Buying Holsters and the LONG wait for Delivery!

[23JAZ]

I have no problem waiting for a custom holster. However to me a custom holster is something specifically made for me, for my body. Not an item the manufacturer lists on his website. As an example, I go to order a Blade-Tech Klipt but it has a 4 week wait!? Seriously wtf, I would understand 4 weeks even 8 weeks, heck even 6-12 months if I call them up and say this is what I need, I know you've never made it before but make it for me.
Now before guys start going off and saying oh you must be new to the gun industry and blah blah blah. I am not, I've been a LEO for over 5 years (yes I know, not very long) and I've been shooting IDPA for over 10 years. My point is a "custom" item is a one-off creation not a common item you've sold everyday for years, who's dimensions do not change from customer to customer.
These holster makers need to sh*t or get off the pot. If this is how you're making a living full time make the investment and hire more people or simply say your a one man shop and this is as fast as I can get them out the door. Do not try and make yourself out to be this moderate size to big company and your customers are waiting so long because their getting a special "custom" product. That is not the case, I'm gonna get the same product every other customer has gotten it's just you can't make them any faster because it's just you making them and you only work 4 hours a day. It's not just Blade-Tech either, that's just one example. It's the majority of these "custom" holster makers. Get real, you've made the same holster everyday for years, you have a mold for it, you can teach an employee to make it just as good as you. Make the investment hire more people work long then 10am to 5pm, and stop BSing your customers!
ok I feel better now!

[JM Campbell]

Don't like the wait don't buy it, simple.

As for me I can wait for quality products from a quality maker.

Ones I trust and will wait for a long time (because I want it):

5 Shot
Dark Star Gear
JM Custom
JR Custom

*note the trust statement*


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[VolGrad]

Something listed on a website doesn't mean it's available off the shelf. It is an example of what you can purchase.

While I do agree it's better to know you are dealing with a one man shop that's making holsters on the side in his basement after working a 40 hour week it's not the end of the world to think it's a "real" shop.

Not everyone can invest to expand and most don't want to anyway as it usually translates to relying on others to make your gear rather than it being a custom or small hand crafted item. Besides, investment usually means higher prices to the consumer.

If you can't or won't wait go elsewhere.


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[YVK]

It's a free world. You feel you're in a position to give advice how to run a small production business - why don't you lead by an example?
I personally can easily see how over stocking, extra investment, warranty etc can be overwhelming to small operations. It is pretty clear these shops try to run with no available stock and very little overhead; perhaps there is a reason for this.

As long as their business practices are ethical, your rant is wasted. You can always get this one, lead time is 6 day and I saw it being recommend on m4c http://www.comp-tac.com/product_info.php?products_id=114.

[Trooper224]

I'm glad you feel better, but take a couple of turns off your screw brother.

[23JAZ]

I'm good to go I just needed to rant a bit. I by no means am taking away from the quality of these holster manufactures. Just sayin these wait times are a bit crazy.

[hufnagel]

There's a reason why Ryan Grizzle has a 13 week wait... and it ain't because he's slow. Quality takes time. Quality creates demand. Demand exceeds capacity, but expansion is either too expensive or too risky in terms of effecting quality. So you either wait in line like the rest of us, or you go someplace else. Your choice and you're free to make it.

[xray 99]

My only request of a quality maker is an accurate statement of delivery times.

[Chuck Whitlock]

If it upsets you so, just order in-stock items from Galco or DeSantis and call it good.

[TheTrevor]

One solution is to place an order when you start thinking seriously about buying a particular gun. The nice thing about these wait listed products is that you can quickly sell a new-in-box example that you end up not needing, usually for what you paid for it complete or a bit more.

