Is Chrome tanned leather really as bad as claimed?

[Cliff Fendley]

I've always heard about the chrome tanned being bad thing so as everyone else have generally avoided it. However I know someone who has used it on a lot of holsters without any negative effects. I've also occasionally seen holsters with what appears to be a suede lining which I suspected being chrome tanned so I and just had to experiment myself.

So I wiped off the barrel of an old gun I don't care anything about with a clean dry rag to remove any oil and wrapped a piece of chrome tanned pig skin around a section of the barrel and put a spring clamp to hold it against the guns finish. It's been in contact with the gun for a year and the finish isn't effected at all. You can't tell on the barrel where it has been compared to the finish around it.

So what gives? is this a fluke? did I happen to get a 'good' piece of chrome tanned or is it really not as bad as claimed.

This is chrome tanned pig skin from Tandy leather I picked up a couple years ago.

[Mogorilla]

Well, I have always heard to avoid it, so I did.  What I can say is people used to joke about avoiding a tannery, well veg tan may not smell good during the process, but chrome tanning is very toxic/detrimental depending on how they handle their waste.  Chromium salts, depending on the type can be quite deadly.  For that reason, I avoid it.

[Cliff Fendley]

Same here, I've always avoided it with the impression it would mess up a guns finish just sitting in it for a day or so but I'm not sure that is the case.

In my limited testing it appears you would have to get a gun or holster wet and leave the gun in it for an undetermined amount of time in which would probably mess up a guns finish in any holster. You would think in a case like that any salts in the chrome tanned leather would accelerate and worsen the damage but none the less if a person cares for one like they should it doesn't appear to be as bad as claimed.

I have taken a different piece, different brand of suede leather and wrapped that same gun barrel and will monitor it over the next few weeks or months for any damage.

[Don Nix]

I used soft chrome tan for a boot holster for a nickel 1903 colt. It ruined the finish. It not only dulled the finish but turned it a baby crap yellow. I've stayed away from chrome finish since.