Hey Guys
I was informed by one of my happy customers that this thread was in progress and wanted to answer to whether I am doing custom currently or not directly so as to clear up any confusion.
First .. I kind of stumbled on making holsters for the CZ line. Of course as a gun guy I had heard whispering about the CZ and even owned a couple of Witness models but didnt realize there was a big fan base or why.
Until I bought a couple of CZ's!!
Before I drank the koolaid a very good trusted friend of mine bought a 75b. He had come and spent the weekend at my home, Im a good cook so he is always happy to be here for meals, and he gave me 2 full days of instruction on reloading. I had never done it. I was thrilled!! He has bought stuff from me in the past and always received the friend price but I wanted to do a tiny something and asked what he wanted a holster for.
He had just traded into a MINT cz 75B and commissioned me to make him a holster. I ordered a blue gun and made his holster and some 5 weeks later I gave it to him and he loved it. I charged him "0" dollars and wondered what the hell I would do with the blue gun I bought and decided to see if CZ guys liked pretty leather.
Turns out .. THEY LOVE IT!
Now after handling his 75 I got the bug. You know the one, and 2 weeks later I had a steel compact in my hands. Now ... I was bit and bit hard. Oh man this CZ thing is awesome and why didn't I try one sooner. I have had dozens of guns that have been sold off but my CZ is bad Ass.
And so started my making things for the CZ. I am retired and make things because I love doing leather work and its a few extra dollars but I am not going to get rich or even sustainable any time soon. I make what a part timer at walmart makes.
So custom orders ... here is the verbatim response, good or bad, that I gave to a great client when I was asked if I was still doing custom orders.
It's copy pasted so its in its boring entirety and you can judge me as you see fit. I still think that I make a holster at MINIMUM the equal of a galco in materials, designs and workmanship ... and I make em pretty at the same or lesser cost.
See the answer below
"Is it true you stopped taking custom orders?"
"Well that is only partially true. I am still very happy to make and decorate any holsters I offer based on molds and patterns I have and can be convinced to pick up new molds and develop new patterns for them if I see the opportunity to use it over again but what I stopped doing was trying to develop new patterns for one off pieces or perceived need.
One of the very hardest parts of building holsters is developing a great pattern. I swore when I got into holsters that first and foremost they would be great holsters meaning they secured the firearm well, were as comfortable as I could make them and were durable. Then I would make them pretty! Great holsters first and that has everything to do with those stitch lines, controlled shrinkage and some other details. It can take me 3 hours easy for a new pattern to satisfy me and often I sew up some scrap and test fit before I make a new offering adding another hour and days dry time only to make revisions and try again.
But .... no one wants to pay for that when they come to me with a light or laser mounted on the gun or they have some obscure model or their friend told them that 14 degree can't is far better than 18 and could I just go ahead and revise my pattern which changes how it goes around the mag catch and how I deal with the sights.
So instead of making something I am not happy with I would prefer just not to undertake it. I am retired from the rat race and do this for fun and a few extra bucks and can be picky. If however someone is desperate to have something oddball done, and I get some real oddball requests sometimes, and they want to pay a few extra bucks for R&D I would still consider it.
Making cool looking designs carved or stamped on patterns I have worked out though I am always up for!
Alex"
Right now I have patterns and molds for the cz in
OWB pancake, IWB offset clip and Avenger for
P01
97
75 full size no rail
75 compact
rami
While the PCR is very very close to the CZ compact it is 1mm off in a couple of dims and I have finally found a pcr specific mold and will add it this week.
Oh and I hope to add paddles soon but I have been down with a medical issue for 10 days which has had me away from my work and I want to spend more time with the paddle holster I made and judge its benefits and short comings well before I go and offer them to others. I am sure there will be some modifications to my first design so It will be a couple of weeks before I am comfortable making paddles for anyone else. Three, four weeks on my body everyday will tell me what can be better and I wont release it until then ... but then .... You have another choice in paddle holster and there arent many out there. Me I like paddles.
Happy shooting fellas!
Alex
