New Holsters

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Caplock

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Stopped by a local store looking for primers n things. What I found was Bianchi holsters marked down to 28.00.
Bought two.
Dang these things are TIGHT! Like can barely get the guns into and out of the holster.
Sprayed them down with Balistol and leaving them with guns in.
Any tips or tricks to loosen them up?
Yes they are correct holster for make of gun. No other quality leather holsters I own are anywhere near this tight.

Tried to pull gun from holster to show my wife and couldnt even draw. Just pulled my pants up. Then I just handed her my wallet instead.
 
Insert unloaded gun. Twist the gun back and forth a bunch inside the holster. That should loosen it up. I do it with any leather holster that's too tight. Works for me.
 
I second ColtPythonElite. I have a Galco that started out so tight I had to jam the revolver in and carry another gun if I needed to draw. The holster has since shaped to the gun (and me) and fits great. I wish some of my higher end holsters fit as well.
 
The best way is to holster the gun and wear it for a few days and do many presentations. If you must, put the gun in a large ziploc baggy and stick it in the holster. Leave it for a couple of hours and see what's happened. If needed, leave it in longer. Don't stretch it too much; you can't "shrink" it back.

DO NOT use ANY oil, water, Balistol, Neats foot oil, alcohol, Vaseline, etc. Any of those things will soften the leather thus ruining it.
 
Caplock said:
Dang these things are TIGHT! Like can barely get the guns into and out of the holster.
Any tips or tricks to loosen them up?
Click to expand...
Don't spray them with Balistol
Sprayed them down with Balistol and leaving them with guns in.
Click to expand...
Ooops, too late.;)

Wrap the gun with waxed paper, or as mentioned a plastic bag and insert the gun in the holster. Let it sit overnight. Repeat as necessary.
 
Here's what Milt Sparks says...

https://www.miltsparks.com/questions.php
My holster is too tight! What's the best way to break it in?

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.
Click to expand...
 
ok I'm going to try the plastic bag method when I get home from work today.
Thanks
 
I bought a Tucker Gunleather holster earlier in the year. It was far too tight, the recommendation from them was the poly bag as well. Used a gallon ziplock, I had the gun in the holster like that for a week before it loosened up a tad. Still, when doing drills the holster came off my belt with the gun about half the time. It probably took 20-30 hours of carrying before the leather loosened up to where I want it.
 
Kramer Leather

https://www.kramerleather.com/pages/faqs
HOW DO I LOOSEN MY HOLSTER IF IT IS TOO TIGHT?

The outer dimensions of specific models of guns can vary considerably between individual guns. For instance a Colt Government Model can have as much as 20 thousandths of an inch difference in outer dimensions, depending upon age, finish, manufacturer, etc,etc. Consequently we prefer to have our holsters start out on the snug fitting side. Should it be necessary to loosen your holster, take the plastic bag that the holster came in and wrap it around the gun. Insert the UNLOADED gun into the holster and let it set for several hours. This will stretch the leather approximately two or three thousandths of an inch. If necessary, wrap the gun with two bags. You can use up to three bags to stretch the holster. If this is still not successful, give us a call and we will be happy to adjust the fit for you.
Click to expand...

Lobo Gun Leather

Q: Can anything be done to speed up the break-in process?

A. Yes. When you first receive your new holster it can help to wrap your (unloaded) handgun in a plastic bag, insert the wrapped handgun into the holster and leave it overnight. This usually stretches the leather enough for normal break-in to proceed.
Click to expand...

Now, I'm just messing with you a bit. All the holster manufacturers say the same thing. You'll be fine.
 
Use the plastic bag method. You really don't want to wet a finished holster unless absolutely necessary.


burrhead said:
DO NOT use ANY oil, water, Balistol, Neats foot oil, alcohol, Vaseline, etc. Any of those things will soften the leather thus ruining it.
Click to expand...
Patently false. All leather needs to be oiled once every year or two. Oil only ruins a holster if overdone. Water and alcohol only soften leather until it dries.
 
CraigC said:
Use the plastic bag method. You really don't want to wet a finished holster unless absolutely necessary.



