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How do you open carry in foul weather?

WalkingWolf

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Jul 31, 2011
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11,930
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North Carolina
I'll give it a try with one of my cap and ball holsters and see what happens. What kind of wax do you use?

I use canning wax, but is does have a lower melting point then bees wax. Bees wax would be best if it gets really hot where you are. Texas carriers should use bees wax instead.

If leather has impurities you will get some of the wax rising to the surface over time, but it cleans off with alcohol, and then can be polished back up with shoe wax.
 
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Chief Ten Beers

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Jan 22, 2014
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176
Location
Western Kentucky
I use canning wax, but is does have a lower melting point then bees wax. Bees wax would be best if it gets really hot where you are. Texas carriers should use bees wax instead.

If leather has impurities you will get some of the wax rising to the surface over time, but it cleans off with alcohol, and then can be polished back up with shoe wax.

I'm in the hills of western Kentucky, and it gets hot, but not that hot. At the dump where I take my trash, the guy in the shack sells honey, and he probably can get some bees wax. The next time I go there, I'll ask him. :)
 

Fallschirjmäger

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Aug 4, 2007
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Cumming, Georgia, USA
I would never carry a gun openly in inclement weather, unless it was raining, sleeting, snowing, a blizzard, hurricane, typhoon, or a tornado.

In my time I've carried everywhere from assaults over the beach and landing craft practice, jungle warfare training, arctic warfare training, and just plain lousy weather training. I carried because I had a firearm as part of my job requirements. No firearm I've carried has ever rusted into inoperablility just because of one day's exposure to a little water, salty or not.
 

Fallschirjmäger

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I use canning wax, but is does have a lower melting point then bees wax. Bees wax would be best if it gets really hot where you are. Texas carriers should use bees wax instead.

Standard "Gulf Wax" has a melting temp of about 127-130F. Beeswax has a relatively low melting point range of 144 to 147 °F).

Melting points for paraffin waxes have a range of 125 °F to 165 °F. You just need to find a paraffin wax with a higher melting point than what can be found on the grocery store shelves. Either Ebay or a candle shop should be able to supply high MP (melting point) paraffin. $2/lb for the highest grade (165MP)
 
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WalkingWolf

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Standard "Gulf Wax" has a melting temp of about 127-130F. Beeswax has a relatively low melting point range of 144 to 147 °F).

Melting points for paraffin waxes have a range of 125 °F to 165 °F. You just need to find a paraffin wax with a higher melting point than what can be found on the grocery store shelves. Either Ebay or a candle shop should be able to supply high MP (melting point) paraffin. $2/lb for the highest grade (165MP)

I have used slow burning candles also, which would be like tea candles. Temp can also be changed by adding ivory soap, though I have not tried it for leather. I use ivory soap in my bullet lube, but there is also bees wax, and tallow in that.

Ivory soap would be white bath bars, not dish soap.
 

Rusty Young Man

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Árida Zona
Greetings from sunny, dry Arizona Chief Ten Beers! Glad to see another freedom-loving individual joining the forum.

If you don't mind the darker color you can hot wax treat your holsters, they will last forever, wear the guns less, be as tough as kydex, and almost completely water proof. Most of my holsters are treated, especially my fast draw holsters. When setting it I wrapped the gun with foil three times. The leather shrinks slightly with the treatment. The gun comes out like lighting when done. If the gun is not wrapped and fitted while cooling the gun will have kydex type retention. The gun will click into the holster just like kydex.

This really appeals to me. I remember you mentioning the hot wax process with leather belts (gun belts), but have considered the benefits of a hot waxed leather holster for my 1911.
Would he process you explain here apply to this holster?:
http://www.amazon.com/Galco-Concealable-Holster-5-Inch-Springfield/dp/B003UGELOM/ref=pd_sim_sg_5

I guess I'm just a bit reluctant to go ahead because I don't want to screw up the flat form it has on the side that presses against me.
 

WalkingWolf

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Jul 31, 2011
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Location
North Carolina
Greetings from sunny, dry Arizona Chief Ten Beers! Glad to see another freedom-loving individual joining the forum.



This really appeals to me. I remember you mentioning the hot wax process with leather belts (gun belts), but have considered the benefits of a hot waxed leather holster for my 1911.
Would he process you explain here apply to this holster?:
http://www.amazon.com/Galco-Concealable-Holster-5-Inch-Springfield/dp/B003UGELOM/ref=pd_sim_sg_5

I guess I'm just a bit reluctant to go ahead because I don't want to screw up the flat form it has on the side that presses against me.

Just mold the holster by wearing it before it cools.
 

Chief Ten Beers

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Jan 22, 2014
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Western Kentucky
Greetings from sunny, dry Arizona Chief Ten Beers! Glad to see another freedom-loving individual joining the forum.

Thank you Rusty. You know the old question, "Would you give up your freedoms for security?" I say 'No', I'll keep my freedoms and my right to secure myself as I see fit, and I see fit to open carry. :banana: :D
 

Rusty Young Man

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Jun 19, 2013
Messages
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Location
Árida Zona
Thanks for the tip WalkingWolf.

@Chief Ten Beers: I know what you mean. Nobody is responsible for keeping you "safe" (just ask the ladies involved in the Warren v. District of Columbia case). That's the way it's ALWAYS been, even if the mainstream media likes to say otherwise. Besides, what fun is it to live in a safe, secure little room without the Freedom to do anything?
 

Chief Ten Beers

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2014
Messages
176
Location
Western Kentucky
@Chief Ten Beers: I know what you mean. Nobody is responsible for keeping you "safe" (just ask the ladies involved in the Warren v. District of Columbia case). That's the way it's ALWAYS been, even if the mainstream media likes to say otherwise. Besides, what fun is it to live in a safe, secure little room without the Freedom to do anything?

Exactly, the police won't even keep you safe no more. If you call them, they'll show up in time to zip you up in a bag and take you to the morgue. :eek:
 
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