Treating the inside of a holster

[carljc72]

Has anyone had a customer ask what they could use to treat the inside of their holster to aid in the smoothness of the draw/to help it break in faster? And what do you recommend? The inside of this particular holster was dyed black with Fiebings and then slicked with Gum Trag. It was Wickett and Craig 8oz shoulder if this helps. It was finished with Resolene.

Thanks, Carl

[woolfe]

Has anyone had a customer ask what they could use to treat the inside of their holster to aid in the smoothness of the draw/to help it break in faster? And what do you recommend? The inside of this particular holster was dyed black with Fiebings and then slicked with Gum Trag. It was Wickett and Craig 8oz shoulder if this helps. It was finished with Resolene.

Thanks, Carl

I haven't had that asked.

Anything that would help to break the holster in also threatens to challenge the integrity of the holster. Retension is the primary concern and if they break it in to fast then it will be worn out. I would stress normal use is recommended to assure the long life of the holster. The customer should attempt to break the holster in by wearing/drawing from it around the house before wearing it in public.

Other holster manufactureres have suggestested other things such as using plastic bags around the gun to speed this process up. I do not recomend this simply because their is no way to know the exact outcome.

[TwinOaks]

I've recommended wraping in a plastic bag because it gives you a very precious few thousandths of an inch clearance. I do this because wet molding to the actual gun and letting the leather dry on the gun, tends to make a very tight holster. Retention is great. Marvelous. Couldn't shake the dang gun out. Couldn't draw it either.

As far as slicking up the interior of the hoslter.....I use teflon dry lubricant spray. Don't soke the leather with it, just hit the spots that are rubbing the most. That'll help with the draw and hopefully keep the user from stretching the holster while 'breaking it in".

[Lobo]

I have had this come up from time to time. Usually this involves customers who have not experienced a holster closely fitted to a specific handgun, rather than the more generic fit of some products on the market.

As Woolfe has pointed out, many products (spray silicone, mink oil, and others) that might be tried can have a tendency to overly soften the leather, thus overcoming the integrity of the molding process.

I like to point out to customers that the close fitting is beneficial in additional retention qualities as well as limiting movement of the handgun within the holster during use (which I believe to be the primary cause of holster wear to the handgun finish). Should the customer persist in wanting something to slick up the interior surfaces, I suggest using waxed paper wrapped around the weapon and repeated insertions and extractions, which transfers some dry wax to the leather surfaces. It is tedious to do, and one will go through a lot of waxed paper, but it does work to a degree and does not transfer anything harmful to the finished leather.

[Shorts]

I suggest the plastic bag method to my customers and I use it myself. I hear the wax paper method is good as well.

I send out tight holsters. Fresh Resolene adds to the strength of the sticky. The plastic tempers the leather to just the right fit.

[carljc72]

Thank you everyone for your replies. This is similar to the information that I originally told him and I will call to reinforce it. I did not know about the waxed paper and will forward that info on as well. Again, thanks to all who have traveled before me and are willing to share.

[TwinOaks]

To clarify, the lubricant I use is a dry teflon lube. You spray it on, and a teflon film remains. One source is RemDry, a gun lube, and I think "P'Blaster" makes one as well.