Hi Justin:
You asked for someone who knows Ron. Well, I'm his number 1, self-appointed cheerleader. Currently I own over 50 products made by Ron, including holsters, belts, et cetera.
I'm 48 years old and a self-described holster junkie. I've carried a concealed firearm for the last 23 years. While I enjoy firearms, I have never been too keen on carrying them. Carrying a firearm is not very comfortable. But for me, a necessary tool.
So I've always been on the lookout for a better way to carry a firearm. Also, when money was tight, buying a new holster was cheaper than a new gun. I'm a sucker for new designs as well.
You hit a raw nerve with Ron. First, let me talk about hand boning.
Hand boned gun leather only became the current "rage" in the mid to late 1980's. Before then, the rage was lined, hand-tooled leather holsters. Hand boneing refers to the wet moulding process a maker uses to custom fit a gun to a specific holster. All of the makers you mentioned, including Ron, all bone their products. Whether you see all of the detail on the leather surface or not doesn't mean that the holster wasn't hand boned.
The problem is to understand the difference between cosmetic and practical aspects of a holster. It is easier to get detail out of belly leather than shoulder leather. Look at horsehide holsters make 50 years ago, and you discover that the thickness of leather used then was significantly thicker than what is used today. Ask yourself why?
Today, many holsters are moulded so finely that the ejection port is visible. While it looks pretty, it is a dumb thing to do because the ejection port will scrape against the leather causing undue wear. Yet makers still do it, because of its cosmetic appeal, not its practical value.
As to Ron's backlog. Well, it take 12 to 24 months to get a Rolls Royce made from the date of the order. If you order a knife from Randall, the current wait is 4 years. Seecamp 380's have a 3 year wait. There are people like me willing to wait for the best. If you need a holster right away, there are plenty of makers out there who need the work and will crank one out for you by return mail.
Ask yourself this--why would a maker like Ron, who spend not a single dime on advertising, have more orders backlogged than most makers receive in an entire year? Maybe the quality of his designs and workmanship speak for themselves.
Now, finally, as to his exotic leather holsters--you will find no one who makes a better holster at any price--PERIOD.
I take my safety very seriously. I bought my Rohrbaugh for the same reason I own Ron Graham holsters. I want the best tools available, and sometimes you just have to wait to get the best.
