Strange Horsehide

[malabar]

Springfield Leather had advertised some drum-dyed strips of horsehide for belt-making, so I got a couple -- but they are utterly unlike the other horsehide strips I've used. They're not at all suitable for belts -- extremely soft and flexible, doesn't even smells like like horse, has that gentle leather smell like a good handbag. So as an experiment, I made an IWB holster out of a piece for one of my SIGs.

Not sure how well this holster will stand up, so I'm just going to have to try it out for a while. But everyone who sees it, rubs the leather and says "oooooh!" Not only is it pretty, it has a feel unlike any holster I've handled before.

So does anyone have any experience with this stuff? Is this what they call "soft-rolled" horsehide? Anyone have experience making holsters from it?

tk

[Ferg]

I have never made a holster from any leather. I have made a number of things from horsehide. Personally, I think it is one of the most beautiful leathers available

today. Yeah, I love to "feel" it, just caress that fabulous looking product. After all, it comes from one of natures most beautiful animals.

ferg

So does anyone have any experience with this stuff? Is this what they call "soft-rolled" horsehide? Anyone have experience making holsters from it?

tk

[malabar]

The horsehide I normally use has a much stiffer feel to it, but it is still beautiful. I've got a huge holster for a mare's leg on my bench that has a body of marbeled horsehide. Gorgeous stuff, like curly maple.

tk

I have never made a holster from any leather. I have made a number of things from horsehide. Personally, I think it is one of the most beautiful leathers available

today. Yeah, I love to "feel" it, just caress that fabulous looking product. After all, it comes from one of natures most beautiful animals.

ferg

[Steven Kelley]

I generally use hard rolled horsehide for holsters, but have tried soft rolled. I prefer the hard rolled personally. The soft rolled was very limp and soft. It did stiffen up nicely in the heat box after molding. Actually, once finished, I couldn't tell the difference between it and one made from hard rolled, as far as stiffness is concerned. I've only used it once, and probably won't use it again.

[Denster]

I've used some of the drum dyed horse butts from Springfield. Interesting stuff. It is not soft jacked in the general meaning of the term and I suspect a different tannage than the regular veg tan horsehide. On the ones I received the flesh side is much nicer than the grain which had cracks and stress marks all over. The flesh side is a very fine nap almost like microfiber and is really pretty. I've been using it for rough out pocket holsters and it really grabs. I did note that this stuff takes water as quick as cowhide and molds nicely although it doesn't stiffen much when dried and I had to use a different method to make it stiff.

Normal soft jacked horse, which I prefer for regular holsters, will case quicker than hard jacked but still much slower than cow and I believe molds and forms better. YMMV. In that case it is only a matter of compression not tannage as soft jacked will stiffen nicely when heat dried.

[BEARDOG]

I've used some of the drum dyed horse butts from Springfield. Interesting stuff. It is not soft jacked in the general meaning of the term and I suspect a different tannage than the regular veg tan horsehide. On the ones I received the flesh side is much nicer than the grain which had cracks and stress marks all over. The flesh side is a very fine nap almost like microfiber and is really pretty. I've been using it for rough out pocket holsters and it really grabs. I did note that this stuff takes water as quick as cowhide and molds nicely although it doesn't stiffen much when dried and I had to use a different method to make it stiff.

Normal soft jacked horse, which I prefer for regular holsters, will case quicker than hard jacked but still much slower than cow and I believe molds and forms better. YMMV. In that case it is only a matter of compression not tannage as soft jacked will stiffen nicely when heat dried.

Denster, are you applying any finish over the drum dyed horse rough out pocket holsters? I worry about bleed out of the dye onto peoples clothes. I have been meaning to order some of the regular horse butts from Springfield just to do rough out items left natural. If the dyed horse would be safe to use as it is with no finish I may try some of it as well.

Is there anyway to finish/seal dyed cow or horse rough out and still have it be nice and suede like?

Malabar, That holster looks good! and I bet it is comfortable being "soft" to the touch. My holsters (cowhide) are by the time I am done with the wet molding and dye and resolene are sorta like cowdex.... LOL!

[Denster]

Denster, are you applying any finish over the drum dyed horse rough out pocket holsters? I worry about bleed out of the dye onto peoples clothes. I have been meaning to order some of the regular horse butts from Springfield just to do rough out items left natural. If the dyed horse would be safe to use as it is with no finish I may try some of it as well.

Is there anyway to finish/seal dyed cow or horse rough out and still have it be nice and suede like?

Malabar, That holster looks good! and I bet it is comfortable being "soft" to the touch. My holsters (cowhide) are by the time I am done with the wet molding and dye and resolene are sorta like cowdex.... LOL!

I don't believe you would have any trouble with dye bleed as it is drum dyed. That said I do apply thinned super sheen to the flesh side. It just sucks it in and I don't let it builod up to th surface so you can't tell finish was applied.

[malabar]

I've used some of the drum dyed horse butts from Springfield. Interesting stuff. It is not soft jacked in the general meaning of the term and I suspect a different tannage than the regular veg tan horsehide. On the ones I received the flesh side is much nicer than the grain which had cracks and stress marks all over. The flesh side is a very fine nap almost like microfiber and is really pretty. I've been using it for rough out pocket holsters and it really grabs. I did note that this stuff takes water as quick as cowhide and molds nicely although it doesn't stiffen much when dried and I had to use a different method to make it stiff.

Normal soft jacked horse, which I prefer for regular holsters, will case quicker than hard jacked but still much slower than cow and I believe molds and forms better. YMMV. In that case it is only a matter of compression not tannage as soft jacked will stiffen nicely when heat dried.

Thanks for clarifying that. I'm assuming the the "regular," uncolored horse butts from Springfield are "hardrolled?"

tk

[malabar]

Denster, are you applying any finish over the drum dyed horse rough out pocket holsters? I worry about bleed out of the dye onto peoples clothes. I have been meaning to order some of the regular horse butts from Springfield just to do rough out items left natural. If the dyed horse would be safe to use as it is with no finish I may try some of it as well.

Is there anyway to finish/seal dyed cow or horse rough out and still have it be nice and suede like?

Malabar, That holster looks good! and I bet it is comfortable being "soft" to the touch. My holsters (cowhide) are by the time I am done with the wet molding and dye and resolene are sorta like cowdex.... LOL!

"Cowdex," I like that. I have a couple of clients who really like that stiffness. I get that consistency by wet-molding plain veg-tan and then dipping in vinegaroon. Most folks seem to prefer a less rigid holster, which I get by using drum-dyed Herman Oak.

This stuff is softer still. Yeah, it's more comfortable, but I think it will be too soft for certain kinds of holsters.

tk

[Denster]

Thanks for clarifying that. I'm assuming the the "regular," uncolored horse butts from Springfield are "hardrolled?"

tk

The natural butts from Springfield are hard jacked.

[Big O]

I've found that Springfield's black drum-dyed horse butts make decent Lobo-style enhanced pancake holsters. Also IWB mag pouches.