Orient Express Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Hi pards, I have owned my current rig for nearly 2 years. What do you use to keep the leather in great condition? It's not showing any wear and tear, other then inside the holster where the muzzle rubs against the leather. What about ballistol, or some sort of wax? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 There are commercial products made just for leather cleaning and conditioning. I don't want to recommend any US-made products as they may not be available in your location. I buy mine from Tandy Leather in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rance - SASS # 54090 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I try to keep my leather clean... but I also want to keep it hard as a rock to keep it's shape... I want that holster to hold it's molded open position to stay open when I go to shove my pistol in there.. I use a leather lotion cleaner or neutral shoe polish on the outside.. Rance Thinkin' that's just me I reckon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elk Creek LeMieux Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Saddle soap... I'm sure there's a popular variant in your area. I'd probably apply it lightly to the holsters just to keep the color nice, not enough to make 'em soft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I. M. Crossdraw, SASS# 8321 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 You really need to keep your leathers as stiff as possible to maintain it's shape for easy re-holstering. My rig do get dusty at times but I just wipe them off and good to go. Once in a great while, I clean my rig with glycerine rich leather cleaner such as Lexol and follow up with a leather conditioner of same brand. You really don't want to soak the leather with this stuff but just to replenish the natural oil lost by the leather. Use sparingly. Just saying. Be safe, shoot straight and have fun. I.M. Crossdraw BTW: I don't work for Lexol, I just use them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 but I also want to keep it hard as a rock to keep it's shape... I fully agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Grass Range #51406 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Neatsfoot Oil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Cent Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Keeping your leathers soft and suppleThat will depend on your rig. If you have an early copy of, say a slim jim, it is, probably, not lined and the leather is rather soft. If you wear a current speed rig, the holsters will be rock hard and you will want to keep them that way. Either will benefit from a very light wipe of NF Oil. Very light. Some very reputable leather makers use Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Co-incidentally, there is a very popular product called Aussie Leather Conditioner. For the speed rig, I wouldn't put anything on it. Maybe the belt because it is flexed often. But not the holsters. I never use saddle soap on the rigs. Again maybe the belt. Saddle soap:Saddle soap is a proprietary compound containing mild soap and softening ingredients such as neatsfoot oil, glycerin, Mink oil, and lanolin. It also contains beeswax to protect leather. It is used for cleaning, conditioning and softening leather, particularly that of saddles and other horse tack Just barely cover the exterior. All of the above will migrate into the leather so, again, a light wipe. Put the oil on a small rag first. The conditioners will darken the leather so don't spot the leather. And don't try to make the exterior look the same by getting rid of the streaks. You will wind up using too much. About once a year will work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lefty Dude, SASS # 51223 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Glycerin soap to clean and a light coat of Lexol for conditioning. Do not use Neatsfoot it will soften the leather to much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turquoise Bill, SASS #39118 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Skidmore's Leather Cream works great, use it sparingly. TB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Ray Davis Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Lexol on the outside; it's available from Amazon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackey Cole Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I use pure neatsfoot oil when I make a product as about anything else I've heard of has had a bad reaction with the leather by removing the oils in the leather and or dry rotting the leather over time I've got holsters I made ten years ago and is as good today as it was then same with a Sabre belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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