Luigi half case for M9 and Thumbs Up cutout

[Danno_photoguy]

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I went to Photo Village in NY city today to get a MD Grip for my M9. While I was there I told the sales person that what I really wanted was a Luigi half case with a grip, but there appears to be a bit of a challenge in getting one. I have his full case for my RD-1 and I love it. Lo and behold, he had one in stock and I got it. It is what I wanted (black with a snap back), but it does not have a cutout for the Thumbs Up. Although I can slide the Thumbs Up on and lock it down without it fully in place, I feel that it would be better to cut the case down to make room for it. Does anyone have any experience/guidance as to the best way to do this?

 

Thanks

Dan

 

PS He also had 3 digital M batteries of which I purchased 2. May still be one more sitting there.

[richfx]

No, but I understand that Luigi sells M9 half cases that accommodate the Thumbs Up. Check his website and/or eBay. You should be able to swap the one you bought for this model.

Rich

[Danno_photoguy]

Perhaps, but I hope to be able to modify the one that I have.

[tdtaylor]

I have been trying to get Luigi's attention, or at least an email response, for over 5 weeks. Even had my wife email, which in the past has received a faster response than I ever received. I know he was out in January, but I would have thought they might be starting to catch up by now.

 

Hopefully he will respond one day .

[Danno_photoguy]

I have been trying for weeks as well, that is why I gave up on the option. When I found a case in the shop I just had to get it, even if it did not have the Thumbs Up cut out.

 

I am looking to see if anyone has made the cut out themselves, or if they just lock the Thunbs Up down and use it as is.

[Mauribix]

Danno,

why you'd try to ruin a 150€ case just to save few bucks, while you could buy a new one and then add "two Luigi's case" to your lens list.

 

That would be cool!

[JeffreyTotaro]

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Danno,

 

Try taking it to a really good shoe repair place. They are very good at working with leather. Tell them the story behind the Luigi case, that its hand made in italy and expensive and hopefully they will get on board. I have a place near me that I would trust with it, but you have to feel comfortable with who's near you.

[Danno_photoguy]

Thanks for the input. I would like to have two cases, but it was hard just to find the one. I will follow up on the shoe repair shop option.

 

Thanks

Dan

[ldhrads]

Here's what I did for my M8.2

I was in the same position as you. Loved my Luigi case and also love the Thumbs up.

 

I put both on the camera and used a fine point Sharpie to outline the contour of the thumbs up.

I took the case off the camera

I used a disposable scalpel (very sharp!!) to trim the case to the desired shape and tried back on the camera, trimmed a little more as necessary.

 

Once I was happy, I took the case off and put a drop of superglue on any cut thread ends.

 

At this point, I've been using the case for 6 months this way and have been very happy with it. It was a leap of faith to do this after paying for the case, but I'm happy with the outcome. Important to use a very sharp knife, that's why I used a disposeable scalpel. I'm sure that a brand new Xacto would work as well.

 

Good Luck

[rennsport]

I wrote to Luigi to customize a case for me with specific requirements. One being a cut-out for the Thumbs Up. Just inform him which model it is, its dimension, etc. After few weeks, this arrived in the mail.

 

 

You can also browse his site for more ideas and options.

[Danno_photoguy]

Here's what I did for my M8.2

I was in the same position as you. Loved my Luigi case and also love the Thumbs up.

 

I put both on the camera and used a fine point Sharpie to outline the contour of the thumbs up.

I took the case off the camera

I used a disposable scalpel (very sharp!!) to trim the case to the desired shape and tried back on the camera, trimmed a little more as necessary.

 

Once I was happy, I took the case off and put a drop of superglue on any cut thread ends.

 

At this point, I've been using the case for 6 months this way and have been very happy with it. It was a leap of faith to do this after paying for the case, but I'm happy with the outcome. Important to use a very sharp knife, that's why I used a disposeable scalpel. I'm sure that a brand new Xacto would work as well.

 

Good Luck

 

Thanks, I will give this a try this weekend.

 

Dan

[ldhrads]

Mine looks almost exactly like the one in the above post!!!,

but I did it myself.

 

It does get thin at the one point, just like the one in the photo above.

 

LDH

[tdtaylor]

I wrote to Luigi to customize a case for me with specific requirements. One being a cut-out for the Thumbs Up. Just inform him which model it is, its dimension, etc. After few weeks, this arrived in the mail.

 

You can also browse his site for more ideas and options.

 

You are correct about ordering- how I have attained several of his products.

 

The problem is, since the end of January, I and others (as conveyed through other threads) are finding it is nearly impossible to communicate with Luigi, let alone to place an order. I have been trying since the first of February to get a wrist strap and another neck strap.

[Danno_photoguy]

Ya, that is why I would not send it to him for modification and/or order another case. I have also been unable to get any sort of response. I am happy for him that his products are in such great demand; they are IMHO great. I will follow Idhras' lead and do a bit of DIY.

 

Dan

[tdtaylor]

Good luck, and lay off the coffee several hours before you start

[hoppyman]

Danno,

 

Try taking it to a really good shoe repair place. They are very good at working with leather. Tell them the story behind the Luigi case, that its hand made in italy and expensive and hopefully they will get on board. I have a place near me that I would trust with it, but you have to feel comfortable with who's near you.

 

That is exactly what I did. My Luigi case had been on my M8 for 2 years and I swapped it onto my M9, then got the Thumbs Up. I marked it carefully with a pen and my shoe repair guy just cut it carefully and then did a short run of stitching along the new edge. It cost me all of $15 I think.

The advantage of marking it carefully with your particular Thumbs Up is that you can match the shape exactly, whereas Luigi has to make a cutout that will fit every variation of Thumbs Up.

For mine I made it fit very closely and the edge fits neatly under the protruding lever, That holds the leather perfectly in position too.

[scjohn]

This thread is really odd. Much like the one about Luigi before. I had two Luigi cases and wanted one for my M9. I saw the thread here saying he was hard to get hold of. I though "oh oh." I emailed him and received a response the next day. I received my case. I sent a thank you email and received another immediate response. Then I received a follow up email. Then, when the m9 fell to the street at Mardi Gras I sent him a thank you note because the case saved the camera. ANOTHER immediate reply. I can't imagine why so many people have trouble getting hold of him.

[tdtaylor]

I saw the thread here saying he was hard to get hold of. I though "oh oh." I emailed him and received a response the next day. .

 

The only time I have received an immediate response in the last 6 months was when my wife emailed him about a new case for me for Xmas. She had the case a week later. It can happen, but it seems not now

[rennsport]

You are correct about ordering- how I have attained several of his products.

 

The problem is, since the end of January, I and others (as conveyed through other threads) are finding it is nearly impossible to communicate with Luigi, let alone to place an order. I have been trying since the first of February to get a wrist strap and another neck strap.

 

I know, I find it rather odd too. I have two emails I use regularly. Few years ago I used my gmail to order something from him without any delays. This time I used the same gmail to write, no respond at all. I tried a few times since November, and nothing came back.

 

I decided in January to write him again using my yahoo email. I got a respond almost immediately. We exchanged a few emails before finalizing the order. The only wait I had to go through was to allow time for him to customize the case!

 

So, in short, if you have another email, do try and write him.

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[PayPerView]

You are correct about ordering- how I have attained several of his products.

 

The problem is, since the end of January, I and others (as conveyed through other threads) are finding it is nearly impossible to communicate with Luigi, let alone to place an order. I have been trying since the first of February to get a wrist strap and another neck strap.

 

same here..I gave up.