"JH" Custom Cases Pics--Jenny

[amarillonarrow]

Here is a new kind of case I've been making lately and a lot of people like them. I bought a lot of rabbit skins from a company that have paintings on the suede side of the skin with the artists signature. I attach the leather, fur side down, to the piece of leather I am using, but the fur still shows up around the edges. I sew the rabbit skin to the leather and then make the case. I put the word "JEN" in raised letters on the bottom of the case and my initials, "JH" in raised letters on a different portion of the case. The flash on the camera bleached out the colors somewhat because the colors are really a lot brighter on the case.

I've made about 6 of these cases now with different pictures on each of them. A buffalo, eagle, Indian head, other wolves, a cool green owl and I forget what else. I just bought 5 more rabbit skins with some pretty cool pictures on them. I already know what leathers I will use on each of these cases. I also made Jen a custom burl wood cue to go with the case with her name airbrushed on the cue. Man, I'm going to get into some serious trouble with my wife making custom cases and cues for all these women. Oh well. Die hard but with a smile on my face. My wife is a 40 law enforcement veteran who served 10 years on the Sacramento Police Dept. SWAT team. Might be finding out how well I can dodge bullets.

 

[TATE]

I don't want to be negative so I hope you take this in good spirit. You obviously seem to have many leatherworking skills, but in my opinion you need to consult an artist to coordinate the overall designs to be more aesthetically pleasing and balanced.

I'm not a fan of cow hide and skins, so maybe that's it. But the overall look to me is not pleasant. The cases look like they are patched together without any design flow.

Anybody else have an opinion about the appearance?

 

[amarillonarrow]

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't take offense to it. I'm always trying new things in my cases so that I can continue to make them all one-of-a-kind. Some things I try some people like, but I don't care for all of them and will stop making that style. I'm not that crazy about this rabbit skin design, but some people like them and I have several skins left that I bought and will probably eventually use them on cases.

 

[amarillonarrow]

Hi: I forgot to mention a couple of things. On truism about life is that you can't please everyone, so it's useless to try. Everyone has different tastes, but I was kind of jazzed when John Barton of JB Cases replied that I made nice cases. But, you, as well as many other people, might just be used to what you've seen in the past, 99% which are "cowboy" style leather cases that are pop riveted together. I don't make my cases that way because I want them to be different from what everyone else is making. I like contrast in my cases or else I would make them all with the same color leather top to bottom. So, when you say they looked like they are "pieced" together it is because, since I DON'T pop rivet my leather, I have to sew with an industrial sewing machine the leather together. This is by design, but that doesn't mean everyone will like the design. I use tooled leather many times in the center of the case, but, again, if I wanted the whole case to be tooled leather I'd make it like everyone else, with pop rivets. I may be wrong, but if you put "cowboy" cases together from the top 5 case makers and threw in one of my cases, I'd venture to say that most people might not be able to identify who made the "cowboy" case, but EVERYONE would notice that my case isn't made the same as the others. This may be good or bad, but it is the route I've chosen. The nice thing is that I don't sell my cases and only have to make myself happy and those who I give my cases to.

Anyway, just wanted to mention that my cases aren't made like ANYONE else's case out there, so the design I use on the cases might be somewhat limited and is not what most people are used to seeing. This doesn't mean I'll stop trying and coming up with new stuff. I will, and maybe someday you might see a case of mine that you like. Or not. I do take some satisfaction in the fact that NO ONE else in the world is make a case the same way I make a case, and I like that fact, which means I came up with the design and style of the case myself and didn't try to copy anyone. Of course, maybe no one WANTS to make a case like mine, and that is also understandable. You can actually go online and get a pattern, free, for almost EVERY style of case on the market, but absolutely no one out there, except for maybe family, knows how I construct my cases. Not trying to make you like my cases, just trying to explain my that my process is different from what most people have seen.

