Shell Cordovan Belts

[Timbo]

........as far as horse butts go, I make everything I can out of them. I have had hard rolled but stick with the soft rolled. They are a very tight grain and will by far outlast cowhide. They are never ever "fuzzy" on the backs and edges like a lot of cow. You can slick the edges to glass smooth and they will stay that way, where as alot of cow will lose its slick edges, horse edges get better and better with age. If I could buy a half hide tanned like the horse butts I would for sure do it and I would stick with it exclusively.....for some things.........down side is that it does not wet mold as well as cowhide....sometimes not at all. But it does tool beautifully. Swivel knives are a little tough to use on some of it though.

.....sorry for leading the topic further astray.

Timbo

[antipaladin]

Timbo,

All I've ever been able to find are the horse butts. I've seen

beautiful Horsehide jackets so I know other cuts must be

around. Any idea where someone could purchase any?

[Timbo]

Timbo,

All I've ever been able to find are the horse butts. I've seen

beautiful Horsehide jackets so I know other cuts must be

around. Any idea where someone could purchase any?

They are very hard to find.....occasionally Seigel will have some......but everything but the butts are either fashion weight or shoe leather weight. Had somebody along time ago tell me (not sure it is 100% true or not) that if your shoes say "genuine cowhide" thats what they are and if they say "genuine leather" they are more than likely horse. We're pretty much the only country in the world that doesn't eat them...........to us they are pets. LOTS of people don't even want to know that something of theirs was made of horse, so I am really careful to disclose that info. But anyway from what I am told most of the horse hide goes to the shoe industry.

Back in the 40 and 50's the best leather jackets were horsehide and lots of them are still around. ...and then sometime along the way people became disgusted at the thought of wearing Old Dan or Trigger and they fell out of vogue.

But it is some of the best leather on the planet. I'd love to have one veg tanned just to see what it is like to work with a whole hide.

Sorry so long winded,

Tim

[whinewine]

I think Brettuns Village did have them occasionally. I know they sell horsehide that they term 'north of cordovan' which isn't true cordovan shell, but from the area above, or 'north of' the actual cordovan.

russ