...I would like to hear a good trade secret on how to loosen up my SB holster. It's not way tight just a little too snug...
This seems to come up once every few months, so here are some tips for everyone:
Always remove your mod from the holster by pushing it up from the bottom. Never pull on your atty/carto/tank! It really is a lot easier to get a mod out of a tight holster by pushing it out from the bottom.
For an open-top holster, flexi-holster, lanyard, or sleeve, you don't want it too be too loose or the mod may fall out. If you've just purchased a holster you'll want to give it some break-in time before you do anything to stretch it because it's nearly impossible to go back if you stretch it too far.
The first thing to try is to simply leave your mod in the holster/lanyard/sleeve overnight. A week or two of normal use and a few nights with the mod left in the holster will almost always do the trick.
If you feel that it still needs more stretching, head to your hardware store, with your mod, and pick up a cheap dowel rod that is just *slightly* larger in diameter than your mod. Cut off a piece that is 5 or 6 inches longer than your holster and sand one end to make the edges smooth and rounded. Dampen the
inside of the front, curved side, of the holster JUST A LITTLE BIT and then gently work the dowel into the holster, rounded end first. You can use a mallet/rock/block of wood to very gently tap the dowel in, being careful not to warp the leather or tear out the retainer in the bottom of the holster. Let it sit to dry for about 8 hours but
do not try to dry it with an artificial heat source or direct sunlight. Pull out the dowel, using a screwdriver to
carefully tap it out from the bottom if needed, and let the holster dry a bit longer.
If you've stretched it a little too much, dampen the inside again and let it sit, empty, for 8-12 hours to dry. This may or may not work, so it's really better not to stretch it too far in the first place.