Getting oil out of leather

[AtlLaw]

I've got an old (new old, not antique old!    ) holster that looks and feels like it's been oiled.  I want to mould it around one of my revolvers and hot wax dip it, but I'm afraid the oil will make that difficult if not impossible.  Anybody know how to get oil out of leather?   

[oldandslow]

Throw it out in the backyard and let it lay for a couple of years?  That will dry it out. Seriously I don't know of any good way to do it. Why do you want to put hot wax on it?

[AtlLaw]

I'm gonna try the old remedy, talcum powder.  I also thought of heating it to see if that brought any stuff to the surface.   

I think oiling leather makes it soft and pliable.  Not something I really want in a holster!     So, if I can get the oil out I can wet form it to the revolver it will carry then dip it to make it even stiffer, water proof, etc.

I don't know why I'm even bothering.     This thing is thin leather and dyed an awfull color.  I should just make a new holster!   

[kid buckskin]

Atlaw how are you doing? I thought id let you in on a little trick to age leather yes its the coffee treetment, this will releave the leather of the oil so you can mold to thepistol
First boil water and put coffee in make very strong 2x cowboy coffee, get a tall gallon jug and insert belt and holster in jug, poor the hot coffee in jug andlet sit tell luke warm, take out gun belt and buckle where you should have on yourperson next take out holster and bag your pistol with some kind of anti rust oil and insert pistol in to holster let dry as long as it takes
me personally don't like to stiff a holster semi plyable works for me, dont use hot wax on dry leather it will crack and look like hell, leather needs oil to be derable

[oldandslow]

"I should just make a new holster." Sounds like the best option to me. Personally I'm not a fan of heat in any form on leather. It is especially hard on cowhide. Some leathers like buckskin and elk tolerate it a little better but heat shortens the life of any type leather.

Make the holster out of vegetable tan leather, wet it, and stick the gun in it and form the leather to the gun and let it dry, It will hold it's shape. I wrap the gun in saran wrap to protect it. Don't get the leather soggy wet either. Al Stholman's instructions in one of his holster pattern books said to stick the holster in a bucket of water and pull it out immediately. This works very well on a tooled holster as it doesn't get the leather wet enough for the tooling to lose it's burnish and shape. For a plain leather holster getting it a little wetter makes it easier to shape. There are several finishes to use but I still prefer Neat Lac which has been around forever. It lasts a loooong time and you can just give it another coat to renew it when it gets old and beat up. I'm don't like oil on leather for anything except work boots.

[AtlLaw]

Well, I covered the thing with pure cornstarch powder and let it sit for a day.  when I wiped the powder off you could tell by the color that it had pulled some of the oil out.  So, I covered it with powder again and will let it sit for a while.   

This is really an el-cheapo holster.  Not even a welt along the stitch line.     I may use it as a cadaver to 'speriment on with the wax treatment.  Or maybe just cut the stitching and use it as a pattern.  It does have nice lines... 

[kid buckskin]

Atlaw I think you should make your own holster. What better way to get all the features you want
I did a johnny ringo rig but idident want it to look exactly like the rig peater sherako has

[odoh]

I've been trying to make some of my holsters less soft and found tons of authoritive info on the inet. Google leather and it'll popup many interesting processes. I used one method of soaking the leather in solution of tbl spoon of ammonia per gal of water (not hot) for a prescribed time, then taking the revolver placed in a plastic bag, slid into the holster and let it bask in the sun. I wouldn't do it for anything that needed to flex like a flap. There are other methods and warnings on what not to do also. G'luck

[Steelbanger]

I just got hit with this thought. When it comes time to fit the gun to the holster has anyone ever tried using a vacuum sealer to form fit gun & holster? Of course the moisture trapped in the leather has nowhere to go but I bet a day or two of being under pressure would fit the two together nicely.

[AtlLaw]

I used one method of soaking the leather in solution of tbl spoon of ammonia per gal of water (not hot) for a prescribed time, then taking the revolver placed in a plastic bag, slid into the holster and let it bask in the sun.

I wonder why the ammonia stiffins the leather?   

has anyone ever tried using a vacuum sealer to form fit gun & holster? ... I bet a day or two of being under pressure would fit the two together nicely.

Is there enough pressure to form 9 oz leather?     Seems to me that if there was it would flatten broccoli!     Heck ofa good idea though!   

[odoh]

I used one method of soaking the leather in solution of tbl spoon of ammonia per gal of water (not hot) for a prescribed time, then taking the revolver placed in a plastic bag, slid into the holster and let it bask in the sun.

I wonder why the ammonia stiffins the leather?   

Don't think it did ~ My guess it removed the oils and the water/sun stiffened it?

[mechanic]

Hey young fella'!  How's the missus.  I've had ya'll on my mind the last day or two.....

Go to the auto parts store and get some of the new fangled oil absorbent....not the clay kind but the real fine powdered stuff.  Buy a small bag, open the top, and insert said holster.  After a couple days it will be dry as a bone left on top of Stone Mountain in August.......

Ben

[AtlLaw]

get some of the new fangled oil absorbent....not the clay kind but the real fine powdered stuff.

Hey Ben!  Ya know what that stuff is called?  Sounds like just the thing! 

How's the missus.

Surgery is Thursday.  Won't find out if they got it all until the 14th.  Our wedding anniversary.