Kydex style holsters and finish wear? - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

Tomcat088 · 07-09-2006, 12:36 PM

When I purchased my XD-45 Tactical, it came with the kydex style holster with the tension screw adjustments. I looked at it, and kind of didn't know if I should use it or not. My gun will be a carry gun (yes I know it's bigger than most people prefer to carry), and I know it will get worn, but I'd like to postpone that as much as possible. I know plastic is softer than metal, but I didn't know how the finish held up to the holster. I've heard that the plastic they make those holsters out of, has a kind of "lubricating" quality as it wears, but I didn't know if this was true. I noticed when I slipped the pistol in the holster it leaves some plastic marks on the finish that are easily wiped off, just wondered what it might do long term. I'd love some comments from the people that have used these holsters, or this type (tension holsters). Thanks

The Knight Of Light · 07-09-2006, 12:52 PM

Yes Plastic/Kydex holster wear the finish away. Too bad. The finish will disapear anyway! Carry the gun, shoot the gun, have fun with the gun. The moment you start worrying about the finish of a $450-$500 gun is about the time it will be on its 400th box of ammo, or at least it should. Keep it properly lubed and you will be OK. You guys really need to stop worying about the finish! Unless you got some fancy cammo crap, WHO CARES!!! Shoot the gun! Get batter at shooting!! You think The guys at the top, cops, and bad guys care about the finish on their guns!! NO!! If you are hard up on the finish of you guns get them NP3'd, Hard Chromed, or Perma-Kote the thing! Oh yeah those all wear off over time too! Shoot your gun!

Tomcat088 · 07-09-2006, 01:15 PM

Lol, I was just curious. This is my first CCW firearm, I'm in the process of getting my license right now. I've typically been raised with rifles and shotguns, some pistols, which always stayed in a case, gunsafe, etc. Many of them have all kinds of very nice graded wood on them, so it's always kind of been something you very much take care of. I'm not terribly worried about the finish because I know it will come off when I start to carry, but I was just curious about how bad and quickly the finish might come off with one of these holsters. I'll probably eventually have it refinished when it gets really worn out, but I was just curious.

**jnclement** · 07-09-2006, 04:14 PM

+1 on what the Knight of Light said. I've been using my XD9 service for IDPA in a Blackhawk holster, and it's starting to show some wear on the take down lever is all. I agree with the sentiment about wear, it's just a tool, use it like one. Wear it out, that's my new dream. I want a pistol that looks like it's used because I use it a lot, not a pistol that looks like part of a mall ninjas uniform. I do understand your feelings though, I have a safe full of guns with exceptional wood, nice bluing, and I can't enjoy them because I worry too much about screwing one up. Lately I've been buying Savage rifles with synthetic stocks, using the crap out of them, and not worrying. They out shoot my pretty guns buy a long way too.

By the time you carry concealed much, I bet you're hunting something smaller. I started with my Service, now I have a sub, and I'm eyeing my wife's Kel-Tec with the carry clip.

vafish · 07-09-2006, 06:14 PM

I've used leather and kydex holsters for various guns over the years. I still use a combination of leather and kydex holsters today for carry.

Any holster will cause wear eventually. The biggest enemy of the finish on your gun is dirt and grime in your holster. It works as an abrasive against your finish.

Kydex is a good news/bad news on that.

The good news is that kydex and other plastics are easier to keep clean than leather. The bad news is that dust often seems attracted to them, I'd guess it has something to do with static electricity.

nightraider · 07-09-2006, 06:46 PM

The finish wear on your XD-45 may not be very bad with the new Melonite, but Kydex is siginifigantly worse than using leather as I've seen. My finish on my XD-9 has rubbed off a lot on the edges from using my Blade-Tech holster.

