sent them an email... no response in two days.

Has anyone been able to get through to them recently?

Kate

[Rawhide]

I've been trying to call them for two days to place an order, and nobody is answering the phone. The recorded message says, "We're currently assisting other customers... leave a message and we'll get back to you..." Sent them an email... no response in two days.

Has anyone been able to get through to them recently?

Kate

Kate,

I visited HC today and the store was open, but the electricity was out. I didn't asked what happened or anything, but it was business as usual. One thing I did notice is that the phone did not ring. It could have been associated with the power being out. Ron also said that he had to close the store early (on a day previous to today, not sure if it was yesterday or the day before) because it gets dark sooner with the standard time, and you can't see anything in the store.

Hope this helps,

Marlon

[CitizenKate]

Ah, the power's out... that might explain it. I'll just try them again Monday, then. Thanks for the info.

Kate

[indypbear]

To ALL questioning Hidecrafter aka HideCo-

1) The power shut down was a power company problem in transition to the new company. They will be back in the saddle soon so be patient with them. Leave Ron a message and the nature of the call (order, etc.) and he will call you back as soon as humanly possible. Just a little bump in the road!

2) Ownership is SX Industries in MA, Silver Creek Leather Co. in IN and Teneria (Thorobred Leather) in KY. and are legally HideCo. dba Hidecrafter Leather Co. but will still go as Hidecrafter Leather Co. Wait until the new catalog comes out and see how it is titled.

3) Tell Ron Stuhlman what you are interested in for supplies and suppliers. They did drop Gomph-Hackbarth tools (Ellis Barnes) but have Barry King and also a line of better less expensive tools (Craft & Co, Kyoshin elle) who are good Japanese manufacturers.

Indy

[Billy P]

Just a quick question about the new revamped Hidecrafters, does anyone know if they will still be carrying the Pro-Series line of tools? I have a few and am pretty happy with the impressions they make and the price was goo too. Anyway just wondering, and thanks to any and all that know and will reply. Regards to All, Billy P

[CitizenKate]

Billy,

I just got a flyer from Hidecrafter advertising an expanded line in their "Pro Crafters Tool Collection", which I was very happy to see! I have some tools from that line and they are very good quality for the price.

On the other hand, I was a tiny bit disappointed when I ordered a few of the new ones. Two of them were chrome plated, not stainless, like the ones I bought previously from that line, and the other two were some other kind of dark-colored coated metal. They all (including the chrome plated ones) are clearly better quality than their low-end line of stamping tools, but not quite as good as the ones I purchased two years ago.

Kate

[bruce johnson]

Kate,

I bought some of the early SS ones and found them to be amazingly like some I have from another maker. Good stamps to start with and a value. Regarding the dark ones...I had several. They look really nice, and give a decent impression. Nice prices too. I bent them. I broke them, some just snapped. A friend who gave me his freebie from a LCSJ subscription prize as an example. Phone calls revealed no problems with them. Emails ditto. Finally after a few more and photo of them in their stages of manglement, I was told they did have some problems. The explanation was that they were not for professional use. Apparently a guy who stamps a lot with a 16 and 24 oz maul will damage them, and an amateur won't. My wife damaged one, so maybe that explanation is a bit off too. These are the only stamps I have ever had fail. Finally (after they saw I had a photo to share with their name clearly in focus), they told me to box up what I had left and ship them back for credit. Make sure you have duplicate backups. Nothing more frustrating than to get about halfway down a belt and have to either toss it or finish it with a stamp with a jagged 2" shank. Hopefully everyone else's mileage is better.

[ryan]

I placed an order with HC about a month ago and only got a couple of the items I ordered. One item was a quart of antique paste which arrived frozen. I called them and they sent me a new one right away. I haven't gotten after them on the rest of my items as I am aware of the changes they are making. I just hope they continue to carry the same conchos and videos as they have some very unique items and would hate to lose them!

Ryan

[Roger]

sounds to me like i won't bother with them anymore.

[Gremlin]

I hope they do stick around. I placed an order Jan 4/08 and was told it would be about a week before the tools arrived in their shop because they were out of stock. However, I was told the same thing mid Dec/07 when I started making enquires. I'm in the process of improving the quality of my tools and they are the only other place I know of besides Tandy and Ebay.

