Questions on Horse Hide

[Brooks125]

I recently took an order to do a mag pouch, specifically in horse hide.  Thus far, I have only worked in cowhide, mostly Hermann Oak 8-9oz veg tan.  I found horse hide strips on Tannery Row. They distinguish between soft and hard rolled.  What is the difference? Is the hard rolled more like a rawhide, or just a firmer version of the hide?  Does one tool and form better than another.  If this works out, I may expand my products to include horse hide, as I know some people have a near cult-like attraction to horse hide.  Does it work better with thinner weights or is that pretty similar?  Any help avoiding pitfalls is appreciated.

[Handstitched]

I can't answer your question completely, but I think hard rolled is  when the leather is wet then rolled  making it firmer  . I'm happy to be corrected  

6 hours ago, Brooks125 said:

I know some people have a near cult-like attraction to horse hide. 

It'll be the  opposite here where I am.  If I told my customers that my products are made from horse hide, my name would be mud + protests  !! They're a bit ' sensitive' here.   But yet, cow hide and Kangaroo hide  is acceptable ....hmmm  

HS

[TomE]

Curious why the customer is interested in horse hide for this purpose.  So many more choices in cow hide.

[bruce johnson]

2 hours ago, TomE said:

Curious why the customer is interested in horse hide for this purpose.  So many more choices in cow hide.

I'm not sure where it started but i did some pouches and sheaths requested  with horsebutt. It may have been a military deal at one time - don't know. Tighter grained than cowhide, slicks and burnishes extremely well, and wears like iron.  The soft roll molds easier and tools easier. I never carved much of it but stamping requires every bit of casing skill you ever learned. It is isn't "wipe and go stamping" for sure. Warm water and casing mix additions help it case better in my experience. The hard roll is good for flat work. I lined some rear billets, back cinches, and breast collars, especially on the higher ends. It was my favorite choice for lining and treads on Monel stirrups too. 

[TomE]

21 minutes ago, bruce johnson said:

I'm not sure where it started but i did some pouches and sheaths requested  with horsebutt. It may have been a military deal at one time - don't know. Tighter grained than cowhide, slicks and burnishes extremely well, and wears like iron.  The soft roll molds easier and tools easier. I never carved much of it but stamping requires every bit of casing skill you ever learned. It is isn't "wipe and go stamping" for sure. Warm water and casing mix additions help it case better in my experience. The hard roll is good for flat work. I lined some rear billets, back cinches, and breast collars, especially on the higher ends. It was my favorite choice for lining and treads on Monel stirrups too. 

Thanks for this info, Bruce.  As always, you are contributing to my leather education.  

[Cattleman]

Horse hide is by far the best leather available to line belts, billets, or anything that will have extended contact with a sweaty body. Horse hide is much tighter grained (so much so that even the sharpest knife will follow the grain if one isnt very careful), doesn't stretch anywhere near as much as other leathers, wears forever, and doesnt absorb moisture very easily (hence the reason its very difficult to case, as @bruce johnson mentioned above). It also holds its shape very well when molded such as in the case of a mag pouch, holster, or sheath. Ive heard a few folks call it the natural equivalent to kydex.

 

I offer the option of lining my custom belts with hard rolled horse hide (for a small additional cost, of course)... And pitch it as a "Lifetime Belt" because they can easily last 50+ years if they are properly cared for.

 

This is one such "Lifetime Belt" that a client custom ordered from me.

Custom tooled to match his 30 year old custom saddle, custom billet holes punched from size 40 to size 52, a set of double keepers, and 1.75" wide. Its made with a 6/7oz Herman Oak body and lined with a piece of 7 oz hard rolled horse butt. And let me tell you... I must have spent 2 hours digging through a stack of horse butts to find one long enough to cut a single 63" strap from. They generally are about 48" to 54".

Edited January 21, 2024 by Cattleman
Typo

[Klara]

Just for education: For the reasons mentioned above, horsehide was still used for orthopedic prostheses some 20 years ago (couldn't say for now, then it was a patch...)

[Brooks125]

On 1/21/2024 at 3:26 AM, Cattleman said:

.... Horse hide is much tighter grained (so much so that even the sharpest knife will follow the grain if one isnt very careful), ....

I did get some hard rolled and finished the pouch.  It turned out well.  I discovered the difficulty cutting straight lines, that you mention here.  I wish I knew that going in.  Thanks for the advice.  Here's my finished product.

[Cattleman]

7 hours ago, Brooks125 said:

I did get some hard rolled and finished the pouch.  It turned out well.  I discovered the difficulty cutting straight lines, that you mention here.  I wish I knew that going in.  Thanks for the advice.  Here's my finished product.

Looks very nice... I like the simple no flash vibe.