holster and leather protection

[lugerholsterrepair]

To agree or disagree..That is a deep and continuing question. I have taken dozens of luger holsters down to the last thread and examined them all closely. What MLM says is a word of caution and I agree we all need to think hard about these historical items intrusted to our care. I agree also that one should be careful about applying something and then not being able to reverse the process. Tanned leather is a fiber woven in an intricate natural pattern and oils and "goos" as MLM says can indeed make them either deteriorate or slide against one another in a way that nature and the tanning process did not intend, making the item too soft and pliable. I recently was able to track down a product made in England called Hide Food or changed to Hide Care with the help of a fellow NAPCA member. This is sold almost exclusively in Jaguar dealerships for the care of leather seats on their automobiles. I was able to get a jar of this stuff years ago and was highly impressed with it's leather treatment effects. If you have ever seen a leather car seat that has been untreated you will see the reason for treatment. Cracked and dry it is obvious that something needs doing. Neatsfoot oil is the biggest leather killer I have ever seen. It was origanally developed to break down leather soles of shoes to break them in. DO NOT USE THIS LEATHER POISON! Other potions have beeswax as a preservative and there are microscopic bugs attracted to beeswax that will destroy leather. I personally am a great fan of Dr. Jacksons Hide Rejuvenator sold by Tandy Co. Almost anything you put on a luger holster will darken it but the extremely light colorings seen on some very dry sixty or seventy year old holsters are not the original color. I suspect they have lightned over the years. Or darkened as the storage method employed would indicate. If a holster is used at all, picked up or flexed , a very dry solid leather will still be damaged because the fibers will break upon flexing. So it remains to be determined, how are you going to use the piece? Never move it or open it up? Not many of us who are proud of our collection are going to do that. I personally use my favorite potion indicated above inside and out slathering it on.It soaks in and dries out with very little change except that it improves the flexibility and general feel of the piece remains dry. I may be wrong and only time will tell but it works for me. Jerry Lugerholsterrepair