Dye coloring holsters??

[RH Factor]

I have a couple of galco holsters that I bought on sale that are the tan color...I'd like to have them dyed black. Has anyone tried this themselves? Should I go to a shoe store and have them do it? Any suggestions? Thanks:)

[Walosi]

A GOOD shoe repairman could probably do a serviceable job for you, but they are becoming few and far between.
If you choose to do it yourself, start with a light, fast rubdown with laquer thinner to remove any seal-coat. Do this very quickly, so the thinner has little chance as possible to soak into the hide, and rub it dry. Then with a good quality dye (Fiebings' is my favorite), apply a thin coat over the back side. Do the back first, for practice :) It will probably take three or four THIN coats to completely cover. A heavy hand will result in an uneven finish. let each coat dry throughly and buff off the excess with a soft rag. When the coverage is even and complete, I use a couple of light coats of Lexol, and a couple of light applications of Kiwi Neutral wax to seal it off. Same for periodic maintanance/touchup. I have several that are 20+ years old, that still look new. The inside will still be tan (they are dip-dyed in production) but I just live with it.