Rodek Leather Works

[Buford57]

I received this holster this morning from Ed Rodek of Springfield, IL. He recently started offering holsters for the Hi Power and I had to have one.

I have been a long time fan of the original Roy Baker pancakes and this is the first copy I've encountered that didn't either cut corners or try to improve on perfection. Hermann Oak leather with a mahogany basketweave finish.





Turnaround was just over a week including shipping. I intend to add some rosewood grips and hope for an invitation to a Texas BBQ.

 

[rednichols]

Very handsomely executed but I can't get very excited about copying someone else's design. All progress is made by innovators and where would be if all makers since 1900 made only their variants of the Brill for example?

 

[Buford57]

Very handsomely executed but I can't get very excited about copying someone else's design. All progress is made by innovators and where would be if all makers since 1900 made only their variants of the Brill for example?

Not the only design he offers and people still seem to buy Brills, Tom Threepersonses, etc. I'm thankful the design doesn't have to die with the designer. I.looked for a Baker for my Browning and all I could find were either worn out in use or priced for collectors.

 

[rednichols]

I don't want to make this point too forcibly because I meant no offence to the OP or the maker. But the pancake has been improved greatly since it was introduced as a right hand / left hand Innovation 50 years ago. Notably modern makers beginning with Gallagher at ******* made it asymmetrical so that the tension of the waistbelt would not clamp the holster shut after the draw. And create drag during the draw plus make it darn near impossible to holster.

Also today's pancakes are strapless. The thumb snap invention of 1958 is poorly suited to autos. The tab is too high up and also brushes off the thumb Safety. And a falling hammer is likely to push the strap forward and away from the firing pin in the slide.

Most all newbie makers are copying a past they don't understand. But I'm sure you can use this copy in good health with an enhanced appreciation of the old design's limitations.

Folks who buy Threepersons and Brills are revelling in the past with guns created in the late 19th century and the 1911 early in the 20th. The good rules for gunleather THEN don't apply 100 years later.

 

[Buford57]

I don't want to make this point too forcibly because I meant no offence to the OP or the maker. But the pancake has been improved greatly since it was introduced as a right hand / left hand Innovation 50 years ago. Notably modern makers beginning with Gallagher at ******* made it asymmetrical so that the tension of the waistbelt would not clamp the holster shut after the draw. And create drag during the draw plus make it darn near impossible to holster.

Also today's pancakes are strapless. The thumb snap invention of 1958 is poorly suited to autos. The tab is too high up and also brushes off the thumb Safety. And a falling hammer is likely to push the strap forward and away from the firing pin in the slide.

Most all newbie makers are copying a past they don't understand. But I'm sure you can use this copy in good health with an enhanced appreciation of the old design's limitations.

Folks who buy Threepersons and Brills are revelling in the past with guns created in the late 19th century and the 1911 early in the 20th. The good rules for gunleather THEN don't apply 100 years later.

Sir, you are clearly better versed in holsters than either myself or the retired state trooper who made my holster in his basement. He and I used the Baker design on the job and trust.it. I'm not sure how long he made leather gear on the job but he's been at it in retirement for about 20 years, so while he's not a trailblazer he's hardly a newbie.

I only know what worked for me on and off the job and what didn't. I carry my archaic Model 25-5 in an El Paso Saddlery Threepersons not because I'm reveling in the past but because it does what I need it to do and does it well. Like the gun itself. I only needed to lose a gun from a famous maker tension retention holster once to go back to what I knew worked.

Another of the beauties of living in a free country. We are not all mandated to carry Glocks in Kydex, even if both are clearly superior.

 

[BE Mike]

I had Rodek make a pouch for a Leatherman tool for my father, many years ago. My father has long since past, but the leather pouch is still around. The quality and prices of Rodek leather products are tops.

 

[SG-688]

... But the pancake has been improved greatly since it was introduced as a right hand / left hand Innovation 50 years ago. ....

Also today's pancakes are strapless. The thumb snap invention of 1958 is poorly suited to autos. The tab is too high up and also brushes off the thumb Safety. And a falling hammer is likely to push the strap forward and away from the firing pin in the slide.

......

Well, I prefer my original early Baker pancakes - with the original folded snap tab - to any I've seen since.

A good designer can make the thumb snap strap hold the pistol AND NOT push off the safety......

Cheers!!

[All others note that Red and I have tossed this ball back and forth before. Just a tease between friends.]

