What are your lead times? Orders placed between 1/1 and 11/15 can expect a 3-4 week lead time to ship. Orders placed between 11/16 and 12/31 should expect a 5-7 week lead time to ship. To receive your order by Christmas you MUST order by 11/15. Due to the handmade, semi-custom nature of Mason Leather, all lead times are best estimates and may extend during periods of high order volume. You will receive a tracking notification when your order ships. Note: Stated lead times are BEST ESTIMATES and are estimates of when your order will ship from my workshop, not when they will deliver. Once shipped, I have zero control of how long it will take USPS to deliver your order.
How do you ship domestic (U.S.) orders? Domestic orders are shipped USPS First Class mail or USPS Priority mail, depending on the size of the order.
Can I track my order? Once your order ships you will receive an email with tracking information. Please note that as of December 2020, USPS and all other logistics carrier tracking has become unreliable. This does not mean that your order is not in transit, it is an effect of unprecedented pressure on USPS and all other logistics services. Once you receive your order shipped email please refer to the tracking info provided and initiate an inquiry with USPS if you feel there is a delay. Once I ship your order I have no more insight than you do as to where it is or when it may arrive.
What do I do if my order gets lost in the mail? There have been very few issues with lost or returned packages, however it does happen on rare occasions. If you don't receive your order AND you have received confirmation from USPS that your package was actually lost in transit, email me with proof from USPS confirming the loss. You must initiate this inquiry with USPS with your tracking information. If the package has actually been lost in-transit, I will work with you to get a replacement shipped out.
Do you ship international? Yes! I ship worldwide and my website is setup with international shipping options during checkout. Any duties, fees, taxes, etc. at the destination are solely the responsibility of the buyer.
What is your warranty, refund and return policy? I warranty all products against manufacturer defect. If you receive your order and find an issue with it regarding materials or workmanship, email me and I will get you fixed-up with a replacement or refund at no cost to you. Due to the semi-custom nature of many of my products I cannot accept returns and do not issue refunds due to anything other than manufacturer defect. For example, if the color is slightly different than what you expected, that does not warrant a return, exchange or refund. Some slight variation has to be expected with the nature of handmade leather gear. If you mistakenly ordered something incorrectly, i.e. you selected Left Hand but needed a Right Hand Cartridge Cuff, that does not warrant a return, exchange or refund. I will make you EXACTLY what you order, so please review your order before submitting it.
Can I cancel an order once placed? If I have not yet started work on your order at the time you request cancellation I will cancel and refund your order with no questions asked. Due to the semi custom nature of Mason Leather gear I cannot cancel and refund an order once I have started making it as the materials cannot be recycled at that point. Do you accept custom commission orders? My production items have many custom options including name, initial or caliber stamping. In order to serve all customers as best I can and keep lead times and prices reasonable, I cannot accept fully custom orders.
Do you have a physical store location? I do not. Everything is made in my home workshop in Plano, Texas.
How did you get into leather work? In 2010 I bought a small pocketknife that did not have a sheath, but I wanted to be able to carry it on my belt. I went to a local crafts store and picked up some leather and basic tools. I made a little snap-close belt case for that knife that I still have today, and the rest is history!
Will the rivets on the Cartridge Cuffs damage my rifle stock? Nope! I get this question a lot. The rivets I use are smooth on the backside, made from a softer metal and inset slightly into the leather. I have taken one of my Cuffs and rubbed it vigorously all over a rifle stock with absolutely zero affect to the stock. Also, in over 10 years of making Cartridge Cuffs and now blessedly thousands of customers served, I have never gotten a complaint of a rifle stock being affected in any way by the Cartridge Cuffs.
Will the leather discolor my rifle stock? Nope! Again, in over 10 years of making Cartridge Cuffs and thousands of customers served, as well as having Cartridge Cuffs on some of my own rifles for many years, I have never seen a single instance of a rifle stock becoming discolored or affected in any way.
How should I care for my new leather? I recommend once or twice a year rubbing your leather down with a light coat of mink oil paste. A piece cut from an old cotton sock works very well for applying and buffing the paste into the leather.
How many people work in your shop, and do you do this full-time? Just me! I do not do leatherwork full-time, although sometimes it does feel like I have two full-time jobs (and I appreciate that)! My full time “day job” is in the defense industry where we work to provide the United States and allied war fighters with the most cutting-edge technology to keep us ready for any fight, against any adversary.
Where do you source your supplies and how do you maintain high quality control? For leather I work exclusively with Weaver Leather out of Ohio. The quality of their leathers is absolutely second to none and that helps me make sure you get the best end-product possible. I source hardware from a few places, but primarily use Buckle Guy. Their quality control, just like Weaver Leather, is exceptional. Being a one-person shop I am able to maintain high quality control throughout the entire process.
You used to offer a 7-loop option on your Cartridge Cuffs. Why did you eliminate that option? The overwhelming majority of orders are for 5-loop Cartridge Cuffs. A 7-loop cuff actually requires a few extra steps to make, and even requires different lengths of strap to be cut for the cartridge loops. In order to help maximize efficiency and keep lead times reasonable, I made the call to eliminate the 7-loop option.