holster restoration advise

lugerholsterrepair · 08-03-2001, 08:51 AM

There is a difference between shoe polish and dye. Shoe polish is made up of oils and waxes and pigments meant to ward off water and soiling seen at foot level. A dye is a pigment carried by an evaporative liquid meant to cover with the pigment but not to repell water with oils and waxes. You must determine what you wish to accomplish when applying either to leather. Shoe polish has an objectionable odor and feel because of it's repelling qualities and dye does not. Dye will still smell like leather after application. Kiwi makes an excellent dye in a small applicator bottle sold at wallmart. It's simply called Kiwi black leather dye. It goes on and can be feathered out to blend. Then a light coat of any leather product that will preserve. I know there has been quite a discussion about that so I will let you choose. I have my own concoction. Jerry Burney

08-03-2001, 08:51 AM	#5
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,775 Thanks: 4,995 Thanked 3,134 Times in 1,439 Posts	Re: holster restoration advise There is a difference between shoe polish and dye. Shoe polish is made up of oils and waxes and pigments meant to ward off water and soiling seen at foot level. A dye is a pigment carried by an evaporative liquid meant to cover with the pigment but not to repell water with oils and waxes. You must determine what you wish to accomplish when applying either to leather. Shoe polish has an objectionable odor and feel because of it's repelling qualities and dye does not. Dye will still smell like leather after application. Kiwi makes an excellent dye in a small applicator bottle sold at wallmart. It's simply called Kiwi black leather dye. It goes on and can be feathered out to blend. Then a light coat of any leather product that will preserve. I know there has been quite a discussion about that so I will let you choose. I have my own concoction. Jerry Burney