Patently false. All leather needs to be oiled once every year or two. Oil only ruins a holster if overdone. Water and alcohol only soften leather until it dries.
Click to expand...
There are myriad holster makers who explicitly disagree with this, Craig-


https://1791gunleather.com/blog-how...merge your holster,, oven, or laundry machine.

https://www.facebook.com/KramerHand...is-can-damage-the-leather-/10158291243405355/

https://www.wrightleatherworks.com/pages/care-maintenance

https://tuckergunleather.com/blog/breaking-in-your-new-custom-holster/

Most modern holsters are sealed with acrylic, and wouldn't take up any oil anyway, to be honest.

Larry
 
There are myriad that don't.

Ya know why they say that? Because they'd rather YOU pay for a new holster because it dried out after 10yrs than THEY have to replace a new one because someone put too much oil on it.

Resolene goes on the outside, not the inside.
 
burrhead said:
If you must, put the gun in a large ziploc baggy and stick it in the holster. Leave it for a couple of hours and see what's happened. If needed, leave it in longer.
Click to expand...
What he said -- except I start out leaving it in for a couple of days. That usually takes care of it.
 
CraigC said:
There are myriad that don't.

Ya know why they say that? Because they'd rather YOU pay for a new holster because it dried out after 10yrs than THEY have to replace a new one because someone put too much oil on it.

Resolene goes on the outside, not the inside.
Click to expand...
The vast majority of holster makers 'dip' their holsters, Craig. And if you think all those folks are just trying to get you to needlessly kill a holster...well, OK.
Larry
 
That's not what I said. Read it again. Unfortunately, "oiling leather" to many people means soaking a baseball glove until it's drenched and as pliable as a diaper. So replacing a holster after 10yrs because it dried out is preferable to replacing a brand new one because you told your customers your goods need "oiling".

I don't know about the vast majority dipping but I know that John Bianchi does. Leather is the skin from an animal that is no longer living. That probably sounds obvious but it bears repeating. The mechanism that kept the skin nourished is no longer present or functioning. Whatever natural moisture was present in the skin is removed through the tanning process and is further dried out through the wetting, tooling and especially the dyeing process. That natural moisture must be replaced and we do so in the form of oil. Be it neatsfoot, extra virgin olive oil or something similar. That oil does not last forever. It eventually leeches out of the material or it evaporates. Which is why I said, it should be replenished every year or two, depending on usage and climate. The idea that oil ruins holsters is a myth.
 
CraigC said:
Use the plastic bag method. You really don't want to wet a finished holster unless absolutely necessary.



Patently false. All leather needs to be oiled once every year or two. Oil only ruins a holster if overdone. Water and alcohol only soften leather until it dries.
Click to expand...

I will agree with your last sentence but not with the first. I make my holsters and have a couple that are very close to being thirty years old and have never seen a drop of oil. I have more that are younger. They are in excellent condition. I inherited my fathers’s High Standard HDM that he bought somewhere around 1950 that came with a full flap holster and it has never seen any oil either. I have given it a coat of neutral shoe polish now and then and it is still in excellent shape. The type of finish that is applied is the secret. Start with an oil finish and you need to replace the oil now and then. Other types of finishes don’t require you do so and oil will mess the finish up. Have you ever see anyone oil a leather coat or their nice leather gloves? Sunlight, wet, and especially heat, are leather killers.
 
And yet I have hides from Wickett & Craig that are too dry to even bend without casing first.

Coats and gloves aren't veg tan and are considered somewhat disposable.
 
Well, you did say in your post and I quote, "ALL leather needs to be oiled every year or two". Isn't garment leather part of the leather family? I don't use Wickett & Craig leather. I do very little leather work anymore but use Herman's Oak when I do make something and I case it. No matter, If you want to oil ALL of your leather it's yours to do what you want with it. I do oil some leather products, just not all and I'm not going to tell everyone that all leather needs oiled as it doesn't. We should just agree to disagree on this subject and drop it. It'll keep the moderators happy.
 
The context of this discussion is obviously gunleather, which is presumed to be vegetable tanned. Not couches, jackets or purses. :confused:
 
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