Holster break in
I bought a hand made holster but it is not fitted for my 1911. How do I safley fit it to the holster. I have heard you can wrap gun in plastic wrap and soak holster in water then put gun into holster and let dry for a couple of days but I am afraid the moisture will get to the gun and cause it to rust
col elect1mike Illinois
volinters RRG
O give me a home where no democrats roam
col elect1mike Illinois
volinters RRG
O give me a home where no democrats roam
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If you are trying to "sculpt" the holster to the gun, like the fancy custom holsters, I'm not sure how you can do it. One thing I would not do is put a gun of mine in a wet holster for a couple of days...or even a couple of hours for that matter.
If you just carry the 1911 in the holster, after several days, it should stretch in the necessary areas to conform better to the shape of the gun.
My humble 2-cents worth,
Rafter-S
"What is truth? No wonder jesting Pilate turned away. The truth, it has a thousand faces -- show only one of them, and the whole truth flies away! But how to show the whole? That is the question."
--Thomas Wolfe, "You Can't Go Home Again" (1934)0 -
Mike--The process you are talking about is usually done by (1)holster
manufacturers (2)on fairly thin leather (3)using aluminum dummies of pistols--not the real thing. The leather is soaked, the dummy inserted, and the leather formed around the outline of the gun with a smooth wooden tool. I wouldn't jam my prized pistol into wet leather either! There are other methods of doing what you want, but what has always worked for me is, over an extended period of time, to apply coatings of vaseline to the interior of the holster and rub it in with your fingers as much as possible. When it disappears (is absorbed into the leather) it is time for another coat. This will make the holster softer, conform to the gun's shape, and easy on the draw. You don't want to do this to the outside of the holster, unless you don't mind getting a little vaseline on your clothing. Now I know that you are going to think this is a tall tale, but I learned the vaseline/leather treatment from my Dad who was in the Field Artillery when the French 75 cannons were still pulled by horses, and this is how they treated their saddles and harness. Works for me.[:)]0 -
Hey elect1mike, been there done that. This is what I was told to do so I'll pass it on. If the gun is blued, coat it with a good oil and leave it on there. Wrap the gun tightly with a couple of wraps of clear plastic wrap (saran-wrap). Make sure that the plastic wrap is formed to the gun. Wet the holster. Don't soak it, but get it wet enough that there are aren't any light spots. Insert the plastic wrapped pistol. Sit down in your favorite chair and turn on the tv. While enjoying a good show, use your thumbs and fingers to mold the leather to the gun. You will get a very form fitting look and the heat from your hands will also help to dry the leather. Once you have the holster molded the way you want it, place the holster with the gun still inside in front of a fan and turn it on high. Check it regularly and turn it over and around as it dries. It shouldn't take more than an hour or so to dry. The end result should be exactly what your looking for. I had the same question and got this answer and it worked great. I now do all my custom holsters this way. Good luck. 0 -
Gunman4Fun is telling it right, but set in out in the sun and the leather will dry in an hour or two, no time for a gun to rust. And working the leather to the weapon with your hands, gives it character esp. from the natural oil in your hands. It works! Afterward use common Kiwi and wax it well, I have suggested before= Kiwi Peanut Brittle is a Nice antique look. Real classy.
Ronnie G. Perkins0
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