[lugerholsterrepair]

Powder, The best way to treat it is prevention. Store your leather in a plastic box with a tight fitting lid. Keep some acid free paper balled up in the holster loosely. Keep it in a dry and cool place, preferably dark.

If the piece you have already has this insiduous problem you will want to rid yourself of it. I have had good luck with cleaning the holster thoroughly, wiping or brushing off the mold or mildew.You might try a vacuum cleaner. Once you have all of it off that you can see I put the holster in a clear trash bag and stick it in the freezer for a week or so. This will slow it down but may not stop it completely. Only dry conditions will control it. This stuff requires oxygen and moisture. Deprive it of either or both and it will die.

I have toyed with the idea of using a vacuum seal used on food to extract air. If one were to support the holster with paper wadding it would not crush it. This would deprive these organisms of air and they could not survive.

One other thing, I have often times observed holsters that have what looks like white mold but it is oils or fats someone has applied, leaching out of the leather. If it is oily and not dry it might be fats leaching out.

Jerry Burney