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lugerholsterrepair · 08-02-2006, 04:42 PM

John, I wish it were that simple. It is quite difficult to find anyone with ANY kind of interest in this field. It is demanding meticulous work with little financial reward. I am not complaining of course, it's got to be a labor of love. I really enjoy what I do but the hours required put it into the slave labor catagory. I mostly work weekends as well as all week. I often spend a minimum of 10 hours a day at my leather bench. Some of the time I look at my computer to rest my eyes and it is a distraction from pushing a needle.
I took it up as a challenge from Tom Armstrong after Frank DeMauro died. I wouldn't trade it now as it is a passion but I could not depend on it to pay my bills. A younger person with real life responsibilities would soon find work that paid better.
I just did a pretty major holster restoration for a client ($175.00) and it seems like a lot..It took me the better part of three days, working untill 9PM at night. For those who are mathmatically challenged, that is approximately 60 bucks for a very long and intense working day. Somewhere near $6-$7 bucks an hour.
I don't think there will be many willing applicants for a job that requires long hours and meticulous attention to detail.
So, when I decide to hang up my leather apron it will take another with the passion and skills as well as spare time to carry on. I cannot imagine who that would be. They will have to learn it all over again, just as I did.
Thanks to all...Jerry Burney

08-02-2006, 04:42 PM	#6
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,763 Thanks: 4,866 Thanked 3,105 Times in 1,429 Posts	John, I wish it were that simple. It is quite difficult to find anyone with ANY kind of interest in this field. It is demanding meticulous work with little financial reward. I am not complaining of course, it's got to be a labor of love. I really enjoy what I do but the hours required put it into the slave labor catagory. I mostly work weekends as well as all week. I often spend a minimum of 10 hours a day at my leather bench. Some of the time I look at my computer to rest my eyes and it is a distraction from pushing a needle. I took it up as a challenge from Tom Armstrong after Frank DeMauro died. I wouldn't trade it now as it is a passion but I could not depend on it to pay my bills. A younger person with real life responsibilities would soon find work that paid better. I just did a pretty major holster restoration for a client ($175.00) and it seems like a lot..It took me the better part of three days, working untill 9PM at night. For those who are mathmatically challenged, that is approximately 60 bucks for a very long and intense working day. Somewhere near $6-$7 bucks an hour. I don't think there will be many willing applicants for a job that requires long hours and meticulous attention to detail. So, when I decide to hang up my leather apron it will take another with the passion and skills as well as spare time to carry on. I cannot imagine who that would be. They will have to learn it all over again, just as I did. Thanks to all...Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."