On a related note, my wife says I should think about business cards, a small-time website, and investing in a machine like a Tippmann Boss...
Frankly, right now I have enough business to keep me entertained and with a little bit of spending money in my pocket. I worry that advertising will get me enough business that I don't have any free time left. The wife says not to be afraid of success.
I'm not sure I'm ready to take the leap right now. I know that the potential for a cottage industry is here, but I don't want to bite off more than I can chew, and end up damaging a reputation before I have a chance to establish a good one.
Thoughts?
5 comments:
Make a few holsters for the most common sorts of pistols - - 1911's, Glocks. Sell them at local flea markets, gun shows or on eBay. That way you keep it a hobby and make a little money at it. It's when you start taking orders that you are forced to work to a schedule.
That's a handsome rig, both utile and swank.
Fit for a "Barbeque Gun". Easy access. Nice, comfortable high-ride.
Chuck Norris would wear that rig. It don't get no better 'n that!
My thoughts? Right now your plate is full with no sign of a let-up for the next three years. It's liable to get busier until the spring of '19, when the both of you will have to make some choices.
Take that time to perfect your craft, learn all the tricks you can learn, and consider this a self-taught apprenticeship. Then, after the next move you can start planning for the next step. But, I was wondering when you were going to start thinking about a sewing machine.
My first thought when I saw it was: Cool, a Mitchell Leatherworks holster! It reminded me of the ARG that I bought from Ayoob's mail-order business back in the early 90's, when Mitch Rosen was in his early manufacturing years. So, looking good from the one photo. I think you have a future in holster making, if you want it.
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BTW, as a left-hander, a few words of caution. If/when you make any left handed versions of leather gear, please be aware that there is a high percentage of bad holsters and other gear made for lefties, of ALL grades of leather work produced. I suspect that part of the problem is that when forms used for right handed gear are reversed, things tend to slip, both figuratively, and literally.
Obviously, there is a lot less produced for us, and that is likely part of the problem that I encounter, and hear about. The percentage of bad product that i have seen over the last 30 years is staggering. It got to the point that the first thing I look for is the expected screwup, and I'm often not disappointed in that search, unfortunately. Of course, without the intended gun on hand, I still miss problems.
Bob- that's pretty much what I do now. Just working on word of mouth. It's a decent place to be, as far as it goes.
Jerry- thanks! I'm pretty pleased with it!
Pawpaw- yeah, that's kinda what I think. I'm just working on saving the pennies towards a sewing machine. It's a big investment, but eventually, I'll have to make the plunge.
Will- I appreciate the compliment! It's not every day you get compared to a big-name Leatherworker! And as far as the lefty-thing goes: being a lefty is a big part of why I got into holster-making. I wanted something that worked PROPERLY, and that ain't always easy for a lefty; there may be a few mistakes or errors in my lefty holsters, but they'd be there in a righty holster, too! Any screw ups can be attributed to ignorance, not a lack of effort!
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