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68 year old Victory holster


hotlead
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A good family friend recently gave me some of her Brothers gear, he was a Marine pilot from 1942 untill 1964, and flew Corsairs in WWII. I'll do a good write up after I compile everything.

 

One of the things she gave me was his issued S&W Victory model .38 revolver, it was in his shoulder holster with the strap wrapped around and put in a box in the closet. There it sat undisturbed since the late '40s, untill yesterday.

 

As we found it,

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It seems he was a "empty chamber under the hammer" guy, with 5 loose rounds in the box,

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For now, I'm really asking about the holster, and how to clean it up properly. It's still pretty flexible, and the white stuff looks like the waxy preservative stuff leaking out.

IMG_20110220_120015.jpg

 

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The issue is, he wrote a few things on this holster, his name in two places and a very interesting date. March 19, 1945 was the day the USS Franklin was hit by two Japanese bombs off the coast of Japan, killing 724, wounding 265, and ending the war for the Franklin.

IMG_20110220_120116.jpg

 

Anyway, what to do about this holster?

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Very nice find.

First I would take a tool pick or something similiar and remove the green verdigris forming around the brass rivits and snaps.THe white material may well be mildew.A soft cotton rag or old t-shirt can be used to wipe of most of the white stuff with little buffing.If it helps dampen the rag with tap water but dont soak the rag or holster.If it is mildew you can set the holster in the sun for a while. Wont hurt it at all.Just remember some leather conditioners,cleaners and preservitives will change or darken the leather further.THere is a product called renassiance wax and I have been told it can be used on leather,wood,steel etc.It is a micro crytaline wax.Sometimes less is more on older items.There are several threads here on the forum as well on leather care/conservation.Forum member Bluehawk often has added to the posts about conservation.Contact him.

Good luck and will be intrested to seeing your future postsings on this group.

 

RON

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Tom @ Snake River

I agree, first to take an old soft cloth or tee shirt and buff and rub off the white stuff.

You might then take a soft tooth brush and work over the heavier green stuff.

 

The more I have been working with leather, the more I like just plain good glyeren saddle soap and a possible finish coat of good olive oil. They both dry and shine real good.

 

I agree that Pecards is not that great. However I really like it for treating my leather work boots for out in the snow.

 

Someone said not to treat leather untill it is cracked. Hey, by the time it is cracked, it is too late. There is no reversing the damage at that point.

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To remove the vertigris in tight areas do not use a metal pick. Instead use a tooth pick or wooden match stick. loose material can be brushed off with a soft tooth brush. As to the use of Pecards on old leather. I've been using it with very good results on my 100 year old saddles and leather gear for 15 years. I have no problem with it.

Best George.

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