I see a lot of Kydex holsters out there.
Can Kydex scratch the finish on a gun?

I had one for my blued Taurus 1911, but I had to return it. For some reason it started rubbing off the finish in two length-wise strips on top of the slide.

Now, in my opinion, the blueing on the taurus is kinda thin. If I had a stainless 1911 (which I want tremendously) I'd be more willing to try this material of holster again, but for now I'm an all-leather guy.

I've owned a couple kydex holsters and they all rubbed finish off of my guns. One I can discount because it was molded way too closely in places unnecessary (ejection port? Dust cover? ) Where all it needed was general shape and trigger guard o "click" for retention. It's the rub points that wear. The same happens in general on leather but the leather takes some of the wear and the leather eventually gets just that little bit worn so it's no longer two hard angles intersecting.

Short: yes, kydex is harder on finishes, even good finishes.

The plastic holsters aren't as bad if you keep them really clean. Grit seems to get imbedded and that's what scratches the finish. I prefer leather.

Thanks plblark and Jai9100. You confirmed what I thought.
I guess, I'll have to go with leather instead. I don't see that there are too many other options.

Yeah, my Blade-Tech Kydex holster took the bluing off where it gripped the trigger guard, and some on the top of the slide, on my 1911s. Strictly speaking, I think the wear's caused by dust and dirt that get in between the gun and the plastic, rather than the plastic itself, but that's academic since I don't live in a bubble.

I think it did somewhat reduce what I got for my Kimber when I traded it in for a stainless gun (Great minds think alike).