Treating a leather holster

[denster]

Can you show us the science on that?  You get holster wear even with kydex, and that does not have anywhere for this formula to adhere.

It's not science it's common sense. Where do you see finish wear on a revolver that's been holster carried? At the muzzle and forward edge of the cylinder. With an auto it is at the muzzle and front of dust cover. Now these are not the only areas that touch the inside of the holster but they are the areas that show the most wear. As to kydex. Particles that can wear steel can imbed in kydex.

[PegLeg45]

Third finish wear from carrying in a holster is inevitable but can be minimized. It does not come from contact with the leather as leather being much softer than gunmetal is not capable of wearing the metal. What causes it is the transfere of primer residue from the gun to the leather mixed with the oil on the surface of the weapon. This makes a mildly abrasive paste when combined with the movement of the weapon in the holster causes finish wear. A close stitchline and detail molding minimizes the movement of the weapon thereby minimizing but not eliminating finish wear. Interesting that soft leather, like suede, traps more of this residue and actually increases wear.

Not trying to split hairs here, but in my experiences as an industrial mechanic, I have seen multiple instances of softer materials wearing out steel. I've seen a rubber hose wear through the side of a steel hydraulic line and I've witnessed plastic guides wear out hardened steel wheels, while the plastic showed no wear at all.
Friction is the major culprit.............It's just like water carving a canyon out of stone.......it just takes time and movement.

Other than that part, I can't directly argue one way or the other with the rest of your statement. It might make sense that residue on the gun can mix into the leather, thus creating a mild "sandpaper-like" effect and contributing to speeding up wear.

[Coca-Cola Kid]

Sorry, but I think your "theory" is bunk.  There are often other areas on a gun which experience the holster wear, consistent with having direct contact with leather (or kydex).  Wear from use in a kydex holster clearly shows that your theory is invalid.  Holster wear happens just as quickly in either a leather or kydex holster.  

The chemical interaction that you report happens well after the holster has been used for some amount of time and the oils have had the time to transfer and imbed themselves in the leather.

[denster]

Sorry, but I think your "theory" is bunk.  There are often other areas on a gun which experience the holster wear, consistent with having direct contact with leather (or kydex).  Wear from use in a kydex holster clearly shows that your theory is invalid.  Holster wear happens just as quickly in either a leather or kydex holster.  

The chemical interaction that you report happens well after the holster has been used for some amount of time and the oils have had the time to transfer and imbed themselves in the leather.

It's not a chemical interaction it's a mechanical transfere. So you think my theory is "bunk" that's fine. What is your theory on what causes finish wear?

[Coca-Cola Kid]

Friction, i.e., direct contact, with the leather (or kydex) is what causes the holster wear. 

Your "mechanical transfer" doesn't occur until long after the holster wear has already occurred/begun.  Your theory has a great deal of chemical interaction in it.  It's that "paste" interacting with the finish with the gun, especially when the gun is in the holster, don't you think?

[Sponsor]

[denster]

Not trying to split hairs here, but in my experiences as an industrial mechanic, I have seen multiple instances of softer materials wearing out steel. I've seen a rubber hose wear through the side of a steel hydraulic line and I've witnessed plastic guides wear out hardened steel wheels, while the plastic showed no wear at all.
Friction is the major culprit.............It's just like water carving a canyon out of stone.......it just takes time and movement.

Other than that part, I can't directly argue one way or the other with the rest of your statement. It might make sense that residue on the gun can mix into the leather, thus creating a mild "sandpaper-like" effect and contributing to speeding up wear.

I take it then that you agree that minimizing movement with a close stitchline and detail molding would minimize wear?
I probably shouldn't have stated that leather being softer than steel is not capable of wearing steel since there is always someone  who has to take issue with any absolute statement. After all we know that water under extreme pressure does a good job of cutting steel

In any case all I was trying to do was offer some helpful insight from my experience not start a major controversy.

[denster]

Friction, i.e., direct contact, with the leather (or kydex) is what causes the holster wear. 

Your "mechanical transfer" doesn't occur until long after the holster wear has already occurred/begun.  Your theory has a great deal of chemical interaction in it.  It's that "paste" interacting with the finish with the gun, especially when the gun is in the holster, don't you think?

This is starting to get silly. Under your theory then the gun should show wear in multiple areas, essentially anywhere the material contacts the weapon while in the holster. Simply, from observation, this is not what happens.  You are certainly entitled to your own theory. As I stated in another post I was only trying to offer some insight, from observation and experience as to the cause of holster wear.

[Coca-Cola Kid]

This is starting to get silly. Under your theory then the gun should show wear in multiple areas, essentially anywhere the material contacts the weapon while in the holster. Simply, from observation, this is not what happens.  You are certainly entitled to your own theory. As I stated in another post I was only trying to offer some insight, from observation and experience as to the cause of holster wear.

Silly?  Really?  There's direct contact at the tip of the barrel, at the beginning edges of the cylinder, at the leading edges of the frame on a revolver under the barrel, around the trigger guard.  Those all have direct contact and show holster wear.  I've seen holster wear on the sides of the slide, sides of the cylinder as well.  Sounds like multiple areas to me.  I've seen some guns show wear very quickly, in part because the original finish is so poor.  Other guns it takes a bit longer.

My experience is based on having made over 10,000 holsters in the last few years.... 

[denster]

Silly?  Really?  There's direct contact at the tip of the barrel, at the beginning edges of the cylinder, at the leading edges of the frame on a revolver under the barrel, around the trigger guard.  Those all have direct contact and show holster wear.  I've seen holster wear on the sides of the slide, sides of the cylinder as well.  Sounds like multiple areas to me.  I've seen some guns show wear very quickly, in part because the original finish is so poor.  Other guns it takes a bit longer.

My experience is based on having made over 10,000 holsters in the last few years.... 

Obviously our experiences differ. I've only made a little over 4K holsters since I started in business but I carried professionally for 30 years. Interesting that I mostly use real guns for forming holsters and they are in and out of leather constantly and none show any signs of wear. I must be lucky I guess.
You have your opinion I have mine. I think we can agree that for whatever reason carrying in a holster will eventually lead to finish wear and that it can be minimized by minimizing movement. Is that a fair statement?

[PegLeg45]

I take it then that you agree that minimizing movement with a close stitchline and detail molding would minimize wear?
I probably shouldn't have stated that leather being softer than steel is not capable of wearing steel since there is always someone  who has to take issue with any absolute statement. After all we know that water under extreme pressure does a good job of cutting steel

In any case all I was trying to do was offer some helpful insight from my experience not start a major controversy.

I would think that it (close stitchline and detail molding) would definitely help minimize in-holster movement by the gun, and thereby minimize friction wear.
Nothing we can really do to stop the wear from holstering and un-holstering.


And for the record, ALL helpful info and insights into any particular area is welcome here (particularly by myself, and others interested in understanding as much as possible about guns and accessories). 
No controversy, as far as what my opinion may count for. That is one problem with the typewritten word versus the spoken word, it makes it hard to emphasize the particulars and sometimes avoid misunderstandings.