Archive for the 'Ask The Holster Guy' Category

Do you need a thumb break on your new holster? Most of the time I don’t think you do.

Here are pictures to illustrate what we’re talking about. First an HF1 without the thumb break, then one with the thumb break:

The reason I don’t recommend a thumb break retention strap for most people, is because of the way Tucker fits a holster — you almost magically have both good retention and a smooth, easy draw.

Talk to the folks who own one of his holsters. They’ll all tell you the same thing.

Now, if you’re a police officer or federal agent then a thumb-break or another style of strap may be required by your department. Of course, we’re not talking about level II and level III retention holsters often used by street cops, we’re talking about plain clothes or off-duty requirements. 
Because when you’re around crowds with an unconcealed carry gun, u can see how it makes more sense to have one than not.

If you carry a 1911-style pistol cocked and locked, and feel a thumb break will save you from an accidental discharge by blocking the hammer fall, then consider this:

The chances of the gun firing, after it’s safely holstered, is remote in the extreme.
Even if your thumb safety is disengaged, the gun is designed to be safe and has survived high-impact motor vehicle and motorcycle accidents without firing.

Civilians who plan on doing trapeze work or hanging upside down from tree limbs may also need a thumb break. Sometimes farm or ranch work may require one.

My personal preference is to have none, and most people share that preference. If you’re more comfortable with one, then that’s the way you should go and to hell with all other opinions. My job is to give you all the information and you make the call from there on.
 
Bottom line: If you want one, you can have one, and it’ll cost you extra.

If you visit the gun forums on the internet at all and read the holster sections you’ll see discussion of “too tight” holsters.  Some holster makers deliberately make their holsters too tight because they know the leather will stretch and they don’t want the holster to become loose.

Tucker doesn’t do that and that’s why his holsters require very little break in and they don’t loosen up over time. I’m amazed at how he does it, but the man knows how to make a pattern, cut the leather and hand-form it just right.

And time and thousands of satisfied customers all attest to that fact.

I know that some makers shrink their leather down tightly to the form gun and then recommend you wrap your unloaded gun in waxed paper and insert it overnight to stretch it.

There’s nothing wrong with that approach, if you want to go through all that, but just be sure to follow their directions when you get your new holster.

Another common way to stretch a too-tight holster is to place your unloaded gun in a baggie or the plastic bag it came in, forcing it into the holster and stretching it overnight. Sometimes that will take several nights of doing to make it happen.

If you have some other tips or personal experiences with this topic I’d love to hear from you. Just hit the comments button and tell me what’s on your mind.

If you have your holster lined, be sure that’s lined with a vegetable tanned cowhide (or horsehide if appropriate) that will help preserve your gun’s finish. Never, ever use suede because it traps grit and dirt that damages your finish. Plus. I already detailed the perils of that route in an earlier post.

Now while some lining is made from special silicone-treated suede that is supposed to protect the gun’s finish, let’s think it through a bit. Sure, it works up to a point, but you will eventually wear through it. Also, the smooth side of leather will harbor grit, but is easier to clean and you should do so frequently.

Now you may ask “Rob, I want to protect my gun whenever possible. What else can harm the finish?”

Good question.

Good answer – a loose fit harms your finish.

What really wears off the finish on a gun is when the fit is so loose that the gun moves around inside the holster as you move. See, all leather is abrasive to some degree when it rubs on metal surfaces. That’s why you can’t wear your gun every day without showing some holster wear.

While a smooth lining is good for your finish it can also make your holster last much longer – up to 60% longer in hard use. Why? Because the two layers of leather with grain running in different directions create a stronger, more rigid laminated structure.

Holsters should be light and rigid and that’s also true of gunbelts. Two layers of leather, bonded and sewn together are much stiffer and have greater tortional rigidity than a single piece of leather of the same thickness.

Is lining necessary? Depends on several factors including the holster design and purpose.

A good quality leather belt holster will last for many years without being lined but if you wear your gun and holster every day, the investment in lining it pays big dividends.

Inside the waistband (IWB) holsters are usually not lined unless two thin pieces of leather are laminated together. This is to keep bulk to a minimum.

If you buy an unlined holster and have any concern about the rough side toward your gun, keep in mind that it will compress very quickly and smooth up.  I have found that using Rusty Sherrick’s Hyde Glyde on the rough side of leather will smooth and slick it up very nicely and dry completely. It’s very easy to use and will not harm your leather in any way. You can buy it directly from C. Rusty Sherrick for $7.95.

But careful! Too much and it can slick up your draw too much and possibly compromise retention.

Tucker’s optional lining is smooth cowhide, not suede. Since some customers have asked for suede I thought I’d quote one of the legends in holster-making in response.

Here’s what he says.

“Any smooth vegetable tanned leather would be good for a lining. Suede is definitely not recommended for a lining. It absorbs oil, and then dirt, and powder residue stick to the oil, get embedded into the suede, and act like sandpaper on your guns finish.

 

Most suede is also chrome tanned, which is a process of tanning using chromic acids to soften the leather. All garment leather is chrome tanned for softness, but unless specifically treated to neutralize the chrome salts in the leather, (which most aren’t), the chrome tanned leather will eat bluing off a gun in no time. Stick with vegetable tanned leather for a lining.”

 

– Lou Alessi