Kolbeson Leather Works

[Dropkick]

If he can't give you an update, I'd cancel.

I didn't even get a reply to my cancellation request.

[xray 99]

I had a problem with a maker who refused to return emails. I sent him a certified letter and he responded quickly.

[Corvus]

My order made it yesterday and the fit is some of the better Kydex I have. The order was for 2 holsters and 3 mag carriers and each was for a different pistol / mag combo and it all fit well. The other makers I have ordered from with the exception of Comp-Tac seem to be hit and miss with the fit.

[Grant P]

I placed my most recent order with Kolbeson Leatherworks on 11-14-2012 and still have not received it.

My first order for a "Texas Comfort" AIWB holster was a great experience back in 2009/2010-
Good email comms, and I had the holster in hand in about 3 weeks.

My second order was OK, waited about 6 months for a couple more leather holsters, didn't get much email response from Josh then.

Now this current order for a couple of "Gnome Approved Texac Comfort" (GATC, with design input from Paul Gomez) is going on 17 months of waiting, and I doubt the GATC is going to perform better than my 5Shot SME. I sent an email requesting a cancellation and refund.

Sigh... I should've been more diligent in the first year of follow-ups with Josh.

On a side note, I also have a 2 year pending order with Dave Elderton of Kytac. ...He was so nice on the phone - before I sent my money.

[LittleLebowski]

I placed my most recent order with Kolbeson Leatherworks on 11-14-2012 and still have not received it.

On a side note, I also have a 2 year pending order with Dave Elderton of Kytac. ...He was so nice on the phone - before I sent my money.

Cased closed for me on both companies.

[JodyH]

My only Kolbeson Leather order (Texas Comfort leather AIWB and a Minimalist Kydex AIWB) took 7 months, ordered Sept. 2012 and received May 2013.
Long but somewhat acceptable timeframe for custom leather, email correspondence was sporadic however.

For me personally, 3-6 months is the longest I'm willing to wait patiently for a holster (unless it's a true exotic custom) especially pre-paid.
If I pre-pay you need to answer email inquiries, even if it's an automated response with a personal follow-up later. Heck even a bi-weekly website/Facebook update of what order number range you're working on would be acceptable.
Going well beyond your posted timeframes (Josh was quoting 3-4 months when I placed my order) and no communication is completely unacceptable.

This is twice I've come in just under the wire with companies that went to crap, Kolbeson and Rafter-S.
Both had decent reputations when I ordered, both started getting negative feedback mid-way through my orders, I dealt with the annoyance of missed deadlines and sporadic communication (including misrepresentation/lies in the communication I did receive) and just when I started thinking I was getting ripped off... my order showed up.
Makes you only want to work with makers you "know" (active contributing members) from forums like this one.

[LittleLebowski]

Makes you only want to work with makers you "know" (active contributing members) from forums like this one.

Sound advice.

[Kyle Reese]

On a side note, I also have a 2 year pending order with Dave Elderton of Kytac. ...He was so nice on the phone - before I sent my money.

Mine's going on 4 years! Go figure.

[LittleLebowski]

Mine's going on 4 years! Go figure.

Kytac seems to have flown the coop. Note the date here.

[JDM]

Makes you only want to work with makers you "know" (active contributing members) from forums like this one.

This. 1000x this.