Skip to main content

To Answer that...

 By far the most asked question I get when I provide a quote for a custom order is, "Why is it so expensive?"  The answer is simple.  I'm creating an item for you that doesn't exist and won't exist anywhere else.  Holsters for example can be expensive, around $175 for a basic one and upwards depending on details added.  That holster doesn't exist yet, you can't go to your local sporting goods store and get it off the shelf.  With holsters specifically I'm asked why they can go pick one off the shelf for $50 or less, and my quote for them was $200.  Thank you nylon and mass production for the market confusion.  Those aren't custom holsters.  Yes, the are made to fit your model, but they usually work with multiple models, they aren't custom molded to your specific revolver (or automatic) that you own.  The ones I make are, and in addition, their life is (unless very overused or misused) longer than the owners, since the material is stronger than mass produced holsters, and better yet - natural. Holsters on the shelf can't say that, as a matter of fact, they depend on it wearing out, so you can go back to the store and buy another.  It's a very profitable business plan, but not a very honest one.

On top of the quality and strength of the products, there is something else involved - artistry.  Each piece, whether it is a basketweave pattern, or a custom carved image or lettering, is in essence a piece of art. Fair enough to call it functional art.  A far cry from the monotone store bought holster.

Investing in a custom leather project, although can be initially a larger purchase, over time, and all those store bought holsters you won't have to buy, since yours is still in excellent shape, will actually save you money, potentially a lot of money in fact.  Would you rather spend $200 a single time, or pay $50 every time you need a replacement, which could potentially be 2-4 times that in the long run? 

I used holsters as an example here, but it translates over to pretty much any product i sell.  As always, I am happy to explain the pricing, because it is a fair price for you, and helping customers see that is something I do almost daily.  



-James

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Storage Cleanout

 Every once in a while, I'l have an odd thing on my site.  It's storage cleanup, and it's my loyal customers who get the option to buy the items first.  It might be a leather product, or an electronic product, or something off the wall, but keep an eye out as there will be more, especially pending a possible location move, we are cleaning shop. I will email out to the email subscribers what will be on the site a day before I list it, so if you want fair warning, sign up! -James

Welcome!

 This is where I'll be displaying some works in progress, as well as introducing you to some other mediums I work with besides leather.  I'm working on getting a subscription email set up, so that you can keep up when changes or news occurs. Thanks for visiting, there will soon be much more content. -James

Mixed Media Part 2

 In this entry in the series, I talk about acrylic resin.  I have actually been using this for a while, it's what I tend to use as a solid base to make my leather wet molds (ie the skull in the pirate chest). I've tried making dice, making skulls, making jewels and gems (with clear resin and tint). most of which are actually in fact used in the creation of the pirate chest.  I'm still trying to figure out a useful way to effectively use this in my leatherwork, other than making forms for wet molds.  I would like to make acrylic casts of firearms or knives so that I could premake some holsters, but that would be a lot of molds, and a lot of things being borrowed from people so I don't foresee that happening. In short, this is really a skill that will help me when making special molds for leather, so I branched out, and I wasn't terrible at it.  Quick Fact, most of the "jewels" in my pirate chests are hard acrylic that I made personally, and on that note, so...