A second cousin passed away last year and I inherited a older Eubanks holster. Not being familiar with this sort of thing I did a little research and found that this is a classic holster near to a Heiser in desirability. The name stamp style places the manufacture before 1950. It's a basket weave, rawhide edged, open top design, their model number 87, marked K22, 6. It fits my K22 nicely.
Overall, there seems to be very little wear from use. The main condition problem is that the leather is somewhat dry (Cousin Frank lived in the desert). The only cracking or crazing is on the retaining strap that snaps over the grip of the gun. It has some cracks in the surface but has not thinned down too much and is supple.
What would be the best thing to do preserve the leather, and, best case scenario, bring it to a condition in which I could occasionally use it? Should I just retire the old thing?
I found a site, vintagegunleather.com, that has an essentially identical holster, of later vintage and better condition, for $85. There is not a lot of great value other than sentimental and the fact that it's old and of a design that I like and that is not very easy to find today.
By the way, to answer the question that would occur to me if I read this post, the nurse who was attending Frank on his deathbed
said that the "38" that she was planning to send us dissapeared after he passed. Frank was without children and various caretakers and housekeepers had access to the place for a short time after he died, before we could secure it. Some fool probably got it home and got mad when he saw how small the holes in the cylinder were.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
SK
