GnewVFL Report post Posted October 20, 2019 Hello all. I recently started leatherwork and the more I progress I make the more I have people asking me about making gun holsters for them. I’m interested in Sheridan style and custom carved holsters all hand sewed w wax thread and using Herman Oak leather. I’m ab to get my makers mark stamp in the next few days. I know this probably sounds dumb to a lot of you guys that have been doing this for awhile but any advice is appreciated! Thanks Grant Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted October 20, 2019 @GnewVFL Have you attempted a search here looking for what to charge? There are many threads and posts in this forum. Try this search https://leatherworker.net/forum/search/?&q=selling price leatherwork&type=forums_topic&nodes=36,35,22&search_and_or=and&sortby=relevancy Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wizard of tragacanth Report post Posted October 20, 2019 (edited) It is important to understand your competition. First, go to your local gun shop and look at the holsters that they sell. Try to find the closet thing to your product. Look it over for quality and construction compared to yours. Then look online at the best known manufacturers, Galco, DeSantis, Bianchi. Safariland. ec. Then look at the more "custom" type makers, e.g. Milt Sparks, Mitch Rosen, etc. Then charge whatever the hell you feel comfortable with. Seriously, google Sheridan style holster and look at what other people are getting for them. nick Edited October 20, 2019 by wizard of tragacanth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GnewVFL Report post Posted October 21, 2019 Thank you guys Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lobo Report post Posted October 21, 2019 Be careful what you wish for, because you may get it! I started making holsters and accessories in 1972 as a young cop with skinny paychecks and 2 kids to feed. The guys I worked with saw what I was doing and started requesting things for themselves. Leather work became a small sideline business for the remainder of my career in law enforcement. When I retired I started making and selling a few items as a means of stretching the budget and paying the bills. Next thing I knew I had a website up and running, I was working 7 days per week, renting a shop for production, and hiring help to keep up with demand. 9 years without a day off, weekend, holiday, or vacation! Regularly doing 2000 items per year for customers in all 50 US states and 33 other countries. Finally had to stop for health reasons, sold the business, and retired for good (with about 1.5 million reasons socked away in savings and investments). As far as pricing your work goes, whatever the market will bear! Over time my general rule of thumb became $1 per minute of production time, plus materials and shop supplies, plus surcharges based on the customer's attitude. Custom work (products made to customer specifications) must be priced to include all the time spent discussing the project, answering questions, creating designs and patterns, producing initial prototypes to finalize the pattern, and putting up with the equivalent of an unruly child in the back seat on a long car trip (ARE WE THERE YET? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET THERE? ARE WE THERE YET? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET THERE?). Mr. Super Demanding Customer wants to know how much I will charge, I tell him "$60 per hour plus materials and shop supplies". Mr. S.D. Customer wants to know how much that will be, I tell him "I don't know because I haven't done it yet". You can work very hard and make very little money, or you can work smart and make your time and efforts pay off nicely. Best regards. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GnewVFL Report post Posted October 21, 2019 Wow. Great advice. So good to to get on here and get guidance from you guys with all this experience it’s making all the difference for me . I would love to do leatherwork for myself full time eventually. I know it’s a long shot but that’s the goal. I’m 31 and currently work at a steel mill so there’s several guys here ready to bring me their pistols, also I was in the army so I have friends all over the country that are contacting me trying to get on my “ waiting list”. The last 2 weeks I’ve had almost 15 people contact me wanting holsters before Christmas. I’ve been buying gun molds ( most glocks and a universal 1911) trying to make a few in advance but everyone wants custom holsters so it makes it difficult to premake. I’m glad people are taking notice through social media but most want a “ deal” and I don’t think they understand the work that goes into the project. I purchased a makers mark stamp today hoping that would my holsters look more professional therefore adding to the value. Thanks again guys Grant Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrisash Report post Posted October 21, 2019 While it is expensive to start, to do it seriously you need to invest in all the labour saving devices around, like clicker press, skiver, and so on Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
