Heavy (8-9 oz.) cowhide leather for holsters starts out very dry. It is often dampened to allow it to be shaped around a form. Then it is allowed to dry to maintain its shape. After the holster is dyed and stitched, it can be treated with the appropriate color (or neutral), shoe polish. If you expect it to hold its shape, you do not want to use anything on it to soften it. If you go nuts and add something to soften it like Neatsfoot oil, it will quickly loose its shape and will not hold your gun securely.my black holster rig arrived very dried out. What should I use on it to soften it up?
Oil of Mink works well.
You really don't want to do that. Mink oil will soften it, soft leather stretches. Use mink oil on your boots where you want soft leather.
Dampen the loops and put cartridges in them and let it dry.
Wet leather against brass cartridges is a bad thing,,,
Unless you like that nasty green verdigris that will quickly form.
Pure lanolin wiped on and use a hair dryer to melt it into the leather. Ebay has lots of it.