Am I Just Too Much A Newbie Or Am I Dealing With A Nutjob?

[CyLee]

So I have this friend... we all have a story that starts like that, don't we. Anyway, he can do anything better and knows more than Webster and Wikipedia combined. Since he knows so much, I often times discount all his thoughts. Other times, I'm perplexed trying to figure out what he said, why he would say it, and if it really even matters all all! However, usually, I'm just selectively deaf when he goes on and on and on... and on...

Recently I brought home a couple dozen full hair on cowhides. They are magnificent beautifies that perhaps only those of us addicted to leather could fully appreciate. I covered my guest room bed with plastic and topped that with a few old sheets before laying them out to rest while I created a hanging system for them in my spare room, which I am running out of quickly now that leather has taken over. You know exactly what I mean, no doubt.

So as I happen to be laying them across the bed, friend pops in. He talks about how I should just hang them over a metal pipe. I explain metal and leather... He disagrees. He then tells me to wrap them in a plastic bag. I explain sweating and mold. See where this is going?

Then as I place one of the largest, most beautiful red hides my eyes have ever seen atop another dark hide, he says, "Now that... That one is a nice heifer." I say, "Heifer?" He says, "Yes. You can tell it's a heifer if you know your leather."

Clearly, I don't know my leather as I saw no signs of gender, much less calving on this hide. Did I miss something or was this another idiotic remark I should have let roll off my back? Please offer advice because I feel if I am working with leather I should at least be able to identify a hide when the village idiot can.

Laughingly,

CyLee

I should add, he was about 20 feet from where the hide was, so couldn't clearly see and never touched it at all.

[Grey Drakkon]

A good word for someone like that is "twit". Actually I can think of way more, but it might get me booted. My sister's mother in law is just like that guy, and tries to get away with lying about the stupidest stuff. She of course backpedals if it turns out you actually know something about the subject that she's hijacking.

[chiefjason]

I keep hearing folks talk about bull hide and cow hide. I'm sure there IS a difference. I do believe I've gotten a few of each based on size difference and hide characteristics, but no way to really know. Age could probably do the same thing. I just find it difficult to believe that the slaughterhouse separates them, or the tannery charges enough to dig them out and sell them separately. It just does not work like that. No way to tell what it is. And no reason too.

Your friend is too smart by half.

[WScott]

He is a dumb ass, plain and simple

Professional bs'er who needs to hear himself talk

Walk away

[mlapaglia]

NExt time reply with something like, "Yes it is, too bad her front right leg was shorter than the rest". Throw him for a loop. Of course he will agree and go from there or argue the it was the left rear that was short. Either way you get to chuckle.

[cgleathercraft]

Thanks for the Friday laugh

NExt time reply with something like, "Yes it is, too bad her front right leg was shorter than the rest". Throw him for a loop. Of course he will agree and go from there or argue the it was the left rear that was short. Either way you get to chuckle.

I agree, so how far you can get the next story to evolve. Then prepare an oxygen tank to prevent from passing out from the hysterical laughing fit afterwards.

[DoubleC]

LOL I watch Kevin's Value Channel at Springfield Leather and I've heard him describe leather in probably 200 ways but never by bull or heifer. Actually after 3 years on here I've never heard it. I DO have a friend like yours though although she doesn't try and act like she knows everything about leather, just everything else, LOLOL. I agree with the OP about the 'one leg shorter' or something else to tease him but don't expect any change. You can prove one thing to these people but they'll still know everything about everything else

[chiefjason]

I'll give High Noon holsters props for this info. Now you can start messing with him

Bull- intact male cattle

cow- female cattle

Steer- nuetered, de sexed, bull

Ox- castrated adult male

Heifer- cow that has born no or only one calf

Tell him it was actually an Ox but you have already cut out the bar code they implanted under the hide.

[jfdavis58]

Lotsa hides out there, grab some frog (some folks call it toad). They're $8-12 per whole hide. It's the only leather I know where you can identify an external organ-or absence of one. I think most folks identify it as the _______; more likely its where the tail is cut out/off. Either way it's a fitting description of this personality type.

[billybopp]

Is this friend by any chance a salesman?

Just wonderin'.

Bill