[FireInCairo]

I notice this is a common upgrade for iwb holsters. Is it worth the extra money? How so?

[M-Cameron]

my understand is that horse hide is denser, making more resistant to stretching and moisture.

[TAKtical]

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[High Noon Holsters]

This is our experience on it, hope this helps.

http://www.highnoonholsters.com/_Questions/_questions.html#1

Justin

[FireInCairo]

This is our experience on it, hope this helps.

http://www.highnoonholsters.com/_Questions/_questions.html#1

Justin
Thanks for sharing your experience. That helped a lot.

[TAKtical]

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[rswartsell]

TAKtical,

You own stock in a kydex plant?:D

[rswartsell]

This summer I used horsehide and it was an improvement over cowhide. Specifically from here;

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=648703

RKBA holsters, or GunNut as he is known on THR does very good quality work. I got the IWB/OWB 5" 1911 and Detective Special high ride pictured in the thread for $55.00 each. They work.:D

[TAKtical]

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[TAKtical]

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[tomrkba]

I much prefer horsehide holsters. I always order from Milt Sparks since they know how to make a great holster in horsehide.

[langloisandy]

I use both with my holster, it sews and molds VERY nicely. Some folks prefer it, others abhor it. Personal choice.

Andy

[WardenWolf]

Horse hide may be stronger, but its reduced flexibility makes it less comfortable. Its resistance to moisture can also be a detriment. If a bit of moisture gets on your gun, it won't wick it up like a cow hide holster might, and instead leave it on your gun to damage the finish. Cow hide's ability to absorb some moisture can actually be a good thing with regards to keeping your gun dry.

High Noon Holsters, ouch on your prices. I've seen holsters that appear to be of similar quality to your cow-leather models from Don Hume for about half that.

[moxie]

The desirability of horsehide used to be a given, but lately it's getting a second look. Andy Aratoonian of Horseshoe, for example, used to specialize in it, but has switched to cowhide. See here:
http://www.holsters.org/which.htm

[snatale42]

I don't think so, While people say there better in heat, There also more dense, harder to break in, more money and don't dye well. I have no issues with cowhide holsters in heat, maybe if somebody is in the desert or just a sweathog it may be worth it though.

[Coltdriver]

I don't think horsehide is better than cow leather at all.

It has different characteristics but its not better. I read an article by a custom holster maker and he said that the variation in tanning of horsehide was so great that he only bought from one source for years. That ended and he stopped making anything with horsehide.

That said I do have a Mitch Rosen. But an Occidental is a whole different ballgame.

[High Noon Holsters]

Horse hide may be stronger, but its reduced flexibility makes it less comfortable. Its resistance to moisture can also be a detriment. If a bit of moisture gets on your gun, it won't wick it up like a cow hide holster might, and instead leave it on your gun to damage the finish. Cow hide's ability to absorb some moisture can actually be a good thing with regards to keeping your gun dry.

High Noon Holsters, ouch on your prices. I've seen holsters that appear to be of similar quality to your cow-leather models from Don Hume for about half that.

Its may not be the same quality or features built in to it. Its hard for the consumner to compare apples to apples. Forums are places of learning, I will be glad to point out the features of our holster.

Point out exactly the Don Hume holster that you think is similar and to what holster of ours.

Justin

[rswartsell]

Guess I'm a sweathog, wonder which one. Vinnie Barbarino? (Gawd I hope not Horshack!)

[RmB]

I've been told that it is because horse hide does not transfer your sweat to your gun, and does not wear as easily.

[WardenWolf]

Its may not be the same quality or features built in to it. Its hard for the consumner to compare apples to apples. Forums are places of learning, I will be glad to point out the features of our holster.

Point out exactly the Don Hume holster that you think is similar and to what holster of ours.

Justin
Their H721-OT: http://www.donhume.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_5&products_id=44

Looks similar to your Slide Guard: http://www.highnoonholsters.com/Product_Line/_Topless/_topless.html

There's various other similar models. The only difference I see is heavy stitching where you have a screw. And I know their holsters hold up; I've been using an H715-MWC Makarov holster for over 3 years now.

[claiborne]

If I went out and shot a Naga, I wonder if I could get anyone to make me a naga hyde holster and belt :D

[rswartsell]

Thought Naugas were on the endangered species list since the 70's? I do know that in most states you have to have an eight track to sit on one.

[High Noon Holsters]

Their H721-OT: http://www.donhume.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_5&products_id=44

Looks similar to your Slide Guard: http://www.highnoonholsters.com/Product_Line/_Topless/_topless.html

There's various other similar models. The only difference I see is heavy stitching where you have a screw. And I know their holsters hold up; I've been using an H715-MWC Makarov holster for over 3 years now.

Happy to help out here. Your link goes to the Topless a better example is the Slide Guard, only because Hume has the guard on theirs also. http://www.highnoonholsters.com/Product_Line/_Slide_Guard/_slide_guard.html

Let me start out by saying Hume's holsters are great, a good product for the money. They have been around years and have a nice reputation. Buy them if you like them. We are not commenting to bash anyones product but here to educate on why one maker charges more then another.

Most times prices are higher for a reason, the customer may not notice many things about the holsters they look at on the web. They are looking at price. Its only after you get educated you develop a good eye to what you are buying. The Slide Guard (our holster) has all the bells and whistles we could design in. It does look similar to the Hume, but they are in different classes.

Some of the features you may have missed are below.


Tension Screw: It's Much harder to design a holster around, its more labor in the molding of the gun, more labor getting the product out the door, more money in materials, more money when people lose them, a major pain in all areas. You also get many holsters that do not work because of the leather stretching the tension placement in the molding process, this lessens the profits when you have to trash some before they get out the door. If the leather stretches a holster in molding without a tension screw setup its easy to adjust the stitching to compensate for this. Holsters that have this feature tend to have a higher price tag. http://www.highnoonholsters.com/_Questions/_questions.html#88

Stitching: Bottom line is, the less stitching the easier and quicker you can make the holster and get it out the door. The Hume has just single stitching on the outside and a very simple stitch design, ours is a more difficult design, more decorative, more labor and a higher price tag. Our stitch design flows, you do not know where we started and stopped.

Molding: Hume is flat and lackluster, but that's a different molding process which is much quicker to get out the door. Nothing wrong with it except looks. Our molding is crisp and clean, a different process. More labor in the crisper detailed holsters and a higher price tag. More info on molding here http://www.highnoonholsters.com/_Questions/_questions.html#125

Holster Design: The Hume is a simple design, cut with a straight line across the gun from one end to the other. Our design has much more thought involved. Look at the way the Slide Guard's leather runs across the entire trigger then goes over the grip and then down to disappear. More difficult designed holsters have a higher price tag.

Sweat Shield: Hume and us High Noon have them. Sweat shields are harder to design a holster around, harder to mold a gun around, you have to make sure its lined up correct in the molding process. The leather has to be stiffer and thicker or the shield will flop back and forth. You have to be careful where that shield is cut from the leather if it's a soft spot it does not work. High quality leather has to be involved. In the end more labor, more trashed holsters, more leather in the design, which all adds up to more money in the final product.

Leather We use an expensive heavy grained leather produced special by the tannery for us only. You can see it here. http://www.highnoonholsters.com/Product_Line/_Slide_Guard/_Rear_Slide_Guard/Close_Up_Slide_Guard_Tan/close_up_slide_guard_tan.html

Hope this helps, again no negative here, Hume makes a great product and charges correctly for it. We also make a good product and charge correctly for it but there are vast differences in both.

Justin