Best Type Of Leather For Belts? Best Conditioner?

[byggyns]

could be. If I have to "sign up" just to see the wholesale pricing, then I'll just continue to pass on that

You can request their paper catalog. It has the wholesale prices in it. Since I'm not too far away from their shop, I stopped in last week and got a copy of the catalog.

Their show room is really only good if you want to buy equipment- lots of sewing machines on display as well as clickers, setter presses, etc. If you want to pick out your own hides, they will let you go into the warehouse to do that.

Their displays of hardware, conchos, buckles, etc has much to be desired. That being said, the employee said that not too many people come in to look at anything.

[JLSleather]

So, then, since it's apparently not national security, somebody care to mention teh "wholesale" price of HO sides?

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

What weight and what type of leather JLS?

[JLSleather]

Natural tooling leather. Maybe 7/8 or 8/9. Or 3/4 - either way. And only A or B grade (preferably A).

Edited December 15, 2015 by JLSleather

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

Oops, entered this before I saw your response: I guess you use a lot of strap, so at one side, all weights are $9.03 as listed in catalog. At five to 9 sides, lighter weights are $8.50, heavier weights are $8.65. At ten sides or more, lighter weights are $7.95 and heavier weights are $8.10. More than once, I've seen Weaver equal to or even a bit less than HO's direct price. What I like about Weaver (and there are things I DON"T like about them) is that the leather is usually in stock for immediate shipment, and the ten side price is a mix-n-match deal; ten sides any type, any weight of any of the leathers they carry, OR if you exceed a $1000 on your order, you automatically get their best price. Now, most of their leather is TR grade, and I believe the price from HO you quoted above is "A" grade. I like Weaver's pricing structure for this reason: At any given time I stock 50-75 sides of the most common leathers used in the equine trades. Three colors of harness in several weights, three colors of skirting in several weights, three types of latigo, in different weights, two or three colors of English bridle in assorted weights, misc strap, misc chap. I don't have to get quite as much money tied up in inventory if I can mix and match my leather purchases. And of course, there's the storage issue, who ever has enough room???

Edited December 15, 2015 by Big Sioux Saddlery

[JLSleather]

Storage is DEFINITELY an issue. With the tooling leather, I'd like to get a RELIABLE splitter, so I could just order one weight and then split what I need. Tiresome having to move a bunch of 9/10 oz so I can cut some of the 3/4 oz (or the other way around). I don't have any latigo (not for a long time) but I do use EB leather in a couple of colors, so there's another thing to put somewhere. Still, splitters have gone the way of everything else these days.. have to sharpen it before you can even use it

I can see the mix 'n' match pricing being a benefit ... that would work around here. HO pricing at $8.00/ft (just under for 7 oz or less) is 2015 price, and I think I have an email somewhere that was going up just a bit after the first. But $1/ft mark-up and you can mix the weights don't sound so bad ($25 per side- ish). So it comes down to what they call 'TR'... just how bad ...

Edited December 15, 2015 by JLSleather

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

I've never gotten any "bad" HO strap from Weaver, in fact I just got a side of 10/11 that I think is superb. Now, I don't use nearly as much of the strap as I do harness and skirting, so it could be that I've just gotten lucky. Overall, I've got to say I've been pleased with Weaver and I've been buying from them for 23-24 years. Yeah, I've gotten some crap, I've been sent the wrong leather, etc, but I've gotten crap straight from the tanneries also. The greatest thing about Weaver's mix-n-match pricing, is that it applies to your whole order now. If you buy $1000 worth of anything, hardware, thread, leather, cow bells, whatever (not sure it applies to machinery, probably not) you get their best pricing tier. And it doesn't take all that much to make a thousand bucks worth of supplies anymore. Btw, you were asking about the W & C drum dyed earlier in another post. I've been using some that I got last month and I'm loving it. So honestly, buying leather is just exactly what it's always been: a crap shoot:-)

[Art]

Storage is DEFINITELY an issue. With the tooling leather, I'd like to get a RELIABLE splitter, so I could just order one weight and then split what I need. Tiresome having to move a bunch of 9/10 oz so I can cut some of the 3/4 oz (or the other way around). I don't have any latigo (not for a long time) but I do use EB leather in a couple of colors, so there's another thing to put somewhere. Still, splitters have gone the way of everything else these days.. have to sharpen it before you can even use it

I can see the mix 'n' match pricing being a benefit ... that would work around here. HO pricing at $8.00/ft (just under for 7 oz or less) is 2015 price, and I think I have an email somewhere that was going up just a bit after the first. But $1/ft mark-up and you can mix the weights don't sound so bad ($25 per side- ish). So it comes down to what they call 'TR'... just how bad ...

Is RELIABLE the brand name, or do you actually expect it to be reliable. I have a 14" and it came with a sharp blade, but even then, I have the tools and experience to sharpen planer, shaper,and splitter blades. The band splitters, once you get them set up are really the ticket, but are not inexpensive.

Art

[jrny4wrd]

Any store u buy from is retail price with everything. To get a discount because you are going to create and re-sell is a privaledge and a right. You cant go into any store and haggle so why should a company give everybody extra discounts? This would not only hurt their profit but it would also hurt people whom are actually trying to make a business/living from it do to the fact that that extra $5-20(project depending) may be the difference between msking theirselves or buying from you. Takes 5 minutes and worth a license or business id.