On recommendation of the former design chief for Bianchi Holsters, I bought Blued Steel and Gunleather and Packing Iron. Packing Iron is reputed to be among the best references for gunleather (holsters, belts, cartridge carriers, saddle scabbards, et al.) of the American frontier West. I'm hooked.
I'm also confused specifically about holster details. First-quality holster and saddle makers living in the frontier did not line their holsters, apparently, until near the turn of the twentieth century. Suede and calf leather liners - do they serve a purpose other than cosmetic? I would think that their softness would become a liability in a short time for working cowmen, attracting abrasive dirt (that current urban holster wearers would not have as an issue).
I noticed that no first-quality maker used horsehide. Rather they used varying grades and thicknesses of cowhide. Today many holster wearers tout horsehide as being significantly more durable than cowhide. If this is accurate, why was horsehide not used by any top-of-the-line maker?
And lastly, is verdigris a cosmetic defect only? If it is not, how did cowmen and other frontier outdoor workers deal with it when using gunleather having leather cartridge loops? Excluding woven cotton/canvas/wool cartridge belts, the only ways I can think of to deal with verdigris are shooting a lot, or periodically removing cartridges from leather belt loops and wiping them off. On their faces, neither way makes appears to make good sense.