The Knight Of Light · 07-09-2006, 06:54 PM

Take a Tactical Carbine course and see what happens to you pistol!! The instructor let us take them off but I left mine on to see if it would come out of the holster(bladetech). It did not, but the holster filled up with dirt. Now the gun has these nice scuff marks from drawing all day! Gave it character. I love it even more now!

lance22 · 07-10-2006, 07:32 AM

First, "Kydex" is not Uncle Mike or Fobus hard plastic. All non-leather holsters are often called "Kydex" regardless of what they are made of and the cheaper stuff (hard plastic) gives the good stuff (thermoformed Kydex) a bad rap. I know you didn't mention uncle or foobus but just in case I'd thought I'd make the distinction.

I have a revo that has only been in leather and I have to redo it's blueing every few years. The rest of my stable uses both leather and kydex (but no hard plastic) and I notice some wear ... and mind you XD's aren't known for their spectacular finishes though I notice some wear on my Glocks also.

Periodically clean the inside of your holsters ... and I think that's as much as you can do.

vafish · 07-10-2006, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightraider

The finish wear on your XD-45 may not be very bad with the new Melonite, but Kydex is siginifigantly worse than using leather as I've seen. My finish on my XD-9 has rubbed off a lot on the edges from using my Blade-Tech holster.

I've seen more wear on my Glocks from my leather holsters than from my kydex and plastic holsters.

Just breaking in a Galco NSAII holster put more wear on my G17 than several years of kydex carry put on my G36.

Lance22 has it right, keep your holsters clean, any holster will cause some wear on your finish, dirty holsters will cause a lot of wear on the finish.

RKirby · 07-15-2006, 12:44 PM

If you are looking for a Kydex belt holster, check out the Safariland 5186. It's Kydex with a suede leather lining...much easier on your XD's finish than bare Kydex.

I got mine from Pistol-Gear.com. Great price and legendary customer service.

07-09-2006, 12:36 PM	#1
Tomcat088 XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Lubbock, Tx Posts: 688	Kydex style holsters and finish wear? When I purchased my XD-45 Tactical, it came with the kydex style holster with the tension screw adjustments. I looked at it, and kind of didn't know if I should use it or not. My gun will be a carry gun (yes I know it's bigger than most people prefer to carry), and I know it will get worn, but I'd like to postpone that as much as possible. I know plastic is softer than metal, but I didn't know how the finish held up to the holster. I've heard that the plastic they make those holsters out of, has a kind of "lubricating" quality as it wears, but I didn't know if this was true. I noticed when I slipped the pistol in the holster it leaves some plastic marks on the finish that are easily wiped off, just wondered what it might do long term. I'd love some comments from the people that have used these holsters, or this type (tension holsters). Thanks

07-09-2006, 12:52 PM	#2
The Knight Of Light XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Omaha, Nebraska Posts: 8,708 Blog Entries: 12	Yes Plastic/Kydex holster wear the finish away. Too bad. The finish will disapear anyway! Carry the gun, shoot the gun, have fun with the gun. The moment you start worrying about the finish of a $450-$500 gun is about the time it will be on its 400th box of ammo, or at least it should. Keep it properly lubed and you will be OK. You guys really need to stop worying about the finish! Unless you got some fancy cammo crap, WHO CARES!!! Shoot the gun! Get batter at shooting!! You think The guys at the top, cops, and bad guys care about the finish on their guns!! NO!! If you are hard up on the finish of you guns get them NP3'd, Hard Chromed, or Perma-Kote the thing! Oh yeah those all wear off over time too! Shoot your gun! __________________ No Matter Where You Go, There You Are. USPSA #L3077 What a great number!!! http://theknightoflight.blogspot.com/ Creator of TOP 'O' THE PAGE!!! Moose Fight

07-09-2006, 04:14 PM	#4
jnclement XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: West Texas Posts: 2,397	+1 on what the Knight of Light said. I've been using my XD9 service for IDPA in a Blackhawk holster, and it's starting to show some wear on the take down lever is all. I agree with the sentiment about wear, it's just a tool, use it like one. Wear it out, that's my new dream. I want a pistol that looks like it's used because I use it a lot, not a pistol that looks like part of a mall ninjas uniform. I do understand your feelings though, I have a safe full of guns with exceptional wood, nice bluing, and I can't enjoy them because I worry too much about screwing one up. Lately I've been buying Savage rifles with synthetic stocks, using the crap out of them, and not worrying. They out shoot my pretty guns buy a long way too. By the time you carry concealed much, I bet you're hunting something smaller. I started with my Service, now I have a sub, and I'm eyeing my wife's Kel-Tec with the carry clip. Last edited by jnclement : 07-09-2006 at 04:16 PM.

07-09-2006, 06:14 PM	#5
vafish XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 1,174	I've used leather and kydex holsters for various guns over the years. I still use a combination of leather and kydex holsters today for carry. Any holster will cause wear eventually. The biggest enemy of the finish on your gun is dirt and grime in your holster. It works as an abrasive against your finish. Kydex is a good news/bad news on that. The good news is that kydex and other plastics are easier to keep clean than leather. The bad news is that dust often seems attracted to them, I'd guess it has something to do with static electricity. __________________ \"If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children.\" -- Confucius

07-09-2006, 06:54 PM	#7
The Knight Of Light XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Omaha, Nebraska Posts: 8,708 Blog Entries: 12	Take a Tactical Carbine course and see what happens to you pistol!! The instructor let us take them off but I left mine on to see if it would come out of the holster(bladetech). It did not, but the holster filled up with dirt. Now the gun has these nice scuff marks from drawing all day! Gave it character. I love it even more now! __________________ No Matter Where You Go, There You Are. USPSA #L3077 What a great number!!! http://theknightoflight.blogspot.com/ Creator of TOP 'O' THE PAGE!!! Moose Fight

07-09-2006, 01:15 PM	#3
Tomcat088 XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Lubbock, Tx Posts: 688	Lol, I was just curious. This is my first CCW firearm, I'm in the process of getting my license right now. I've typically been raised with rifles and shotguns, some pistols, which always stayed in a case, gunsafe, etc. Many of them have all kinds of very nice graded wood on them, so it's always kind of been something you very much take care of. I'm not terribly worried about the finish because I know it will come off when I start to carry, but I was just curious about how bad and quickly the finish might come off with one of these holsters. I'll probably eventually have it refinished when it gets really worn out, but I was just curious.

07-09-2006, 06:46 PM	#6
nightraider XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 2,483	The finish wear on your XD-45 may not be very bad with the new Melonite, but Kydex is siginifigantly worse than using leather as I've seen. My finish on my XD-9 has rubbed off a lot on the edges from using my Blade-Tech holster.

07-10-2006, 07:32 AM	#8
lance22 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: MN Posts: 239	Kydex is not Plastic First, "Kydex" is not Uncle Mike or Fobus hard plastic. All non-leather holsters are often called "Kydex" regardless of what they are made of and the cheaper stuff (hard plastic) gives the good stuff (thermoformed Kydex) a bad rap. I know you didn't mention uncle or foobus but just in case I'd thought I'd make the distinction. I have a revo that has only been in leather and I have to redo it's blueing every few years. The rest of my stable uses both leather and kydex (but no hard plastic) and I notice some wear ... and mind you XD's aren't known for their spectacular finishes though I notice some wear on my Glocks also. Periodically clean the inside of your holsters ... and I think that's as much as you can do. __________________ lance22 Minnesota Last edited by lance22 : 07-10-2006 at 01:31 PM.

07-15-2006, 12:44 PM	#10
RKirby XDTalk Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: North Texas Posts: 66	If you are looking for a Kydex belt holster, check out the Safariland 5186. It's Kydex with a suede leather lining...much easier on your XD's finish than bare Kydex. I got mine from Pistol-Gear.com. Great price and legendary customer service.

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