Holster Leather VS Tooling Leather?

[YinTx]

Can someone explain the difference?  Would really appreciate it.

YinTx

[Rossr]

I do not know the official answer but Wicket and Craig has tooling, holster and carving listed as the same it appears

 

http://wickett-craig.com/leathers/tooling-holster-carving/

 

Ross

[YinTx]

I noted the same about H.O.  However, I got in some 10 oz H.O. that is very different, very hard, almost couldn't get my plough gauge through it.  Almost like sole bend hard.  When I wet it down, it behaves very differently, as in even though completely soaked, you can bend it and it will stay in that position.  Seems very moldable, as if it would hold its' shape very rigidly.  

But no good for a belt, which is why I bought it.  Trying to figure out how to soften it a bit so I can get this order out, no time really to buy another side, and worried I may get the same thing.  So was wondering if what I received was holster leather instead of standard tooling veg tan.

YinTx

[Samalan]

On 12/10/2020 at 1:00 AM, YinTx said:

I noted the same about H.O.  However, I got in some 10 oz H.O. that is very different, very hard, almost couldn't get my plough gauge through it.  Almost like sole bend hard.  When I wet it down, it behaves very differently, as in even though completely soaked, you can bend it and it will stay in that position.  Seems very moldable, as if it would hold its' shape very rigidly.  

But no good for a belt, which is why I bought it.  Trying to figure out how to soften it a bit so I can get this order out, no time really to buy another side, and worried I may get the same thing.  So was wondering if what I received was holster leather instead of standard tooling veg tan.

YinTx

Tooling leather and holster leather are one in the same on the belt depending what it's for 7 to 8oz would be good for every day wear want a gun belt or holster add a 3 to 4oz liner and wet mold  to soften a bit depending on what's already on it you can use some Neetsfoot  not to much work it in by hand bending the belt a touch don't kill it one thing get the oil warm then just a touch of warm water on the leather first then the oil work it in wipe it off let it dry. all this is IMHO hope it helps.

[YinTx]

47 minutes ago, Samalan said:

Tooling leather and holster leather are one in the same on the belt depending what it's for 7 to 8oz would be good for every day wear want a gun belt or holster add a 3 to 4oz liner and wet mold  to soften a bit depending on what's already on it you can use some Neetsfoot  not to much work it in by hand bending the belt a touch don't kill it one thing get the oil warm then just a touch of warm water on the leather first then the oil work it in wipe it off let it dry. all this is IMHO hope it helps.

Thanks for that.  A customer requested a 9/10 ounce single layer belt, so that is what I was working on.  It took significantly more neatsfoot than I am accustomed to, but I worked in a small amount at a time and I have been working it gradually by hand over a few days allowing the oil to do it's work.  The leather has softened a bit, enough I think it can be comfortably used now as a belt.  I had tried some water on a scrap piece, then some casing solution, then a lot of saddle soap, none of them really seemed to do the trick.  I did try to wet mold this leather, and it worked fantastic for that.  A bit heavy for a cc or iwb holster, but may be nice for an owb carved holster, single layer, so I may relegate the remainder of it to that work.

YinTx

[Samalan]

2 hours ago, YinTx said:

Thanks for that.  A customer requested a 9/10 ounce single layer belt, so that is what I was working on.  It took significantly more neatsfoot than I am accustomed to, but I worked in a small amount at a time and I have been working it gradually by hand over a few days allowing the oil to do it's work.  The leather has softened a bit, enough I think it can be comfortably used now as a belt.  I had tried some water on a scrap piece, then some casing solution, then a lot of saddle soap, none of them really seemed to do the trick.  I did try to wet mold this leather, and it worked fantastic for that.  A bit heavy for a cc or iwb holster, but may be nice for an owb carved holster, single layer, so I may relegate the remainder of it to that work.

YinTx

small amounts of oil warmed  mixed with a small amount of warm water you don't want to flood it   give it time .   on the holsters i use 6-7 oz veg with 3-4 oz veg for liner the 3-4 makes great bullet loops also this combo makes a very nice holster very strong! That's a colt Anaconda with the leather combo 6-7and3-4 veg with roon finish the roon made it a lot more work but the color was worth it for sure.

[YinTx]

On 12/14/2020 at 3:06 PM, Samalan said:

That's a colt Anaconda with the leather combo 6-7and3-4 veg with roon finish the roon made it a lot more work but the color was worth it for sure.

Nice rig for sure!  Did you do the roon around the tooling?!?!  That would be tedious for sure.

