Why is my leather holster doing this?

Sometimes leather has a problem. The tanner probably made a boo-boo. If it were mine I would apply Kiwi neutral shoe polish to the inside of the holster and it might take a few costs to get it slick inside. Then I would give the gun a coat of paste wax. Johnson's will work fine. The idea is that the wax will form a barrier to what ever is causing your problem. It might work and might not but the cost to find out is very little compared to the cost of a new holster.

Roughout leather+multiple slide serattions= cheese grater.....thats why you have leather dust and particles.
The "splotchy" is likely from the leather absorbing oil from your slide unevenly.

Call DeSantis before you put anything on the leather. You may have a defective cow.

But seriously call them, that would be a nuisance having all the leather particles all over.

Firearm and holster both look normal to me. I have several leather holsters and firearms. My guns look similar coming out of the holster. The leather is wiping oil from the slide, resulting in what you're seeing...

It has dandruff? Use Headn'Shoulders....

Just kidding around a bit. I think DT Tom and Rock185 nailed it.

If your holster was made specifically for the P365 then it's a manufacturing defect and De Santis should replace it. If it wasn't made for the P365 then it's your issue.

Trey Veston said:

Coated the inside with Heavy Duty LP leather conditioner, then baked the holster in the oven at 170 for 30 minutes. Seems to be good to go now.

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I've been using holsters since 1972 and this is the first time I've read of someone baking a leather holster.
It goes against literally every leather care guideline I've ever read. In fact many holster makers will tell you not to even use a hair dryer. on a wet/damp holster.

Leather "conditioner" is supposed to prevent the leather from drying out, so why in the heck would you then bake it causing it to.......dry out?

It's like trying to carry a pontoon on a deep V trailer. It's gonna rub in spots it's not supposed to.

entropy said:

It's like trying to carry a pontoon on a deep V trailer. It's gonna rub in spots it's not supposed to.

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Made me think of "tragic boating accidents".

neatsfoot oil, warmed, , apply, let soak, drain on paper towel. Wipe with cotton cloth.

Get a Kydex holster, leather holsters are for fashion victims...

....at least with that gun. Some guns almost scream for a leather holster. The only SIG I can think of that really goes with a leather holster is a W. German P220.

A good leather holster really doesn't need anything. Certainly not anything that softens the leather. I've tried Kydex gun holsters and use Kydex knife sheaths. Kydex is a lot rougher on metal finishes than leather. Kydex is not as soft as leather and less comfortable to wear in a holster.

DeSantis isn't know for selling quality products. The leather is thin, so expect it to wear-out. As a firearms instructor has posted on his site, gun store leather (e.g. deSantis) will not make it thru a class; get quality leather.

I beg to differ. I've been using several Desantis holsters for years. No complaints whatsoever.

I would recommend some Saddle Soap liberally applied to the inside and outside of your leather. One problem is that leather will always work as grinder. It picks up every bit of dust it comes in contact with and will impart that onto your gun, especially unlined holsters like the one you show.

I much prefer leather over Kydex. Kydex may no pick up dust but it's hard and will wear the surface of your gun.

Send the photos to DeSantis CS. Ask them if they can fix it. They will most likely send you a new holster. I had a problem with one of their holsters years ago. They just sent me a new one and told me to throw the one I had away.

dogtown tom said:

Roughout leather+multiple slide serattions= cheese grater.....thats why you have leather dust and particles.

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Yep.
Normal for an off-the-shelf holster.

mcb said:

Get a Kydex holster, leather holsters are for fashion victims...

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Nope.
Only people who believe this have never used high-end leather. And horsehide rules supreme.

Kevin Rohrer said:

As a firearms instructor has posted on his site, gun store leather (e.g. deSantis) will not make it thru a class;

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The DeSantis line is not made for multiple draws in high round count shooting courses. But they're fine for what they are, casual concealed carry, decent enough retention at a fair price.

I'm just reading all the comments about putting this or that on the holster, doing weird stuff and then everyone complains that leather holsters don't last. Maybe yours didn't because you ruined it. Holsters are made for a different purpose than a pair of boots or shoes. Softball bats and airplanes are both made of aluminum alloys but for different purposes and are treated differently. Nobody is surprised by this. But suggesting a holster be treated differently than a cheap Wal-Mart belt surprises people.

Wipe down the outside of you CCW guns. Any oil on the outside will collect any and all dirt, etc.
Most holster makers offer instructions that usually include simply wiping the outside with a cloth to remove dirt and if anything is used on the inside, use one of a small list of "approved" products and use it sparingly.
I have one holster in particular that is 20 years old and is used several times a week. Still in good condition.

That DeSantis looks to be fairly new and is a molded holster. If you had simply worn it often, practiced draw stroke and dry fire a few minutes a day, it would have worn in and the "problem" would have resolved itself. But now you're looking at premature replacement because you've compromised the leather and it will lose rigidity.

It's an unlined holster. Don't want the dandruff, buy a lined holster.

doubleh said:

It's an unlined holster. Don't want the dandruff, buy a lined holster.

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There it is. Even if you fully finish the flesh side, the fibers will eventually start working loose.

I've heard one old trick of breaking in a new leather holster is to take a rag and rub a little vaseline petroleum jelly on the inside of it. You might give that a try.