Slaughter Free Leather Not Selling As Expected

[Lasse C]

Lasse, I can assure you that all healthy milking cows in Sweden are slaughtered for meat production when their career as milk producers is over . You´ll know when you chew a chunk of "leathery" beef !

/ knut

So that´s where all the low-priced "grytbitar" comes from!

Anyway, it also proves my point: Cows past their productive age are not left tottering around until they just drop dead from "natural causes".

Lasse C

[StevenSiegel]

Do I qualifiy for a chunk of free leather to test in my work? I am not too fussy since it would be mostly cut in strips and sewed up for light harness. It would not have to be slaughter free, anything suitable for pleasure driving pony harness would do. Flaws and brands would be okay.

Here is a picture of the slaughter free side being sent to the UK. It is very hard to show the drag marks photographically. This particular hide has fewer defects than average.

Steve

[rdb]

Thanks for the picture Steve. You need a better camera...lol. If that scratch is all there is to the defects, it sounds like a price bargain...

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Driving home the other week I saw a deceased bovine out in the pasture being loaded up into the truck . They had it rigged up around the feet, and were hoisting it into the back. Curious why they drag them, when boom lifts, etc are available.

[dirtclod]

The reason could be as simple as their not able to be backed to, every body may have different set up on their truck some have a longer boom on the hoist, a bigger wench, more cable, lazy driver, down in a sinkhole or gully, lift gates. Years ago i worked in a butcher shop. the truck they had a lift gate and boom with a wench and they had dead cows in it sometimes. I talked the driver a couple of times what they did with everthing, he said they rendered most of the animal down for all types of things that were and are used in a types of everyday things. Just like limestone or marble i can't remember which but it's crushed super fine and put on the outside of chewing gum to keep it from sticking togeather But very little if any part of the animal goes to waste. It could be a 100 different reasons that they need to drag it to get to and in the truck.

Edited December 24, 2010 by dirtclod

[roo4u]

here in nebraska when they lose cows they ranchhands drag them out by the main road and leave them for the carcass truck to pick up on their way by.

[WyomingSlick]

I just wanted to say thanks for the entertainment, folks. I got quite a few chuckes out of this thread. I do want to say I support the idea of trying to expand "our" market into any area where it might fit. Nothing wrong with that. Where would the cowboy boot makers be if their market was actually limited to those who put their feet into stirrups? Same for Vegans; who cares what they think, if, we can sell them a leather product. Kinda makes it a win-win situation. And, of course, there are plenty of things we can make out of leather that has "drag marks" on it. Good luck Mr Siegel and hang in there.

[Scary Leatherworks]

Since this thread is still going I'll add my 2 cents. I think this is a fine idea. First it is INEXPENSIVE, which is good for most of us "hobbyist" leatherworkers. I tend to give a lot of my stuff to friends and family or charge enough to cover the cost of materials because I enjoy doing it, so if I can buy a hide cheaper that is still usable then I'm happy.

Second, if you go to Tandy's site you can see that they are marketing to this niche somewhat also. they have eco-leather marketed from S America not raised in the rain forest and tanned in an environmentally friendly tannery. A bit different marketing plan but still trying to get the "eco-friendly" market.

Third, I would personally use these for a lot of things because I like to keep the drag marks, brands, and wire burns in my work because leather has character and I like the flaws.

And Last, Steve, I have been to your site 3 times and cannot find these hides. Am I Blind?

Scott

[whinewine]

And Last, Steve, I have been to your site 3 times and cannot find these hides. Am I Blind?

Scott

Scott:

you've got to sign up for the 'Friday Special'- that's where they're listed.

Also, click on his banner ad: 'End of the year clearance sale' at the top of the page.

russ

Edited December 31, 2010 by whinewine

[Johnny B]

So how does one determine that the hide they purchase was in fact from a cow that had died of natural causes? ROFL

So is this forum turning into a PITA hangout?