Storage Of Holsters And Web Gear

[Ironlip]

I'm in the process of building out a small room in my house, a closet really, with racks for my long guns and shelves for pistols and knives. I also intend to store my leather holsters and web gear in there. Those items will probably wind up on higher shelves but I would like them to be at least somewhat visible. Have any of you used clear plastic tubs or boxes to store leather items and web gear? I'm a little concerned about moisture getting into those containers. The leather has natural moisture anyway and I don't to let mildew get started.

How do you guys store your web gear and holsters that are not out on display? All suggestions appreciated.

Thanks, Rick

[dave]

Out in the open air of my gun rooms. Hung on the walls or on shelves. The humidity is controlled at around 50% to prevent rust on guns, never had problem with leather gear or slings either!

[Bill99]

Store your leather with lots of silica gel pacs, and check them often for verigitis (the green stuff) near the metal.

[Richard Turner/Turner Saddlery]

Store leather in a cool dry environment with adequate air circulation. I would not store leather in any type of plastic bag or container as it prevents it from breathing. There are some plastics which contain various plastomers and elastomers that will burn and damage leather over time, and the plastic can cause mold and mildew to form. A good clean brown corrugated box or heavy brown craft paper is the best option for storage, as it allows the leather to breathe.

I do not recommend storing any leather within gun vaults or safes, as there is not enough air circulation. You might get away storing in a safe for awhile, but it depends a lot on the inside temperature and humidity of the safe. I know of a customer located in Arizona who destroyed all the leather he kept in his gun safes, as well as cracked stocks on M1903 and several Mausers due having 3 dehumidifier rods and several cans of desiccant in his safes. He thought that if one was good, more would be better. This set-up apparently elevated the temperature too much and the desiccants pulled too much moisture out of not only the safe, but dried out the leather and the stocks of his rifles. He sent me several slings and a Luger holster that was totally beyond help. The leather slings were so dry, they had the consistency of a salteen cracker and snapped when flexed.

Leather requires a certain moisture level in order to remain stable, 12-20% is ideal. Temperature range of 50-70 degrees is ideal, with a humidity level of 30-60%.

Additional info regarding vegetable tanned leather from a trade publication I receive.

Equilibrium moisture content of leather

Like all other fibrous materials the moisture content of a piece of leather is fixed for a particular temperature and relative humidity of the surrounding air. If temperature and relative humidity or both are changed, the moisture content of the leather will be changed, no doubt, but the new moisture content value will remain constant under the new atmospheric conditions. This is known as the equilibrium moisture content of the leather under the specified atmospheric conditions. If the leather contains more moisture than the equilibrium value it will dry until its moisture content comes down to this value. Similarly the leather will absorb moisture during drying if its moisture content is less than the equilibrium value. Once the equilibrium moisture content value is reached there will be no drying unless the temperature or humidity of the drying air is changed.

Another note regarding leather. Never store knives in scabbards, or weapons in holsters or scabbards, as the leather will damage the metal and the metal will damage the leather in a humid environment. Leather is constantly taking in and releasing moisture depending on its surrounding environment.

Best suggestion is the brown kraft paper/box method, placed on a shelf a considerable height off the floor, especially if the floor is concrete or carpeted, where there is adequate air circulation and low light.

When exposed to sunlight, incandescent, or florescent lighting, leather will continue to darken throughout its life. Too much exposure to sunlight will burn the grain side of leather over time and speeds up drying and cracking.

As far as verdigris goes, you can clean it from the leather and brass; however, it will return as there is nothing known that will stop the formation short of lacquer coating the brass or copper. Verdigris forms as a reaction between the tannins (tannic acid) and the copper content in the brass. Copper is the base metal used in forming brass, which is an alloy. Cartridge Brass (C260 Yellow Brass), of which the M1907 Gun Sling Hooks (Frogs), as well as other military hardware that has to be stamped or formed is made, is made using cartridge brass. C260 Cartridge Brass contains 70% copper and 30% zinc. Naval Brass on the other hand is a mixture of 60% copper, 39% zinc, and 1% tin. The tin is added to reduce the zinc from leaching out in corrosive environments.

You can clean the verdigris from the brass and leather by using a 50/50 mixture of distilled water and white vinegar. For cleaning heavy verdigris from brass, you can use a 60/40 solution of distilled water and non-sudsing ammonia (such as Parsons brand). Do not let the ammonia solution come in contact with the leather, as it will burn and darken where it makes contact. A soft toothbrush, toothpicks, and bamboo skewers can be used to clean and scrape the verdigris from the brass and leather. Just be careful when removing verdigris from leather.

Semper Fi,

Richard