Lined Leather holsters

[M8ball]

Gentlemen and Ladies:

I'm not into CAS at this point in life but appreciate good leather.  Here's my problem.  A couple of years ago I found a very nice suede-lined SA holster made by Ross, a firm out fo South Africa.  It was reasonably priced (under $60) and well made.  I was going to get one or two more, but they became as rare as hen's teeth around here.  Recently, I found a local big sporting goods retailer was carrying them, but now they come with these chinsy, god-awful sheriff's badge concha-thingies that would be better suited for holstering a capgun.  Short of dropping serious coin on a custom work, is there anybody who makes a quality, suede-lined holster?

I'm looking for holsters for a single-six, a bearcat, and an Italian SAA clone.  Crossdraw would be great but strongside works too.

[leverfan]

I tend to steer clear of suede lined holsters, myself.  Some suedes are tanned with a process that leaves chemicals that can attack gun metal.  Suede holds dirt, which wears on the finish.  I make my holster linings out of veg tanned calfskin or pigskin, if it's a light weight lining.  That can just be wiped clean.  I'm also partial to Bianchi's layer approach to holster making, which also leaves smooth, veg tanned leather on the inside of the holster (just a much heavier lining, really).

Not to steer you away from this site, but you might find what you're looking for, at a good price, if you post a "want to buy" ad over on the SASS Wire classifieds.  Most of those folks have holsters coming out their ears, and would be only too glad to clear some space by selling them to you.  SASS

[Cheyenne Ranger]

About the only suede holsters I've seen is here:  http://www.texasgunslinger.com/  but they aren't top of the line.

Agree that suede has had some adverse effects on the blued guns that reside in them.

A lot of good leather lined holsters out there.  Might want to check them out personally at a SASS match to see what is now on the market

CR

[Rickk]

Suede is nothing but an inner layer of leather (i.e. ... not the "top" or outer grain).

Gluing an inner layer inside an outer layer is just putting it back where it came from.

A good part is that if there are any lacing or metal rivets in the "outer part" they are separated from your gun's finish.

A bad part is that the lining may eventually start to separate. They are held in place with contact cement.... typically "Barge Cement". Barge cement holds really well, but it can eventually fail.

I run a part time leather shop , and I do make my own holsters. I keep stitching and rivets out of the interior by design. I avoid liinings as they are just something else to go wrong. The interior side of the leather is smothed with Gum Tragacanth and a plastic stick after dying. I apply a diluted acrylic coating inside and out (it prevents dye running... everyone does it). Neatsfoot oil is applied to soften the leather (the solvents in the dye tend to dry things out). Neathsfoot will penetrate acrylic coating. The inside gets an application of 50/50 warmed beeswax/parafin wax to make things slide better.