I really wish people would resist bringing their arguments and drama into my threads.
Im going to say it this way, and its in no way meant as knocking John at all. I consider John a good friend. His cases are a different breed. He has a shop with employees making cases. Guys like me, Rusty, Jack, and Al, Rex cant and wont compete with that. His shear output is too much. All the cases he has sold in the last few months alone shows that. What we make are hand made by one craftsman cases (with exception to Justis's carved cases). I wont speak for anyone else Ive named, but I can tell you that I dont have a CNC laser cutting out my cases, or laying out my patterns for me. I will bet you they dont either. I cut my leather with various knives. I punch my holes by hand, and I layout my tooling with a yardstick and a scratch awl. Its a different animal. Its all in what you choose to own and support. Quality leather goods have been around at least a few thousand years..... Theyll probably be around for a few more....:grin:
Chuck
Chuck, you do make one hell of a case. Rich