What products to you use to care for your gunleather?

[R.W.Dale]

As the title says. What do you use on your carry leather to clean, soften, and preserve holsters, belts and ammo carriers.

I'm currently using kiwi mink oil but I'm not especially impressed with it.

posted via tapatalk using android.

 

[Mizar]

For cleaning leather I use wet soft cloth - like microfiber or cotton. If the leather is heavily fouled, you can add little shaving soap to the wet rag. And by wet I don't mean water dripping from the cloth.
Holsters and carry belts must be stiff, not soft. For conditioning I use light coat of clear turpentine based shoe wax (Kiwi is good). Just rub it with your fingers and polish with wool cloth. Don't use oils, even ones made for leather care - they soften the leather thus ruining it. Apply this treatment once, max twice per year.

Boris

 

[JTQ]

What do you use on your carry leather to clean, soften, and preserve holsters, belts and ammo carriers.

You don't want to soften your holster. The stiffness is what gives you retention.

Most makers recommend only using clear shoe polish. I wouldn't put any oil on my holster.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

A concealed holster isn't, for the most part, subjected to the elements. If I do anything, it is to wipe dust off with a lightly moistened cloth or paper towel, or use "canned air" to blow out the inside. Mink oil, neatsfoot oil, etc. are softening agents. You don't want a holster pliable like your shoes or boots which have to bend with your foot, you want it as rigid as possible.

 

[CraigC]

Skip the mink oil. It will soften the leather, rot the stitching and reduce its useful life. Saddle soap is all I've ever heard recommended or used.

 

[bigfatdave]

DO.
NOT.
SOFTEN.

I use compressed air to blow off the lint from the inside of holsters, wipe down holsters and belts with the least damp cloth possible (as in dampen and wring out one cloth, and then wring it with a dry cloth)
After that, I use Obenauf Heavy Duty Leather Preservative
http://thebeltman.net/preserve.htm
I haven't found a better price per ounce than BeltMan, the free shipping means it beats pretty much anywhere else I looked, and I did go looking when I got a jar for my F.I.L.

I like the Obenauf product, it goes on easily, smells good, works, protects the leather, and cleans off of me without fuss. It also doesn't smear on clothing, I've never bothered to put stuff I use Obenauf LP out of service, I just use it the next day as normal.
I use it on belts, holster leather, boots, and even my wallet - great stuff, and cheap, too! I might be 1/3 of the way through the jar I got at least 2 summers ago (so at least 18 months) and I really slather it on liberally.

 

[Patriot1/3]

LOL,you guys and these leather holsters.

 

[moon928]

The conservator at the museum I talked to said the best thing for leather was pure lanolin. You can find it in your local drugstore. After cleaning, smear it on and then heat it up with a hairdrier the leather will soak it up like a sponge and it wont darken the leather like other products will. I've tried this on some older leather slings and straps that I was afraid to try to bend and they are supple and soft now. Petroleum based products do more harm than good in the long run.

 

[moon928]

If you try this be sure and get PURE lanolin.

 

[JTQ]

they are supple and soft now.

You don't want a supple soft holster.

 

[hariph creek]

Soft and supple is bad.

I like Obenauf's LP. It keeps the leather from drying out and becoming brittle, without losing rigidity.
It's a great water proofing (resistant, actually) treatment. I use it on my boots, my feet stay dry. Which is nice, since I don't use Gore-Tex. It preserves the leather and stitching, too.
Great stuff.

I still have to use powder (baby/talcum/Gold Bond/etc...), to stop the squeaks and the creaks.

 

[Old Fuff]

The "don't ever use oil" advise should be open to question. Some older belts and holsters were made using oil-tanned leather, and came from the maker with an oil finish. These can and should be cleaned with an oil-based leather preservative.

On the other hand, most current day leather products are not made from oil tanned leather, and absolutely should not be oiled.

Only those leather products that came oiled from the manufacturer should be cleaned or coated with oil. If the manufacturer is still in business seek their advise.