Leather - quick question

Oberleutnant

No, nothing kinky about it! .....dirty dirty minds.

I bought a mask.....oh ehem.....sorry a Colt 45 M1911 US military Vietnam issue Holster, its very tight fit for the M1911.

Anyone know of a way to soften out leather?

tonyj_mc

a hammer apartantly


seriously, the mrs used to work with jewellery, she notice my watch stract squaeking one day and told me to hammer it, needless to say i didn't try but she swears it works

tonyj_mc

you also try any on the suggestions here http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061021053550AAZ5SJi well except the peeing.....

Alvin T. Grey

Wrap it in a tea towel, and pound the snot out of it.

NakedDex

Vaseline is a good one, rub it into the leather.

Any shoe shop or cobblers will have a huge amount of sprays and creams you can use. I have one that softens the leather and seals from water that I paid about a fiver for in a cobblers and it's the business. Punch is the brand I think

Masada

hot water is good and the hammer trick sounds like it would work.,.,

Hivemind187

I know a bit about leatherworking.

Does it have a kind of varnished finish, if it does the only way to soften it it by working it and using it, it will naturally soften in the important places. Pounding the hell out of it with a hammer will only make it fall to pieces.

If it doesnt have a finish on it you have two options. One is to buy saddle soap from a Equestrian supply shop and repeatedly wash it by grinding the soap in by hand. Takes a long time but it will work, prevent cracking and make the "usage softening" take a lot less time.

The other is to try an old russian trick and p1ss on it ... never tried this myself but apparently they used to use it on their boots to get them to fit right. Not surprising really, medieval armourers (and saddle makers today I hear) still use a kind of boiling fat mixture which contains a large percentage of pig urine as a base. Apparently the urea helps to soften the leather without breaking or damage the fibres and cells that its made from.

Edit: From the looks of things you'll be able to use the saddle soap option and break it in by usage.

Oberleutnant

Cheers guys for the advice, yeah the aul lady mentioned that saddle soap stuff.

so might have a craic at that over the weekend.


thanks a mill!!:D

TheFlatulator

Hivemind is right, my dad work in a tannery and he was saying that the cheap and nasty soap like imperial leather rubbed into the soft underside of the leather (suedy side, if it has one) will soften it.

They used ammonia and things like that to soften there leather but that was for a mass scale, so taken a wizz on it will work.

When its softened enough to the way you like it get some oil from a coblers to coat it and protect it or you can use some bee's wax to protect it.

Lemming

Cheers Ober ... useful information for myself too. I've got a US army m1911 shoulder holster (Korean/Vietnam airman/officer issue) in the post at the moment

Oberleutnant

Good stuff Lemming, it really does top of the Vietnam look:)

only prob with mine is its so tight id be 5 mins drawin my pistol



"....eh hold on there a second would ya!!"

Lemming

Oberleutnant wrote: »

only prob with mine is its so tight id be 5 mins drawin my pistol

Since I'm quite likely to spend quite a bit of time prone with the M60, a shoulder holster keeps the pistol reasonably close to my chest rather than down near my waist and allows for a faster draw:

Hand to chest = less time than hand to waist

I figure if I ever need to use a pistol whilst doing support, I'm well and truly in the poop and need the pistol out and ready on really short-notice

gandalf

Yep my shoulder hoster is fairly stiff as well. But then again its just for show so not a major problem.

Lemming

gandalf wrote: »

Yep my shoulder hoster is fairly stiff as well. But then again its just for show so not a major problem.

What do you mean it's just for show?

gandalf

Most of the time the pistol is not even loaded LOL!

Oberleutnant

Lemming wrote: »

I figure if I ever need to use a pistol whilst doing support, I'm well and truly in the poop and need the pistol out and ready on really short-notice

you dont want to be taken alive by "charlie" no do ya!:p

Lemming

My shoulder holster got delivered yesterday. Given that it's apparently been through two wars (Korea & Vietnam), it's both a) in remarkable condition, and b) nicely worn in so no breaking out the vaseline for me

Fits my WE m1911 like a glove

Shiva

Lemming wrote: »

no breaking out the vaseline for me

And N.O.I.P. will be here in 5....4...3...

N.O.I.P.

My smut sense in tingling


(and the fact that I posted right after Shiva said I would is pure coincidence)

Stercus Accidit

Lemming wrote: »

My shoulder holster got delivered yesterday. Given that it's apparently been through two wars (Korea & Vietnam), it's both a) in remarkable condition, and b) nicely worn in so no breaking out the vaseline for me

Fits my WE m1911 like a glove

Damn you sir, I've waited a month and a half, for my transaction to be cancelled, bloody lost in transit, was a lovely black us shoulder holster, for the 1911 too.

I'm pissed about that.