New Gun Belt and Holsters

[dakota_dj]

I am just getting into CAS. I purchased a new belt and holsters on line from a Western Store. The belt was stiff, not very flexible. I used Neatsfoot Oil Compond on it. This seemed to help. Is there anything else I should be using instead of the Neatsfoot?

Thank you. 

[Trailrider]

Lexol(R) Leather Conditioner is better for the leather than straight Neatsfoot Oil. Don't overdo it with the Lexol.

[Camano Ridge]

Since you used neatsfoot oil compound and not 100% pure neatsfoot oil I have to agree with Trailrider. Neatsfoot oil compound contains petroleum products, not the best for leather. When you use the conditioner apply light coats and give time between coats for the product to migrate into the leather, until you get the where you want it. You don't want the belt to soft, it is supposed to support the weight of the gun or guns and any ammunition. If you saturate a belt with conditioner or oil it will become soft and will ooze product for some time. Light coats are best.

[Cliff Fendley]

Throw the neatsfoot oil compound away and get some pure neatsfoot oil. The neatsfoot compound will rot your stitching and over time not do the leather any good either.

I use a lot of pure neatsfoot oil but it generally doesn't soften the leather, Lexol will help soften the leather a bit. I also like skidmores.

[Red Cent]

Dakota, you will find that you want to keep the leather rather stiff, especially the holsters. When we build SASS competition holsters, we get them hard as rocks. You can tap your knuckles on the side of the holster and it will sound like you are tapping wood.
If I rode the back 1000 acres every day, I would go for soft belts and holsters. But not in SASS. You want very little retention of the revolvers. You want the holster to stay all the way open.

We are the only discipline I know that will return a gun to the holster during the stage. And you should have a big hole to hit when you go for it.

You compete enough and you will find that those notions you have may not work in SASS.

[Cliff Fendley]

Well I guess those couple hundredths of a second on a reholster matters in SASS with in the in your face humongous satellite dish sized targets with everything concentrating on speed.

Then again all CAS isn't shot that way. Shrink them targets and move em out to about 15 yards for the pistol and 35 yards for the rifle and see how much those stiff holsters help ya.