YinTx

[Samalan]

2 hours ago, YinTx said:

Did you do the roon around the tooling

Yes I did  I was not sure at the time  if the roon would bleed in the tooling on the very outside edge but inside around the letters that's black dye and even at that it was a lot of work thanks for asking .

[Davm]

The belt loop- really nice- does it slide around so you can adjust it?

[Mishal21]

On 12/14/2020 at 11:15 PM, YinTx said:

Thanks for that.  A customer requested a 9/10 ounce single layer belt, so that is what I was working on.  It took significantly more neatsfoot than I am accustomed to, but I worked in a small amount at a time and I have been working it gradually by hand over a few days allowing the oil to do it's work.  The leather has softened a bit, enough I think it can be comfortably used now as a belt.  I had tried some water on a scrap piece, then some casing solution, then a lot of saddle soap, none of them really seemed to do the trick.  I did try to wet mold this leather, and it worked fantastic for that.  A bit heavy for a cc or iwb holster, but may be nice for an owb carved holster, single layer, so I may relegate the remainder of it to that work.

YinTx

Fold the leather around a blue resin gun of the type you're building the holster for - or if you trust plastic wrap (I don't!) the gun itself entombed in the thing while it's still moist (but not wet! - very crucial!)

As best you can, align the edges of the holster that will be sewed. Wrap some spare leather around that edge and secure it using binder clamps.

If you touch the tooling too much, it will mash down.

Allow the tooled piece of leather tool kit to dry fully flat if you choose. Then moisten the INSIDE of the holster thoroughly (with a damp sponge) and repeat the instructions above. Water will not have percolated through the leather strands if you act quickly. You won't want to do much holster moulding since it will destroy the tooling unless you don't have any tooling where the moulding will be done.

[particle]

When I spoke with my sales rep at W&C years ago, I asked about "holstered" leather, and if memory serves, she said it's an additional step to pre-compress the leather to make it more dense. I think the previous version of their website mentioned something about it as an upgrade service, but I don't see it listed on the current site. That being said - if "Holster" is listed as a common use, and not an upgrade service, I wouldn't expect any special treatment to have been applied to the leather.

Edited November 15, 2021 by particle

[Samalan]

On 11/12/2021 at 12:22 PM, Davm said:

The belt loop- really nice- does it slide around so you can adjust it?

sorry did not see this had some problems last week and was away yes it does but not to many places to go thanks for asking.

[JLSleather]

Hermann Oak has stated more than once that "holster leather" and "tooling leather" are the same leather.  They have never provided any reasonable explanation for why they call it different things, other than they want holster makers (and potential holster makers) to be able to search "holster leather" and get linked TO THEM (and then there are of course the multitude of "holster makers" who rant that there's is obviously "better", since they use only "holster leather"  )

What W/C refers to as "holstered" is a compression process that you'd have to see.  They've always done this for us free of charge, though they do advise that the extra step may delay your order slightly.  We ALWAYS have this step done, with the exception of when I order LEATHER FOR TOOLING (call it "tooling leather" if you want, though W/C calls it "skirting") which is the exception, since we use almost exclusively H.O. for tooling.

 

Edited November 17, 2021 by JLSleather

[Cumberland Highpower]

On 11/17/2021 at 1:18 PM, JLSleather said:

Hermann Oak has stated more than once that "holster leather" and "tooling leather" are the same leather.  They have never provided any reasonable explanation for why they call it different things, other than they want holster makers (and potential holster makers) to be able to search "holster leather" and get linked TO THEM (and then there are of course the multitude of "holster makers" who rant that there's is obviously "better", since they use only "holster leather"  )

What W/C refers to as "holstered" is a compression process that you'd have to see.  They've always done this for us free of charge, though they do advise that the extra step may delay your order slightly.  We ALWAYS have this step done, with the exception of when I order LEATHER FOR TOOLING (call it "tooling leather" if you want, though W/C calls it "skirting") which is the exception, since we use almost exclusively H.O. for tooling.

 

That's somewhat different than what a HO employee told me once when I inquired.  I was told the leather they sell as "holster" leather is tooling leather that has slightly less oil added.   Otherwise identical.     I use allot of HO leather here and have bought both for several years.   I do find the "holster" leather to be a bit  on the harder side in tooling and sewing, likely as they said, from less oil added after tanning.   I am being very critical in comparison, It's not significantly different, but I can feel a little difference, I am surprised you don't?

Edited November 24, 2021 by Cumberland Highpower