Holster messed up my gun finish

doesn't matter what it is, without lubrication if it rubs there is friction, if there is friction, there is wear. TO one, or both. How much, and how fast varies but wear is part of use.

A friend of mine has two classes of wear. Wear to the finish from being carried, (in a holster, or in your hands -rifle/shotgun), and wear from use he calls "honest wear".

Damage (wear) to the finish from lack of care, being banged into things, dropped, etc. is wear, but its not "honest wear" its "unnecessary wear".

I agree with him. I'm ok with honest wear, not ok with wear from abuse or neglect.

to touch up scratches and such on stainless, Flitz metal polish works, but be sparing, and experiment on something of low value, first.
 
Ive had leather wear the finish on guns much worse than kydex. Kydex tends to wear at specific points, where leather tends to wear the finish more overall. Leather also breeds rust. Kydex pretty much eliminates that worry.

As far as embedding abrasives, I always found that leather was much worse at that, and you cant readily clean a leather holster, like you can with a kydex holster. A quick rinse in the kitchen sink, and a wipedown with a paper towel, and youre good to go there.

I quit using leather holsters back when kydex first showed up, and other than a few specific use holsters, have not gone back to leather. For any kind of daily active use, especially if youre carrying IWB, leather holsters suck.

This is my old Colt Commander. It started out a nice, bright Colt blue. It didn't last a year in a couple of Galco Royal Guards before it was pretty heavily rusted. They were rotated daily in the summer. That went on for a couple of years.

The slide was heavily rusted at the muzzle end (if you look close at the left side, you can see where they polished out the pitting prior to the HC), and covered in light rust in may other places. And that was with a daily wipe down and switching holsters each day trying to give them a chance to dry out. Which was actually just a waste of time.

I had it hard chromed and switched to a then new to the market, Blade Tech kydex IWB holster. That knocked 99.9% of the rust down, and I didnt change how I was carrying the gun. I carried that same gun daily, exactly how I had previously, for another 10+ years. Both the gun and the holster are both still going strong today. 25 years later, that $50 kydex holster is still as serviceable as the day I bought it. I was lucky to get a year out of a $75 Royal Guard.

The light/dark streaks you see on the gun are actually mirror polished chrome from constant holstering. They are the only spots the gun contacted the holster.
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Ive carried SIG's and Glocks in kydex holsters for about 15 years now, and never had the finsh worn off at the contact points, nor have I had the holsters scratch the guns from anything embedded in them. You can see some very slight wear at the contact points on the gun, but thats about it. The finish on the rest of the guns were untouched.

Something you might as well get used to, no matter what type of holster you use, the gun is going to show use and wear over time. Theres no getting around that. If that bothers you your gun is getting beat up, get a different gun. Or get over it.
 
AK103k- the "polishing" you see on your gun is wear from the Kydex.
Industrial hard chrome is around Rockwell 72- extremely hard, but the Kydex wore it.
 
Plastic holsters wear the finish faster than leather. Fact. A few years ago I bought a rather newish 586, put it in the plastic holster(Fobus) that I was using for a 686, bye bye pretty gun. At the time I was more interested in shooting than pretty blue guns. I never worry about stainless guns in plastic holster, stainless ain't pretty to start with, don't matter.
 
The light/dark streaks you see on the gun are actually mirror polished chrome from constant holstering. They are the only spots the gun contacted the holster.
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Chrome is a LOT harder than the stainless steel used in typical firearm applications. The shiny spots in the chrome would likely be grooves in a stainless gun given how much softer the steel is.

I would categorize that as heavy wear and would be very surprised to see that kind of wear from a leather holster except maybe in very harsh conditions where there's a lot of blowing sand.
 
Love this discussion but only a few here understand a gun is a tool, tools get used, tools show wear marks and dings.
Moral, If you want to keep your gun finish in perfect condition, never let it leave a humidity controlled safe and always wear cotton gloves when handling.
Meanwhile, I am heading to the range with my well worn shooters and dirty em' up.
 
Well, first off... Calling Fobus a holster should be an insult. There's a video of Clint Smith reviewing one on the range. He basically smashes it, cusses, and throws it in the trash can.

Wear is fine and dandy. If you're worried about wear on your carry pistol, I'd recommend carrying a different pistol altogether.

I use T5 Custom Kydex for all IWB and OWB carry. They have channels where controls go through instead of getting them beat up with the old way of making holsters that are heated and pressed. Great retention, quality, and just all around the greatest I have ever used.
 
