How Long Until Your Holsters Start Softening Up?

[JoshDuvall]

I was wondering how long before your holsters start softening up? And what method do y'all use to "bake" your holsters? Or do you at all? So far I've been dunking my holster in cool water for about 8 seconds, then moulding, then baking at about 125 degrees for 25 minutes and then letting the holster dry under a fan until completely dry. And it has worked good so far but this last hide I got from wickett and craig doesn't seem to be holding it's stiffness as long. Maybe it's just the hide but I'm still curious to know your process. Thanks in advance.

[Lobo]

As a young man (quite a few years ago) I desperately wanted to be a comedian, but everyone just laughed. Devastating experience for a young man, but I got over it and went to work for a living anyway.

Occasionally, life delivers an opportunity to entertain with a joke or two. I actually drafted a couple of delightful responses to this post before I decided to do no more than point out the obvious paths that a "straight man" comedian might take, given the questions raised. Without further elaboration (or incurring the wrath of forum administrators) I think this should be more than sufficient to entertain those whose minds have perceived the humor that is possible here. Time? Temperature? Moulding? Baking? How long? Almost irresistable stuff for a wannabe comedian!

Please forgive me for not playing the "straight man" this time. It could have been much fun.

Apologies to JoshDuvall, but sometimes I just can't resist the impulses completely.

[Rayban]

Tough act to follow......

Here's something I started using this winter because leather does not dry very fast when it's 55 degrees in the shop....

A small space heater/blower (Lowe's, $12), and a box.......the warm air swirling around the piece drys it in short order and the result is a pretty hard/stiff leather piece. I've been very happy with it.

[katsass]

I was wondering how long before your holsters start softening up? And what method do y'all use to "bake" your holsters? Or do you at all? So far I've been dunking my holster in cool water for about 8 seconds, then moulding, then baking at about 125 degrees for 25 minutes and then letting the holster dry under a fan until completely dry. And it has worked good so far but this last hide I got from wickett and craig doesn't seem to be holding it's stiffness as long. Maybe it's just the hide but I'm still curious to know your process. Thanks in advance.

I'm sooooo sorry.........I just can't touch this one without being banned by the moderators. Mike

Edited March 15, 2011 by katsass

[JoshDuvall]

Did I say something that I shouldn't have or asked a stupid question or is the joke just going way over my head? Sorry.

[Rayban]

Did I say something that I shouldn't have or asked a stupid question or is the joke just going way over my head? Sorry.

I wondered the same thing......must be the meds....

[marine mp]

Josh,

I soak (8 seconds isn't soaking) my leather for a couple minutes and then shove the weapon in the holster. Leave it set a while and then when the leather drys out some, I mold it. (That being....if I'm gonna mold it, a lot of times I just simply outline it as I basketweave the front of a lot of the time). Then I let the leather restr with the weapon in it for a few hours, pull the weapon out and then let it dry naturally. The holster doesn't lose its shape or hardness. In the winter I put it over a hot-air duct on the floor, but not an oven. Leather is skin. I don't put mine in an oven, but some others do. I let it dry on its own. Who is right and who isn't. Don't matter. What-eva works for you is right. Oh.....and the "how long does it stay hard jokes.......hahahahahaha.....think about it and they are pretty good!!!!!!! Semper-fi Mike

[The Grizzly]

Ive heard that if you crumble up a couple viagra tablets into your soaking water it helps the sheaths stay 'firm' longer...

On a more serious note, when I do my knife sheaths after dying and wet forming with the knife inside, they are quite stiff. Then, I impregnate them with a beeswax/paraffin/neats-foot mixture that gets put on while the sheath is hot from being in my toaster oven on 150. Then it goes back into the oven to draw the rest of the wax in. I do this a couple times till a sufficient amount of wax has been put into the leather. When it cools and dries, it's VERY solid.

[particle]

this last hide I got from wickett and craig doesn't seem to be holding it's stiffness as long. Maybe it's just the hide but I'm still curious to know your process. Thanks in advance.

How long are we talking before it loses stiffness?

Seriously - all jokes aside - are you saying your holsters never firm up after drying in the oven? Or they soften up after worn for a week, month, etc. of being worn?