[Don Gwinn]

Actually, that brings me to a question that's been rolling around in my head a little bit. Let's say I want a nice-ish leather OWB holster to carry a service pistol, say a Glock 19, as flat as I can get it against my body under untucked summer shirts. Might someday occasionally be used for open carry at a friend's place, for instance, but I don't need to impress the Governor at a barbecue. Probably going to be simple black cow or horse hide, worn on a simple black 1.5" belt, carrying an uber-common every gun.
At that point, how much difference will there really be between an in-stock leather holster from Bianchi, Galco, Safariland, etc. and a holster I wait weeks or months for from a custom maker? Are such makers doing anything with the design and materials that will actually make the gun carry tighter to the body, rotate the grip in tighter to hide the butt, be more comfortable, etc? Keep in mind, I'm not talking about AIWB here, I'm talking OWB at 3:30 or so.

Obviously, if I want the greatest stitching, exotic materials, or some combination of features I can't find on the shelf, the custom makers are the only way to go. But where's the line where the factories make the most sense, other than "well, they're cheaper and they don't take as long"?

[JRCHolsters]

Actually, that brings me to a question that's been rolling around in my head a little bit. Let's say I want a nice-ish leather OWB holster to carry a service pistol, say a Glock 19, as flat as I can get it against my body under untucked summer shirts. Might someday occasionally be used for open carry at a friend's place, for instance, but I don't need to impress the Governor at a barbecue. Probably going to be simple black cow or horse hide, worn on a simple black 1.5" belt, carrying an uber-common every gun.
At that point, how much difference will there really be between an in-stock leather holster from Bianchi, Galco, Safariland, etc. and a holster I wait weeks or months for from a custom maker? Are such makers doing anything with the design and materials that will actually make the gun carry tighter to the body, rotate the grip in tighter to hide the butt, be more comfortable, etc? Keep in mind, I'm not talking about AIWB here, I'm talking OWB at 3:30 or so.

Obviously, if I want the greatest stitching, exotic materials, or some combination of features I can't find on the shelf, the custom makers are the only way to go. But where's the line where the factories make the most sense, other than "well, they're cheaper and they don't take as long"?

A couple of things I personally do, that set my holsters apart from off the shelf. Belt tunnels, instead of slots for a rock solid ride on the belt. The other thing, not obvious from pictures, is to mold the the holster, so the pistol grip is cantilevered in towards the body. On a custom rig, you will get more hand detail work, better leather and usually better edge finishing. Typically, if you look at the cost difference between off the shelf and custom, there isn't a huge gap like there was years ago. I was paying close to $100 for custom holsters 30 years ago. Compared to off the shelf and the price of guns at the time, it was pretty spendy.

[Chuck Whitlock]

Actually, that brings me to a question that's been rolling around in my head a little bit. Let's say I want a nice-ish leather OWB holster to carry a service pistol, say a Glock 19, as flat as I can get it against my body under untucked summer shirts. Might someday occasionally be used for open carry at a friend's place, for instance, but I don't need to impress the Governor at a barbecue. Probably going to be simple black cow or horse hide, worn on a simple black 1.5" belt, carrying an uber-common every gun.
At that point, how much difference will there really be between an in-stock leather holster from Bianchi, Galco, Safariland, etc. and a holster I wait weeks or months for from a custom maker? Are such makers doing anything with the design and materials that will actually make the gun carry tighter to the body, rotate the grip in tighter to hide the butt, be more comfortable, etc? Keep in mind, I'm not talking about AIWB here, I'm talking OWB at 3:30 or so.

Obviously, if I want the greatest stitching, exotic materials, or some combination of features I can't find on the shelf, the custom makers are the only way to go. But where's the line where the factories make the most sense, other than "well, they're cheaper and they don't take as long"?

Sometimes it comes down to the individual makers/products. I had one of these: http://www.donhume.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_5&products_id=44&zenid=ctm67hfrp5orcnc7h3j4ki2g04 for a Glock 19 that really wasn't a bad holster. But compared side-by-side with the http://kramerleather.com/productDetail.cfm?productID=10&categoryID=24 in horsehide that I got 2nd hand for my Glock 26, there is just no comparison in quality and workmanship. the former is a perfectly serviceable holster. The latter? My G26 clicks into it like it was made of kydex.

[JAD]

Lead time is *exactly* like pricing, except even more elastic. The smaller the market, and the more information is available to participants in the market, the greater the elasticity.

Things are worth exactly what someone successfully charges for them, and take as long as the market is willing to wait for them.

