Dry leather holster. What oil should I use?

[OregonPlinker]

I got a new leather holster for my 1911 and its really dry. I have different oils for saddles, boots,trucks,guns you name it... Im just wondering what you guys use before I get carried away. Thanks a bunch, Brandon

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[mrblond]

I would use whatever you would use on a saddle/baseball mit.

 

[safetyman]

I use dedicated leather conditioner or neatsfoot oil from Tandy Leather when I make my leather accessories. Both work great for softening up hard leather.

 

[deadeye]

Tucker Talks Leather Care - YouTube

 

[RVTECH]

I spray my leather holsters with 'suede spray' conditioner meant for shoes, jackets etc. You want to be careful with some of the traditional leather products. If you use too much you may wind up with a holster that is TOO soft and will loose it's shape.

 

[Dirvo85]

I would use saddle soap or some sort of cream based conditioner. I wouldn't use anything too oily as it will transfer to your close. Saddle soap can be found most places and has a pleasant odor. Once it's applied it doesn't seem to leave residue.

If you use something like mink oil or something with a high oil content you run the risk of it coming off on your pants, shirt, jacket or any other piece of clothing.

Saddle soap comes in a flat circular disk can like shoe polish and cleans and conditions. My family owned a western store for years and my dad, after the western store closed, opened up a shoe repair. Take my advice for what it's worth. Another face with a screen name

 

[MarkAd]

If you don't mind it getting a little darker FLUID FILM works wonderfully.

 

[OregonPlinker]

Ok, Thanks guys. I have saddle soap so I think thats what Im gonna go with for now. Its so dry its sucking oil off the gun..lol. I just barely leave a film on my pistol cause Im in rainy weather a lot and its gone in an hour. Probably less than that. Pull my gun out and lay it on the dresser and it looked like the parts the holster touches hadnt been oiled in years...

 

[Mark W.]

I spent 14 years as a Custom Knifemaker I have made about 1000 knife sheaths and maybe 30 holsters.

DO NOT USE ANY PRODUCT MADE FOR ANY KIND OF LEATHER GOODS. They will all soften the leather which is exactly the oppisite of what you want.

You need to get some parafin and some bees wax. Since you are doing such a small item you should be able to get enough of both at a craft store.

You will need about an ounce of both. Put them in a clean soup can in a pan with boiling water. Allow the wax to completely melt then mix the to waxes together very well.

While you are doing this place your holster in the oven set at 150 degrees MAKE SURE THE OVEN DOOR IS CLOSED AND THE OVEN IS WELL CONTROLLED. Do not heat the leather above 175 degrees. If the door ain't closed the burner will stay on and could over heat. You only want to warm the leather up and make sure its dry.

Now with warm holster in hand take a cheap paint brush (like the wood handle .79 cent one they sell at ACE) and brush the wax onto the leather until it will take no more.

Place the holster in the oven (which you remembered to turn off when you removed the holster to wax it) and shut the door let it set in the warm oven for 1/2 an hour while the oven cools.

This will water proof the leather seal in the natural oils and prevent the holster from drying out. It will not soften the leather nor will it once cooled dry and wiped down transfer anything to your clothes.

I have had knife sheaths (serving with recon marines) go from an altitude of 30K in HALO jumps to 60's below the surface of the ocean. Spend over a year in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq in the big sand box. Without drying out cracking or accepting any water what so ever using basically this wax formula.

The only thing that would make it better would be to add about a lima bean sized glob of Steric Acid (sold in candle making craft stores) But its to expensive for a single job.

If you put baseball glove oil on a holster when your done just walk over to the trash and toss it in. Glove oil is meant to soften then leather. You will end up with a leather bag not a holster. Same with Hubbards, or neatsfoot oil will do the same. All the spray bubblegum has silicone in it which will break the leather down over time.

The only product I know of that won't ruin a holster is SnoSeal and then ONLY if you use a tiny amount and hand rub it. But even that is a boot treatment and will tend to soften the leather but at least its wax based

 

[gunfreak]

I use plain ole black shoe polish for my Don Hume holster.

 

[OregonPlinker]

I spent 14 years as a Custom Knifemaker I have made about 1000 knife sheaths and maybe 30 holsters.

