Stiff holster?

[pmanton]

I bought a Tokarev holster from Russia. The holster appears new. However the leather is very stiff and the holster looks like it has been squashed flat while being stored.

What can I use to soften the leather that will not harm the pistol?

Thanks.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Hmmmm....does the pistol fit well, already? If so then you don't need to go through the "shaping" exercise. There are various leather treatments you can use and I wouldn't use them on the interior of the holster unless it's necessary, in which case it has to cure for quite awhile to not leech onto a gun.

I'd treat the leather the same way you would treat a new baseball glove. There is a wealth of information on the Internet on that subject.

If the holster is squashed stiff and needs shaping that's different. Then I'd soak it in warm water and then let it dry with the gun inside wrapped in a plastic bag or "saran wrap" to cause the holster to assume the correct shape without getting the gun wet. After that you can soften the exterior with oil of some kind - or conditioner - tons of products will work.

 

[crazyphil]

I got an old Desantis IWB recently that was like you describe. Flat and
stiff as a board. I rubbed a lot of Black Rock Leather 'N' Rich into it, and
then put the gun in and out about a hundred time. It's still a little stiff, but
the gun goes in and out. Whatever you do, don't oil it.

 

[zumatodd]

From Milt Sparks website:

Questions | Milt Sparks Holsters

"Tightness in a new holster is not uncommon and is much preferable to the alternative. If the draw is a little stiff at first, it is recommended that you work with it to see if it doesn't loosen up with a bit of use. About 25 to 50 presentations should be a good indicator of whether the holster will break in sufficiently on its own or if maybe a little blocking out of the leather is needed. There are many variables as to why a holster would be excessively tight ranging from the texture of your gun’s finish to changes in climate or humidity from where the holster is made. Regardless of the reason, a too-tight holster can easily be remedied by the end user with a method we have been recommending to customers for over 30 years.

To block out (stretch) your new holster, first UNLOAD your pistol or revolver and place the gun into the 4 mil plastic bag that your new holster was packaged in. Then carefully insert the bagged gun all the way into the holster. DO NOT wet or spray the holster with any solution to aid in the stretching process. The blocking out process as described above will in no way harm the crisp detailed molding of your new holster nor will it ruin its retention qualities. It simply stretches the leather a few thousandths of an inch larger than the gun. The amount of stretching time needed for satisfactory results range from a just a few minutes to overnight. If you have any concerns or need clarification, please call us and we are happy to talk you through the process."

 

[mike4sigs]

Thanks for the link Zumatodd.

 

[cracker57]

do not oil, holsters should be stiff. sounds more to me like you need to unflatten it, use milt sparks blocking method.