Holster for my SC600!

mrlysle · Jul 21, 2011

Hey all. I wanted a nice holster for my SC600, as it's just a tad big for pocket carry. Dan, over at Thors Hammer Custom Leather already made me one for my HDS rotary and I just love it, soooo, naturally, I asked him to make me one for my SC600. I had a particular design in mind for this light, bezel up, and the head is bigger that the body, so I assumed it would present more than the normal challenges to the craftsman. So I made up a little rough sketch of what I had envisioned for my holster and sent it to Dan. here's my little sketch.

Here's what I just got from Dan! :wow:

Obviously it's not finished yet, but it's EXACTLY what I had pictured in my mind! It's going to be black like my rotary holster, with some matching tooling. What do you all think? Pretty awesome I think. can't wait to see it finished. Anyone trying to decide the best carry method for their SC600's should contact Dan and tell him what you want. CPF name is "Hogokansatsukan"

samgab · Jul 21, 2011

Wow, that Dan is one impressive craftsman... Strained back and all! Good work.

Is there something soft behind the dome that will prevent the metal scratching the light?

Pandorum · Jul 21, 2011

Wow, very nice.
One question, how much did it set you back?

mrlysle · Jul 21, 2011

samgab said:
Wow, that Dan is one impressive craftsman... Strained back and all! Good work.

Is there something soft behind the dome that will prevent the metal scratching the light?

Yes, Dan puts a soft, thin piece of leather over the snap so there's no metal to metal contact. He does awesome work! Check out his website. He can make virtually anything for you out of leather. Lots of photos on his website.

mrlysle · Jul 21, 2011

Pandorum said:
Wow, very nice.
One question, how much did it set you back?

Since I'm an oddball, and wanted mine a little different than he maybe normally would have made one, I'm not sure of my price yet. But he made one for my HDS rotary that I'm very proud of, and I know it will outlast me AND the light probably, so I don't really care what it costs me. Probably your best bet would be to just give him a call, tell him what you'd like, and he can give you a price. Since these are real quality leather, they'll protect your light investment, (or knife, or gun, or whatever) forever. The prices are different, depending on what, and how you want it. There's no machine work involved though. Everything is done by hand. Stitching, stamping, cutting, staining, everything. I think I paid about $45 for my HDS rotary holster, but got some discount because I bought my rotary from Dan as well. Some folks balk at the idea of spending over $10 bucks for a way to carry their lights, and that's fine. Different strokes they say. But I love handmade leather and don't mind paying for it. You'd have to have my rotary holster "in your hand" so to speak, to see just what a quality piece it really is. Sorry I didn't really answer your question, but like I say, just give Dan a call. He's a super individual, and he'll talk with you about your needs and give you a price. Or maybe he'll jump in here sometime, and speak for himself.

The nice thing about it is, if my SC600 ever craps out, or when I get that warm version, I know it will drop right in my holster, and fit like a glove! Oh, and he stands behind his work forever. He mentions on his website, that if the spring steel clips he uses on a lot of his holsters ever breaks or fails you? He'll replace the clip, even if he has to build a NEW holster around the NEW clip!

Hogokansatsukan · Jul 21, 2011

Wow. Hobbled in to work this morning and found this thread.

Well, this is where I left off last night:

Still needs to be sealed.

Finished the ones for lighteous and jhc37015 and they are drying. Hopefully will have them in the mail by Monday as they should be good and dry by then (having lots of rain and drizzle here in Tucson. Humidity is pretty high.)

It's kind of funny because jhc37015, lighteous, and mrlysle all ordered holsters for the SC600 on Friday. I can make a holster with just the dimensions, but while looking at the dimensions of the light, I of course started reading about the light, then started reading the threads about the light... and ordered one for myself that day. It's become one of my favorite lights. Anyway, mine arrived from Going Gear on Monday (damn fast those guys at Going Gear!), and started playing with the light. Normally, I prefer my lights to be carried bezel down, but then all my lights have tail switches. After playing with this light, I thought bezel up would be easier to get the light out and activate because the switch is on the head, so I made my prototype for myself this way, and I'm pretty happy with the design.
mrlysle sent me the sketch he did (I'll make a holster however one wants it done as long as it doesn't break the laws of physics. Would hate to have the Sir Isaac Newton police after me).