DO NOT USE ANY PRODUCT MADE FOR ANY KIND OF LEATHER GOODS. They will all soften the leather which is exactly the oppisite of what you want.

You need to get some parafin and some bees wax. Since you are doing such a small item you should be able to get enough of both at a craft store.

You will need about an ounce of both. Put them in a clean soup can in a pan with boiling water. Allow the wax to completely melt then mix the to waxes together very well.

While you are doing this place your holster in the oven set at 150 degrees MAKE SURE THE OVEN DOOR IS CLOSED AND THE OVEN IS WELL CONTROLLED. Do not heat the leather above 175 degrees. If the door ain't closed the burner will stay on and could over heat. You only want to warm the leather up and make sure its dry.

Now with warm holster in hand take a cheap paint brush (like the wood handle .79 cent one they sell at ACE) and brush the wax onto the leather until it will take no more.

Place the holster in the oven (which you remembered to turn off when you removed the holster to wax it) and shut the door let it set in the warm oven for 1/2 an hour while the oven cools.

This will water proof the leather seal in the natural oils and prevent the holster from drying out. It will not soften the leather nor will it once cooled dry and wiped down transfer anything to your clothes.

I have had knife sheaths (serving with recon marines) go from an altitude of 30K in HALO jumps to 60's below the surface of the ocean. Spend over a year in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq in the big sand box. Without drying out cracking or accepting any water what so ever using basically this wax formula.

The only thing that would make it better would be to add about a lima bean sized glob of Steric Acid (sold in candle making craft stores) But its to expensive for a single job.

If you put baseball glove oil on a holster when your done just walk over to the trash and toss it in. Glove oil is meant to soften then leather. You will end up with a leather bag not a holster. Same with Hubbards, or neatsfoot oil will do the same. All the spray bubblegum has silicone in it which will break the leather down over time.

The only product I know of that won't ruin a holster is SnoSeal and then ONLY if you use a tiny amount and hand rub it. But even that is a boot treatment and will tend to soften the leather but at least its wax based

Thats what I was looking for! Thankyou! I was worried about softening and loosing shape. Also, Should I stick the gun in it while its still warm to get a little better fit? I should have just bought a galco but they were on backorder...

 

[Mark W.]

Thats what I was looking for! Thankyou! I was worried about softening and loosing shape. Also, Should I stick the gun in it while its still warm to get a little better fit? I should have just bought a galco but they were on backorder...

Unless you rewet form the holster I seriously doubt it would shrink up much just drying it out in the oven at NO MORE THEN 150 degrees. And you don't want to heat up your pistol anything could damage the finish on it.

 

[deen_ad]

You need to get some parafin and some bees wax. Since you are doing such a small item you should be able to get enough of both at a craft store.

When my Crossbreed SuperTuck started squeaking I found some old beeswax disks that my mother used on sewing thread (she was a Home Ech teacher for 33 years). Used the wax where the holster contacted the waist of my pants. It lasted at least a month, I've now quit carrying the pistol and have a new Crossbreed I'm breaking in. If it's starts squeaking I'll grab the beeswax again!

On edit: yep, it started squeaking too, now to find the beeswax again.

 

[deen_ad]

When my Crossbreed SuperTuck started squeeking I found some old beeswax disks that my mother used on sewing thread (she was a Home Ech teacher for 33 years). Used the wax where the holster contacted the waist of my pants. It lasted at least a month, I've now quit carrying the pistol and have a new Crossbreed I'm breaking in. If it's starts squeeking I'll grab the beeswax again!

On my leather boots I used to use mink oil, but never on a holster!

 

[StillKicking]

Although an old thread, still very relevant. Thanks for the help!

 

[thereddog]

I use a beeswax gloop called "Medicine Mama's sweet bee magic All in one healing skin creme" It gets soaked right up by the leather and keeps it from cracking.

 

[Mister Bisley]

Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP. I use it on all of my leather knife sheaths and boots. Works great for holsters too.

Industrial Strength Leather Preservative!

 

[KKG]

I've used Mink Oil for a lot of years and it has worked fine for me.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Pecard's leather dressing works very well.
Andy

 

[2506]

Filson wax is what I use.