Here's a list of questions that we frequently get from our website visitors. Simply click on the question to get the complete answer.

How do I place an order?

A note on inquiring about a pending order

What colors are your holsters available in?

I don’t see a gun list. What guns are your holsters available for?

My holster is very tight. What can I do to break it in?

Why does it take so long to get a holster?

Can I have X model holster with a thumb-break, rear shield, specified cant, etc., or does it have…?

Do you offer holsters in horsehide? (Horsehide vs. cowhide)

Do you offer lined holsters?

What is the best holster for me/for my pistol? What is the best cant? Etc…

How do I place an order?
To order, you can print the order form on this site, fill it out, and send it to me as an e-mail attachment, or just e-mail me with the specifications on your holster and your contact information. I will add you to my list and contact you a couple weeks prior to starting your order. I will also make payment arrangements at that time. I do not take payment nor ask for credit card info up-front when you place your order. (The exception is certain exotics, in which case I will require a 25% deposit to defray the cost of certain hides). Payment is accepted by check or money order mailed to my P.O. Box, thru Pay-pal, or credit/debit card.

PLEASE NOTE: All correspondence is done through e-mail, as I was spending several hours a day on the phone with customers and time stuck on the phone is time out of the shop not working on orders and increasing the turnaround times. (Return to top of page)

A note about inquiring about a pending order
When e-mailing to ask the status of a pending order, please include as many specific details about the order as possible. An e-mail that only says "Hi, this is John. When can expect my holster?" and nothing else does not get an immediate response because I am left searching through orders to ascertain which one of umpteen "Johns" you are. This is made especially difficult when you e-mail from a different e-mail address than the initial order correspondence. Having to determine who you are what you ordered is also time out of the shop and leads to e-mail that is not answered promptly or may get unintentionally overlooked depending on e-mail volume. (Return to top of page)

What colors are your holsters available in?
My standard colors are black, dark brown, saddle tan, and cordovan/mahogany. But I will do other colors upon customer request, (having even done emerald green for the retirement of a member of one city’s Emerald Society of Irish Officers). Exotics are most commonly available in earth-tones, though some such as sting-ray can be had in almost any color imaginable (including some that should never been seen on a holster!). Most of the holsters pictured on this site are cordovan, simply because it photographs well. (Return to top of page)

I don’t see a gun list. What guns are your holsters available for?
I chose not to add a gun list, simply because with my own personal collection of real and dummy guns, friends and fellow officers gracious enough to lend me their pistols when needed, and two local gun shops I work closely with; it is very rare that I cannot fill an order due to not having access to a particular firearm. (Return to top of page)

My holster is very tight. What can I do to break it in?
My holsters are initially rather snug. To expedite the break-in process, I recommend wrapping your unloaded pistol in the 4-mil plastic bag the holster was shipped in, or a couple layers of wax paper waxy side out. Work the wrapped pistol completely into the holster and let it sit overnight. This should stretch and loosen things up just enough. Many are fond of the wax paper method as it leaves some wax residue inside the holster that will not damage the holster or pistol, but slickens things up. DO NOT soak the holster in water or use any type of oil or leather conditioner on it in any way. (Return to top of page)

Why does it take so long to get a holster?
The fact that I am still a full-time police officer making holsters on the side, supply and demand, and the time it takes to make one being a one-man shop. Everything from the cutting, stitching, molding, and dyeing; to the final packaging and shipping is done strictly by me. The only fingerprints on your holster are mine. And I will not sacrifice quantity for quality. If I would not wear it myself I will not ship it. Granted it does not take months to make your holster. I equate it to waiting in line at your favorite fast-food place. The kid behind the counter can have your order ready in two minutes, but if there are 10 people in line in front of you, you are going to have a 20-minute wait. You are waiting for your order to come up on my list. (Return to top of page)

Can I have X model holster with a thumb-break, rear shield, specified cant, etc., or does it have…?
The answer to “does this holster have” or “can you make” is pretty much always “Yes”. You can have your holster any way you want it, and I truly mean that. Any of my holsters are available at any cant you request, with or without a thumb-break, with or without a rear shield, and with the rear shield designed as large or as small as the customer specifies. I have made 1911 rear shields so large that they cover the entire rear of the slide including the beavertail and cocked hammer, and so small they covered only the manual safety. I cut all of my patterns by hand, and though a clicker press would certainly be a great time-cutting measure and speed up production; I do not want to be restricted by die-cut patterns as I consider myself a true custom holster maker. I like the freedom cutting by hand affords me. I think the term “custom” is used far too loosely these days. Just because the holster is hand-made by a small shop and molded to a specific pistol does not make it “custom” in my opinion. I may catch crap from other makers for saying this, but if the holster maker will not alter his pattern to the cant you specify, or add a thumb-break or rear shield if you desire one, or change other features for you that you want; then is the holster he makes truly custom? (Return to top of page)