My prices are pretty straight forward. Basic open top runs $35. Spare battery carrier (verticle or horizontal) runs an extra $10. A flap over the light is an extra $10. Basket weave or dragon scales run an extra $10. Most of the other tooling and stamps I do for free for CPFers. My prices are more based on time and I figure on about $20 an hour. The battery carrier takes about 1/2 hour extra to do, so 10 bucks, and the same with the flap. I charge more for wet molding because it takes a lot longer.

mrlysle's holster cost the same as the prices given above (basic 35 + 10 +10 + 10 = $65). I ship USPS priority and do that at cost. I always hate ordering from some place and getting screwed on shipping. I don't do that. mrlysle's holster for his HDS was less as I sell HDS lights, but I don't stock them. I give a $25 discount on a holster if someone buys an HDS from me. I don't stock them as Henry lives just a few miles away from me.

Thanks for the great comments mrlysle! I appreciate it. Hope you like how your holster is coming out.

Hogo/Thor/Dan

Lighteous · Jul 21, 2011

Those are three fine looking holsters Dan! I am very impressed with the one you made for me. I like the looks of it (color and stampings) better than the one you made for my Rotary--which is saying a lot because it is darn nice too. I can also attest to the quality of Dan's work. We all have holsters that came with certain of our lights, but they are cheap cloth wrappers in comparison to what Dan creates. Even if you are not inclined to carry the holster on your belt, I like how the holster protects the light with class! Gird for the storm Dan! If I was a bettin' man, I'd bet that you'll get a few more orders for these beauties! Thanks for posting the photos! I hope your aches and pains are easing.

mrlysle · Jul 21, 2011

Hogokansatsukan said:
Wow. Hobbled in to work this morning and found this thread.

Well, this is where I left off last night:

Still needs to be sealed.

Finished the ones for lighteous and jhc37015 and they are drying. Hopefully will have them in the mail by Monday as they should be good and dry by then (having lots of rain and drizzle here in Tucson. Humidity is pretty high.)

It's kind of funny because jhc37015, lighteous, and mrlysle all ordered holsters for the SC600 on Friday. I can make a holster with just the dimensions, but while looking at the dimensions of the light, I of course started reading about the light, then started reading the threads about the light... and ordered one for myself that day. It's become one of my favorite lights. Anyway, mine arrived from Going Gear on Monday (damn fast those guys at Going Gear!), and started playing with the light. Normally, I prefer my lights to be carried bezel down, but then all my lights have tail switches. After playing with this light, I thought bezel up would be easier to get the light out and activate because the switch is on the head, so I made my prototype for myself this way, and I'm pretty happy with the design.
mrlysle sent me the sketch he did (I'll make a holster however one wants it done as long as it doesn't break the laws of physics. Would hate to have the Sir Isaac Newton police after me).

My prices are pretty straight forward. Basic open top runs $35. Spare battery carrier (verticle or horizontal) runs an extra $10. A flap over the light is an extra $10. Basket weave or dragon scales run an extra $10. Most of the other tooling and stamps I do for free for CPFers. My prices are more based on time and I figure on about $20 an hour. The battery carrier takes about 1/2 hour extra to do, so 10 bucks, and the same with the flap. I charge more for wet molding because it takes a lot longer.

mrlysle's holster cost the same as the prices given above (basic 35 + 10 +10 + 10 = $65). I ship USPS priority and do that at cost. I always hate ordering from some place and getting screwed on shipping. I don't do that. mrlysle's holster for his HDS was less as I sell HDS lights, but I don't stock them. I give a $25 discount on a holster if someone buys an HDS from me. I don't stock them as Henry lives just a few miles away from me.

Thanks for the great comments mrlysle! I appreciate it. Hope you like how your holster is coming out.

Hogo/Thor/Dan

I love it! Just exactly what I wanted it to look like. Sooo, take your time, take care of that back, and finish it as you feel like it. I at least know that when it arrives, it's exactly what I wanted! Great stuff Dan! Thanks!

GunnarGG · Jul 21, 2011

I'm not much for holster carrying myself but I must say:
That leatherwork is amazing!
Beautyful! :thumbsup:

skyfire · Jul 21, 2011

what beauties! i especially like the woven black one.

your prices seem very reasonable for such fine craftsmanship...

when i get my high CRI rotary... youll definitely be hearing from me...

hmm... do you plan on selling those when Henry decides to start building them??

Hogokansatsukan · Jul 21, 2011

Thanks everyone for the comments. One of things I love about leatherwork is folks reaction to it. I love it when someone gets something and it is better than they were expecting.
I started my side business right here on CPF doing flashlight holsters, and still, they are some of my favorite things to make. I still think of it more as a hobby, though I've made thousands of things including M4 rifle scabbards for the U.S. Border Patrol. I just don't think of it as work as I like to do it, and take pride in what I make. I've had some folks tell me to mass produce and make it cheaper, but I just don't want to go that way. I would much rather cater to folks who want a custom piece done whether for a flashlight, pistol, or whatever.

