What's happened to Hermann Oak?

[buzzardbait]

First off let me say that I'm no expert, but I have been working with leather off and on for 40 years. I carve, I make sheaths ,holsters, belts etc. I discovered H.O. about 8 years ago and loved it. In the last year I have bought 6 sides and 2 bends of various weights and from a couple of different suppliers. It has all been crap. I am not buying the low grades but what I am getting is not as good as Tandys Craftsman Oak. I am paying a premium price for Scars, blemishes, wrinkles and holes. Every one of these sides is so filthy it looks like they drug it to my house behind the truck and some of it is so tough I can't push a very sharp head knife through it. I figure I am loosing about 35 % per hide to waste. I have to drive 2 hours to buy from Tandy but that is what it is coming to. Is anyone else having this problem with H.O.? 

[bikermutt07]

I haven't heard anything. Maybe by some chance you got the last few the different suppliers had at the time.

If you can pony up and buy 10 sides at once you can get them straight from H.O.

Or you could switch to Wickett & Craig. They are very comparable and sell by the hide to the public.

[Mark842]

I have no issues with quality on the Hermann Oak I get. As good as always.

[YinTx]

Where are you getting it from?

YinTx

[battlemunky]

I just got my first HO and can't wait to try it. It even looks different than the Tandy stuff I've been using. I really hope its fine or I'll be sorely let down. Also, the side I bought was comparable in price to Tandy's.

 

[pentelaravi]

Is Wickett & Craig natural skirting slimier to H.O natural veg tan leather?

Right now i am using PREMIUM BELT BEND from SLC, and issue with the quality. Thinness is not consistent between orders ,Low spots in leather if thickness above 9 oz,  scars, clamp marks,…..

Looking for alternatives.

[buzzardbait]

I considered ordering one of those "Premium Belt Bends" about a month ago, until I contacted them to see what premium meant in this case. I found out it doesn't mean the leather is a premium grade, it's because the bend is cut from the premium part of the hide. So the" Premium belt bend" is just the premium cut of the hide which may or may not be trash. For those of us who don't live close to a supplier to hand pick our own leather, or to buy 10 hides at a time from H.O. it comes down to the luck of the draw.

[JKHelms]

I’ve been using HO from SLC and noticed it is not as good quality as I used to get 

I’m gonna try some W&C direct from the tannery next. 

[JRLeather2]

I make championship belts for a living. I need clean sides, ( I use backs), I used to order a roll,10 sides from H/O at a time. Their quality really started slipping, the last roll I ordered sent the whole thing back. I now use W/C and have been very satisfied with the product. I can also order direct from the tannery even if I only need a side.

Edited January 31, 2018 by JRLeather2

[Chief31794]

I've been a loyal HO guy for about 30 years, I've also noticed that the quality is slipping.  I'm a one off custom maker (mostly instrument straps) and I need high consistent quality and I use only Bends.  I recently started researching alternatives.  I'm getting more bug bites, surface scratches, clamp marks, and what I call "Weak Spots" where the leather has a weak band across the bend. Never got many of any of these problems until a couple of years ago. Then they started showing up more and more regularly.  Additionally, I got mine from Springfield Leather Company due to only buying 20-20 bends a year and at 2-3 at the time. To add insult to injury, last bend I got from them had Feet prints  where it had been walked on in the warehouse.  I complained once maybe twice to Kevin about the quality (not the feet prints, because when that happened I decided to move on), I sent some pictures of large scratches, marks etc. I was told it was normal.  For normal, I  decided not to pay premium prices and  if I have to cut around areas excessively, I'll do it for a lot less than the price SLC charges. I reached out to RJF leather and  Roger sent me some very nice samples of his bends. I'm going to give them a try. I am also researching some Italian Veg Tan which is pretty expensive but absolutely beautiful. 

Chief