Whats the "Ideal" way to care for a leather holster

[ozshadow]

I have someone who is going to loan me a VM2 until my Garrity arrives. Now I know how I care for my own leather items, but I would like to know the "Ideal" way to care for a molded holster such as the VM2

I want to return the loaned holster in the best shape possible.

Thanks.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Supertac45]

Use it to carry, take your weapon out of it when not carrying, don't smash it up trying to soften it, and don't apply anything to it to clean or condition it. You might as well call Sparks now and order one, since I'm betting that you'll love it. Phone number is 208-377-5577.

[NCHornet]

My gun always stays in my holster even when I take it off at night. When I clean the gun I usually wipe some saddle soap or mink oil on the outside of the leather, this keeps it from squeaking.

[semperfi.45]

Applying neutral Kiwi polish and a buff is all it needs.

[jarhead79]

Semperfi.45 is correct as well as supertac45. You definitely want to take your gun out and let the leather breath. Any moisture that may collect in the leather needs to dry. Any oil or saddle soap you put on the molded leather can soften it and devoid any retention it has.

To be perfectly honest, you could wear it for a year and it would still look like new, unless you're rolling around on the ground or jumping in a lake with it.

Nate

[thinkat]

From the KD Holsters Website.

Your leather holster will last a lifetime if given the proper care. Most importantly, keep the holster as dry as possible. When not being worn, store the holster in a dry place, away from direct sunlight.

Holsters may be cleaned with any quality leather cleaner, such as Lexol. Leather should also be treated with a quality leather conditioner approximately every six months. Holsters made of specialty skins, such as snakeskin, should be treated with a preservative designed for that particular material.

From the Milt Sparks Site:

Nothing much needs to be done other than an occasional waxing to help maintain appearance. That applies to items with the smooth-out finish only! Rough out finishes such as on our SS-2 and Summer Special holsters, should be left as is except for maybe an occasional wipe down with a damp cloth.

Do not use silicone, oil, or any leather conditioning product that advertises itself as an aid to help soften leather.

Angelus has a product we use called Lustre Cream and it is available in both cordovan and black. Fiebings, Carnauba wax is also a good protectorate for smooth leather, but will oxidize on the leather surface if not used or buffed occasionally.

One product we recommend wholeheartedly is Renaissance Wax. Renaissance can be purchased direct from the above link, or you can purchase it directly through us. It is the only product we have found that will not permanently discolor our tan colored finish and it works great on black and cordovan finishes as well! You can even use it on metal and wood. We generally stock the small, 65ml tin for resale, as we found that a little bit goes a long way.