All of this is to say, it's physics, dude. Can't complain about wet water.

[23JAZ]

Lead time is *exactly* like pricing, except even more elastic. The smaller the market, and the more information is available to participants in the market, the greater the elasticity.

Things are worth exactly what someone successfully charges for them, and take as long as the market is willing to wait for them.

All of this is to say, it's physics, dude. Can't complain about wet water.

I've gotta say that is probably the coolest way of putting it. "Can't complain about wet water." I'm gonna use that one. The problem is, I've always used crossbreed or galco and am not use to these wait times. Also I guess what some guys call "custom", I call a stock item that isn't made until the order is placed. Custom = one-off to me. The Shaggy BillyBob bought for his glock 19 is the same Shaggy they are gonna send me for my glock 19 that doesn't add up to custom work to me. Thank for all the input fellas!

[JAD]

If it feels better, call it 'bespoke.'

[23JAZ]

If it feels better, call it 'bespoke.'
Lol nice! My bespoke holster will be here in 2 months lmao! I get it, yes technically by definition it's custom, there I said it!

[orionz06]

I agree on "custom"... That word is thrown around too often. I rarely break outside of my normal models, even when someone asks for tweaks it isn't what I'd call custom. I also hate "hand made"... It's handmade because I am too small to do otherwise.

[JAD]

Better than 'footmade.' That's just gross. Who'd buy that? Not me, I can tell you.

[orionz06]

Better than 'footmade.' That's just gross. Who'd buy that? Not me, I can tell you.

Not as gross as every aiwb holster tested by a man who doesn't wear underwear.

[JAD]

Totally deleting your bookmark. Love you though.

[TheTrevor]

Not as gross as every aiwb holster tested by a man who doesn't wear underwear.

Ah, the sensuous feel of still-warm Kydex on bare skin...

What? Too much?

/thread

[theJanitor]

Commission truly custom 1911's, BHP's or Wheelies. You'll probably have 3+ years to work out the holster thing.

[orionz06]

Ah, the sensuous feel of still-warm Kydex on bare skin...

What? Too much?

/thread

It's the only way I know to ensure it works well. I will do burpees and get a good sweat going to make sure there is no really bad rubbing. Others would charge you more for this. The things I do for people.

[TheTrevor]

It's the only way I know to ensure it works well. I will do burpees and get a good sweat going to make sure there is no really bad rubbing. Others would charge you more for this. The things I do for people.

Ok, you win. No way I'm going to be able to top that.

[orionz06]

It's the customers that win. :cool::cool::cool::cool:

[MGW]

Not as gross as every aiwb holster tested by a man who doesn't wear underwear.

I'm not feeling so good about sniffing that XDs holster you sent me last year.

[23JAZ]

It's the customers that win. :cool::cool::cool::cool:
Note to self OWB only from Dark Star!;)

[NickA]

Note to self OWB only from Dark Star!;)

Not so fast... OWB implies a belt, which implies that he wears pants when testing, but does not in any way guarantee it :eek:

[TORCH2J]

I've waited a year for Matt DelFatti to build me a holster. It was well worth it. The last holster I had from him lasted seven years and the humidity and my sweat in GA finally broke it down. Well worth it and well worth the price.

[theJanitor]

My Sam Andrews IWB is nearly 20 years old, and looks it. It was passed down to me about seven years ago. I have ordered many since then, and the two month wait has never bothered me.

[tomc51]

I ordered an Alessi IWB Talon II for my Sig last June and just got it last month. I feel now it was worth the wait.

[Don Gwinn]

The other thing, not obvious from pictures, is to mold the the holster, so the pistol grip is cantilevered in towards the body.
That makes sense. One thing I've noticed about trying to carry a G17 is that you really can see why the seemingly-insignificant bit of extra grip matters. It's all about the angle--however far the grip is angled from the body, the further the distance from the slide to the baseplate of the magazine, the further that magazine baseplate is going to be from my body. Basic geometry, I guess.
So . . . I may never be happy with the way a grip tucks in until I'm willing to wait for custom work. That's unsurprising, I guess.