Do you offer holsters in horsehide? (Horsehide vs. cowhide)
I use horsehide in many of my holsters, where I feel it is appropriate, without advertising it as such. There are two types of horsehide available, determined by how it is tanned, hard-rolled and soft-rolled. All of the mouth-bands and thumb-break reinforcements on my holsters are hard-rolled horsehide, the front piece of all my Sneaky Pete pocket holsters is hard-rolled horsehide, and all of the straps and loops on any of my holsters are soft-rolled horsehide. I do not find any real benefit to using horsehide for the body of the holster. Hard-rolled is stiffer than cowhide, so I use it where necessary. Soft-rolled is more supple and holds up better to flexing without stressing and cracking better than a finished piece of cowhide, so I use it for straps and loops to extend their longevity. I keep enough hard-rolled horsehide on-hand to make a complete holster out of it at the customer’s request if that is what you want. I do not charge extra for horsehide holsters. Despite what you may have been told, I do not find it more difficult to work with (it simply requires altering some techniques) and it is not more expensive than cowhide. The real problem with it is overall size and quality of a single piece. It is sold it strips, most barely long enough to make a belt, some barely wide enough to make a holster, with several inches on the ends that are useless, uneven thickness throughout it’s length, and enough flaws in the usable center so selection of where to cut the pattern is more critical than with cowhide; sometimes like fitting pieces of a puzzle. (Return to top of page)

Do you offer lined holsters?
Back to true custom and you can have anything you want – yes. My In-Cognito Deluxe is lined without asking, and priced accordingly. Any of my other holsters are available lined with cowhide smooth-side in or veg-tanned kangaroo. (E-mail for current pricing on either option). In the construction of a holster lined with kangaroo or cowhide, a thinner piece of exterior leather is used which, when combined with the lining leather, makes the holster the exact same thickness as it’s unlined, standard leather counterpart. I will not use suede for a lining. (The one custom option you cannot have! ☺). You may have heard the rumors about pistols being damaged by suede-lined holsters. This was true when most guns were blued. Suede is not vegetable-tanned but chrome-tanned. The chromium salts used in tanning suede can pit the blueing of a pistol left in a suede-lined holster for extended periods. Fine blueing is pretty much a thing of the past, so this is not as much of a concern with all of today’s wonder finishes. But another problem with suede is that it can be a trap for dirt, grit, and moisture; so what was designed to protect your gun’s finish can end up scratching it. The real problem with suede as a lining, though, is that it has no body and firmness of it’s own. What this means is you cannot down-size the thickness of holster leather when lining with suede, like you can with kangaroo or cow, so you end up with a thicker, bulkier holster than an un-lined one. Bulk is not something you want in a concealment rig. I try to keep my holsters as thin as function will allow for this reason. (Return to top of page)

What is the best holster for me/for my pistol? What is the best cant? Etc…
There is, unfortunately, no real answer to this question. The decision is as broad and personal a choice as the car you drive, the clothes you wear, the shoes you find comfortable, or the mate you selected. There are so many different variables that come into play such as physical body type and build, levels of dexterity, clothing style, reasons for carrying, and how you go about your daily routine that there simply is no one holster that will work for everyone. What works for your friend may be a horrible choice for you. The OWB worn at 4:30 position (12 o’clock being the belt buckle) that your buddy who works club security recommended may not work for you since he spends all his time on his feet at his job and accessibility is not an issue, but you spend your day behind the wheel of vehicle where a gun worn behind the hip may take too much contorting to reach. A good friend of mine whose opinion I highly respect when it comes to all things firearms and shooting related orders all of his holsters with a straight vertical drop. I have tried it and I simply cannot conceal as well that way as I can with a forward cant, but it works best for him in terms of concealment, acquisition, and draw. He has tried a forward cant and is not fond of it. Unfortunately I am not aware of any holster makers with a try-it-before-you-buy-it test-drive policy. The best advice I can give is to see if you can borrow some different holsters from friends to try out, or go to the local gun shop or range (especially on an IDPA or similar match night), get talking to the shooters and tell them you are new to concealed carry, and see if they will let you try on their gear. One common factor I have found is that gun-people love to talk and show off their equipment. (Return to top of page)