holster stiffener?

[Hidalgo]

I've been stiffening my holsters with water, many times, many years. I searched for a commercial stiffener. Does anyone know of a method that works better than water?

Thanks,

Hidalgo

[Rattlesnake Slim]

I have used gum tragacanth from Tandy Leather. It can also be used to smooth the inside of an unlined holster. https://tandyleather.com/products/eco-flo-gum-tragacanth

[Hidalgo]

Thank you!

I just happen to have some of that stuff.

[Springfield Slim SASS #24733]

How does the gum stiffen a holster?

[Snakebite]

I've used Elmer's White Glue with water to apply to the leather. I then wrap the gun in plastic wrap and insert it into holster and allow to dry naturally.

[Diamond Jake]

I just want to stiffen the mouth of the holster to give it a little curl to help holstering.  Is the Gum tragacanth work for that without discoloring it?

 

I think I'll try the Elmers glue trick first

[Slowhand Bob, 24229]

Leather armor is created by using hot water.  I have never made armor but understand that one can actually boil a small piece of leather and it will curl up and shrink into a small rock???  I have never tried it but that is what I have heard!  Definitely practice on an old stretched belt or other worthless item before trying something otherwise useable. 

[Snakebite]

21 minutes ago, Slowhand Bob, 24229 said:

Leather armor is created by using hot water.  I have never made armor but understand that one can actually boil a small piece of leather and it will curl up and shrink into a small rock???  I have never tried it but that is what I have heard!  Definitely practice on an old stretched belt or other worthless item before trying something otherwise useable. 

I have done exactly that. I put a full size leather holster into a pot and boiled it. It shrunk to about 15-20% the original size and was as hard as a rock. THAT IS A FACT!

 

Snakebite

[Hidalgo]

I have never BOILED them. But I have soaked them in hot tap water then insert guns in ziplok bags and allow to dry. It lasts a short while, depending on usage.

I am trying the gum tragacanth method now. It does seem to darken the leather but I coated the entire holster, inside and out. Again I inserted the guns inside ziplok bags to allow natural drying. We'll see how it works out.

[Springfield Slim SASS #24733]

Ziplock bags tear, so I have started using the USPS Tyvex bags. Seems to work better for holster moulding.

[Cypress Sam, SASS #10915]

Minwax Wood Hardener will give leather lasting hardness.  Available at Ace Hardwear, Home Depot, Lowe’s and other hardware stores.  A friend in the holster making business clued me in about it.  I’ve used it and it works great.

[Hidalgo]

thank you!

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

2 hours ago, Cypress Sam, SASS #10915 said:

Minwax Wood Hardener will give leather lasting hardness.  Available at Ace Hardwear, Home Depot, Lowe’s and other hardware stores.  A friend in the holster making business clued me in about it.  I’ve used it and it works great.

 

On the inside only?  Or inside and outside?

[Buckshot Sheridan]

Tried an idea on a piece of scrap I had laying around. Shellac as the carrier is alcohol it penetrates quickly and dries fairly quickly as well made the test piece like a board. Wouldn’t be my first choice, but would certainly rehab something in a pinch while waiting on a new set of properly made leather to be completed. 

[Lawdog Dago Dom]

Here I thought this was cowboy slang for an attractive cowgirl!

[Ethan Cord]

I have soaked the soft edges in isopropyl alcohol with good results.

[Cypress Sam, SASS #10915]

On 12/4/2020 at 8:58 PM, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said:

 

On the inside only?  Or inside and outside?

It’s pretty thin as it comes out of the container and soaks in readily.  I applied it until it quit soaking in wherever I could reach using one of those swabs on a twisted wire (like the kind you apply leather dye with), so that would be inside and out..  

 

Sorry about the delay in responding.  I had some surgery and was out of commission for a while.  Let us know how it works for you.

 

Make sure that you wet fit the gun in the holster first.  First with water or alcohol with gun wrapped in plastic and in place as it dries.  Then when you put the wood hardener on the leather, replace the plastic wrapped gun in the holster while it dries.  

[Null N. Void]

Spray the holster mouth with non chlorinated brake cleaner.  Put guns in plastic bag and force into holster.  Let dry overnight.

 

Try it on a small section first to make sure there's no color issues.   When it dries, it will be hard and formed to the holster.

 

The cleaner will dissolve some plastics, so be careful where you spray it. 

 

YMMV