Moisture barrier for leather pocket holster

[Jomax]

I carry my Kel-Tec PF9 in a JS Armory leather pocket holster. The holster is produced with the unfinished leather side outward for better grip within the pocket. Arizona sweat has obviously permeated the leather straight through and caused a bit of rusting on the slide where it contacts it. Will oiling the leather holster help to create a moisture barrier within the leather? If so, would Neatsfoot Oil do the trick?

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

An interesting question. But I am not sure if it is a good idea.

Neatsfoot - or mink - oil would create this moisture barrier, but might cause other problems. They also soften the leather. This is OK for shoes and boots as they need to flex, but many holsters are designed to remain rigid. Depending on the construction of the holster, this may compromise its function, although a pocket holster has less need for this than a belt or IWB. Also, the oils never quite "dry," leaving a residue. Oiling the outside of the holster may get your pocket oily (unless it soaks in enough), and if done on the inside will get your gun oily.

 

[LAK]

Renaissance Wax. Developed for the British Museum for the conservation of artwork and good for everything from firearms, leather, ceramics to cloth, wood and paper items.

Not only will it create a moisture barrier, it will not soften the leather causing it to lose rigidity and shape. It is also non staining and will not create any acids or other corrosive changes.. Best wax product on the market; seemingly expensive - worth every penny.

See;
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=3235

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[lance22]

I've used Mink Oil but it softens up the leather A LOT ... I don't think you want to go there. Nothing looks better than leather but it has some disadvantages. Go with the wax for sure.

Two of the more innovate pocket holster designs might be worth considering down the road: Mika has a nice, soft holster designed to draw moisture away from the gun. BearClaw has an ultra-thin kydex overlayed with felt or something. Both solve the moisture problem or at least manage it.

 

[the_fallguy]

Jomax,
Don't ever use oil based products on a leather holster. Try searching for some "Angelus 600" acrylic finish. Apply it with a cloth rag or a foam brush on the outside of the holster liberally, and a light coating on the inside. Allow it to air dry in front of a fan for four to six hours and you should be good to go.

 

[Omnivore]

You may be asking the wrong question.

Keep the gun itself clean and well oiled, and you should have no serious problems. A holster that can breathe a little bit should work better than a hard moisture barrier anyway. Moisture’s going to get inside either way unless you keep the gun in a Ziploc bag, and you want the moisture to evaporate easily without being trapped against the gun.

My pocket pistol is stainless, but the hammer and some other parts have rusted slightly over the years. I figure a little bit of that just goes with the territory, but regular cleaning and oiling will help a lot.

Now, water-proofing the pants pocket would be an interesting option...

 

[LAK]

A barrier of some kind is a good idea for several reasons. Leather that is continually sweat soaked is going to start rotting over the long haul. The salt content is going to be a continual magnet for more moisture into the leather. In a wet state it is going to become soft and perhaps stretch. A good wax is the way to go.

 

[Sir Aardvark]

Sno Seal makes a product for waterproofing leather boots. It's made out of beeswax, so it smells delicious when you apply it.

here's a quick glib on it:

http://outside.away.com/outside/gear/gearguy/200301/20030107.html

This article mentions other aqueous-wax and silicon products, but I do not have enough experience with any of those types of products to recommend anything.

I use a very inexpensive Safariland pocket holster for my J-frame - it is unfinished leather on the outside and a durable plastic coating on the inside; sweat would not be able to penetrate it.

Also, you could try using EEZOX, it is reported to be the most rust resistant lubricant out there. Try doing a search on it here at THR, it is highly recommended.

http://www.eezox.net/

 

[Cosmoline]

I've used a pine tar/wax mixture from Huberds. Their stuff has made my Galco pocket holster immune to water but hasn't slicked it up too much. It does change the color, but it has no harsh chemicals and won't break down the leather or soften it much. It leaves a mild waxy surface that keeps water out. Retention of water isn't that big of a deal with a pocket holster, as it has an open bottom and you're not going to be storing the handgun in it. Though since I"ve started using mine I've noticed no rust at all in spite of extremely sweaty conditions including pants soaked in sweat, rain and mud after a bike ride.

http://www.huberds.com/products.html

 

[scbair]

I finish my pocket holsters with Tandy Leather acrylic finish; touch it up by wiping on a fresh coat every 3-4 months.