How to care for holsters

[rednichols]

Sorry Red
my command of the language is absolutely not high, let's say it's really basic.
I seemed to understand that you both Lobo and you had said similar things:
clean with a damp cloth, wait until it is dry and wax.

Didn't say that at all; hopefully I said 'stay the heck away from Black Rock' for gunleather.

Here's what I did this morning when the DeSantis holster arrived from USA:









Fiebing's Tan Kote, applied directly to the damaged holster without prior cleaning, using a sheepswool pad to rub in the TK. Cleans the detritus off, which likely was only mold, then leaves a clean, lacquered surface behind.

Notice I didn't also accommodate the coloured marks; which a black lacquer spray for leather would've caused to vanish.

I bought it only for the pleasure of making one of Gene's (a former customer of mine and one of the very best of same) that is much like a Seventrees, back into a 'keeper'. It will go into a box of holsters that I'm sending FREE to an FOH (friend of holstory) in Canada who unrelentingly has supplied research and images for Holstory the Second Edition. My prior gunleather collection went to the other two FOHs who supported the First Edition.

The Third Edition is forthcoming, if only to put a certain Texan in his place. He wanders the 'net looking for my name on forums, then jumps in with screen names to malign me; then the locals pile on in support! So, I have a stalker. How famous of me!

 

[ENNE-FRAME]

Dear friends
It's because of my poor English, I have the idea that I've started a war...
Maybe it's better if I withdraw from this battle...

 

[turnerriver]

A war usually has two or more combatants, there is no war here. Blackrock is used successfully by lots of people on this forum who can see that their holsters look great after using it, some don't like it and prefer other methods. Everyone on this forum is welcome to contribute their opinion, relate their experience and respectfully agree or disagree with others, no one can be right all the time, not even the moderator. The OP asked a simple question that should be answered by " I like this method " or "this works for me". As with literally everything in life, your mileage may vary but you're welcome to tell what your experience has been. Respectfully-repeat as necessary-respectfully.
Regards,
John Witty
Moderator

 

[rednichols]

A war usually has two or more combatants, there is no war here. Blackrock is used successfully by lots of people on this forum who can see that their holsters look great after using it, some don't like it and prefer other methods. Everyone on this forum is welcome to contribute their opinion, relate their experience and respectfully agree or disagree with others, no one can be right all the time, not even the moderator. The OP asked a simple question that should be answered by " I like this method " or "this works for me". As with literally everything in life, your mileage may vary but you're welcome to tell what your experience has been. Respectfully-repeat as necessary-respectfully.
Regards,
John Witty
Moderator

All my posts were respectful. And my opinion on Black Rock, for which I have a complete post on my blog, is an expert one based on personal testing of the product and a knowledge of what's in it. It is suited only to cleaning painted leathers such as shoes and handbags, and contains a substantial amount of poison that is antifreeze.

If this is an opinion site, then count me out, John .

 

[Shoebox1.1]

Basically all I ever do is polish holsters, pouches and belts with Lincoln or Kiwi shoe polish (Lincoln is preferred). You NEVER want to soften up leather holsters, belts or pouches! Soft = lousy retention. Stiff = great original retention. Never saddle soap a holster or gun belt!

BTW, all my CCW holsters are Horsehide and have zero retention devises added to make up for inferior retention qualities. No straps, no snaps, no velcro, no screws, etc. Just properly made in the first place out of what I believe to be the best material, Horse Hide. You never want to soften up a holster and remove those properties.

Can I get an amen!

 

[rednichols]

Can I get an amen!

A valid opinion, no doubt earned over decades of experience. To the OP's initial question you've added, basically, 'what do I expect from a holster?' and I think it's worth examining what they truly are for; that is, what they really do.

At their core, holsters do no more than allow us to keep the pistol with us at all times, in a socially acceptable manner (boy has that changed; even the Texas Rangers of the turn of the last century weren't allowed to expose their weapons), in a position that allows us to produce it for its purpose (ergonomics). That is, they are portable launch platforms for a hand weapon. Only.

The first of these was the Brill in which retention without a strap was deemed an essential feature. Because they were LEOs; it was not an essential feature of civilian gunleather. Exposed triggers, too, were required of all pistols; not today.

Which brings me to our most celebrated gunfighter of holstory, Jelly Bryce of the FBI (eventually) who began killing perps by 1930 and never did stop. His holster had zero retention, he says, and was allowed to rock forward and backward on his pistol belt to facilitate his draw which was called 'throwing' the pistol towards the target.

Which tells me that retention is not a factor, from horsehide (my personal favorite) to plastic, for real gunmen. Being able to CARRY and LAUNCH the pistol are the only two requirements.

As to LEOs and gun grabs, that has always been the responsibility of the gun makers and we gunleather designer/makers made the mistake of stepping into the breach to 'solve' that problem; leaving the gun makers to do . . . nothing.

My two cents worth.

P.S. My example of a 50 year-old Bianchi holster, known generically as the 9R-2, arrived today. Not only is the spring as strong as the day it was made (perhaps even by me) but the finish also needs NOTHING. Gunleather isn't like boots, not worn down at ground level with mud and dirt and rain etc. The factory finish will resiste most anything one can throw at it.

 

[luvsmiths]

I'd like to just add....

 

[Krogen]

As to LEOs and gun grabs, that has always been the responsibility of the gun makers and we gunleather designer/makers made the mistake of stepping into the breach to 'solve' that problem; leaving the gun makers to do . . . nothing.

Interesting post, rednichols. I am not a holster connoisseur. I'm simply a "user." I just need a simple one I can trust to hold the pistol until such time that I want it to let go.

Can you elaborate on the portion of your post I quoted above? How is it that the gunmakers are responsible? I think I'm missing the point.

 

[rednichols]

Interesting post, rednichols. I am not a holster connoisseur. I'm simply a "user." I just need a simple one I can trust to hold the pistol until such time that I want it to let go.

Can you elaborate on the portion of your post I quoted above? How is it that the gunmakers are responsible? I think I'm missing the point.

I think not. Post 27 tells us that some members here including the moderator have had enough of me and my 'opinions' .