There are always choices in life. Some will bring joy, some will make life simpler, and some may bring pain or regret. Yet we must live without fear and learn from every decision.

Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement. But it does not need to be your own.

Doug Theissen

Let us go over the choices you will make in order to commission a piece of working art from Caribou Creek.

Color.

Self explanatory, or not. I primarily work with tans and browns and black, but I also offer Oxblood, navy blue and red. Other colors may be available by request, but they may add time and cost to your project. I use three types of dyes to obtain color. Alcohol is the most common. Oil based, the kind used by most saddlers, has very limited color. Water based is one I am experimenting with. I will use it if requested or if it is my only choice for a certain color. My experience so far is that it gives a very even color.

I must state here that leather is a natural product that can be scarred or have a different density or even vary in softness on any given piece. These differences in leather that appears to be the same, can lead to the dye colors looking different or absorbing differently. If your coloring needs to be perfect, I can use drum dyed leather. Please e-mail or call and we can discuss this.

Tooled.

I usually leave the leather very plain and unadorned but I have many patterns of basket weave available. I continue to add to my collection regularly. Tooling also implies carving or debossing ( adding an imprint). These are available services. Minimum additional fee $25.

Pattern.

See the Pattern or Portfolio page for some samples of what can be done.

Style.

I make multiple styles from a molded flapjack, the vindicator, to cross draw, field holsters and inside the waistband holsters. I will make quick draw holsters in the western style and speed rigs for competition shooters. These types of holsters are time consuming and will be quoted on serious inquiry. If you are looking for inexpensive, try the big box outdoor stores. (Molded means form fitted to your model of firearm) check the portfolio as it should give you an idea of what is available. Basic holsters start at $75.

Firearm.

I need make, model, barrel length and generation if that is applicable. If I need to order a mold for your particular model there is an additional charge. If I have an order for 3 or more holsters using that same mold, there will be no additional charge.

Lined or Unlined.

I recommend a lining of vegetable tanned leather for any firearm with a classic blued finish. I also like the additional stiffness it gives the holster, especially when holstering. Additional fee of $25.

Clip, Loops, or Loops with snaps,

Certain styles dictate a certain attachment. However, we can alter our patterns to make it easier to remove your holster quickly.

Retention or not.

Personal choice. Almost all my holsters are friction fit. As they break in it will become easier to draw your weapon. I put a thumb break on what I call a field holster. It is very much like the holster used by Police Officers, when they carried revolvers. I add music wire springs for retention in speed rigs. These rigs are lined of necessity.

Exotic Leather.

I am happy to work with exotic leather if I can legally obtain it. It will add time and likely add 50 to 200 percent in costs. It really depends on the current market price for the exotic leather. Exotic leathers are most often chrome tanned, which uses metals, so these holsters will always need to be lined.

Leather thickness.

I will let you decide what thickness you prefer if you would like to. I generally use certain weight leathers for different items. Leather is given as thickness in ounces. 1 ounce is equivalent to a 64th of an inch if I am tooling a piece for a holster like a guard or other item. I am generally using 5/6, 7/8 ounce leather. With lighter weight leather I can form fit your weapon so details show. With thicker leather, while I still mold the leather to the weapon, those details are not apparent and there is less chance of the holster becoming soft with age. This being said, inside the waistband and other concealment holsters will be constructed using thinner leather, but no thinner than 1/16th of an inch.

Many of theses choices apply to sheaths and scabbards for which I would be pleased to accept your commission. Please call or email your desires for either of these items. If you require a shearling lined scabbard, there will be extra time involved.

Stitching.

I do some of my work on a sewing machine. It allows me to spend more time on finishing touches that add to the look I have been cultivating. I still hand sew using the saddlers stitch as it allows for a very strong product. It will add $25 dollars to small holsters, mag carriers and multi tool cases. It will add a minimum of $50 to large holsters like old West style or speed rigs. Larger items will be at $30 an hour.