Leather Holster: long terms use and molding

The best thing anyone can do with any newly made leather product is to use it and leave it the hell alone. I hear all sorts of silly things people will do to a brand new holster and it makes me cringe.

That's not mold that forms on cartridges in cartridge loops. It's verdigris. Essentially it's what copper does when it corrodes. The only way to prevent it is to use nickel plated cases. It's unwise to leave cartridges in loops for extended periods of time.

Holsters don't shrink.

The modern holster maker approved treatment for a modern holster is to apply a coat of Johnson's Paste Wax and buff once in a while.
You can also use Neutral shoe polish wax.
For a MODERN carry holster NEVER apply any oils, greases, or leather treatments. That causes the leather to get soft and stretch out of shape.
If you want to know how to treat your holster, contact the maker and ask what, if anything he recommends. Most will tell you to wax it.

There is nothing you can do to prevent brass, nickel plated brass, or copper from developing the wax-like green verdigris.
That's caused by the chemicals leather is tanned with interacting with the metal.
All you can do is use a wood pick to clean the green waxy verdigris off. DON'T BRUSH IT OF, it will contaminate the surrounding leather and damage it.

Holster type cowhide cannot shrink it can only stretch. Leather as used for shoes and gloves is tanned by another process and it can shrink.
Leather is skin.....skin is "designed" to stretch.
There's nothing you can do to stop it, and when a modern holster wears and stretches to the point where the gun is free to shift and move around in the holster, it's service life is over, no matter how good it still looks.

This is also why it's a bad idea to leave cartridges in bullet loops..... the loops will stretch and the cartridges will fall out.
Storing a gun in the holster will also cause it to stretch out, shortening the service life, and the chemicals in leather can corrode a gun.

Dude ,nothing ages like leather. Let it age.

Don't leave the bullets, or gun, in the holster except when carrying. Mildew on bullets can be cleaned in a reloading tumbler. Leather won't shrink if it is used. It will shrink if not used.

The only thing I use on my holsters is Renaissance wax and it works very well. Anything sprayed or otherwise may soften the leather and that may also soften the holster to gun fit. There is no going back from that.

What CraigC said. Nothing to add.

el Godfather said:

Hi
I have some questions regarding a leather holster that I am getting custom made for my Colt Anaconda.

1. Is there any spray/oil available that will prevent leather from molding on bullets in the loops and the revolver itself, so they can be left in the holster over stretch of time worry free?

2. Same oil or spray to prevent holster from shrinking?

Thank you and by the way how to polish the holster for shine and what to use on bullets to clean the mildew sorta thing from being in the loop too long?

Click to expand...

Who is building your holster? I have a King Cobra and am thinking about a leather rig.

My nickel corroded too, don't know answer

The person making your holster should be able to tell you how to care for it

This holster was unfinished (no coating or leather finish) when new:



After some wear and coated with Johnson's paste wax:



And nickel plated cases is the way to go:



And, a couple more holsters, dyed and finished by the maker (Graveyard Jack Gunleather) and given a coat of Johnson's wax by me when I received them.



Bob Wright

Not trying to hijack OP, but I have a holster that I wet formed to fit my SW 642. Dumb question...waxed the outside, should I do the inside also?