Has HBE Leatherworks delivery time improved?

[IMtheNRA]

Hello, I've wanted to order a holster from HBE for long time now, but a few months ago there were complaints on this board about long delivery times due to a huge influx of orders.

Has anyone had any recent experience with HBE? Have last fall's complaints been resolved?

 

[browneu]

Can't really comment on the recent delivery times. I ordered from Eric last year and it took about 6 weeks. Some things are worth the wait and Eric's holsters are one of them. He is an oustanding person to deal with so just zip him an email. For the price you really can't beat the quality of what your getting. Another thing that is worth the wait are custom grips from Hakan Pek. But that should have a thread of its own.

 

[tpdtom]

I have no experience ordering leather from HBE , however I think I have ordered from every top custom holstermaker in the US in the last two years . They are ALL slow right now . Some worse than others . If you get an order from anyone in less than 12 weeks you're lucky. I have heard (unconfirmed) that Ken Null is particularly fast.

www.lightningarms.com stocks Milt Sparks leather for popular models . Their customer service can't be beat . You should have a holster from them in 3 days . You pay a premium for this but in my opinion it's worth it . They have some Alessi leather but as far as I know not too much in stock ...Tom

 

[Otisimo]

You are looking at 8 to 16 weeks from the custom guys it seems.

Brommeland holsters are my favorite.

You won't regret the wait though, plus there really is no alternative in my mind.

 

[Sawdust]

After my last experience with Eric, I don't care to find out.

There are plenty of excellent holster fabricators who will fulfill your order on time and, if they are going to be late, will let you know that.

And not ignore your emails when you try to find out why your order is late after waiting for it for three months.

Sawdust

 

[usp_fan]

My experience with Eric was fantastic and is documented here

The holster I recieved from him is breaking in nicely and is very well made. Why don't you email or call him and ask what his turn around time is?

I know that when I have the $$ for an IWB for my H&K usp compact, it'll be going to Eric.

--usp_fan

 

[Dorrin79]

It took me about 3 months to get my holster in from HBE - but it was worth it in every way.

Having to use my uncle mike's nylon IWB for those three month as my EDC rig just made me appreciate my IWB COM-2 all the more when it came in



Seriously, though - expect a custom-ordered holster to take time. If you need a decent holster ASAP you'll need to get a galco/bianchi/etc - which will cost you more than an HBE, and be not nearly as nice.

Just my $0.02...

 

[Correia]

I love Eric's work. It is all custom made, so it does take custom fabrication amounts of time.

I echo what Dorrin said.

 

[DragonFire]

I have a couple of Eric's holsters and agree with everyone's assesment. He does great work, and I love my holsters.

My beef with Eric is not so much how long it takes him to deliver a holster, I expect custom work to take time, but that he promised delivery in a certain amount of time and when he missed that date, he promised several more dates that he didn't meet either.

If when he missed the first date he had just honestly said, "it will be another month to six weeks", I would have had little problem with him. Instead he said another week, then another week, then another week...

When I'm ready to get another holster, I will seriously consider Eric again. This time I will go in with the idea that whatever date he tells me is a month underestimated.

 

[Werewolf]

First let me just say that the quality of the holster I bought from HBE leather was excellent and the price was very fair (an equivalent Milt-Sparks, Galco, or Bianchi would have cost at least $25 more than I paid HBE).

That said I communicated directly with Eric via e'mail and was originally promised a 5 to 6 week delivery - it actually took 14.

I was not pleased. Eric sent me an e'mail offering me a discount (a pretty good one too) on my next purchase. That was appreciated and in my experience unusual for any business to do. I have yet to take him up on his offer but may since I need a good IWB holster for my 1911.

FWIW and IMO I think that in the future if one asks Eric directly one will get a more realistic delivery time than in the past.

As an aside if HBE is getting so many orders that it can't keep up then maybe it's time to expand and hire some help. That's the way small businesses become big businesses.

 

[dairycreek]

I have two holsters made by Eric. Both are outstanding. I understand he had a lot on his plate last Fall; marriage, illness, etc. and that is why his delivery time was so slow. If you are concerned call him up and ask him. Nobody knows better about his delivery time than he does.

 

[PCRCCW]

Hey guys.......I do appreciate all of the support. Sincerely. Yes, its a well known fact that Ive taken longer than I thought it would to get alot of leather out. Cant deny it....wont even go there. Right now Im around 8-12 weeks out. Its turning into a normal thing for me....which is good and bad.

Sawdust...Sorry you had a bad experience with me. No excuses. Emails are returned very promptly usually. Typically 2-3 times a day. My [email protected] address was down for quite a while..thats when I got my other address..

Anyway.....things are pretty decent. There will be situations that will make delivery times longer than I expect...but a phone call or email will let you know a pretty close idea of when you will get your leather.

Shoot well and thanks again.

 

[armoredman]

My wife carries a CZ2075 RAMI in a burgandy HBE COMIII, and loves it. Eric makes outstanding leather, and is worth the wait...