I bought my daughter a S&W 442 two years ago when she expressed a desire to get her carry permit and get a "gun of her own." She doesn't carry the gun on her person, but does keep it in the console of her car. I gave her an old Uncle Mike's nylon holster I had on hand. I had spilled a bowl of Krystal Chili on it at some time in the past, and it still carries some of those stains. She didn't make any comment about the holster until she saw some of the carved holsters I was getting from Lobo. She told me she wanted "a pretty holster" for her gun.
I decided I wanted something a little different for her holster. I emailed Ray with a picture of a vintage holster I got with a Model 10 earlier this year, and asked him if he would be willing to scale the design down to j-frame size and send it out for carving. I made sure I let him know it was for a Christmas present for my daughter. He agreed. He didn't say so in so many words, but he implied that I should be ashamed for making her keep her S&W in an "old nylon rag" as he called it.
During the process, Ray sent me a few teasers; "This is going to be a fine looking little piece," he told me when he got it back from the carver.
"We did not discuss linings, and your photo was of an unlined holster, but I decided that Wayne's beautiful carving job deserved the best treatment I could provide, especially for a gift holster for your daughter, so I treated it accordingly," he told me when it was about ready to ship.
The results, to me anyhow, are stunning, if that is a proper term to describe a holster. Here it is with my nickel Model 34-1.
When I saw the holster, tried it with a couple of my guns, and realized how well it wears on a belt, I knew I had to have one of my own. I asked Ray if he would make one for me, minus the carving and lining. I asked for a rawhide retention thong for this one, since I will be carrying it on my belt with a gun with an exposed hammer. Again, Ray was very obliging. Here it is with a Model 60. I have been buying my holsters exclusively from Lobo for about two years now. I really appreciate Ray making these two "uncatalogued" holsters for me. I can't wait for my daughter to unwrap her "pretty holster" come Christmas.