LugerForum Discussion Forums - View Single Post

lugerholsterrepair · 08-05-2001, 04:27 PM

Well I just have to leap in here and give my 2cents worth. I work a great deal with both kinds of leathers . New and old. The new leather I work into all sorts of parts and pieces that I make in my shop. artillery leathers, boots, straps,Navy holsters etc. This new leather is called vegetable tanned and essentially has nothing added but lots taken away by this tanning process. Fats oils and waxes need to be replaced after the vegetable tanning process. The other side of this coin is called latigo leather. It is tanned in a process where these same fats oils and waxes are pressure injected into the leather and it will last for a very long time with no further treatment. This type of leather is typically used for flat sections and straps that do not require forming as water is necessary for this process and water will not soak into latigo leather. All German luger holsters were made from vegetable tanned leather. After forming and dying the holster had to be treated with the replenishing fats oils and waxes. This changed over the war years but whatever the Germans used there is no doubt they knew what they were about. I personally have had good luck with a product called ''Dr. Jacksons Hide Rejuvinator'' It is hard like facial cream when cold and soft like butter when warm. It is a mixture made primarily of fats and oils and is grainy and globular even when in a semi liquid state. It soaks into leather and dissapears from the surface when warmed to 100 degrees by the sun or a warm environment. This makes the vegetable tanned leather soft and supple even after applying dye. It must be worked pretty good and I use a toothbrush to work it into crevaces and to work out the white filmy layer of fat that sometimes accumulates on the surface and around projections. I find this is best used in a warm room to penetrate adequately. I have used this on many German luger holsters that need a drink after all these years of neglect. I use it liberally. I smear it on and rub it in for a long time, flexing the leather gently. I do this not only on the front but on the backside of the leather where penetration is a little better since the back has no surface sheen. After a holster has had this treatment and a week or two later you cannot tell this has been done except the leather is a bit darker and soft and supple to the parts that flex a great deal, but the hardshell is still hard. I build a few holsters from the ground up, Forming the bodies and the tops from vegetable tanned leather with water. After dying, this Hide Rejuvinator gives back to the holster what has been taken away. While I am not recomending this to anyone, I wish to pass along my experience to anyone interested enough to read this. There are many other products out there besides Pecards and Lexol.

08-05-2001, 04:27 PM	#12
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 Well I just have to leap in here and give my 2cents worth. I work a great deal with both kinds of leathers . New and old. The new leather I work into all sorts of parts and pieces that I make in my shop. artillery leathers, boots, straps,Navy holsters etc. This new leather is called vegetable tanned and essentially has nothing added but lots taken away by this tanning process. Fats oils and waxes need to be replaced after the vegetable tanning process. The other side of this coin is called latigo leather. It is tanned in a process where these same fats oils and waxes are pressure injected into the leather and it will last for a very long time with no further treatment. This type of leather is typically used for flat sections and straps that do not require forming as water is necessary for this process and water will not soak into latigo leather. All German luger holsters were made from vegetable tanned leather. After forming and dying the holster had to be treated with the replenishing fats oils and waxes. This changed over the war years but whatever the Germans used there is no doubt they knew what they were about. I personally have had good luck with a product called ''Dr. Jacksons Hide Rejuvinator'' It is hard like facial cream when cold and soft like butter when warm. It is a mixture made primarily of fats and oils and is grainy and globular even when in a semi liquid state. It soaks into leather and dissapears from the surface when warmed to 100 degrees by the sun or a warm environment. This makes the vegetable tanned leather soft and supple even after applying dye. It must be worked pretty good and I use a toothbrush to work it into crevaces and to work out the white filmy layer of fat that sometimes accumulates on the surface and around projections. I find this is best used in a warm room to penetrate adequately. I have used this on many German luger holsters that need a drink after all these years of neglect. I use it liberally. I smear it on and rub it in for a long time, flexing the leather gently. I do this not only on the front but on the backside of the leather where penetration is a little better since the back has no surface sheen. After a holster has had this treatment and a week or two later you cannot tell this has been done except the leather is a bit darker and soft and supple to the parts that flex a great deal, but the hardshell is still hard. I build a few holsters from the ground up, Forming the bodies and the tops from vegetable tanned leather with water. After dying, this Hide Rejuvinator gives back to the holster what has been taken away. While I am not recomending this to anyone, I wish to pass along my experience to anyone interested enough to read this. There are many other products out there besides Pecards and Lexol.