 

[five 0]

Ed has been making holster for al least 10 years before I retired in 2005. Good man to deal with even though I have never bought one of his holsters.

 

[ispcapt]

Rodek's pancake isn't going to collapse when worn. It holds its shape. As Buford and a few others on this forum can comment Ed's holsters are very stiff leather. It's not going to lose it's shape after the gun is drawn. It stays open so the gun is easily holstered with one hand without looking.
Ed made this pancake for my 4" S&W 63 in the late 1980s. I've carried it exposed in all kinds of weather while hunting. It's been banged around climbing fences, worn thru brush and briars, covered with snow and carried during pouring rain. It's still as it was the day I got it from Ed. You can see a mark near the belt slot. I got that climbing a fence that broke away from the steel T post. When I fell the post hit the holster then hit me in the side. I had on a Carhart vest which saved my side from too much damage but left me with a heck of a bruise. The post didn't cut the leather, just marked it.
I don't know how long Ed has been making holsters. I've only known him 40 years and he was already making them then.
Whether a person likes a thumb break or not is personal preference. The one thing about a thumb break is when you're in a drag down scramble on the ground with someone less chance for the gun coming out than with friction style holsters. I also realize that's not a concern for most range commandos.
Ed will do about any holster someone may want. What he shows on his webpage are his most commonly requested styles. If a person wants another style or something no one else has ever made then call Ed and discuss it with him. He's made custom stuff like a full length leather case for a rifle. A fire dept ordered a belt holster for all their people to carry some kind of rescue tool. Notebook covers. Checkbook covers.
No matter what you get from Ed it won't cost you near what it would cost from the big name leatherworkers and you won't be waiting months and months for delivery. Nor will you have to put up with the over inflated egos of some of the other makers. Ed's an easy guy to work with.

 

[rednichols]

One can argue 'personal preference' until the cows come home but gunleather design does not boil down to that. Nevertheless the subject holster is handsome as a line for line copy of the original Baker.

I can tell you from personal expertise that thumbsnaps are not suited to any of the big autos. It was originally invented by the Bucheimer people for revolvers, as shown in its patent for same, in which the thumb is held well downwards because the hammer of a DA revolver is very low.

When JB added the thumbnsnap as the 'obvious' improvement to autos, we missed that the thumb had to be held high, making for a somewhat awkward grip of the pistol. Then the thumb safeties on the 1911 were reportedly being switched 'off' when the strap was fastened, because the snap is almost necessarily over the safety. We carried on at Bianchi assuming it had to work -- but we never did successfully PREVENT the problem.

In today's designs, then, from the likes of Sparks who copied Nelson who copied Theodore's, the simplest solution is to eliminate the strap altogether. I'm mindful of how difficult it is to holster a pistol with a thumbstrap trying to enter the holster pocket before the pistol can; easy 'at rest' but when the fine motor skills fail when holstering after a gunfight -- remember how much trouble the SS agent had holstering at the Trump shooting and hers didn't even have a strap -- the strap is in the way.

I certainly can understand why someone could be happy with a 50 year old design, and even a 100 year old design. But I can't understnad why a MAKER would be happy making someone else's design. I never was and still am not.

Now retired, let me show my final 'pancaked' design for revolvers: it's made of multiple pieces with the backside entirely flat because the inside layer by the cylinder has been removed. Notice also that it's essentially an Avenger with a wing added at the front. Edge to edge it's effectively as narrow as an Avenger while the original Pancake takes up a lot of space along the belt, making it harder to position on a trousers belt.

 

[Coverdog]

Red, is that holster being sold any where?

 

[SG-688]

This time Red left out his usual note that the "Avenger" style was designed to evade the Baker patent. That was before the realization of the limit of the patent, so the copiers jumped back in.

Also note that in Holstory Red and John and some other guy hold up the Baker pancake as hugely significant in mid-century holster history.

And then, I'm in the same area as Rodek, but I've missed meeting him.

 

[Onomea]

That's a nice looking holster, Red. Looks very comfortable.

I am not a holster maker, much less a designer. Don't even know how to work with leather. But I am a consumer. As a consumer it doesnt bother me in the slightest whether the fellow who made the holster is copying someone else's design. I am into the quality of the work, and how the holster feels on me when worn. Also, how it looks.

Ya know, I bet some makers can make a copy better, higher quality and more comfortable, than the original.

And, I think holster designers and makers learn from their forbears. Innovate. Tweak earlier designs. All to the good, I think.