Tactical Jackalope said:
Well, first off... Calling Fobus a holster should be an insult. There's a video of Clint Smith reviewing one on the range. He basically smashes it, cusses, and throws it in the trash can.
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Well that just shows that Clint is human like the rest of us. Full of irrational biases, sloppy thinking, puffery and occasionally wipes his a$$ with a pine cone. Normal people are careful what they emulate of Clint.
 
AK103k- the "polishing" you see on your gun is wear from the Kydex.
Industrial hard chrome is around Rockwell 72- extremely hard, but the Kydex wore it.
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I understand that. But thats 10+ years of daily use, vs what I get from less than one of daily carry in a leather holster.

The finish wear is also only at a couple of contact points. The rest of the finish is basically pristine and untouched. Something you dont see with a leather holster, especially over any length of time.
 
Some practical “how to do its”...

Some stainless is polished (mirror), some is brushed, some is bead blasted (powdery).

Refinishing bead blasting requires a bead blaster and if you have one, skip this post.

Polished stainless can be rubbed shiny again with a metal polish such a Flitz. I would remove the slide, put some flitz on a soft flannel cloth wrapped around a piece of pressboard or a very flat bit of lumber or maybe use a rubber backed sanding block.

You want a flat surface, go slow, and rub the entire face... that way you won’t notice subtle changes in the middle of a flat... as you rework the entire flat area.

With a brushed finish, I work very gently on the scratches with scotchbrite. Go slow and do too little. Then taper the restored area to the main finish gently. If needed, then gently use a flat backing to gently finish the entire flat.

The key is “it’s easier to sand off too much than to sand it back on.” Go slow and don’t feel it has to be perfect... do too little rather than too much.

Y’know... I like my car now. When it was new, I worried about every time a bird pooped on it. Now my car has a few little door dings in it, a few pebble pocks on the hood... I still take care of it but it’s no big deal if I notice yet another little scratch.

A new gun is special, but a little wear makes it a lot less stressful.
 
KT-Mech makes custom kydex with interior felt or suede lining. The lining does start to wear out eventually but unless you’re regularly rolling around in gravel to get caught in there... it will cause less wear on the gun than dry kydex. Of course if you are doing ground work, live in the sandbox, etc... the lining is probably far worse than dry kydex.


Andrew - Lancaster, CA
NRA Life Member, CRPA member, Calguns.net contributor, CGF / SAF / FPC / CCRKBA / GOA / NAGR / NRA-ILA contributor, USCCA member - Support your defenders!
 
Holsters aside I would just get some jeweler's rouge or similar and buff it out. You may even be able to buff it out using some Flitz. Just about any buffing & polishing compound should clean up that stainless slide.

Ron
 
I also would try Flitz metal polish first before I went to the scotch brite. I have used both, it depends on how bad the wear is and how deep your refinish needs to go. The Flitz will do a good job on light surface marks but if there are any deep gouges (like a few police trade ins I worked on" a scotch brite rub down with oil would be a good start.

As for a gun being a tool, yes it is a tool. But in a way so is your underwear but you would not put up with improper wear or rubbing you raw would you??? No you would get one that does not wear your *I* slide out??? A holster is like a good pair of underware

I tried a Fobus many years ago on a G26 and it wore marks on the slide after a few months of use, I gave up on the plastic holsters and went back to leather and don't regret it. YMMV.

A holster is like a good pair of underwear, it needs to be cleaned just like your gun....
 
Some people have no concept of surface finishes. That slide is satin finished to about 400 grit. Jeweler's rouge or Flitz will simply make a bright spot.
You don't need a buffing wheel, either.
Get a scrap piece of metal and sand it lengthwise with 400 grit paper- see if the finish matches. If not, go finer or coarser until you get a match.
Wrap the paper TIGHTLY around a sanding block, and sand the slide lengthwise until the scratches are gone.
A Scotchbrite pad may work, but it also may dish the edges of the marks and make them harder to remove. Use with caution!
 
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Some like vanilla ice cream and some like butterscotch . . . . . .

I don't own any shiny guns - just don't care for them so I can't speak to gus you have to wear sunglasses to shoot . . .

I have both Fobus as well as others made of index - I've never had a problem with finish wear . . or any more wear than a leather holster give. I have several different carry handguns that I carry OWB for CCW / / / blued Smith wheel guns as well as Shields - never had any issue with finish wear but fully expect some over time . . . You can[t clean your gun and not clean your holster though . . if you oil your handgun . . . which I do . . . it's common sense that some will transfer to the holster no matter what it is made of . . and dust and dirt will stick to those areas. When you clean your handgun . . . clean your holster.

