My take on the Dopp Kit

[YinTx]

Just my take on the lowly Dopp Kit.  After I made it, found out they sell for like $30 on Etsy, Made in USA no less.  Not likely to compete with that!

Horween leather body, Hermann Oak tooling on the rest.  Hand stitched with Juane Fil Au Chinois.

Half of the tooling pattern I drew myself, the other half is adapted from some Don Gonzales sketches.

This was some thick leather, thought I would never get it turned back right side out.  Would probably make it from thinner leather if I did another in the future, although I must say I like the heft and form that resulted, just not the corners, even though I skived them!

 

YinTx

[Sporty1]

Very nice! That should last someone a lifetime..

[Pauls Leather]

Very nice.  We have to remember that while many people shop for the bargain regardless of how many times they have to buy there are still people out there that know and are willing to pay for good quality craftsmanship. 

[plinkercases]

that is a very  elegant and functional design for sure. Well done as usual... and I have had to redesign more than a few shooting rest bags when I realised I could never turn them out or if I could the shape was not what I expected! No wonder there are folks called Master Pattern Makers.

[YinTx]

4 hours ago, Sporty1 said:

Very nice! That should last someone a lifetime..

Thanks!

 

4 hours ago, Pauls Leather said:

Very nice.  We have to remember that while many people shop for the bargain regardless of how many times they have to buy there are still people out there that know and are willing to pay for good quality craftsmanship. 

I try to remember that, but always back of my mind telling me folks are bargain hunters....  just have to keep my focus!  thanks for the compliment!

49 minutes ago, plinkercases said:

that is a very  elegant and functional design for sure. Well done as usual... and I have had to redesign more than a few shooting rest bags when I realised I could never turn them out or if I could the shape was not what I expected! No wonder there are folks called Master Pattern Makers.

Not many changes to the typical dopp kit design, just some flourishes, and it is probably larger than most.  And out of some really nice leather!  Experience can be a heck of a teacher for sure!

YinTx

[ABHandmade]

Looks just superb. Very nice work!

[Ferg]

Very nice. From an old man. ol

[battlemunky]

Very nice @YinTx. A dopp kit is on my list and I'm hoping it turns out as nice as that. I'll use some 3/4 oz HO for the baggy parts and for the sides I will likely use the 8/9 oz Craftman Oak I got from Tandy when it was cheap, if I tool it.

[bikermutt07]

Another stellar job. And keep in mind, Hermann Oak, Horween, and custom toolings bring premiums. If I was in the market I think 60-90 bucks would be perfectly acceptable.

[YinTx]

23 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said:

Another stellar job. And keep in mind, Hermann Oak, Horween, and custom toolings bring premiums. If I was in the market I think 60-90 bucks would be perfectly acceptable.

Thanks, Bikermutt.  I think you are probably accurate with the pricing, and I know I ain't the Fastest Leatherworker in the West, but the tooling took me nearly 3 hours to do, from start of drawing to finish, and the bag took me another 8-10 hours, including making the piping, hand stitching, etc.  All this totaled up for over 13 hours work, $10 zipper, $20+ leather, I'd be not be making much money. I think if someone offered me $150+, I'd do it, but I suspect they'd be shopping around at that price!

YinTx

[YinTx]

[RockyAussie]

Very nice work there. I think you have done it well and in great time considering you hand stitched it. $150 would be a bargain for that sort of work and construction as a 1 off for sure.

[Rolandranch]

2 hours ago, YinTx said:

I try to remember that, but always back of my mind telling me folks are bargain hunters.... 

Stunning work, there!

Like biker and rocky said, not everyone is a bargain hunter. There's a lot of people looking for superb quality and will pay high dollar for it. I also think $150 is reasonable for your work. The saddle maker I work under charges very high prices for his work but he still has customers galore because he is known for his quality work. I'm still bad at pricing but I'll get there one day. I bumped into a leather worker at Tandy one day and we started talking about prices. He told me when pricing to never think "I'd never pay that much for that" because if everyone thought that then everyone would do leather work.  

-Ryan

[YinTx]

2 hours ago, Ferg said:

Very nice. From an old man. ol

Thanks much, Ferg!  Means a lot, coming from an old man.  The gift is going to someone in their 80's, so gives me confidence they'll like it!  I liked it enough I think I want one now... just have to find the time to make another, lol.

1 hour ago, RockyAussie said:

Very nice work there. I think you have done it well and in great time considering you hand stitched it. $150 would be a bargain for that sort of work and construction as a 1 off for sure.

Appreciate that, RockyAussie.  I'll put it out there and see what kind of a response I get, if they do sell, awesome!

7 minutes ago, Rolandranch said:

because if everyone thought that then everyone would do leather work.

This explains the plethora of leatherworkers on social media!  Even the not so good ones get a lot of traction, it seems.  This is a recent phenomena, I believe.  But, there are a lot of folks willing to pay to BIFL, and I have been one of them.  Thanks also for the compliment.

YinTx

[bikermutt07]

4 hours ago, YinTx said:

Thanks, Bikermutt.  I think you are probably accurate with the pricing, and I know I ain't the Fastest Leatherworker in the West, but the tooling took me nearly 3 hours to do, from start of drawing to finish, and the bag took me another 8-10 hours, including making the piping, hand stitching, etc.  All this totaled up for over 13 hours work, $10 zipper, $20+ leather, I'd be not be making much money. I think if someone offered me $150+, I'd do it, but I suspect they'd be shopping around at that price!

YinTx

Yeah, but if you did 5 at once you could maybe bang them out faster as a group. Then you're bringing production times down per piece.

And like the others said, maybe someone will pay 150. 

Just something to think about.

