Leather cue cases
- Thread starter Homerjay
- Start date
Welcome to the forum.
Interesting first post.
I have made a few cases and am not a fan of tooling nor cowboy style cases so I understand that perspective. But there are other styles of cases. I can't imagine not being able to find what you like or getting what you like made.
Unless of course you are just complaining about other people's cases being ugly...which would seem a little rude....
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Because people like them. You are confusing performance and design. Porper makes a 3x6 that looks like your 2x2.
You might want to try Whitten though.
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I'm guessing you were looking at the Instroke models, with names like "Cowboy" and "Southwest", not very surprising they look like western saddles. JB already mentioned Whitten, if you want a modern look, those are great.
These are a Whitten Copy .
I have sold a lot of these cases , They are Leather , do not look like they came out of a B western Movie . and are really very in-expencive . GL Jim
I have sold a lot of these cases , They are Leather , do not look like they came out of a B western Movie . and are really very in-expencive . GL Jim
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I have sold a lot of these cases , They are Leather , do not look like they came out of a B western Movie . and are really very in-expencive . GL Jim
They look great because Dan Whitten designed them that way. Too bad that it's not possible to stop people from making straight up knockoffs. At least it's not possible if you are small. If you are Apple you get a billion dollar judgement against Samsung.
I would love it if people would simply acknowledge when they are selling knockoffs. Just be open and say these cases look awesome because they are Whitten knockoffs. Get the look at a fraction of the price.
They don't look like Whitten's to me. But I tend to have a discerning eye for cases since I do leatherwork and have built a few cases.
As far as I can see Mr Baxter is simply selling some high value cases. A Whitten case is a whole different animal.
Does a mid-eighties Firebird look like a Ferrari? The designers literally made it fit a Ferrari silhouette, and they admitted to it publicly. The exact thing was done with the Honda Rebel in the 1980's using a Harley silhouette, that was revealed publicly in a legal dispute. Do you really think they are knock-offs? Really?
Upgrade the materials a few notches, make the design a lot closer, and charge a few hundred more and I'll call it a knock-off.
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A kind forum member directed my attention back to this matter concerning a perceived error in my observations. I admit these cases are remarkably similar in design to a Whitten case, perhaps even exact. I do feel it is also remarkably obvious they are not Whitten cases, and that was my point.
They do look like a lot of bang for the buck. :smile:
The poster that commented seems to be very concerned with whether or not people make sure they include a qualifying statement even in casual conversation about such a case. The poster also seems much more concerned about the seller than the maker and chain of people involved in getting that case to market. This is not a counterfeit. But I would bet my socks that the same people are involved in counterfeiting products. Jim Baxter did not make the case, and everybody know it. He didn't disassemble a Whitten to copy it, and everybody knows it.
I am really not concerned if the seller or any observer does not mention Whitten every time they refer to such a case or complement such a case. It is simply stating the obvious and is not necessary.
I am more concerned about the folks involved in the production of such things and their likely involvement in actual counterfeiting of products.
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They do look like a lot of bang for the buck. :smile:
The poster that commented seems to be very concerned with whether or not people make sure they include a qualifying statement even in casual conversation about such a case. The poster also seems much more concerned about the seller than the maker and chain of people involved in getting that case to market. This is not a counterfeit. But I would bet my socks that the same people are involved in counterfeiting products. Jim Baxter did not make the case, and everybody know it. He didn't disassemble a Whitten to copy it, and everybody knows it.
I am really not concerned if the seller or any observer does not mention Whitten every time they refer to such a case or complement such a case. It is simply stating the obvious and is not necessary.
I am more concerned about the folks involved in the production of such things and their likely involvement in actual counterfeiting of products.
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Well said John.
JB cases are hard to beat. The best function of true cue protection out there....as far as looks go, odds are that if you can think it he can build it....and probably better than the original. I bristled a little at John's sometimes over enthusiasm for his beliefs and the not inexpensive price until I got my case. Quite honestly if I had a product that good I would try and put my money where my mouth was and get one into the hands of as many people as I could too. When you are carrying X dollars worth of cues what is another couple of dollars compared to the cost of many lesser cases. It ain't bragging if you can back it up.
Can't afford a Justis case, eh? :wink:
Seriously, I think Porper does make a 3X6 in leather if you like their design.
I will star making cases soon, and I think My cases are the best protection you can ask for you cues....................Juan
If a product is modeled closely after a predecessor then it's a knockoff. That is the literal definition of a knockoff. It can be just a few key elements of the design or a virtual clone. The fact that the Harley/Honda similarity had to be admitted in court is exactly my point.
My personal feelings about knockoffs are ambivalent these days. I can't really tell another person that they aren't allowed to earn money by knocking off my designs if I wouldn't tell a farmer he isn't allowed to copy a successful way to farm.
What I want to see, and maybe this is just wishful thinking, is at least in our small industry that credit is given where it should be. Let's me clear, making and selling knockoffs is legal in the USA. And the ethics of it are permanently in a grey area as well. Some people see it as black and white and at one time I did too. But it's not and there are actually good arguments that copying is good for the economy and spawns innovation as a wider variety of derivative products are created.
All I want is for people to say, my inspiration came from..... or these cases are clearly inspired by....... coupled with FACTUAL statements of quality, durability, warranty and so on.
Back when I owned Instroke we were plagued by knockoffs. Not only did not acknowledge us for the design inspiration the distributors and sellers went so far as to plagiarize our advertising copy pretty much verbatim and thus claim that their quality was as good as ours. Which was not true.
Anyway, this is all academic. I know that if I were to start selling Whitten knockoffs then the uproar would be tremendous and the copy-police on the forum would be all over it. Or if someone came on here with a new screen name like Heng Chong Case Factory and showed off Whitten knockoffs they would be tarred and feathered. So we live in a world of double standards where some people get free passes and others get attacked. I don't really care anymore except that I think anyone who wants to sell knockoffs should at least be gracious enough to acknowledge the original designer. Especially if the knockoffs are virtual clones and not just partially similar.
And that's the type of thinking I can admire. Protection first and wrap good looks around that.
I have been thinking about tips as well but have decided that I don't want the responsibility of being a critical part of someone's game. I think my fragile ego couldn't handle it if someone said they lost money because of my tip.
Besides the tip market is way overcrowded and the products are all great in my opinion.
John, why not produce Killer Tips again? IMO, the best layered tips ever made.
I actually didn't produce those. We sold them under the Instroke and the Killer name but we didn't manufacture them. They are still made the same way by the same shop.
I need to call around but I am pretty sure I can get them if anyone wants them.