The_Truth
Member
If BK did Tgrip finger groove style metal grip adapters I'd be all over it!
Tyler T-Grips Update?
- Thread starter cdcoston
- Start date
If BK did Tgrip finger groove style metal grip adapters I'd be all over it!
misswired
Absent Comrade
Availability? Tyler T-grips balloon in value.....imagine that?
Thanks for the kind remarks
I always appreciate customers who express their satisfaction with the BK grip adapters. I do make a particular effort to deliver in a timely manner, since I started the business after reading the endlessly long Where's My Tyler T-Grip thread on one of the other forums. (IIRC it had more views than any other thread except the I Don't Like The Internal Lock thread, and was way ahead of whatever had the third most views.)
But I had a friend who made castings with 2-part resins, and he had a friend who could make molds and had tools to cut copper strips, so I was in business in the basement in pretty short order. With a license to do what I do from my local municipality (which I had to do to keep square with the sales tax regime in our state.)
As much as I understand the desire many of you have for metal grip adapters, I do NOT have any friends who know how to start and operate a small-scale metal casting operation from scratch. And I am sure that I would not be allowed to operate one from my basement, even if I could get the local utility to provide the necessary electricity and was prepared to deal with the fumes. So I would need an industrial facility, in addition to the necessary machinery and equipment. As a long-retired tax lawyer, that would look an awful lot like a FULL TIME JOB, which the current business decidedly is not.
Now it would be immensely satisfying to be able to offer polished metal, 2-clip grip adapters that could be bouoght online with a credit card, and ship 'em out the next day. But I'm afraid my age, the state of my personal finances, and the creeping arthritis in my hands, are just not going to let me start down that road.
I will keep making the resin adapters as long as there's enough demand for 'em and I can physically stand to do it. (Each adapter has to have the flash trimmed off with an Xacto knife, the physically worst part of the production process for me, and the one that I expect will eventually become uncomfortable enough that I'll have to shut down.) So as long as I can do it, I'll appreciate your business.
I always appreciate customers who express their satisfaction with the BK grip adapters. I do make a particular effort to deliver in a timely manner, since I started the business after reading the endlessly long Where's My Tyler T-Grip thread on one of the other forums. (IIRC it had more views than any other thread except the I Don't Like The Internal Lock thread, and was way ahead of whatever had the third most views.)
But I had a friend who made castings with 2-part resins, and he had a friend who could make molds and had tools to cut copper strips, so I was in business in the basement in pretty short order. With a license to do what I do from my local municipality (which I had to do to keep square with the sales tax regime in our state.)
As much as I understand the desire many of you have for metal grip adapters, I do NOT have any friends who know how to start and operate a small-scale metal casting operation from scratch. And I am sure that I would not be allowed to operate one from my basement, even if I could get the local utility to provide the necessary electricity and was prepared to deal with the fumes. So I would need an industrial facility, in addition to the necessary machinery and equipment. As a long-retired tax lawyer, that would look an awful lot like a FULL TIME JOB, which the current business decidedly is not.
Now it would be immensely satisfying to be able to offer polished metal, 2-clip grip adapters that could be bouoght online with a credit card, and ship 'em out the next day. But I'm afraid my age, the state of my personal finances, and the creeping arthritis in my hands, are just not going to let me start down that road.
I will keep making the resin adapters as long as there's enough demand for 'em and I can physically stand to do it. (Each adapter has to have the flash trimmed off with an Xacto knife, the physically worst part of the production process for me, and the one that I expect will eventually become uncomfortable enough that I'll have to shut down.) So as long as I can do it, I'll appreciate your business.
I've done business with Kip AKA Wrangler5 since he first opened BK. I've ALWAYS been pleased with his product and his business ethics. The man is a class act.
Now if you want something "old school cool," go with Tyler and hope it arrives before you did. Or, if you want a great product delivered in days contact Kip at BK.
Now if you want something "old school cool," go with Tyler and hope it arrives before you did. Or, if you want a great product delivered in days contact Kip at BK.
ancient-one
US Veteran
My daughter and I were eating somewhere a few days ago and I saw a man and woman wearing Tyler T-shirts.
Graydon they are in Newalla, just a hop and a skip from Moore I think.
My guess is they cashed and used your check for their next bag of groceries. When enough customers get unhappy, checks dry up , they run low on groceries, service improves, and production and deliveries ramp up, is my guess. From observing over the years, they seem very cyclical in terms of performance.
Financial wizards able to make bucks off unfulfilled but paid up orders? Well, I doubt that very much.
Still, I have yet to see a post where a customer says he never got his product. (And if you've only been waitin' a year or so, give it another 18 months...
)
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
As indicated above, it really comes down to only the material. If you want metal, and don't have the patience to look for second-hand Tylers at a reasonable price, you're stuck with the new Tyler.
Other than the cosmetics of the shiny versions, metal offers no practical advantages. So if you just want a better grip while keeping the original stocks on your gun, go with BK. They work great.
In terms of "old school cool", I may be a purist, but I view the new Tylers that come in plastic shrink-wrap as replicas. For me the only REAL Tylers come wrapped in tissue paper in a cardboard box and are name-stamped.
But I buy those only because they go with my 1940s to 1960s revolvers and my primary concern is period-correctness, not functionality.
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I stopped using "Tylers" and started using "BKs" and I am a happy camper!
My guess is they cashed and used your check for their next bag of groceries. When enough customers get unhappy, checks dry up , they run low on groceries, service improves, and production and deliveries ramp up, is my guess. From observing over the years, they seem very cyclical in terms of performance.
Financial wizards able to make bucks off unfulfilled but paid up orders? Well, I doubt that very much.
Still, I have yet to see a post where a customer says he never got his product. (And if you've only been waitin' a year or so, give it another 18 months...
Oh, I did eventually get the one I ordered. I had forgotten I ordered it, (literally) but I did get it.
That was over a dozen years ago, and I haven't done business with them since. I have however purchased I don't know how many BK's in that time.
Old Corp
Member
Have never ordered directly from Tyler due to all I've heard.
Great experience with buying from BK.
From what I gather, when dealing with Tyler you should re-set your watch to about 1974.
Great experience with buying from BK.
From what I gather, when dealing with Tyler you should re-set your watch to about 1974.
ancient-one
US Veteran
I can remember(years ago) walking into Tyler's and buying a set of grips off of the shelf for my Dad's old Police Positive. He stocked a lot of grips.
It's my understanding that the original owner/operator of Tyler's died some years ago, and some nephews and nieces are trying to continuing to operate the business. Evidently they are not in it full time and only produce when they have time. If they would only "communicate" with their customers with order status they might be able to have a viable business.
I remember 30 years ago Melvin Tyler's little shop was on Britton Road here in Oklahoma City and even then it looked like it was about to fall down. He had a pretty good reputation and his Tyler grip adapters were on wheel guns all over the world but when kids take over a business there can definitely be mixed results.
Update: The Tyler T my good friend ordered for me as a bday present finally arrived, 13 months after the order was placed. Not one peep from Tyler, it just arrived unceremoniously. It now lives happily on my 2" 15-2, the gun it was originally intended for. Perhaps it took longer because it was done in the less common brushed bronze instead of black or aluminum.
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Buy yourself a lottery ticket.
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