dl

Hi folks,


Here we go again.


Pecards appears great for waterproofing shoes to use in the rain--I slathered it on some leather boots while I lived in rainy Boston and it worked well. For old leather, I don't know what good it would do and the academic research as well as museum practice does not support its use. If someone can tell me what is in it or how, physically/chemically, it preserves or aids old leather I would very much like that information. To date, the only information I have received is anecdotal and seems to originate from about ten years ago when this stuff was hawked at gun shows. The same goes for nearly all other substances, goos, liquids, creams, oils and especially soaps--the lab research does not identify any benefits of ANY of these treatments.


Any holster or other old leather I find treated (e.g., the 1918 US sling last week that had enough neatsfoot oil on it to lube a Chevy) is greatly devalued and may have a shortened life. Pecards is readily identifiable by the sticky residue that appears in the folds of the holster (e.g., where the belt loops meet the holster body). Oils and greases like P's, neatsfoot, mink, etc. all darken leather. These are derived from petroleum (not minks) and soak through the leather like it would applying oil to your pants. Your pants and the holster will darken.


Use a soft brush to remove dust from old leather. Use mild soap such as Tandy's leather soap to gently remove mud or grime. Be careful on pre 1941 luger holsters as the high quality leather finish is quite thin and more than one holster has been destroyed by rubbing too vigorously and removing the surface finish. I just saw a mint 1936 holster that was buffed to death and two years ago saw one that had been so buffed it was "furry"!.


Leather treatment is an area of great myth and many many holsters have been ruined by application of oils or greases. High boiling point waxes are a different story and may work well on high gloss holster surfaces such as on pre 40s luger holsters but never on US M1910 holsters. Follow the methods of the Mus of the Confederacy in Virginia: low stress, low light, stable humidity (55%), stable temperature (cold). Those techniques are guaranteed to preserve your holster and its value.


On the net is posted a 1991 metastudy of leather treatment research published by a researcher in textiles at Iowa State Univ. It is a good review.


Whenever given advice about how to treat your leather goods, ask what is in the goo and what is the evidence of its effectiveness. I have yet to have anyone answer the first question so I know they can't answer the second one.


No criticisms being extended here but I want to ensure a handful of holsters survive into the future and that I can find at least ONE unmucked holster at the next show I attend. Yes, scuffs and scratches on a box-stiff luger holster are wonderful--I seek such holsters but rarely find one as too many well-intentioned folks try to "pretty up" the holster or think the cracking "must be stopped so I oiled it (has the opposite effect, speeding the cracking most often)". Good luck with your holster.


Dave

holster guy