[CitizenKate]

If they were designed for amateurs and hobbyists, then why do they call it the "Pro Crafters Tool Collection"? Even my cheapest stamps will hold up to steady pounding with my 21oz maul. I will take this up with them next time I call.

I do hope they stay around and get back into the game, and if they do, I'll continue ordering from them, but I don't know if they'll ever be the same again... :mellow:

Kate

...Regarding the dark ones...I had several. They look really nice, and give a decent impression. Nice prices too. I bent them. I broke them, some just snapped. A friend who gave me his freebie from a LCSJ subscription prize as an example. Phone calls revealed no problems with them. Emails ditto. Finally after a few more and photo of them in their stages of manglement, I was told they did have some problems. The explanation was that they were not for professional use. Apparently a guy who stamps a lot with a 16 and 24 oz maul will damage them, and an amateur won't. My wife damaged one, so maybe that explanation is a bit off too.

[bruce johnson]

Kate,

I really think that HideCrafters have a good chance to reinvent themselves again. I was a pretty early customer when they formed. They filled a niche by having a line of tools that were not available or limitedly available from George's previous employer. They had a choice of better quality wallet inserts, leathers, and better conchos and hardware. They had tutorials and books that were more than just from one source. Then as they progressed, they tried to be all things to everyone - cheaper tools, duplicate lines of tools, their own "house brand", low end hardware, and competing on things they just shouldn't have been. It was pretty frustrating to have pay for a wholesale club membership when I had a resale number already. Later on they rethought that policy. Then there were the supply issues at times, for various reasons.

Everyone is worried about them cutting inventory. More power to the new guys, they should. Get rid of the dead wood - the poor quality lines that don't perform, and the stuff every craftstore, ebay store, and other suppliers sell at little margin. I have mixed feeling on dropping Ellis' tools but suspect that was Ellis' decision. It may not pay to inventory high end tools either though. By the time a guy gets to that level, we know Ellis's phone number or buy them at the show. Keep the suppliers happy. There is obviously room for a few players in this game. If they stock the good stuff that will move, listen to that customer base, and don't compete based on previous mistakes, I think they will do fine. The biggest issue right now seems to be the transition. In retropect, they may almost be better to shut down, retool and restock, come out with the catalog or site that says "here's what we will be selling" and then reopen. It would save a lot of the current frustration with products no longer carried, severe backorders, and shortages. Ron seems to be a decent guy when I talked with him. I really liked Andy. I know the new guys are all running their own businesses too. I hope they can keep a good staff in FW.

[Hilly]

<snip>

Everyone is worried about them cutting inventory. More power to the new guys, they should. Get rid of the dead wood - the poor quality lines that don't perform, and the stuff every craftstore, ebay store, and other suppliers sell at little margin.

<snip>

I was talking to a Hide Crafter store employee yesterday, and he told me they are also dropping all the craftool stuff. He said that Tandy won't sell to them anymore, so they're dropping all the "Tandy" tools.

[Peter Ellis]

Yes they were bought out. The name is the same as is the website. Having talked to Ron a week or so ago he said that a new catalog would be available at the end of February or first part of March. He also said that they were dropping items from around 4200 to 2200 items. They are also in the process of updating the web site so that we can purchase directly from the web site. The catalog will follow after that.

Regards,

Ben

Well, they haven't got the website sales part going yet. One would think that might be a high priority item if they are intent on being profitable.

They might at least have a website that has their product line, not just samples of two lines of stamps.

I would really like the pebble background stamps, but perhaps the answer is to just make my own.

[Hilly]

Well, they haven't got the website sales part going yet. One would think that might be a high priority item if they are intent on being profitable.

They might at least have a website that has their product line, not just samples of two lines of stamps.

I would really like the pebble background stamps, but perhaps the answer is to just make my own.

Siegels has some pepple background tools https://www.siegelofca.com/view_cat_product...&curpage=11 I don't know if they have the smaller one, also, but you could always call them and find out.

[CitizenKate]

Does anyone know if the new catalog has come out yet?

Kate