Thomas,
I used to have the same problem as you described. Here is what works for me: I use a small sponge. First, I get it wet then wring as much water out of it as I can. Then I apply Fiebings dye to the sponge (either the oil dye or the regular stuff) and apply it to the leather in a circular motion. I'll usually end up giving it at least two coats. If I have done any tooling on the holster, I'll use the dauber and run it quickly over the tooling, then use the sponge to even it out (the sponge is not good for getting down into the tooling). My results have improved drastically and sponges are pretty cheap!
Hope this helps.
Kevin
