In The Beginning or Not All Holsters Are Created Equal

 The Case For Leather Holsters

or

A Very Long Rant by a Lifelong Leather Holster Guy Turned Maker 

 

A holster isn't just a necessary thing, It is NOT just about practicality and convenience. It is also about personal style. It is a direct reflection on your style and personality. To that end, leather has always been the GOLD standard of holster materials.

Leather is the traditional choice for these little bags we hold our guns in. While there are other materials such as nylon, Kydex, or plastic: leather is the one material that has the very unique property of forming itself around the weapon and wearer. Modern synthetics absolutely cannot match the natural performance of a leather holster. A well-crafted leather holster, properly maintained will last a lifetime. 

In this issue I will try to give you several reasons you need a good leather holster for your firearm. Let's start with the three main reason I find a leather holster to be the superior choice for securing and protecting your firearm. 

 

1.) Durability

• Leather has always been sought after because of its amazing flexibility. Leather in various thicknesses has been used for centuries as the choice for garments, shoes, saddle and holsters. With different types and thicknesses of leather, almost any shape or size item can be made.  Leather is not hard to maintain and can be quickly repaired by a skilled leather-worker.  I recently just made two commissioned gunbelts for customers out of English Bridle Leather and both customers discussed with me the fact that they would be passing the rigs down for generations.

 

2.) Comfortability

• Let's face it, leather is just comfortable. Carried against the skin it will not chafe or irritate the skin. Carrying an IWB leather holster one will find that the gun not only molds to the gun, but to your body as well.  Somehow carrying a piece of petroleum-based plastic crap next to my skin doesn't sound so appealing.  Carried OWB on a belt the holster will stay tight against the body reducing printing and increasing concealability.  Your body has to adapt to any plastic holster. A good leather holster adapts to you! Life is GOOD!

 

 3.) Sheer Elegance...but you should still be the Grey Man (upcoming blog entry)

• ABSOLUTELY NOTHING looks or feels as good as a well-maintained leather holster.  Leather develops its own age markings that will almost always complement the design of the holster.  An aged leather holster is very eye-catching and unique. It will set a standard of personal style that just simply cannot be matched by a plastic or nylon holster (unless you count discoloration, scratched and UV damage as beauty marks). 

 These are my top three arguments for leather holsters.  There are many more advantages like quiet draws and superior retention (Yes Martha, even on a Level One!).

When I hand craft a holster for you, I strive to use the best materials available and give you the highest quality craftsmanship. A Moon River Leatherworks holster is a unique, handcrafted piece of equipment to secure your weapon. I still hand sew every piece. I am a workforce of one, so you might have to wait a short period of time to get your new bespoke holster, but I think you will be extremely happy with a finished  product that not only will reflect your style, it might just save your or someone else's life!

 

  

A Case in Point  

Officer’s Holster Ripped From Gunbelt, Suspect Permanently De-Stabilized

Posted: 15 July 2024

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A 39-year-old man was shot and killed by police in Marion, Indiana, early Monday morning after a confrontation with officers.

Just after 5 a.m., Marion Police Department officers responded to the 2100 block of West 8th Street after a 911 caller said a man had entered her home in violation of a no-contact order and refused to leave. The man also had warrants out for his arrest, according to MPD.

The residence is just south of State Road 18 near Lincoln Park on the city’s southwest side.

Two Marion police officers arrived at the home and talked with the 911 caller, who was locked out of her home, and the subject of the complaint, Michael Guy.

“The complainant added that Mr. Guy had active arrest warrants on file for previously violating the court order. The woman also expressed fear of Mr. Guy. Because normal access to the inside of the residence was not possible, the complainant pushed the front door open to allow the officers access,” Marion police said in a release.

Once inside the home, the two officers found Guy in a bedroom with the door shut.

Guy was “confrontational with the officers immediately and resisted forcefully” when the officers tried to arrest him, the police department says.

“A significant struggle ensued in which one officer’s holster with the officer’s issued pistol was forcefully ripped/removed from the officer’s body. Mr. Guy was tased in an attempt to use a less-than-lethal option to gain compliance with no effect,” the Marion police said.

After he was tased, Guy warned that he “intended to kill the officer during this time and refused commands to let go of the weapon,” according to the news release.

To keep Guy from following through on his threat, he was shot by the other officer in the bedroom.

Despite lifesaving measures, Guy did not survive.

Marion Police Chief David Gilbert requested the assistance of the Indiana State Police to investigate the incident.

State police say no officers were hurt.

Both officers have been placed on administrative leave pending the results of the investigation.

Online court records show that Guy was facing a series of charges, with the first filed in 2017. The charges included child molesting, rape, and incest.

Indiana State Police say, upon completion of the investigation, the findings will be provided to the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office for review.

 Whether you're a professional or civilian carrier, this story should shock you. As a former LEO I have used a leather and nylon duty belt. this is what I always wondered about with the modern "lunchbox" super-security holsters. I am not wondering now, I am of the opinion that had the officer been wearing a traditional leather duty belt the holster could not have been removed from him. I am guessing that the "super-security" features of the Lunchbox are probably what prevented the officer;'s weapon from being turned against him.