What Leather Are You Buying?

[Eaglestroker]

Linda didn't ask twice about it, I'd have some choice words for whoever you deal with. It doesn't just save on leather cost but shipping too!

[Colt Hammerless]

I've never even bought a side of skirting from them, only backs of it. It's even on their website in the pricing section. Backs are $1.10 per foot extra. I wonder why he told you they don't sell backs. Strange.

Paul

[rickybobby]

I have had great leather sent from Roger at RJF leather. The double shoulders (7/8oz) #1's are almost 100% usage. I stay about 1 inch from the edge just so there is no "fall off" in thickness or stretch.

Tight grain, front and back (no fuzzies inside the holster)

With shipping to AZ from NY it is still under $7.00ft. And he is great to deal with.

[Colt Hammerless]

Yep, Roger has cheaper shipping for sure. I ordered a double shoulder of 7/8 from RJF that was 11.75 sq. ft. and it was only about $12 shipping to AZ.

Paul

[J Hayes]

+1 for RJF, natural double shoulders 8/9 great flesh side, I get them natural, no gum. Cut easily, mold very well and dry good and stiff. $17 for shipping on one that csme to WI last week.

[RoosterShooter]

I usually buy Herman Oak, but have stopped buying it from Springfield Leather. As others have mentioned ... the hides from Springfield Leather are so dry you can actually see dust coming off while cutting under the right light! I don't know if they have such a large supply that it dries out while they're storing it, or maybe they buy the factory 'run offs' , but the hides from Springfield are very dry.

[Troy I]

I just received some straps from Springfield and they were really dry and the even sent the wrong width...called them and they said that they were going to send replacements with a shipping label to return the others...As slow as they ship, I might get them by the end of next week.

On a better note I just bought some straps from Sludlow (who I met in this forum)--what a great person to deal with. The straps I ordered from him were shipped Monday and the post office says they will be here on Wednesday. He had really good prices too, compared to Springfield Leather.

[RoosterShooter]

I just received some straps from Springfield and they were really dry and the even sent the wrong width...called them and they said that they were going to send replacements with a shipping label to return the others...As slow as they ship, I might get them by the end of next week.

On a better note I just bought some straps from Sludlow (who I met in this forum)--what a great person to deal with. The straps I ordered from him were shipped Monday and the post office says they will be here on Wednesday. He had really good prices too, compared to Springfield Leather.

I agree. I wasn't going to mention this problem until someone else did.

I ordered some Horween Chromexel Brown Nut Oil Tanned leather for bags and pouches from Springfield. Low and behold I get my order and it's BROWN and not BROWN NUT. Big difference! The Brown Nut is a distressed look and the Brown is solid Brown. I just got around to opening up my order from them yesterday and noticed this.

I don't know what's going on over there! A year or so ago I could place an order and have it ship by the next afternoon. Now I'm lucky to get it shipped 3 days later !!! I've heard several excuses as to why they're shipping slower, but I suspect it's due to downsizing as opposed to the 'massive surge in orders' that they keep telling me that they are getting. I just don't see it. Especially since there are certain items in the leather market that you can't GIVE away. I find it hard to believe that everyone and their brother is ordering from Springfield. Know what I mean?

Then ... there is the fact that all of their leather prices have GONE UP since last week! In comparing what I paid last week and the week before .... it's an average of 30 cents a foot!

Edited February 26, 2014 by RoosterShooter

[jrny4wrd]

I go to panhandle leather as well. Is there something I dont know about? Why do people rarely mention them? Prices are great!

[JLSleather]

Here we are, little over a year later, and I could basically copy n paste my response from last year. I ordered ONE back at SLC recently -- was runnin' low on 7/8. Without going through all of the details about it, they got the opportunity to take that back (more than a little sad). I guess that's business these days... send whatever we got laying there, and the people who don't know the difference will be okay with it.

Not to pick on 'em TOO much, the gals certainly have been pleasant, and the one time I ever talked to Kevin (another quality issue) he certainly recognized the problem and addressed it.

But, still can't recommend them for buying leather. Too bad, too, cuz not EVERY piece I got from them was bad, and I was willing to pay a little more to NOT have to stock 20 or 25 sides on an HO order. I just dont have the time OR the patience to be on the phone all the time ordering or returning leather, and i certainly don't have time to waste a week getting and returnin a bit of cow.

END RESULT of all of this... I'm gun shy. People can tell me about wonderful service they've had here, or there.. but sometimes what some think is wonderful is in fact the best they have seen YET. Some folks - I think - aren't lying about it. they just honestly don't know the GOOD leather from something else. So, before I buy somewhere I don't already, I wanna SEE it ....