Care and feeding for old holsters - Page 2

Ron Smith · 08-15-2010, 08:29 AM

Gerben,

Shouldn't be a problem. A couple of pieces of leather from an old boot. Some glue and 3 or 4 rivets. It'll be good as new.

Ron

cirelaw · 08-15-2010, 09:07 AM

What about just leave it alone and properly store it and avoid holster 'reblueing'!

Vlim · 08-15-2010, 09:29 AM

It's like marrying a beautiful wife, stripping her of make-up and keeping her in the closet.

But without joking: Of course it is unwise to touch a holster that shows no signs of deterioration, simply keeping it clean and out of harms way is the best approach.

That said, there are thousands of holsters that are not first-rate, but can be touched up to a more than decent condition with the help of some minor detailing work.

Others are just too far gone, and any preservation work done on those is just delaying the inevitable anyway, but they make good test beds for the better ones. I have examples here of holsters that were ruined by previous owners, turned into some sort of fat, slimy, mushy lump of leather as a result. One 1936 holster had to be soaked for many weeks, just to get the most of whatever preservative the former owner used out of it. The oil is still seeping out, almost 5 years later....

On the other hand I've seen preservation methods used on WW1 navy holsters that were pulled from a WW1 shipwreck and it is quite stunning to see how the leather surived this ordeal.

cirelaw · 08-15-2010, 01:29 PM

Any also like a fine Woman, each is unique and have there oww way of pampering. Age isn't everything!!

cirelaw · 08-15-2010, 02:04 PM

My old German Grandpa passed me down His old horse hair brush that brings life back to my 1900 US Test holster. To think what History both idems have made it through. I Thank Old Ralph for passing it to me.

Vlim · 08-25-2010, 02:01 PM

Come to think of it. I never attempted a 'full body off restoration' of a P08 holster before.

A good rebuild would require disassembly of the whole thing, stripping all leather back to the bare skin, repainting and restitching it. Must remember to look for a decent (read bad) candidate.

If Waffenfabrik-USA can do it with pistols, Lederwarenfabrik Holland should be able to do it with holsters, lol.

08-15-2010, 08:29 AM	#21
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	Gerben, Shouldn't be a problem. A couple of pieces of leather from an old boot. Some glue and 3 or 4 rivets. It'll be good as new. Ron __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

08-15-2010, 02:04 PM	#25
cirelaw Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA Posts: 12,216 Thanks: 6,209 Thanked 4,133 Times in 2,173 Posts	My old German Grandpa passed me down His old horse hair brush that brings life back to my 1900 US Test holster. To think what History both idems have made it through. I Thank Old Ralph for passing it to me. Attached Thumbnails

08-15-2010, 09:07 AM	#22
cirelaw Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA Posts: 12,216 Thanks: 6,209 Thanked 4,133 Times in 2,173 Posts	What about just leave it alone and properly store it and avoid holster 'reblueing'!

08-15-2010, 09:29 AM	#23
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,032 Thanks: 1,018 Thanked 3,873 Times in 1,184 Posts	It's like marrying a beautiful wife, stripping her of make-up and keeping her in the closet. But without joking: Of course it is unwise to touch a holster that shows no signs of deterioration, simply keeping it clean and out of harms way is the best approach. That said, there are thousands of holsters that are not first-rate, but can be touched up to a more than decent condition with the help of some minor detailing work. Others are just too far gone, and any preservation work done on those is just delaying the inevitable anyway, but they make good test beds for the better ones. I have examples here of holsters that were ruined by previous owners, turned into some sort of fat, slimy, mushy lump of leather as a result. One 1936 holster had to be soaked for many weeks, just to get the most of whatever preservative the former owner used out of it. The oil is still seeping out, almost 5 years later.... On the other hand I've seen preservation methods used on WW1 navy holsters that were pulled from a WW1 shipwreck and it is quite stunning to see how the leather surived this ordeal.

08-15-2010, 01:29 PM	#24
cirelaw Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA Posts: 12,216 Thanks: 6,209 Thanked 4,133 Times in 2,173 Posts	Any also like a fine Woman, each is unique and have there oww way of pampering. Age isn't everything!!

08-25-2010, 02:01 PM	#26
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,032 Thanks: 1,018 Thanked 3,873 Times in 1,184 Posts	Come to think of it. I never attempted a 'full body off restoration' of a P08 holster before. A good rebuild would require disassembly of the whole thing, stripping all leather back to the bare skin, repainting and restitching it. Must remember to look for a decent (read bad) candidate. If Waffenfabrik-USA can do it with pistols, Lederwarenfabrik Holland should be able to do it with holsters, lol.