What follows is my review of an Incognito Deluxe from Mark Garrity so that other people may make an informed decision in regards to selecting a holster from a custom maker.
Mark Garrity
Incognito Deluxe Review
Back in January or maybe February of 2007, I ordered an “Incognito Deluxe” from Holster maker Mark Garrity.
Realizing that holster making is his “second gig” and that his full time job is wearing a badge to protect society I figured I may have a bit of a wait but that I would be getting a holster from a man that knows what it is to carry day in and day out. I had seen examples of his work and he looked to be right up there with the masters in terms of artisanship.
I spoke with Mr. Garrity via telephone, the only time I have done so. I called and left a message and he promptly called me back. He told me that it would be “Three or four months” to make me an Incognito Deluxe for my 4” N-Frame Revolver. He said he did not want a down payment and that when he was closer to getting it done to send the money. I thought, “Cool” and that was that. I placed my order via Email with my belt measurements, color preference and other assorted little odds and ends.
I was hoping to have the holster in time for an LFI class that I ended up not going to because I had landed a new job. Figure job orientation or LFI. LFI would have been more fun, but the job orientation got me Federal LEO creds and has been my “dream job” that I have been seeking for the past four years. The job orientation was at the four-month mark. No holster to fondle.
I contacted Mr. Garrity and he did not reply to my Email or phone calls. I finally heard from him after I posted in another forum to ask if he was still alive so to speak. We communicated via Email and he told me that my holster “Should be done soon. I had to help my wife get started in her new business and was helping her with the licenses needed.” No worries and onward I trudged. At the beginning of May, I informed Mr. Garrity that I was going to Brunswick, GA. To complete my Federal LEO training. He informed me that my holster “should be done when you get back from Glynco.”
Glynco came and went, and still no holster to fondle. I contacted Mr. Garrity via telephone with no luck. I also emailed him. He got back to me in about ten days via Email stating that he had been out of town as his “Father is sick and in the hospital.” He said that my “holster will be done soon.” At this point, I was beginning to lose hope. One more round of Emails ensued with Mr. Garrity stating that he is “overworked and stressed and not knowing what he is going to do” before I posted the following. Of course I was told, “It’s almost done” in that Email round as well.
Finally, I sent this Email to Mr. Garrity on 08/23/2007
Mr. Garrity,
Due to the excessive amount of time that you are taking to make my holster and belt that I ordered, cancel my order.
I will not burden your obviously "overworked" person, that cannot come close to estimating a "Delivery Time", with further business. I am sorry that it has come to this, but Emails going back to May stating, "I should be done with it when you get back from Glynco;" are obviously false.
Take care and have a nice day.
In reply, I received from Mr. Garrity the following Email on 08/23/2007:
I truely apologize. Your holster was almost finished a few weeks ago when I realized I screwed it up. I saw the picture of the DelFatti holster you posted (very nice by the way) and thought "Oh no, that's left-handed!" and realized I had cut your's right-handed out of habit. I started making a left-handed one, but if you are not interested let me know if you know anyone that wants one for each hip.
Thanks,
Mark
In reply, I posted the following response on 08/24/2007:
I don't know if I should believe you, since all I've had is excuse after excuse.
If you have already cut it then it should be almost done. I figure that after the weekend I should receive an Email from you stating that it's done, if so, I'm interested. If not, then the answer is no. Today is Thursday 08/23/2007 at 2350 Hours. If I do not have confirmation that it's done by Monday 08/27/2007 at 2350 Hours I will not be interested in any holster from you.
Thank you for your prompt reply.
I was willing yet to still give Mr. Garrity a “chance” but I’m not a “betting man” so I did not “hold my breath”. On 08/24/2007, I received the following:
I'm sorry but highly unlikely.
It is currently 11:20 my time and I just got home after being on duty since 19:00 last night; and I do not have any days off until Tuesday.
Predicting delivery times was easy when I was working a normal 40 hour work week, but in the past few months that has not been the case. Initially we were understaffed and working overtime to fill vacancies. Now we have hired several new officers and I'm a Field Training Officer and Firearms Instructor on top of my normal patrol duties. None of this was forseeable a few months back when I took on orders as our vacancies were not expected retirements. A few were injury diabilities and several are officers jumping ship to go to a new department that is just starting up. I can understand your frustration and wish I had an easy solution.
But this is why I do not charge up front.
Be safe,
Mark
Therefore, here is my review of my beautiful Incognito Deluxe:
Thank you for taking the time to read the blank page. It is blank because I have no holster to review. I just want potential customers to know what they may be getting in to if they decide to order a holster from Mr. Garrity.
This forum allows us to publish the good with the bad regarding holsters. I am out no money but I am very frustrated about this holster situation. I feel that I have been more than patient with Mr. Garrity. Some of you may feel differently. In the future, I will stick with “established” holster makers that have a business to run and not someone that does holster making “on the side”. I have a Del Fatti and another on order. I also have a Milt Sparks on order. I am willing to wait for quality, just don’t keep promising and not delivering. I will never have a Garrity holster I'm sorry to say. His work looks very nice, but almost nine months of waiting on a 3-4 month order is ridiculous.
