Holster Care Question
 

I recently acquired a Unique Kriegsmodell Rig. The holster was very dirty but sound. I cleaned it using some leather cleaner/preservative product (Auto Glym). It left the surface very clean and smooth but the leather has lost the sheen or semi glossy look you see on nice well preserved holsters. The surface now is very dull or matte but very supple. I was reading in an old Auto Mag (Sept 2001 pg. 141) where the author (John R. James) claims using KIWI WESTERN BOOT DRESSING you can partially achieve that desired look, his words "This product will give you the best attempt at achieving the shiny appearance finish ALONG with eliminating all reoccurrence of fingerprints, the practical elimination of all mildew, and a long term protection of the surface skin from light sundry scuffs, nicks and abrasions". Anyone ever try this KIWI product or have any other suggestions/recommendations on what do? Your help/input is much appreciated!

I would not recommond Kiwi for anything other than boots and shoes and would never apply it to gun leather. Connolly's is arguably the best, which can still be purchased over the internet, but is no longer available at Jaguar and Rolls Royce Dealerships (EPA guidelines a few years back banned its importation). What I have been using as a preservative/cleaner for the last few years with good success is Meguiar's One Step Leather Care, available at local autoparts stores. Though it has no appreciable restorative properties, it will soften brittle leather, clean without removing the leather dressing, and leaves no oily residue. It will also not discolor leather. I use it on my car, my motorcycle leathers and all of my antique gun leather as a cleaner/moisturizer. I apply it with a soft tericloth rag to remove, wipe with an old T-shirt, then polish with a shoe cloth to the desired luster.

There is much controversy about leather care... check out our General Information page for a couple of articles on Leather preservation.

Hi Lloyd,

There were a couple of long discussion threads on the use (or no use...) of various products in the past year or so in this Holster Section...look in the back pages for discussions in the 11-29-03 and 8-24-03 time frames...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

Gentlemen,

Thanks for your input! I have looked at the previous discussions on this forum and other forums (about leather cleaning/preserving etc.) but I don't see anything that exactly addresses my question or inquiry. I am trying to figure out after all the leather cleaning and preserving one performs on a leather holster (and I am speaking about a holster that NEEDS atteniton) if there is a way to give it the nice sheen or semi glossy finish you see on well preserved specimens?? The article in Auto Mag caught my attention because it seemed to be addressing that final leather touch I was interestd in. The holster in question is again nice and clean and supple but it just has a very dull/matte appearance. Am I looking for a result that cannot be achieved on a old well used but not abused holster? THANKS!

again, Meguiar's, when applied using the directions given above should give you the shine you are looking for without discoloring.

The best product to use to preserve leather and to produce a nice sheen is Connolly Hide Food. Not only do I use it for my holsters, but also on my shoes and leather furniture - great stuff!

For many years, I was using Pecard but after witnessing the results of Hide Food I have made a permanent change. You can find the product at the the following auto store:

Beverly Hills Motorsport
Superior Car Care
Auto Geek

If you do a search for 'Connolly Hide Care' on Google, you will get additional results.

I hope his information is useful to you.

Best of luck,
Albert

thanks for your suggestion and endorsement Albert... Knowing that you use it for your collection carries a lot of weight with me.

How about a couple of photos of your most special holsters that have been treated with Connolly's ???

Thanks to all who reponded to this thread and gave very helpful input!

Today while I waited for my daughter to buy some sewing supplies in a shopping center I wandered down to a country western store. I walked in to look at their boot cleaning and leather cleaning supplies. While looking around I found a little plastic bag with some leather care treatment in a small sample type tube. I took it up to the cashier and she said it was not for sale but belonged in a box of Lucchese boots that were for sale. Apparently, Lucchese out of El Paso, TX makes very fine and very well thought of high quality cowboy boots. I asked her if I could buy the sample tube thinking that maybe this would be worth trying on my holster leather. She said I could have it no charge so I thanked her and headed home after retrieving my daughter.

To make a long story short, I tried this 1/3 Fl ounce tube on the holster mentioned in my first post. WOW, this stuff works like magic! It may be similar to the Connolly product that Albert mentions in his post. Anyway, the product is called BICK 4. here is their web site for anyone interested www.bickmore.com/bickmore/home/

It is a very smooth and rich looking off white cream that applies very nice and evenly. You let it dry and it buffs to that semi glossy sheen that I was looking for without ANY discoloration or darkening. I have found a store here in Las Vegas that offers this product for sale and I will get some more tomorrow and do some further experimenting and report back.

Thanks again to all of you for your help!! Lloyd in HOTTER than HELL Las Vegas!