Want the perfect holster? Make one!

[PGR]

I prefer a vertical phone holster with a loop instead of a clip, and I want it to actually fit my phone, give it a high level of protection, and not be any bulkier than absolutely necessary.

Did I just hear a collective "yeah, right!"?

I can never seem to find a manufactured phone holster that I genuinely like, so I've made my own for every phone I've owned since the Treo 300. Like the phones, each new holster has been a little better than the last, and I think the one I just finished for my Touch Pro is my reward for all the trials and errors I've gone through in the process.

The shell is made from a single piece of vegetable-tanned hide which is laced with 1/8" leather lace and it's lined with soft garment-grade leather in all the right places. The phone slides in and out with no friction whatsoever, yet it doesn't rattle around in the holster at all.

One of these days I might even tool one of 'em.

Pete

 

[dvdmon]

Nice work. Looks beatiful. Personally I've been happy with Seidio's Spring Clip Holster case since you can get your phone out of it very quickly. I actually pre-ordered but haven't been notified it's shipped even though it's now listed as "now shipping" (http://www.seidioonline.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=HLHTCH2AS).It doesn't look nearly as nice as yours, but I imagine it might save a second or two in getting at the phone when you need it. I see you have some holes in the top for the earpiece speaker, do you have one at the bottom for the mic? what about for charging?

 

[PGR]

I see you have some holes in the top for the earpiece speaker, do you have one at the bottom for the mic? what about for charging?

The holes in the flap are for the ringer/speakerphone speaker, not for the ear speaker. It's only a belt holster so it's not designed to let me use the phone while it's in the holster (unless I'm using a Bluetooth headset, of course).

I'm a maintenance supervisor at a large pharmaceutical production facility. I don't need to roll around on the ground as much as I have at previous jobs, but it still happens. That, and I have to squeeze into small places fairly often so it's important that my phone is completely protected when it's hanging from my belt.

The last phone I carried in a clip-style holster was my Samsung flip phone and it was all scratched up in no time. I finally lost that phone when I apparently wiped it off my belt somewhere in Buffalo NY while I was there on business, and that's why I don't like clip-on holsters either.

Since I've been making these cowhide holsters, my phones look almost as good when it's time to sell them as they do when I buy 'em. I also don't have to worry about losing them or having some little creep snatch 'em off my belt.

That's called peace of mind and I think paying a couple-second penalty for it is a bargain.

Pete

 

[HobbesIsReal#WP]

nice work!

 

[dvdmon]

Ok, so how much does this thing cost to make? And are you going to post any instructions, or even try to sell some for others?

 

[PGR]

Ok, so how much does this thing cost to make? And are you going to post any instructions, or even try to sell some for others?

I don't even know how much they cost to make. I bought the hide and tools nearly 10 years ago to make some suspenders for my nail bags (another case where nobody else made what I wanted) and the latch & hardware were a couple of bucks. As for instructions, I only have a concept in my head. I suppose I could draw up plans, but I'd have to make a couple more holsters using the plans to make sure I had the dimensions correct. I just used my phone as a template when I made mine and actually had to make 2 because the first one was too tight.

As for marketing them, they take me about 4 hours each to make and I'm not set up to mass-produce them. I'm not a leather-worker by trade. I'm a maintenance supervisor who has dabbled in leathercraft out of necessity more than anything else. Based on the wages I make at my real job, I'd have to charge around $120 in labor alone and nobody will be willing to pay that!

I suppose I could be coaxed into making a few on a per-order basis in my idle time, but I wouldn't even consider doing that for less than $60 each. Idle time is worth something too, don't you think?

Pete

 

[dvdmon]

I don't know, I had gotten Vaja cases for my Treo for years and paid $100-140 for them, so I wouldn't discount the possibility that some would be willing to give you $120 or more. Of course I certainly would understand you not wanting to spend precious time on these unless you were getting compensated well for your time and effort. I'm a little surprised it takes 4 hours to create one of these, but maybe if you did this regularly that might go down a bunch. Anyway, glad you got something that works well for yourself. I still haven't heard anything from Seidio about my case, guess I need to give them another call today...

 

[PGR]

I don't know, I had gotten Vaja cases for my Treo for years and paid $100-140 for them, so I wouldn't discount the possibility that some would be willing to give you $120 or more. Of course I certainly would understand you not wanting to spend precious time on these unless you were getting compensated well for your time and effort.

I guess that would be encouraging if I was thinking about going into business making them, but I'm really not. My day job pays the bills well enough and I've reached the age where quality of life is more important than wealth, so I'm not really interested in supplementing my income with something that will eat into my "hobby" time. I think I used the words "idle time" in a previous posting, but I actually don't have much of that in my life.

I'm a little surprised it takes 4 hours to create one of these, but maybe if you did this regularly that might go down a bunch.

I could cut the per-holster time down considerably if I started making batches of them. A lot of the time involves waiting for things to dry before I can proceed to the next step, so it's not all "hands-on" time. A template would help too.

Pete

 

[SomeAudioGuy]

Very nice work!
I've gone back to the holster that came with my apache. I thought it was too tight on the old 6700, but fits the Pro great.

Magnetic snap likes to pull out my stylus though...

 

[PGR]

Magnetic snap likes to pull out my stylus though...

I'm unfamiliar with the Apache holster so I don't know if this will apply, but I found that I had to remove the little nub on the side of the stylus or my stylus would end up in the holster every time I pulled the phone out. To clarify, there's a little bump on the stylus that sticks out past flush when the stylus is in the phone. This was obviously done to facilitate removing the stylus, but that little bump catches on the side of a vertical holster and pulls out the stylus.

I used an X-Acto knife to remove the bump so the exposed part of the stylus is now completely flush with the phone case and the holster hasn't pulled the stylus out since. A press-and-swipe movement with finger or thumb still works well, though.

Pete

 

[SomeAudioGuy]

LOL!
Nope, it's not the nub. Just running the Pro outside the case, the magnetic clasp just sucks that stylus right out. I'd use the included velcro holster, but I hate how tight it is around the phone. It's almost impossible to get to quickly.

 

[jamespaulritter]

That is awesome. Years ago I remember seing a user post pics of their 7135 home made case...... you have skills bud.

 

[Ben#WP]

Classic

Great job Pete.. (Just saw it today!).. I'm using my earlier holster (generic - cingular case and am not at all comfortable in keeping the Fuze in it.
Hate to ask this - (but since I lack the MAKING skills).. Could we order???