From the look of the OP's "scratches" . . . my guess is that there was dirt/grit in the holster - to lay the blame on the Focus plastic or a index holster . . . IMHO . . . is not completely fair. . . . the material that is used in Fobus holsters or in index is to harder than the metal of the handgun in the case of a stainless one . . . blued? I fully expect finish wear no matter what the holster is made from . . . . that doesn't[t bother me as the finish has nothing to do with the function of the handgun if needed to defend.
 
I understand that. But thats 10+ years of daily use, vs what I get from less than one of daily carry in a leather holster.
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Dunno what to say about that. The gun I'm wearing now has been carried daily for maybe 20 years. The first few years in a kydex holster that caused a good bit of wear, both to the slide finish and the polymer frame. But the majority of the carry has been in leather holsters. I'm sure the leather holsters have caused some wear over the years, but it's been so minimal that I can't really tell that there's additional wear over what the kydex caused in the beginning.

My sub-compact carry gun has always been carried in a leather holster and it shows essentially no wear.
Love this discussion but only a few here understand a gun is a tool, tools get used, tools show wear marks and dings.
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Yup. I have a few guns that I want to keep absolutely pristine. I don't carry them. There's no way to carry a gun and insure that it won't get dinged or worn in the process.
That slide is satin finished to about 400 grit. Jeweler's rouge or Flitz will simply make a bright spot.

...

Get a scrap piece of metal and sand it lengthwise with 400 grit paper- see if the finish matches. If not, go finer or coarser until you get a match.
Wrap the paper TIGHTLY around a sanding block, and sand the slide lengthwise until the scratches are gone.
A Scotchbrite pad may work, but it also mat dish the edges of the marks and make them harder to remove. Use with caution!
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Good comments and good advice.
 
gnystrom said:
Love this discussion but only a few here understand a gun is a tool, tools get used, tools show wear marks and dings.
Moral, If you want to keep your gun finish in perfect condition, never let it leave a humidity controlled safe and always wear cotton gloves when handling.
Meanwhile, I am heading to the range with my well worn shooters and dirty em' up.
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yup...my G-17 is beautiful..my EDC G42, isn't..
 
Dunno what to say about that. The gun I'm wearing now has been carried daily for maybe 20 years. The first few years in a kydex holster that caused a good bit of wear, both to the slide finish and the polymer frame. But the majority of the carry has been in leather holsters. I'm sure the leather holsters have caused some wear over the years, but it's been so minimal that I can't really tell that there's additional wear over what the kydex caused in the beginning.

My sub-compact carry gun has always been carried in a leather holster and it shows essentially no wear.
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A lot of this is probably differences in experiences, conditions, and holsters.

Ive worked outside in heavy construction most of my life, and a good majority of that spent in the woods and on construction sites as a surveyor.

Most of where I work, or have worked would be considered a "harsh" environment by most. Lots of dirt dust, rock and concrete dust, sawdust, mud, and sweat on a daily basis, and it gets pretty much everywhere on you. Playtime hasnt been much different either.

Most days in the summer (summers here are usually in the upper 80's to upper 90's with high humidity), youre "wet" by 9am, and pretty much stay damp the rest of the day. Leather holsters, especially IWB type holsters, dont do well in that environment. The guns in them dont fare much better.

The best holster Ive found, as far as protection for the gun goes, have been, of all things, my Smart Carry holsters. My 26's are basically spotless at the end of the week, where my 17 in an IWB/AIWB generally need daily attention to keep them clean. The back of the Smart Carry's are waterproof, so sweat has never really been an issue.

This was the last Galco Royal Guard I used back in the 90's. What you see there, is one month/30 days wear from brand new in the summer (pic was taken after it sat in a "holster box" for about ten years). The duct tape was an attempt as slowing down the sweat soaking the leather, which was basically just a waste of time.

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This is the Blade Tech (on the right) I bought to replace it, which I still have, and it still works as new, 25 some years later. The other holster was a spare I bought in case I needed it, which I didnt, and I sold it off later.

If you look at the one on the right, you can see at some point, I somehow broke off the top of the sweat guard during the day while working. Other than that, and replacing the rubber belt loops a few times, the holster has held up a lot better than any leather holster Ive used.

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This is the gun I currently carry daily in a kydex holster, and have for about 10 years now. Most of that was in a Blade Tech, the past 6-8 months, its been a Suarez "Gunfighter" holster. (The specs you see on the gun is dust/lint. It came right out of the holster and I should have wiped it down before I took the pic. :))

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As you can see, there is little wear from the kydex holsters on the gun. You have to look real close at the front side of the trigger guard to see where the gun "clicks" in, which is really, the only hard contact point.
 
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