Double Loop Holster Question

[Mississippi Sam]

Good evening all!  I have a question for all you leather pros out there.  When you are constructing a double loop holster, when do you run the holster through the loops, before or after you stain. 

My thought process is that you normally stain something before you put it together.  If I stain the holster first, but then wet it to run it through the loops, my stain runs off the holster.  So I guess logically my assumption is that I need to wet the holster, run it through the loops, let it dry, and then stain it.  Is that what you guys are doing to achieve your results?

Thanks for your help!

-MS Sam

[Dalton Masterson]

I put mine through before I even stitch it, just to see if all is well. Then I take it apart, dye it, stitch it, then put the body through the loops. I dont wet it per se, when I do that. I do wet it when I wet mold the holster to the gun, and work the loops some then.

Hope that helps. Others will chime in too.
DM

[Springfield Slim]

I have that happen too, so sometimes I have to re stain it. It is especially bad with the antique stains. But, it just looks that much more "antiqued" after being stained twice.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I haven't had any problems with stain running. I use either mineral based or natural dyes. With mineral based ones or vinegaroon, I dye it and let it dry first. Then I sew it. After that I wet it and fold it through the loops. I wet mold while it's still wet. With the natural brown dyes, I sew and assemble it first then dunk it in the dye for whatever time period is needed to get the color I want. When I pull it out of the dye, I wet mold it immediately while it sits in the sun to darken.

[cowboywc]

Howdy
I do all color and finish. When the finish has dried good then I wet the holster and fit it through the loops.
Wet mold the holster, after it has dried then I will add a final finish.
WC

[Irish Dave]

I do all color and finish. When the finish has dried good then I wet the holster and fit it through the loops.
Wet mold the holster, after it has dried then I will add a final finish.

Pretty much the same for me.

[Mississippi Sam]

I guess my problem then is that I use a gel antique that is water based.  The minute it gets wet it runs like crazy.  Any solution to that?

[Marshal Tac]

Use oil based dyes rather than water based gel stains........ You won't have that problem.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

When I used antique stains years ago, water would discolor the finish so I just made sure to get the whole thing wet so it didn't spot. I liked the result. You may want to try just wiping the excess off while it's soaking wet. It may give a whole different look that you like.