For your holsters that aren't firming up enough - When I've had this problem, I apply a liberal amount of my finish - enough to make sure it is soaking into the skin quite deeply. I was using Satin Sheen, and it was easy to brush on with a damp sponge paint brush. Once you've coated the entire holster and are comfortable that it's soaked in quite well, wipe away the excess with a folded paper towel. Use the same spot on the towel so you're rubbing the holster with the damp portion of the paper towel, which helps to minimize streaks in your finish. Let it dry, then come back about 24 hours later and repeat the process. If you have any resulting streaks, they are usually easily covered up with a lightly sprayed on coat of Resolene.

I know some people routinely dunk their holsters in their finish to make sure it coats all surfaces of the leather. Brigade is one of those makers from what I can tell, though I have no idea what finish they use. When I've dunked my holsters in Satin Sheen, it's made a huge improvement in the stiffness of the holster. I've recently started using Angelus 600, and have been applying it with an airbrush. I might try diluting it 50/50 with water so I can brush it on for better penetration.

[JoshDuvall]

How long are we talking before it loses stiffness?

Seriously - all jokes aside - are you saying your holsters never firm up after drying in the oven? Or they soften up after worn for a week, month, etc. of being worn?

For your holsters that aren't firming up enough - When I've had this problem, I apply a liberal amount of my finish - enough to make sure it is soaking into the skin quite deeply. I was using Satin Sheen, and it was easy to brush on with a damp sponge paint brush. Once you've coated the entire holster and are comfortable that it's soaked in quite well, wipe away the excess with a folded paper towel. Use the same spot on the towel so you're rubbing the holster with the damp portion of the paper towel, which helps to minimize streaks in your finish. Let it dry, then come back about 24 hours later and repeat the process. If you have any resulting streaks, they are usually easily covered up with a lightly sprayed on coat of Resolene.

I know some people routinely dunk their holsters in their finish to make sure it coats all surfaces of the leather. Brigade is one of those makers from what I can tell, though I have no idea what finish they use. When I've dunked my holsters in Satin Sheen, it's made a huge improvement in the stiffness of the holster. I've recently started using Angelus 600, and have been applying it with an airbrush. I might try diluting it 50/50 with water so I can brush it on for better penetration.

I've been using 50/50 resolene water mix but just brushing on about 3 coats. I mIght try dunking in the finish. I haven't had any problems but with this last hide my holsters have been losing alot of their stiffness after about a week or two. I'm thinking it might be the hide but it doesn't really seem flanky when I'm working with it.

[Denster]

I wet my holsters with 7/8 and 8/9 OZ leather with about a 2-3 second dunk in warm water then let sink in prior to molding. With drum dyed leather I give it a 5 second dunk. Longer than that just puts too much moisture in the leather. I dry them at 130 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes then let them air dry overnight.

A lack of firmness suggests not a high enough temp. What are you using to measure the temperature?

Edited March 15, 2011 by Denster

[Haystacker]

Did I say something that I shouldn't have or asked a stupid question or is the joke just going way over my head? Sorry.

Hey Josh. Did you ever see the Muppets. How about the two old men in the balcony? They got those characters from Lobo and Katsass!

My last batch of leather is wicket and craig. I noticed it is different from HO. But it seems to stiffen up pretty good. I dip my holsters in finish. Although I'm not sure that would be your prob. Which part of the hide are you using? Sorry if this is a stupid question. Just thinking of the obvious first.

Jeff

[JoshDuvall]

Hey Josh. Did you ever see the Muppets. How about the two old men in the balcony? They got those characters from Lobo and Katsass!

My last batch of leather is wicket and craig. I noticed it is different from HO. But it seems to stiffen up pretty good. I dip my holsters in finish. Although I'm not sure that would be your prob. Which part of the hide are you using? Sorry if this is a stupid question. Just thinking of the obvious first.

Jeff

I tried the dipping thing and it helped to an extent. I tried baking at a little higher temp and that made a huge difference. But I think the majority of it was this hide. This hide is also a little more pale in color compared to what I usually get from wickett and Craig. But the higher temp made a huge difference. Also when I get a side in I start with the back and start working my way down toward the belly from there. Usually using the belly for attempts at new designs.