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Tkleather1

Fed Up With H.o.

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OK so here is the deal, I have been using H.O. tooling leather for about 2 years now and I was very happy with it for quite a while, but the past three hides that I have got have been hard as a rock. I have heard a few others on here and Leatherpros talk about this problem as well. I have tried just about everything that I can think of. The first one I thought that maybe my knife was dull so I sharpened it and tried again but to the same problem takes way to much effort to cut 8 oz leather. so then I tried 2 other knives and had the same problems.

one of the hides I sent back to weaver and they sent me a different one and this one was a little better. Once I get the patterns I want chiseled out of the hide and case them up they are still hard to carve but color up nice. Well after a lot of this trouble and I get to the center of the hide then I run into a chunk of rawhide, and this has happened on all of the last three hides. So I am thinking about switching to something else and I dont know wich way to go. As you all know I dont do saddles but a lot of chinks and chaps as well as other misc. gear. if any of you could point me in a direction of a quality tooling leather I sure would appreciate it and if its a dealer that does not require a tax number that would be the best.

Thanks for dealing with my rant and any info that I receive.

Tim Worley

TK-Leather

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OK so here is the deal, I have been using H.O. tooling leather for about 2 years now and I was very happy with it for quite a while, but the past three hides that I have got have been hard as a rock. I have heard a few others on here and Leatherpros talk about this problem as well. I have tried just about everything that I can think of. The first one I thought that maybe my knife was dull so I sharpened it and tried again but to the same problem takes way to much effort to cut 8 oz leather. so then I tried 2 other knives and had the same problems.

one of the hides I sent back to weaver and they sent me a different one and this one was a little better. Once I get the patterns I want chiseled out of the hide and case them up they are still hard to carve but color up nice. Well after a lot of this trouble and I get to the center of the hide then I run into a chunk of rawhide, and this has happened on all of the last three hides. So I am thinking about switching to something else and I dont know wich way to go. As you all know I dont do saddles but a lot of chinks and chaps as well as other misc. gear. if any of you could point me in a direction of a quality tooling leather I sure would appreciate it and if its a dealer that does not require a tax number that would be the best.

Thanks for dealing with my rant and any info that I receive.

Tim Worley

TK-Leather

Half-tanned (granted, by accident) leather in the US? Sounds great to me! Chop it up for knife sheaths.

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The problems you see from the H.O. might just be a problem that Weaver is having. Have you tried to get the H.O. from any other sources or even H.O. directly? I know they have a minimum order requirement and require a tax id number, but you might be able to get a hide from someone local that buys it directly in bulk.

If thats not an option, you might try Wickett and Craig. They are a tannery that you can buy quality hides from (I know some saddlemakers use it exclusively over H.O.) and they have no minimum requirement. I called and talked to them about some carving sides they have on sale for $95 a piece and they said I could buy 1 or 700 sides, so that aspect really appeals to me lol.

Hope this helps,

CW

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I agree with Aggiebraider....I ordered my last hides from Stevenson Paxton for $99 a hide. I did a jumbo order for several of us guild members and have been extremely happy! Of course, I am able to speak with the salesperson and give them details as to what I use it for. My last side, I needed a more medium temper side and was able to commuicate it with the salesperson and got what I needed.I have said before on here that I have ordered HO leather from two other suppliers on here and paid way more. The leather, well it truly sucked! Both orders were returned and finally gave up and just used it....lesson learned.One of our saddle & boot makers that happens to be a W/C lover. She swears by it and using nothing else. I tried some out at her shop and found it too soft for me. I went right through it with my tooling. Now, I don't make heavy ounce projects, so please understand that I was not intentionally do it.She has also had problems with Weaver lately? I don't know what it is? I don't run a business and don't order from Weaver so I cannot tell you anything from personal experience. I would call them and return it sending them a sample of your troubles for a refund!Good luck!

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Hi Tim,

HO has always been a harder hide, even to the point of a little rawhide here and there, but lately it is getting a little harder. If they could get a real rawhide center all the way through, they would be the GO TO folks for stirrup billets. Wickett & Craig are a good tannery with minimum orders of 1 piece. Their product is produced from mostly Canadian packer crust and is really nice leather. Their custom department is really the best after Horween, and they are downright easy to work with. If you want a little harder hide, talk to them, if you want it butter soft they can do that too and most anywhere in between. Call them and ask for Matt, Linda, or Glenn. Take a look at a Louis Vitton bag, the leather is W&C.

Art

OK so here is the deal, I have been using H.O. tooling leather for about 2 years now and I was very happy with it for quite a while, but the past three hides that I have got have been hard as a rock. I have heard a few others on here and Leatherpros talk about this problem as well. I have tried just about everything that I can think of. The first one I thought that maybe my knife was dull so I sharpened it and tried again but to the same problem takes way to much effort to cut 8 oz leather. so then I tried 2 other knives and had the same problems.

one of the hides I sent back to weaver and they sent me a different one and this one was a little better. Once I get the patterns I want chiseled out of the hide and case them up they are still hard to carve but color up nice. Well after a lot of this trouble and I get to the center of the hide then I run into a chunk of rawhide, and this has happened on all of the last three hides. So I am thinking about switching to something else and I dont know wich way to go. As you all know I dont do saddles but a lot of chinks and chaps as well as other misc. gear. if any of you could point me in a direction of a quality tooling leather I sure would appreciate it and if its a dealer that does not require a tax number that would be the best.

Thanks for dealing with my rant and any info that I receive.

Tim Worley

TK-Leather

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OK so here is the deal, I have been using H.O. tooling leather for about 2 years now and I was very happy with it for quite a while, but the past three hides that I have got have been hard as a rock. I have heard a few others on here and Leatherpros talk about this problem as well. I have tried just about everything that I can think of. The first one I thought that maybe my knife was dull so I sharpened it and tried again but to the same problem takes way to much effort to cut 8 oz leather. so then I tried 2 other knives and had the same problems.

one of the hides I sent back to weaver and they sent me a different one and this one was a little better. Once I get the patterns I want chiseled out of the hide and case them up they are still hard to carve but color up nice. Well after a lot of this trouble and I get to the center of the hide then I run into a chunk of rawhide, and this has happened on all of the last three hides. So I am thinking about switching to something else and I dont know wich way to go. As you all know I dont do saddles but a lot of chinks and chaps as well as other misc. gear. if any of you could point me in a direction of a quality tooling leather I sure would appreciate it and if its a dealer that does not require a tax number that would be the best.

Thanks for dealing with my rant and any info that I receive.

Tim Worley

TK-Leather

I'll throw in another plus remark about Wickett & Craig; they will split any hide you order, to any thickness you want, for free. Been dealing with W&C for a long time and will use basically nothing else.

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