What Leather Are You Buying?

[RoosterShooter]

I usually buy Herman Oak, but have stopped buying it from Springfield Leather. As others have mentioned ... the hides from Springfield Leather are so dry you can actually see dust coming off while cutting under the right light! I don't know if they have such a large supply that it dries out while they're storing it, or maybe they buy the factory 'run offs' , but the hides from Springfield are very dry.

[Troy I]

I just received some straps from Springfield and they were really dry and the even sent the wrong width...called them and they said that they were going to send replacements with a shipping label to return the others...As slow as they ship, I might get them by the end of next week.

On a better note I just bought some straps from Sludlow (who I met in this forum)--what a great person to deal with. The straps I ordered from him were shipped Monday and the post office says they will be here on Wednesday. He had really good prices too, compared to Springfield Leather.

[RoosterShooter]

I just received some straps from Springfield and they were really dry and the even sent the wrong width...called them and they said that they were going to send replacements with a shipping label to return the others...As slow as they ship, I might get them by the end of next week.

On a better note I just bought some straps from Sludlow (who I met in this forum)--what a great person to deal with. The straps I ordered from him were shipped Monday and the post office says they will be here on Wednesday. He had really good prices too, compared to Springfield Leather.

I agree. I wasn't going to mention this problem until someone else did.

I ordered some Horween Chromexel Brown Nut Oil Tanned leather for bags and pouches from Springfield. Low and behold I get my order and it's BROWN and not BROWN NUT. Big difference! The Brown Nut is a distressed look and the Brown is solid Brown. I just got around to opening up my order from them yesterday and noticed this.

I don't know what's going on over there! A year or so ago I could place an order and have it ship by the next afternoon. Now I'm lucky to get it shipped 3 days later !!! I've heard several excuses as to why they're shipping slower, but I suspect it's due to downsizing as opposed to the 'massive surge in orders' that they keep telling me that they are getting. I just don't see it. Especially since there are certain items in the leather market that you can't GIVE away. I find it hard to believe that everyone and their brother is ordering from Springfield. Know what I mean?

Then ... there is the fact that all of their leather prices have GONE UP since last week! In comparing what I paid last week and the week before .... it's an average of 30 cents a foot!

Edited February 26, 2014 by RoosterShooter

[jrny4wrd]

I go to panhandle leather as well. Is there something I dont know about? Why do people rarely mention them? Prices are great!

[JLSleather]

Here we are, little over a year later, and I could basically copy n paste my response from last year. I ordered ONE back at SLC recently -- was runnin' low on 7/8. Without going through all of the details about it, they got the opportunity to take that back (more than a little sad). I guess that's business these days... send whatever we got laying there, and the people who don't know the difference will be okay with it.

Not to pick on 'em TOO much, the gals certainly have been pleasant, and the one time I ever talked to Kevin (another quality issue) he certainly recognized the problem and addressed it.

But, still can't recommend them for buying leather. Too bad, too, cuz not EVERY piece I got from them was bad, and I was willing to pay a little more to NOT have to stock 20 or 25 sides on an HO order. I just dont have the time OR the patience to be on the phone all the time ordering or returning leather, and i certainly don't have time to waste a week getting and returnin a bit of cow.

END RESULT of all of this... I'm gun shy. People can tell me about wonderful service they've had here, or there.. but sometimes what some think is wonderful is in fact the best they have seen YET. Some folks - I think - aren't lying about it. they just honestly don't know the GOOD leather from something else. So, before I buy somewhere I don't already, I wanna SEE it ....

[usmc0341]

Here we are, little over a year later, and I could basically copy n paste my response from last year. I ordered ONE back at SLC recently -- was runnin' low on 7/8. Without going through all of the details about it, they got the opportunity to take that back (more than a little sad). I guess that's business these days... send whatever we got laying there, and the people who don't know the difference will be okay with it.

Not to pick on 'em TOO much, the gals certainly have been pleasant, and the one time I ever talked to Kevin (another quality issue) he certainly recognized the problem and addressed it.

But, still can't recommend them for buying leather. Too bad, too, cuz not EVERY piece I got from them was bad, and I was willing to pay a little more to NOT have to stock 20 or 25 sides on an HO order. I just dont have the time OR the patience to be on the phone all the time ordering or returning leather, and i certainly don't have time to waste a week getting and returnin a bit of cow.

END RESULT of all of this... I'm gun shy. People can tell me about wonderful service they've had here, or there.. but sometimes what some think is wonderful is in fact the best they have seen YET. Some folks - I think - aren't lying about it. they just honestly don't know the GOOD leather from something else. So, before I buy somewhere I don't already, I wanna SEE it ....

I forgot all about this thread but funny thing is I just got another piece from Springfield leather and had the same issues. It had a lot of wrinkles and it was DRY, I mean really dry!!! I do have to agree that their customer service is fantastic, but that is the last piece of leather I order from them. It was nice being able to buy smaller amounts, but it is so hit or miss getting a good piece that I will just buy W & C exclusively.

[renegadelizard]

I had the same issue with W&C..i ordered from them several times, the first time the leather was incredible, the second time, it was okay...the last two times there was a lot of wrinkles and waste..and it was so dry my cobra class 4 had a hard time punching throught it...cutting was a nightmare...i called and complained about the last order and i was told that "sometimes leather is dry and try wetting it before you cut it, but be careful because it might discolor it"....that was the last time i talked to anyone at W&C...Roger Jolly now gets all my orders...

[25b]

I bought some Sedgewick bridle leather and just received it yesterday...it is beautiful leather, but boy is it waxy. It was so waxy that at first all the white areas on it looked like the surface had been heavily abraded in those spots...but it was just wax. A whole lot of it!

Got some Italian bridle leather at the same time and it seemed even nicer...not as much wax, but the color was a really nice, warm variety of London Tan.

Still like Wickett & Craig leather too and still have some of it to use yet.