[YinTx]

10 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said:

Yeah, but if you did 5 at once you could maybe bang them out faster as a group

I wish I could, but then I'd have one custom item sold and 4 on the shelf.  Everything I do is one-off, someone wants a particular color thread, certain type of leather/color, different liner, a particular pocket, certain length shoulder strap, custom tooling, etc.  I keep wanting to make a bunch of one item, and say "this is what I've got," but when I do, the customers say "Thats nice, can you do it in green?"  I tried a tiny run of basic black belts, sold 3, still have one finished and one half way finished that I stopped on, waiting for someone to buy.  The life of a leatherworker, I suppose.  I show photos of what I've done, let the customer select size/color etc, and get to work.  If I want to try something different, I have to make a gift like this so I have something to photograph and show!

YinTx

p.s. I do plan to do some shows, so for that, you are right, I'll make 5 each of things, see how it goes.

[ScoobyNewbie]

That is beautiful work! 

[YinTx]

23 hours ago, ScoobyNewbie said:

That is beautiful work! 

Thanks, ScoobyNewbie!  

YinTx

[rodneywt1180b]

Semi custom maybe?  Same size, standard colors, custom tooling on the side panels like name, etc?  You would still have to make them one at a time but just having a standard pattern helps.

It's a great looking kit and like the others said there are people who know quality are willing to pay for it.

[keplerts]

Very nice work!  Love the piping.  To sell this at $150 that equates to only $11.50 an hour.  I don't think I would entertain any offers to make one at that price.  I try to tell my self that "I am not my customer"  just because I wouldn't pay $150 for a dopp kit, doesn't mean someone else won't.  But for that kind of quality the price should be higher and there are people who will pay it.  I think I read on here somewhere that someone said "if i'm losing money or only breaking even,  I should have probably just gone fishing".    Anyway, great job on the kit, you did a great job.

[YinTx]

12 hours ago, rodneywt1180b said:

Semi custom maybe?  Same size, standard colors, custom tooling on the side panels like name, etc?  You would still have to make them one at a time but just having a standard pattern helps.

It's a great looking kit and like the others said there are people who know quality are willing to pay for it.

I like the thought process.  I think this one was a bit big, so maybe a smaller version, and cut out several waiting for selection of tooling pattern and thread?  Appreciate the positive comments on the looks and quality!

9 hours ago, keplerts said:

Very nice work!  Love the piping.  To sell this at $150 that equates to only $11.50 an hour.  I don't think I would entertain any offers to make one at that price.  I try to tell my self that "I am not my customer"  just because I wouldn't pay $150 for a dopp kit, doesn't mean someone else won't.  But for that kind of quality the price should be higher and there are people who will pay it.  I think I read on here somewhere that someone said "if i'm losing money or only breaking even,  I should have probably just gone fishing".    Anyway, great job on the kit, you did a great job.

I think the big factor is the amount of time I spent on it, really needs to be reduced to be a viable product for me.  I think it was JLS that mentioned goin fishin vs. break even. I think I even posted some commentary regarding "fair" pricing on a post he had about some positive customer feedback he'd received on a holster he made.

Oddly enough, at $150 and 13 hours labor with $30 materials would probably make this one of my more profitable items, I suppose I should ignore the $30 bags out there and motor on, reduce the time input and see what $ the market will bear. I've been waiting for the recipient to get the package I sent before I put other photos on social media, it'll be interesting to see what the non-lw community thinks of it also.

Thanks also for the positive comments, the piping was a bit of a pain to make, and it complicated the stitching.  I have only done a little bit of it and was wondering if it was worth doing more of or not.  Something that could reduce time and materials input, but detracts from the flourish if it is absent.  At any rate, if I do more of it, I suspect I'll get faster at it just due to practice!

YinTx

[rodneywt1180b]

I'm pretty much in the same ballpark hourly wage wise on my canes.  I end up making around $8.00 an hour, sometimes I under charge and make less.  Some is just what the market will bear but a lot of that is my choice.  I aim to make good daily users for the most part.  I want people to actually use my canes.  Too high a price and people would be afraid to take them out and maybe drop them.  I'm working on leather handles as a way to stand out from the rest of the makers out there.

A part time job would pay better and be more regular.  OTOH it keeps me entertained, it's money I wouldn't have otherwise and I'm doing what I want, not what someone else wants, with my time.

[YinTx]

On 8/11/2018 at 2:31 PM, rodneywt1180b said:

I'm pretty much in the same ballpark hourly wage wise on my canes.  I end up making around $8.00 an hour, sometimes I under charge and make less.  Some is just what the market will bear but a lot of that is my choice.  I aim to make good daily users for the most part.  I want people to actually use my canes.

A part time job would pay better and be more regular.   I'm doing what I want, not what someone else wants, with my time.

I want folks to use my items as well, also trying to make it worth my time to make things.  Am happy to be doing what I want with my time vs. what someone else wants me to do as well.  I have put this out on social media, and it has garnered a lot of attention as far as my works go.  No one has yet asked me how much $ or if I'd make one yet tho...suspect they may be afraid to ask lol.

Now, if I could stop giving things away as gifts, and taking so long at making things, I might actually make some money!

YinTx

[Riem]

Wow! I like, and like plenty! Why don't you offer the customer a few options and differentiate on the effort it takes? Something along the lines of:

* Basic dopp kit - machine stitched, no piping, no tooling: $80

* Next level up - machine stitched, with piping and one tooled flower: $100

* "Level 3" hand stitched, piping, no tooling: $120

* "Deluxe" - hand stitched, with piping and tooling including three initials: $150

Something like that caters to the customer who wants a status item, or bragging rights, or to the gift market where quality is more desirable than low prices...

[rodneywt1180b]

Tiered pricing sounds like a good idea from here.  I like it.