leather

I have puchased my first leather holster and am generally happy with it. I was wondering if anyone knows a good way to help speed up the break-in. I understand retention and all that, but it feels like I have a brick strapped on my waist.

take your holster, soak it in water, then take your pistol, wrap it in a plastic bag and holster it, leave it to dry overnight, the bag keeps your pistol dry and creates enough room for the holster to stretch a bit to make the draw easier, as for making it softer, just work the leather with your hands, then i very lightly applied baby oil to the outside, and gun oil on the inside to make it more pliable

Most leathersmiths will advise NOT to soak it in water, or to use oils to soften the leather. You will quickly lose the retention using oil and turn your holster to mush. The best way to break in a new one is to place the gun in a heavy plastic bag or wrap it in saran wrap and insert it in the dry holster overnight. If that's not enough, do it again. You can stretch leather, but you can't shrink it back to where it should be. Check the "questions" section of Milt Sparks website...
http://www.miltsparks.com/

What kind of holster is it? And for what firearm?

For me, a holster can't be too uncomfortable from the start.

Maybe something simple like wear an undershirt might help for now.

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Originally Posted by INccwchris

take your holster, soak it in water, then take your pistol, wrap it in a plastic bag and holster it, leave it to dry overnight, the bag keeps your pistol dry and creates enough room for the holster to stretch a bit to make the draw easier, as for making it softer, just work the leather with your hands, then i very lightly applied baby oil to the outside, and gun oil on the inside to make it more pliable

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Then after you do all that, Go buy a new holster, because you probably ruined that one.

If leather gets wet it needs to be oiled afterwards, and oil can make some dyes bleed. A little water is not sudden death to leather or else a lot of horse owners wouldn't be able to keep up with buying tack, however AZ Husker is right about the retention, you could overstretch the leather that holds the gun in and you can't un-stretch it.
It doesn't matter as much if your belt or wallet or horse's bridle stretches, punch another hole if you have to, but when it comes to holding your gun in that's a whole nother ball game.

It's a Don Hume for a 2" snubbie already molded. It just seems pretty stiff. Maybe I'm just not used to leather yet.

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Originally Posted by Tala

If leather gets wet it needs to be oiled afterwards, and oil can make some dyes bleed. A little water is not sudden death to leather or else a lot of horse owners wouldn't be able to keep up with buying tack, however AZ Husker is right about the retention, you could overstretch the leather that holds the gun in and you can't un-stretch it.
It doesn't matter as much if your belt or wallet or horse's bridle stretches, punch another hole if you have to, but when it comes to holding your gun in that's a whole nother ball game.

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Wrong, It's a holster not Tack equipment.

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Originally Posted by drew59

It's a Don Hume for a 2" snubbie already molded. It just seems pretty stiff. Maybe I'm just not used to leather yet.

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Leather should be tight from the start. Ever break in a new pair of leather shoes? Leather stretches naturally. If you force it. You can screw it up. Didn't your holster come with instructions?

Pure Kustom= Leather should be tight from the start. Ever break in a new pair of leather shoes? Leather stretches naturally. If you force it. You can screw it up. Didn't your holster come with instructions?


I love it!

Listen to pure custom and az husker. Never "soak" your holster in anything! It will be tight in the beginning, but will stretch with use. You don't want a holster to be too tight, but too loose is bad also.

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Originally Posted by Pure Kustom

Leather should be tight from the start. Ever break in a new pair of leather shoes? Leather stretches naturally. If you force it. You can screw it up. Didn't your holster come with instructions?

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Wow if you ever want to make this point perfectly clear try to break in a brand new pair of Whites boots, I did recently and they hurt for quite a while and then they are the most comfortable pair of boots you will own.

It's called "blocking". As other have posted, take your gun and put in a baggie and insert it in the holster. Leave it for a short period and check it. You may have to do it again until it stretches.

Never soak your leather holster in water.

I would not ever suggest oiling any holster unless your holster was a Western Style Cowboy Rig that came with a Neatsfoot oiled finish put on by the maker.

It is proper to occasionally LIGHTLY oil only those types of holsters.

Renaissance Wax is about the only product that I would ever recommend using on the exterior of modern holsters to restore them cosmetically.

Before "treating" or fixing any holster please check with the MFG on what they recommend doing.

No one should ever use oil on or re-wet any of my holsters besides mine a sealed inside and out so oil would not work and wetting them will have poor results.