Kramer Leather Customer Service Experience

[joseywales44]

My most recent Kramer order arrived in 9 months, and it was for the wrong pistols. Have to admit that I had to send an email at 7 months (with no reply), then call at 8 months (which seemed to work). But, they didn't bother to read the special instructions in the order (about my J frames have rear sights). They didn't look at the pictures of the pistol I had attached to emails either.

However, they did "fix" the holsters and return them in about a month. It looks like they simply remolded the holsters to make some room for the rear sight. Unfortunately, the fit is loose and neither holster seems to be "just right" IMO. It's a disappointing situation, but could have been worse.

I'm sure Kramer would be willing to try again if I complained, but I've lost interest at this point.

Incidentally, I was pleasantly surprised by Ritchie holsters in 2024. I custom ordered a "dual upside-down" shoulder rig for a pair of J frames (just for kicks) and it showed up in less than 8 weeks. Perfect in every detail, right on the first try, and very fairly priced.

My next leather order is most likely going to Ritchie.

I had some discussions with the folks at Ritchie Leather concerning a custom holster(s) that I wanted made. They were "copies" of the old Alessi "bodyguard" shoulder holster with a couple of minor modifications to the holster attachment and the design of the harness. I have both the Alessi harness and a harness from a Bianchi Model 13 "Scorpio", I think the Scorpio harness is the best design I've ever worn and comes in several sizes. I was informed by the Ritchies that they would "NEVER" copy anyone else's designs so they would be unable to make anything for me. OK, Bub, Alessi is out of business (Mr. Alessi is dead), and IF there ever was a patent on the Bianchi design, it expired DECADES ago! Holster designs are almost all the same in MANY ways. Harnesses are pretty much the same too. I KNOW that I will NEVER attempt to do business with Ritchie again in this lifetime. It's doubtful that the lack of my business will cause them to close down, but if it happens, it happens. On the subject of wait times, I believe that a company shouldn't take in more orders than they can complete and ship to their customers in a timely manner. If you think that delivery in a year is a "in a timely manner", then go for it...no one is going to try to stop you.

 

[MoparTrooper]

My daily carry is a Kramer IWB2 (if I remember correctly) that I've had my M&P's in for over 19 years and it still looks pretty much like it did when I bought it. I've tried literally hundreds of holsters over the years. Horsehide, leather, kydex, and whatever the hell else they've been made from. I always come back to my Kramer. Horsehide makes for a VERY stiff holster that doesn't collapse and is very thin (nearly as thin as kydex.) I have ABSOLUTELY recommended Kramer holsters since I bought my first ( I have a couple now.) The wait sucks, and they are not cheap, but they are top notch.

 

[wileyjackhammer]

I've stated multiple times in this discussion that the wait time in itself was not the issue.

The issue as I have stated was they guaranteed the holster on a specific date twice knowing they weren't going to make either date, IOW they lied to me,
and didn't even bother to apologize.

I have had KRAMER Holsters, since before they were Kramer Holsters, before the new- old name of Proline, which didn't work out as a name, because some Bow maker with that moniker threatened suit, so he changed the name to Kramer......
His family all work in the profession and they make a holster superior to any others I have tried, which were many. It may be the horsehide that makes them better, the workmanship or a better design or all three.

Greg & family are long time friends, so I may be a little prejudice and I admit that I don't buy concealed carry holsters anywhere else and I do wait in line for them, as do other friends who buy only Kramers. We do this because they work and they do conceal better, longer.....Be sure to buy his belts to go with his holsters or you are missing out on how well they carry for long periods of time.....

They used to have sales at gun shows for holsters you would call seconds, but usually they were returns because of color or wrong model was shipped, etc...the savings were such that even friends looked thru the holsters when they did this,,,,cause, ya just never know.....

I have belts & holsters from the late 70's or early 80's that I still wear, ones from my off-duty or plain clothes days and some that I rarely wear because I don't carry a gun that big on a regular basis....but I still have them....

