Can Chrome Tanned Leather Be Treated Or Sealed?

[kipling79]

Hello,

After ordering my first "real" holster from Andrews Custom Leather, and being very impressed with the handwork, I have decided to try my own hand at holster making. The massive amount of knowledge on this forum gave me enough confidence to order some leather and a few hand tools.

What I am making: A pocket holster for a S&W Bodyguard .380.

Here is my problem:

I ordered some 5/6oz veg tanned leather from Springfield, as well as a matte Black Calfskin (part 892-3505) for a liner. Upon receiving the leather, I began to worry that the calfskin is chrome tanned, even though both the boil test and burn test provided mixed results.

My Questions/Options:

( a ) Can a Chrome liner be sealed or treated to prevent damage to metal?

( b ) If I dropped the calfskin and left the 5/6oz veg tanned leather unlined, would it be too thin for the purposes of a pocket holster (with emphasis on keeping leather from pushing into trigger guard)?

Thanks for any input.

Edited November 11, 2015 by kipling79

[Denster]

5/6 oz by itself is about ideal for a pocket holster.

[Art]

Denster is right, and you also might want to go flesh side out and grain side in.

Art

[kipling79]

Thank you for the replies. I wish I had checked this thread two hours ago.

In the time since my OP, I have started my first holster and made my first stitches just a couple hours ago. I never thought about flesh-out, but I still have plenty of leather for more attempts.

To be safe, I did not use the potentially chrome-tanned liner, but use a 1/2 strip along the exterior of the holsters opening. Hopefully this will add a little more rigidity without chrome tan touching any metal.

On a side note: I am happy so far with my first attempt at a holster/leather making, but while the glue was drying I attempted a "simple" magazine pouch; and holy cow that was a twisted disaster. The pattern making step for leatherwork is a little more complex than I gave it credit for.

Edited November 12, 2015 by kipling79