It's funny, but before I started leather working, I didn't much like basket weave. I still don't like it in the mass procuced stuff, but when done by hand, it's different. Each "weave" is hand stamped. Same for the dragon scales. Each one is one stamp, so there can be several hundred on one piece. Makes one appreciate it more.

This is the raisin mohogany one while it was being put together. So each scale is one stamp, and the border is done the same way. Each little half-moon is one stamp. I hold the tool in one hand and hit it with a maul to make the pattern. Line it up, and whack it again. Repeat until covered and hope I can get it lined up nicely. There are more than 300 individual stamps in the holster below.

I sell all lights that HDS makes, so when the high cri rotary comes out, I'll sell it. The only lights I don't sell are custom HDS lights. You can only get those directly through Henry. Like I said before though, I don't keep a stock of them on hand. I just can't do that financially, but then when someone orders one through me, I take $25 off from a custom holster, so there is a short wait to get the holster made, and so by the time the holster is done, I already have the light from Henry, unless he is backordered.

Here's one of the tiny basket weave. Each one is one stamp and is lined up by hand.

I took a week off from my day job and got caught up on all orders, so my time frame right now is pretty short (about 1.5 weeks) from the time someone orders to when they should have it in their hands. 2-3 weeks is more normal, but can go out longer especially if someone wants an exotic skin, snake, or stingray.

Lightdadark · Jul 21, 2011

Dan you have Paypal... But now you are making me wish I added some of that stampwork to the order!

Hogokansatsukan · Jul 21, 2011

Lightdadark said:
Dan you have Paypal... But now you are making me wish I added some of that stampwork to the order!

Check your PM.

I often get folks who want just plain ol' black. I usually try to encourage some stamp work simply for the fact that as long as you are getting it custom done, might as well get it as personal as possible. That and simple black makes me think of issued duty gear. I have the advantage of working UC so I can wear what I want and stamp my own gear however I see fit, though for my duty gear, I keep it black to blend in with the black t-shirt and jeans I always have on. My wardrobe consists of black pants, black t-shirts, and a dozen large oversized button front shirts untucked and not buttoned to cover all the gear.

jhc37013 · Jul 21, 2011

They look great Dan I really like mine and the rest pictured as well, thanks for getting them done so fast.

pjandyho · Jul 21, 2011

Hi Dan, as in my PM to you, I am still waiting for the SC600 to reach me and is not sure if I would like it enough to order a holster right now. But if I do like the SC600, I would be placing an order. I kind of like the design of the one in brown above but I prefer it in black color. So if I place my order, you know what to make for me.

Hogokansatsukan · Jul 22, 2011

jhc37013 said:
They look great Dan I really like mine and the rest pictured as well, thanks for getting them done so fast.

My pleasure. I like to get things out quick otherwise orders stack up. My family is back in Japan so I get a lot more time in at the shop right now as well. Should have those above shipped this Saturday.

pjandyho said:
Hi Dan, as in my PM to you, I am still waiting for the SC600 to reach me and is not sure if I would like it enough to order a holster right now. But if I do like the SC600, I would be placing an order. I kind of like the design of the one in brown above but I prefer it in black color. So if I place my order, you know what to make for me.

Not a problem. I'm pretty sure you are going to like the sc600. I have over 100 lights, and this one ranks in the top 3 next to a HDS Rotary, and my Milkyspit Throwyboy. They are all such different lights so I can't pick my favorite among the three.

Here is mrlysle's all done.

Geddinight · Jul 22, 2011

Very nice custom work. I'll keep you in mind.

Hogokansatsukan · Jul 22, 2011

Well, here is an odd one I may end up putting in the marketplace, or I might just use for myself.

This photo stinks, but it's a brown coyote, sitting in a patch of green prickly pear howling at a silvery moon. The stars are gold and most of the holster is black.

I hate doing one's like this as staining in colors like that is a royal pain, but what can I say, I was caught up with all the orders and didn't want to go to bed.

And here is simple black with no battery carrier:

mrlysle · Jul 26, 2011

Hi all. Wanted to post a couple more pics of my new SC600 holster I got today from Thors Hammer Custom Leather. I'm also sticking in a couple of my HDS rotary holster so you can see how well matched they are, even though Dan made them weeks apart, and the rotary holster was shipped to me, so all he had to go on was some photos I posted here on the forums. I wanted both of my holsters to look as much the same as possible. Here they are!

All in all, I'd say they look like twins, huh! Awesome work Dan!

Lightdadark · Jul 27, 2011

Dan does amazing work. He just made me a Mini Mag holster and I'm very happy how it turned out. seemed like it was only a few days from when I ordered it, I recieved it in the mailbox!

Holster for my SC600!

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