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Holsters in wear...

M1911 said:
Yup. I just got a Milt Sparks holster that I ordered in April, 2010.
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Ok, that is just absurd to wait for ANYTHING! Clearly if they have the demand to have a year backlog, then it means they are WAY understaffed, and not really a viable business. Is it just a 1 man operation that he does as a hobby, or something.
 
Terminator03 said:
Ok, that is just absurd to wait for ANYTHING! Clearly if they have the demand to have a year backlog, then it means they are WAY understaffed, and not really a viable business. Is it just a 1 man operation that he does as a hobby, or something.
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Kind of how I feel about it......which is why I order stock Don Hume stuff like the H715M IWB......its well made, fits perfect, well priced and usually available in days of buying your gun.

But can't knock anything made by Sparks or the other backlog manufacturers.....it's good stuff.
 
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edmorseiii said:
I am thinking about ordering one of their Thunderbird Defenders for my Kimber. When did you order?
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I ordered it just after the holidays, so I expect it in ... March?

I have one for my M&P 9c which I love. I will probably be replacing my 226 whatever the hell it is kydex with one as well.
 
Terminator03 said:
Ok, that is just absurd to wait for ANYTHING! Clearly if they have the demand to have a year backlog, then it means they are WAY understaffed, and not really a viable business. Is it just a 1 man operation that he does as a hobby, or something.
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Dude, no. And Milt Sparks is one of the best holster makers in the business. Not a viable business? Sparks has been in business for decades.
 
JRyan said:
I ordered it just after the holidays, so I expect it in ... March?

I have one for my M&P 9c which I love. I will probably be replacing my 226 whatever the hell it is kydex with one as well.
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Cool, I am just waiting for him to get back to me about some questions, I will probably order it this week.
 
Terminator03 said:
Ok, that is just absurd to wait for ANYTHING! Clearly if they have the demand to have a year backlog, then it means they are WAY understaffed, and not really a viable business. Is it just a 1 man operation that he does as a hobby, or something.
Click to expand...

As M1911 said, Milt Sparks is top-shelf, and has been in business for decades. The existence of a year-long backlog should be proof enough that it IS a viable business.
 
I want this rig...
juan_a.jpg
juan_b.jpg
firepower.jpg


And haircut.
 
I bought a couple of different Blade Tech Nano holsters.... I'll post some pics when they come in. One is for a G26 and the other is for the G30. I am curious to see how well they work. I used to have a holster in that style (basically a milt sparks summer special clone sort of deal) and I liked that kind of holster.....

-Mike
 
atmay said:
As M1911 said, Milt Sparks is top-shelf, and has been in business for decades. The existence of a year-long backlog should be proof enough that it IS a viable business.
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While I agree that a year long backlog may be an indicator of a very high quality product, that is not necessarily indicative that it is a good business model. For example, there are other makers of high quality rigs out there, like Crossbreed for example, that can turn their products out much quicker. Ultimately, if a business wants to be truly viable, they higher enough staff to meet the demands of their given market. That's just business 101. In the course of a year long wait, for ANYTHING, most consumers will move on to a competitor, even if they have to settle for something that may not be quite as good. That last statement is my opinion only, and not meant to take anything away from the company you cited at all, but I personally fall into that category myself. Of course being a fickle personality like I am, I would probably have a whole new favorite carry piece before that holster was ever ready.[laugh]
 
clip draw?


how do you like it? i don't know how i feel about those... i use an uncle mikes with my PPS
 
I ordered and received a Raven Phantom for my M&P9 with a Streamlight, would highly recommend. Purchased the IWB accessories as well.
 
Terminator03 said:
While I agree that a year long backlog may be an indicator of a very high quality product, that is not necessarily indicative that it is a good business model. For example, there are other makers of high quality rigs out there, like Crossbreed for example, that can turn their products out much quicker. Ultimately, if a business wants to be truly viable, they higher enough staff to meet the demands of their given market. That's just business 101. In the course of a year long wait, for ANYTHING, most consumers will move on to a competitor, even if they have to settle for something that may not be quite as good. That last statement is my opinion only, and not meant to take anything away from the company you cited at all, but I personally fall into that category myself. Of course being a fickle personality like I am, I would probably have a whole new favorite carry piece before that holster was ever ready.[laugh]
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I completely understand your stance, as a long backlog will usually get me looking for other options.

The ONLY thing I would point out (which is almost as trivial as grammar) is that Milt Sparks (or insert good name)holster and Crossbreed make totally different holsters! Both high-quality great products, just apples and oranges.

Worth mentioning? No not really. Just like the sound of my voice[laugh]
 
Terminator03 said:
While I agree that a year long backlog may be an indicator of a very high quality product, that is not necessarily indicative that it is a good business model. For example, there are other makers of high quality rigs out there, like Crossbreed for example, that can turn their products out much quicker. Ultimately, if a business wants to be truly viable, they higher enough staff to meet the demands of their given market. That's just business 101. In the course of a year long wait, for ANYTHING, most consumers will move on to a competitor, even if they have to settle for something that may not be quite as good.
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You keep trying to claim that his business is not viable. But it is. He's been in business for decades and has a top reputation for quality.

Might he be more profitable if he upped his capacity? Probably. But maybe he has decided to stay at his current size because: 1) he's making as much money has he wants, 2) he's able to keep his quality to his high standards, and 3) increasing the size of his business just isn't what he wants to do. Furthermore, his holsters are handmade to very high quality. That requires craftsmen, who aren't easy to find. And finally, if you are going for a the top-end, luxury market, flooding the market with your goods lowers the exclusivity, cheapens the brand, and may ultimately lower profit. More is not always better, even for a company.

You don't want to wait? That's fine. But stop claiming that his business isn't viable -- several decades of evidence proves that you are wrong.

If you want a new Ferrari 458, guess what? You've got a 2-3 year wait.
 
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M1911 said:
You keep trying to claim that his business is not viable. But it is. He's been in business for decades and has a top reputation for quality.

Might he be more profitable if he upped his capacity? Probably. But maybe he has decided to stay at his current size because: 1) he's making as much money has he wants, 2) he's able to keep his quality to his high standards, and 3) increasing the size of his business just isn't what he wants to do. Furthermore, his holsters are handmade to very high quality. That requires craftsmen, who aren't easy to find. And finally, if you are going for a the top-end, luxury market, flooding the market with your goods lowers the exclusivity, cheapens the brand, and may ultimately lower profit. More is not always better, even for a company.

You don't want to wait? That's fine. But stop claiming that his business isn't viable -- several decades of evidence proves that you are wrong.

If you want a new Ferrari 458, guess what? You've got a 2-3 year wait.
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Oh, I totally get your point, which is why I put the disclaimer in my statement that it was "my opinion". The business 101 reference is correct, though, but I do see from your possible reasons of keeping it small, that one can see how that perspective could be "viable" also.[wink] I actually have products that I once manufactured in that manner, which required real old school craftsmanship to produce, and I would give people a 4-6 week turnaround as an average. It's funny how many decided to pull the plug after hearing about the wait. At that point, I really didn't care, since it was a sideline thing for me, but if I wanted to do it full time, I certainly would have needed to increase production methods somehow. So, I do get it![wink]
 

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