 

[JB Cases]

Hi: I forgot to mention a couple of things. On truism about life is that you can't please everyone, so it's useless to try. Everyone has different tastes, but I was kind of jazzed when John Barton of JB Cases replied that I made nice cases. But, you, as well as many other people, might just be used to what you've seen in the past, 99% which are "cowboy" style leather cases that are pop riveted together. I don't make my cases that way because I want them to be different from what everyone else is making. I like contrast in my cases or else I would make them all with the same color leather top to bottom. So, when you say they looked like they are "pieced" together it is because, since I DON'T pop rivet my leather, I have to sew with an industrial sewing machine the leather together. This is by design, but that doesn't mean everyone will like the design. I use tooled leather many times in the center of the case, but, again, if I wanted the whole case to be tooled leather I'd make it like everyone else, with pop rivets. I may be wrong, but if you put "cowboy" cases together from the top 5 case makers and threw in one of my cases, I'd venture to say that most people might not be able to identify who made the "cowboy" case, but EVERYONE would notice that my case isn't made the same as the others. This may be good or bad, but it is the route I've chosen. The nice thing is that I don't sell my cases and only have to make myself happy and those who I give my cases to.

Anyway, just wanted to mention that my cases aren't made like ANYONE else's case out there, so the design I use on the cases might be somewhat limited and is not what most people are used to seeing. This doesn't mean I'll stop trying and coming up with new stuff. I will, and maybe someday you might see a case of mine that you like. Or not. I do take some satisfaction in the fact that NO ONE else in the world is make a case the same way I make a case, and I like that fact, which means I came up with the design and style of the case myself and didn't try to copy anyone. Of course, maybe no one WANTS to make a case like mine, and that is also understandable. You can actually go online and get a pattern, free, for almost EVERY style of case on the market, but absolutely no one out there, except for maybe family, knows how I construct my cases. Not trying to make you like my cases, just trying to explain my that my process is different from what most people have seen.

It's true that people don't appreciate what goes into making any type of case. As for design grandpa used to say that there is an ass for every seat. My personal style isn't something people flocked to either.

Unlike you I chose to try and make a living at it so I have to cater to other people's desires. Not all cases though are riveted together....we use many techniques, some we invented to construct cases.

Sometimes you have to accept that the market just isn't there for something no matter how much it pleases you. The most famous forger in the world became a forger after no one would buy his original art. People paid huge amounts of money for sketches of famous paintings which he had literally created from nothing when they wouldn't pay enough for his original art to keep him fed.

I see a lot of cool stuff in your cases. I like the embossed lettering, very cool. I like the style and I can see why you like Marshall's cues. I like unusual stuff and can certainly appreciate the direction you have taken. But it's hard to blame the consumers for not being willing to pay what you need to get for something as out of the box as this.

Sometimes it takes a while for something to catch on and sometimes the art just isn't jumping at the majority of buyers. People do tend towards what is more familiar and what their friends have bought.

Anyway....I think your cases are cool and I like your willingness to be different. But if you start to catch on....I will have to buy one and break it down. Kidding, we have tons of business but I might buy one anyway if the opportunity comes up just to have one in my personal collection.

P.S. just in case you might have missed some of the wilder stuff we do. (no rivets)

 

[TATE]

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't take offense to it. I'm always trying new things in my cases so that I can continue to make them all one-of-a-kind. Some things I try some people like, but I don't care for all of them and will stop making that style. I'm not that crazy about this rabbit skin design, but some people like them and I have several skins left that I bought and will probably eventually use them on cases.

Thanks for the response and taking it the right way. You definitely have a style. I liked the pic of the Diane case. The rugged finish and texture was cool. I can imagine Crocodile Dundee tromping around the outback with this strapped to his back.

 

[amarillonarrow]

John: Nice. I really like your cases. About 8 months ago I went to your website and ordered a custom case via your order form. It was almost too many choices for me and I think I would have rather liked to have been able to speak to someone or communicated by email. I didn't hear from anyone for several weeks other than an automatic reply after placing the order. I didn't know if my order had been placed correctly or what, so I cancelled the order. I'll probably try again. I do have two of your cases that I bought from other people. Considering your status in the world of cue cases I really appreciate your comments about the cases I am making. I'm not trying to get famous or anything but just enjoy making cases and cues.