Holster messed up my gun finish
- Thread starter Lonewolf concealment
- Start date
Steve in Allentown
New member
3M Scotch-Brite scrubbing pads are the go-to solution for restoring marred stainless. They come in different colors which signify the "grit". Your objective is to choose the color which best matches the finish on your pistol but I know of no way to determine that without experimenting.
This fellow used the commonly available green pads that are on the shelf in the grocery store: Scotch-Brite.
Here are the before and after pics of a scratched stainless frame: Before/After.
This fellow used the commonly available green pads that are on the shelf in the grocery store: Scotch-Brite.
Here are the before and after pics of a scratched stainless frame: Before/After.
Last edited:
indie_rocker
New member
That's Fobus for ya, sorry. I don't care what the holster manufacturers say, Fobus and Kydex will scratch and wear the finish of a firearm faster than leather. Keeping it clean slows it down, but it still wears them like crazy.
Fobus is a manufacturer and kydex is a material.
I have idk how many presentations from kydex holsters without the wear shown in these pictures. Usually if anything it's actually kydex that has worn onto the slide itself and can be removed with a cloth and a nylon brush.
Last edited:
Bill DeShivs
New member
Kydex is known for picking up grit and embedding it. This scratches finishes.
It's well known in the knife world.
It's well known in the knife world.
Yup. I quit using a kydex holster awhile back.
The one I was using with one of my polymer guns wore a groove in one side of the trigger guard and completely took the texture off one side of the frame up near the dustcover leaving it shiny and slick.
Since then, I've been using a quality leather holster with that gun long enough to have completely worn one holster out and started using a second (much longer than I used the kydex holster with that gun) and there's very little wear from the leather.
You still want to keep a leather holster clean, especially if it's in a gritty environment, but it doesn't seem to be nearly as bad for attracting and retaining grit and causing wear on guns as the kydex is.
You can polish those marks out, but if you've never done any metal polishing, you're as likely to make it worse as make it better, in my opinion.
Getting the marks out is one thing--getting the polished area to match the rest of the slide is harder. You might have to polish the whole slide to get it to match.
I'm not recommending the Scotch Brite method, but if you use it, start with the finest, least aggressive Scotch Brite and try it carefully--if it looks like it's not aggressive/coarse enough to do the job, got a little coarser and more aggressive with the Scotch Brite.
Keep the polishing strokes lined up with the grain that is already visible in the slide.
For years I've been using kydex holsters from Bravo Concealment and now JM Custom Kydex. I haven't had anything remotely close to what is shown in these pictures, or grooves worn into polymer frames or polymer worn shiny. That obviously doesn't mean it can't happen, but as someone that carries daily and spends significant time doing presentations from the holster the level of wear in these pictures surprises me. The kydex holsters I use are smooth like glass inside and I haven't had them pick up debris and it get caught inside. In addition the retention has been such that while I could flip the holster upside down and have the pistol stay in place, I don't need to drag the pistol out of the holster so that it is scraping on the sides. What I do have to clean off periodically is kydex that has transferred to the slide after I've spent an hour doing presentation drills.
As a note, I haven't done this with stainless steel slides. I've done it with pistols with black finishes that are significantly more abrasion resistant than bare stainless. The black finishes might help hide the marks, though I regularly clean the pistols under strong light and don't notice any such marks. The wear I notice is typically around the muzzle, which is typical of most holsters. My point is while all kydex holsters share the same material, I think some are better for wear than others.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
As a note, I haven't done this with stainless steel slides. I've done it with pistols with black finishes that are significantly more abrasion resistant than bare stainless. The black finishes might help hide the marks, though I regularly clean the pistols under strong light and don't notice any such marks. The wear I notice is typically around the muzzle, which is typical of most holsters. My point is while all kydex holsters share the same material, I think some are better for wear than others.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
Last edited:
Most people holster their gun so it can be carried safely. You carry and depend on that gun to save your life should the need arise. I pick my holsters based on the ease of drawing/retention so it can be put into service quickly if needed and yet will remain in its holster during my normal everyday activities as well as some more severe jolts and or falls on my part.
All my carry guns are tools. All my holsters Kydex or leather do their job and yes will impart wear on my firearm.
If you want the best of both worlds, look into Garretts Holsters as they are leather lined Kydex. Firearm wear is minimal and retention can be adjusted.
All my carry guns are tools. All my holsters Kydex or leather do their job and yes will impart wear on my firearm.
If you want the best of both worlds, look into Garretts Holsters as they are leather lined Kydex. Firearm wear is minimal and retention can be adjusted.
I can always tell a gun carried in a leather holster - the finish is worn. Ever wonder why razor strops were made of leather?
I live in a soggy climate - leather sucks. I switched to ballistic nylon, kydex and plastic years ago and am very satisfied.
Fobus makes good holsters. Kydex doesn't scratch metal. But if you have crud in your holster, and never bother to clean it out, you can get scratches.
I've used standard green scotchbrite pads to polish stainless slides and receivers - works great. But it will take a super long time to remove a scratch of any depth - for that you need a buffing wheel. If I remember correctly, Hoppes #9 will darken stainless slightly if you don't want a super bright finish when you are done polishing.
BTW, most of the marks on the slide is plastic on the metal - it will come off easily. I can't tell what the other marks are.
I live in a soggy climate - leather sucks. I switched to ballistic nylon, kydex and plastic years ago and am very satisfied.
Fobus makes good holsters. Kydex doesn't scratch metal. But if you have crud in your holster, and never bother to clean it out, you can get scratches.
I've used standard green scotchbrite pads to polish stainless slides and receivers - works great. But it will take a super long time to remove a scratch of any depth - for that you need a buffing wheel. If I remember correctly, Hoppes #9 will darken stainless slightly if you don't want a super bright finish when you are done polishing.
BTW, most of the marks on the slide is plastic on the metal - it will come off easily. I can't tell what the other marks are.
Burn the Fobus “holster.”
No, really.
[emoji91] [emoji91]it.
I have to poke you a bit:
U purchase a 1911 and purchase the worst holster known to man...
C’mon, man...
If you’re not confident in your ability to work out the scratches see a gunsmith. It should not be too hard to take care of.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Lonewolf, I have little experience with Fobus, but have used many other holsters, over a lot of years. Some holsters will wear firearms more than others, but holsters and firearms actually used together to a significant extent, will show wear. A different holster might produce less wear, and stainless is easily touched up anyway. I used predominately leather holsters, and to a much lesser extent, Kydex. My stainless 1911 type pistol looked worse than yours from time to time, and since I have a blast cabinet, etc. I refinished it more than once. Even without a blast cabinet, the ScotchBrite pads mentioned, used carefully and moved in the same direction as the factory brush finish, can be used for touch up on stainless.
Bill DeShivs
New member
Kydex imbeds itself with grit.
If it will scratch a RC 62 hardness knife blade, it will surely scratch ab RC 40 gun.
If it will scratch a RC 62 hardness knife blade, it will surely scratch ab RC 40 gun.
Will it if the coating on the firearm goes above that HRC? What about DLC coatings?
Again, I'm not saying it can't happen, I'm saying that assuming it happening is a given seems disputed by evidence to the contrary. I fully admit that the pistols I'm describing had DLC coatings or Melonite or nitride treatments.
Last edited:
Bill DeShivs
New member
Yes, it can wear DLC coatings.
Water carved the Grand Canyon out of solid rock.
Water carved the Grand Canyon out of solid rock.
Lol, no kidding. But the slide on my pistol isn't undergoing quite that level of erosion on a daily basis, and I'll be dust in the tiniest fraction of that time.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk