JCole wrote:I've heard that suede-lined holsters can trap grit and actually accelerate wear. Smooth leather-lined holsters are reputed to help.
That's exactly what the guy at Galco told me.
In response to the OP: I like my guns to stay as nice looking as possible because it enhances their resale value. I tend to hang onto my guns, but you never know.....
That said, there is a big difference between "honest holster wear" and "go throw your gun down in the driveway." That's just dumb. When you clean your pistol, make sure the outside of it is as clean as the inside. I use one of those silicone impregnated socks to wipe my pistols down with after I've cleaned them. That keeps the finish nice and shiny, and it lubricates the finish just enough that it might resist light scratching a little bit better than a dry finish.......at least, that's what I've convinced myself of. But like others have said, only safe queens stay pristine. Eventually, even the best made holster is going to put some wear on the finish of your pistol, just like enough driving miles will unavoidably lead to
some sandblasting of your car's paint. If you really love this pistol and you have confidence in it, the wear marks are simply a history of your ownership and care for it, and they are inevitable. It took a while, but I eventually stopped worrying about it.
I finally talked my wife into letting her hair go gray a couple of years ago. It is glorious that way, and I much prefer it. Not that she needed it, but I think it lends dignity and grace to her years, and is much more dignified than a mid-50s aged woman trying to look like a 20 year old. You just can't take people like that seriously.
We make fun of stretch marks, but they can be the sign of a family raised, children loved and cared for, and a stable home, as much as they can be a sign of poor health and abuse. Pistols are like that too. A cherished pistol which you have owned and carried for years may have lost its new-in-the-box shine, but it has replaced that with the patina of trust, confidence, and care. It has been there for you, hopefully never needed, and quietly reliable and ready to hand. Sometimes the best dogs are the oldest scruffiest ones, the ones who stuck and earned your loyalty.
Don't worry about your pistol's finish. You take care of it, it will take care of you. The wear marks are merely testimony to your confidence with it, and comfort carrying it.
Egads, I've gone and gotten all sentimental. I'm off to the dog-park.
