Suede Lining Belts And Holsters Question

[IngleGunLeather]

I'm planning out my next rig. This one will be for personal use in Cowboy Fast Draw Association shoots. I'm thinking of going with a suede liner on the belt and holster. I've never used suede before and I was wondering I'd still be able to bevel and burnish the suede lining? If there are better linings to use please let me know that as well.

[TwinOaks]

Use 2oz veg tan leather.

IIRC, suede is chromium tanned which can be a no-no for firearms. Newer pistols with polymer frames and 'super finishes' (melonite, black-T, tennifer) don't seem to care, but a blued finish certainly might be effected by the chromium salts in the leather.

[IngleGunLeather]

Thanks for the information Mike. With that bit of information I think I'll go with veg tan lining on the holster and line the belt with suede for a little grip around the waist.

Anyone have any input on edging and burnishing suede lined belts?

[katsass]

From the grump; what TO says is correct, but in addition, anything that has a greater ability to hold the powder residue etc. from the muzzle and cylinder face (such a 'suede' leather, a 'split' or even the flesh side inside the holster) can be detrimental to the finish of your shooter. The stuff lodges in the rough surface of the leather, builds up every time you holster a fired weapon, and ultimately acts as an abrasive, polishing (NOT so nicely), the muzzle and cylinder areas. Now, all holsters will polish these areas after a while, as anyone that has carried a gun for any length of time can attest, but the use of these types of leather speeds up the process - - a lot. Mike

P.S. Just ensure that you bond the split down on the flesh side of the belt - - WELL. Then edge and burnish as usual. Mike

Edited October 24, 2012 by katsass

[IngleGunLeather]

From the grump......

P.S. Just ensure that you bond the split down on the flesh side of the belt - - WELL. Then edge and burnish as usual. Mike

Very good to know. One of my concerns was it de-bonding or rolling up on the edges. With my planning I browsed through a couple websites of some well-known makers and a few of them stated that they suede line their belt and holsters, so I thought about doing that as well. I may just stick to veg-tan lining on the belt as well, as originally planned.

[Dwight]

Personally, . . . I would probably refuse the work to put a suede lining on a cowboy rig belt. I might line the holster, . . . but he'd certainly get the Katsass lecture before I agreed to do so.

A western rig that does not move a bit is about as uncomfortable as sitting across the table from both your mothers' in law (current and ex). Riding a horse, . . . walking, . . . sitting, . . . bending, . . . that inside layer has to be able to scootch around a bit, . . . and if it doesn't, . . . well it's just UGH !

As far as it's "de-bonding", . . . you can forget that if you use Weldwood contact cement and stitch the edges. It basically becomes one piece of leather.

I don't use any other product, . . . and if you can find it, . . . the gel is the better of the two products IMHO (gel and liquid).

May God bless,

Dwight

[renegadelizard]

+1 on the weldwood...it gooes on much better than barge, still smells, but when you buy in a quart can, its about 5 times cheaper than barge...and it sticks...i overlayed a satchel with oil tanned leather and weldwood even got that slick stuff to stick...