My cowboy belts & holsters come from other sources, usually a small private maker or El Paso Saddlery..... I have to wait for those too....

 

[Smoke]

I have had KRAMER Holsters, since before they were Kramer Holsters, before the new- old name of Proline, which didn't work out as a name, because some Bow maker with that moniker threatened suit, so he changed the name to Kramer......
His family all work in the profession and they make a holster superior to any others I have tried, which were many. It may be the horsehide that makes them better, the workmanship or a better design or all three.

Greg & family are long time friends, so I may be a little prejudice and I admit that I don't buy concealed carry holsters anywhere else and I do wait in line for them, as do other friends who buy only Kramers. We do this because they work and they do conceal better, longer.....Be sure to buy his belts to go with his holsters or you are missing out on how well they carry for long periods of time.....

They used to have sales at gun shows for holsters you would call seconds, but usually they were returns because of color or wrong model was shipped, etc...the savings were such that even friends looked thru the holsters when they did this,,,,cause, ya just never know.....

I have belts & holsters from the late 70's or early 80's that I still wear, ones from my off-duty or plain clothes days and some that I rarely wear because I don't carry a gun that big on a regular basis....but I still have them....

My cowboy belts & holsters come from other sources, usually a small private maker or El Paso Saddlery..... I have to wait for those too....

How does that relate to what I said?

 

[FivePews]

I had some discussions with the folks at Ritchie Leather concerning a custom holster(s) that I wanted made. They were "copies" of the old Alessi "bodyguard" shoulder holster with a couple of minor modifications to the holster attachment and the design of the harness. I have both the Alessi harness and a harness from a Bianchi Model 13 "Scorpio", I think the Scorpio harness is the best design I've ever worn and comes in several sizes. I was informed by the Ritchies that they would "NEVER" copy anyone else's designs so they would be unable to make anything for me. OK, Bub, Alessi is out of business (Mr. Alessi is dead), and IF there ever was a patent on the Bianchi design, it expired DECADES ago! Holster designs are almost all the same in MANY ways. Harnesses are pretty much the same too. I KNOW that I will NEVER attempt to do business with Ritchie again in this lifetime. It's doubtful that the lack of my business will cause them to close down, but if it happens, it happens. On the subject of wait times, I believe that a company shouldn't take in more orders than they can complete and ship to their customers in a timely manner. If you think that delivery in a year is a "in a timely manner", then go for it...no one is going to try to stop you.

Hmmm. I have to agree that if a custom leather guy won't make you what you want (for any reason), then there is no reason to deal with that leather guy. Ritchie recently told me that they won't make a twin agent holster for two N-frame snubbies because "they are too heavy, and retention will fail". I believe them and ordered a twin Galco horizontal shoulder rig. Upside-down holsters are the shiznit in terms of comfort IMO. But, if I had to tell the absolute truth...I did have one steel J-frame fall out of my upside-down rig when I was putting it on at camp a couple of weeks ago. The pine needles didn't damage the gun, but man-oh-man, it was embarrassing.

Note to self, put upside-down rigs on, then insert the pistols.

Also, the last two Ritchie holsters I received were so-so. The 3:00 OWB J-frame holster was OK, but the same holster for a 4-inch N-frame was bad. No wet-forming at all. Looked like a teenager made his first holster or something. Flat, sketchy stitching, uncomfortable...just not going to use it. Into the holster drawer it went.

Didn't Ritchie work with Alessi? I thought all of Alessi's stuff was now Ritchie's stuff.

As an aside, I'm waiting on a very fancy leather AIWB holster for a J-frame from a guy that is very well-know, busy, and takes payment up front. Since January of '25, two update requests so far, and two excuses so far. The first was "done in 4-6 weeks". That was four months ago. Update this week is, "Mother-in-law died, four weeks". It must be hell to have as many life problems as a leather worker does.