English bridle leather

[DavidMillsSaddlery]

I’ve got some good English bridle leather I want to make some holsters with! My question, would the waxing content mess up or ruin the gun blueing finish?

[Matt S]

Every tannery's blend of herbs and spices is a closely guarded secret, but generally the traditional English bridle dressing is dubbin. Dubbin is an organic oil (neetsfoot, cod liver, vegetable etc.), (bees)wax and fat/tallow. Exactly which oil, which wax and which fat, and in what proportions, is their private recipe. However if anything I would say that the wax would only help in the preservation of a gun. If in doubt you could always line your holsters.

If you're wanting to wet the leather for forming, use lukewarm water and "work" the leather underwater until it stops bubbling. Bridle is usually mouldable, though not to the same extent that is russet tooling leather.

[DavidMillsSaddlery]

Thank you!