 

[1778]

There's a limit ti design. How different can you make a holster. Just most are way out of most gun owners price range.

 

[ispcapt]

I can tell you from personal expertise that thumbsnaps are not suited to any of the big autos. It was originally invented by the Bucheimer people for revolvers, as shown in its patent for same, in which the thumb is held well downwards because the hammer of a DA revolver is very low.

I'm going to disagree with you Red. I know you are proud of your developments and contributions to holster making. As well you should be.
Based on my 42 years in LE carrying thumb breaks they've worked very well. As far as a large gun and thumb break when I was commanding 2 state drug task forces carrying a 645 it worked very well. Went into a lot of very hot situations and never felt disadvantaged. The thumb break worked very well when carrying my issued S&W 9mm autos and later Glocks in uniform and plain clothes and never caused a problem many times.
I don't have the experience of making holsters. I do have experience carrying in LE for 42 years.
Sometimes the people actually using something don't need to have someone else tell them what they think doesn't work.

 

[Matt_X]

Aw phoowey.
I have a revolver pancake by Mr Rodek and another made by Roys. They have a similar shape but are certainly not the same stitching or leather and so don't work quite the same way. So the concept is similar but in other ways - which have been noted by other members - a little different.

The characteristics that make Roys and to a lesser extent Rodek's particularly suited to my needs are not met by the Avenger or Mr Nichols latest version. However I do appreciate the benefits of the latest design, and perhaps its possible for these newer designs to accomodate the characteristics that made the Roys useful to me.

As far as what makes one person satisfies with their craftsmanship and another one satisfies with their creativity, that's simply being human.

 

[Derosa]

I have been a very satisfied owner of Rodek Holsters for several years. I have three: two pancakes like the OP and one shoulder holster with twin pouches. I use them all. The fit and finish are beyond reproach in today's world of workmanship. I have never had an issue with any stitch or snap or color shift after use in the Texas heat. The prices are very good and I really do not care if he makes a copy of a well proven design. It just works. I have carried on the belt or on the shoulder for over fifty years and have seen many makers come and go. Mr. Rodek is a keeper; communications, quality, delivery, price. If the OP wants a Texas BBQ, come on down. I am in north TX - just outside DFW. I will supply the ribs and sauce. The cornbread is on him.

 

[geeollie]

I hope this discussion is not over.

I would enjoy hearing what makes an Avenger different than a Bruce Nelson. I can tell you what holsters work for me and which don't. But I do not always understand why because there are some subtle little details that make the big difference.

 

[Igiveup]

Awhile back I tried to get on Rodek's web site and thought it was shut down. I have purchased five of his holsters, wearing one now for my 2" M64, have a cross draw for a M10 snub, one for my three inch M65, one for a M10 and bought one for my son's three inch M10. Oh, and one for my snub M10. All look like the OP's. Been carrying his holsters almost excluseivy for 15 years. For everyday carry or hunting, I use his holsters. I have had other brands, but the Rodek is economical compared to other brands and I feel better than most.

 

[rednichols]

I respect all the replies to my viewpoint. And I especially respect the views of those who are longterm users. Be aware that long-term designer/makers see troubles in returned goods, that users never hear about, because we have seen millions (in my case) of holsters as they pass through production lines. "Tip of the iceberg" and it's unlikely anyone here knew that the strap of a thumbsnap can and has gone into the holster pocket first, pistol second. Even into the trigger guard if the strap is not bigger than the guard opening -- BANG! on an SA auto.

Some really experienced gunmen at Safariland nevertheless let their Kydex holsters for Glocks with lights, get out of R&D with a gap at the trigger. Little fingers and keys got into the gap and -- BANG on the Glock and copies. Gunmen DON'T know more than experience gunleather designer/makers; they're not looking for that kind of trouble. I have heaps of articles that have been published as a result of the injuries and killings of officers and others from poor holster design, esp. Safariland.

Have a look at my blog. A full post includes many AIWB deaths reported, so imagine how many were NOT reported. But 'gunmen' still carry that way, because they really DON'T know any better.

Enough of my thread hijack, which I didn't expect to be because I didn't criticise the OP's holster for any more than it being a copy of ancient history that was much improved on by others, especially to avoid the Baker patent of the early '70s. If Gallagher hadn't done that at *******, would we have any of the flat-backed pancakes of today, including Galco's? Nope, innovation is healthy, copying is unhealthy. I never do it.

A Galco flat-backed pancake from a recent online promotional video, then back to regularly scheduled programming: