Cheapskate find: Japanese T14 holster

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  • mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,337
    Catonsville
    -Yes, I'm a serious cheapskate, love bargain hunting. Also don't mind a restoration challenge. So when a condition challenged Japanese T14 rubberized canvas holster came along on Evil Pay it got my attention. The sole issue was that it had sat uncovered when someone painted the room with a roller. It was covered in tiny white paint splatter. The start price was under 6 Jacksons which made the bargain hunter in me happy as I'd put the value w.o. paint damage at $225. I felt I could get the paint off with some elbow grease and patience. So I put in a cheapskate bid and it was mine as the only bidder.
    -It showed up today and I sat down in my worn lounge chair with Bucky and started slowly scrubbing away as Jeopardy started on the TV. By the end of Wheel of Fortune it was as clean as I was gonna get it without damaging the finish. Figure about 98% of the paint was gone which was good enough for me.
    -I have two T14s, built in '43 and '44, that are correct for this later war holster. Production of canvas holsters started in '42 with brass fittings and a leather clamshell. As time went on the brass was replaced by enamel painted steel and all rubberized canvas construction less the leather hinge and closure strap. The color is usually a lighter yellow but in '45 it changed to a darker hue. This is a Type IX holster which I believe to be '45 vintage as it has the darker hue and a lack of ink stamped marks inside of the clamshell
    -Fortunately this one is in VG condition, many are found with the clamshell separated after the leather hinge deteriorated.
     

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    Jul 1, 2012
    5,711
    Good stuff!
    Those are delicate beasts so getting that paint off must have been a challenge.
    What magical potion did you use?
     

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,337
    Catonsville
    Good stuff!
    Those are delicate beasts so getting that paint off must have been a challenge.
    What magical potion did you use?

    I thought mineral spirits would be the key but no joy. Acetone is too aggressive. Futzed about until I found a method that worked. Pecards leather care put down heavily and then chipped away dot by dot with a plastic spatula from my electronics tool set. The latex canvas is hard enough to take a bit of abrasion. This never would have worked with a leather T14 holster. That would have been a hopeless exercise.
    In the end lots of patience was the most important tool, something I still have from my days of building detailed models (helps to have a touch of OCD too!).
     

    LKGMADMAX

    Active Member
    Sep 9, 2017
    151
    That was a great find and a great piece for the money, congratulations!

    Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
     

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