Biker
Mark Garrity
Incognito Deluxe Review
Back in January or maybe February of 2007, I ordered an “Incognito Deluxe” from Holster maker Mark Garrity.
Realizing that holster making is his “second gig” and that his full time job is wearing a badge to protect society I figured I may have a bit of a wait but that I would be getting a holster from a man that knows what it is to carry day in and day out. I had seen examples of his work and he looked to be right up there with the masters in terms of artisanship.
I spoke with Mr. Garrity via telephone, the only time I have done so. I called and left a message and he promptly called me back. He told me that it would be “Three or four months” to make me an Incognito Deluxe for my 4” N-Frame Revolver. He said he did not want a down payment and that when he was closer to getting it done to send the money. I thought, “Cool” and that was that. I placed my order via Email with my belt measurements, color preference and other assorted little odds and ends.
I was hoping to have the holster in time for an LFI class that I ended up not going to because I had landed a new job. Figure job orientation or LFI. LFI would have been more fun, but the job orientation got me Federal LEO creds and has been my “dream job” that I have been seeking for the past four years. The job orientation was at the four-month mark. No holster to fondle.
I contacted Mr. Garrity and he did not reply to my Email or phone calls. I finally heard from him after I posted in another forum to ask if he was still alive so to speak. We communicated via Email and he told me that my holster “Should be done soon. I had to help my wife get started in her new business and was helping her with the licenses needed.” No worries and onward I trudged. At the beginning of May, I informed Mr. Garrity that I was going to Brunswick, GA. To complete my Federal LEO training. He informed me that my holster “should be done when you get back from Glynco.”
Glynco came and went, and still no holster to fondle. I contacted Mr. Garrity via telephone with no luck. I also emailed him. He got back to me in about ten days via Email stating that he had been out of town as his “Father is sick and in the hospital.” He said that my “holster will be done soon.” At this point, I was beginning to lose hope. One more round of Emails ensued with Mr. Garrity stating that he is “overworked and stressed and not knowing what he is going to do” before I posted the following. Of course I was told, “It’s almost done” in that Email round as well.
Finally, I sent this Email to Mr. Garrity on 08/23/2007
Mr. Garrity,
Due to the excessive amount of time that you are taking to make my holster and belt that I ordered, cancel my order.
I will not burden your obviously "overworked" person, that cannot come close to estimating a "Delivery Time", with further business. I am sorry that it has come to this, but Emails going back to May stating, "I should be done with it when you get back from Glynco;" are obviously false.
Take care and have a nice day.
In reply, I received from Mr. Garrity the following Email on 08/23/2007:
I truely apologize. Your holster was almost finished a few weeks ago when I realized I screwed it up. I saw the picture of the DelFatti holster you posted (very nice by the way) and thought "Oh no, that's left-handed!" and realized I had cut your's right-handed out of habit. I started making a left-handed one, but if you are not interested let me know if you know anyone that wants one for each hip.
Thanks,
Mark
In reply, I posted the following response on 08/24/2007:
I don't know if I should believe you, since all I've had is excuse after excuse.
If you have already cut it then it should be almost done. I figure that after the weekend I should receive an Email from you stating that it's done, if so, I'm interested. If not, then the answer is no. Today is Thursday 08/23/2007 at 2350 Hours. If I do not have confirmation that it's done by Monday 08/27/2007 at 2350 Hours I will not be interested in any holster from you.
Thank you for your prompt reply.
I was willing yet to still give Mr. Garrity a “chance” but I’m not a “betting man” so I did not “hold my breath”. On 08/24/2007, I received the following:
I'm sorry but highly unlikely.
It is currently 11:20 my time and I just got home after being on duty since 19:00 last night; and I do not have any days off until Tuesday.
Predicting delivery times was easy when I was working a normal 40 hour work week, but in the past few months that has not been the case. Initially we were understaffed and working overtime to fill vacancies. Now we have hired several new officers and I'm a Field Training Officer and Firearms Instructor on top of my normal patrol duties. None of this was forseeable a few months back when I took on orders as our vacancies were not expected retirements. A few were injury diabilities and several are officers jumping ship to go to a new department that is just starting up. I can understand your frustration and wish I had an easy solution.
But this is why I do not charge up front.
Be safe,
Mark
Therefore, here is my review of my beautiful Incognito Deluxe:
Thank you for taking the time to read the blank page. It is blank because I have no holster to review. I just want potential customers to know what they may be getting in to if they decide to order a holster from Mr. Garrity.
This forum allows us to publish the good with the bad regarding holsters. I am out no money but I am very frustrated about this holster situation. I feel that I have been more than patient with Mr. Garrity. Some of you may feel differently. In the future, I will stick with “established” holster makers that have a business to run and not someone that does holster making “on the side”. I have a Del Fatti and another on order. I also have a Milt Sparks on order. I am willing to wait for quality, just don’t keep promising and not delivering. I will never have a Garrity holster I'm sorry to say. His work looks very nice, but almost nine months of waiting on a 3-4 month order is ridiculous.
Biker
If someone had posted this kind of information on one of the many forums I visited I would've been able to make an "informed" decision in regards to ordering a Garrity Holster.