JLSleather Report post Posted September 2, 2019 Was looking at some older attachments - my own - trying to find an old pic not found on the computer. Ran across this, posting just in case anybody forgot what great leather actually looks like. These days, there are 100's of retailers telling you and selling you stories about how great their stuff is. I guess we're supposed to take their word for it. Been going on long enough that many people think the stuff they've been getting REALLY IS great leather. And that's the reason for the post this morning -- just to point out that THIS is what great carving leather looks like. This is a "single bend"... started off as a "side" at the tannery, then the side has the belly removed (left side cut off) and the shoulder removed (bottom of bottom pic, by tape measure) leaving the butt. Pretty much ALL usable except where the clips were attached to stretch it (and somebody probably could use that too, I just dont). This is marked 20.3 feet, but that was with the shoulder on it. After cutting the "single shoulder" off, this measures 60" x 28", which math people will tell you is 11 1/2 sq ft. At $9.50/foot from Hermann Oak. So, this would be a $110 piece of great carving/forming leather. The holster pattern laying there give a fella pretty good idea how much we're talking about. No conclusions drawn here -- just pointing out that you may not be getting what you have been TOLD you are getting ... I just want people to see how it SUPPOSED TO LOOK. I dont believe I've ever seen a side of cow without some shoulder wrinkles.. right where the "bend" meets the shoudlers. But that shoulder has been cut off, so there SHOULDN"T BE ANY here.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted September 2, 2019 And you can see from these pics, that the shoulder does have some "shoulder wrinkles", but they don't span the entire width, and they aren't the type that make the leather unusable. Zooming in looks like that red line is about 26" mark, so I'm gonna say this piece is ... 7 feet? IF your leather isn't looking anything like the close-up, ask your retailer WHY NOT?@! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrisash Report post Posted September 2, 2019 If there is not much competition in the number of tanneries , I guess they get away with what they can, and the wholesalers just sell what they recieve , Small buyers have to often take whats given , whilst large companies demand precise QC standards in what they get, and refuse any that dont meet the spec Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted September 2, 2019 3 hours ago, chrisash said: I guess they get away with what they can SOme folks LIKE keeping the masses undeducated about what really SHOULD be. That way, nobody complains. The King used to charge whatever he wants for tea util enough people just weren't gonna take it any more Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrisash Report post Posted September 2, 2019 (edited) The king "Charlie boy" i guess you mean, does not collect any taxes, the greedy sods, are the government in the UK, King or Queen have no say in government unlike your president. but to be fair to him he was a bit mad at that time, Edited September 2, 2019 by chrisash Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robs456 Report post Posted September 2, 2019 11 minutes ago, chrisash said: The king "Charlie boy" i guess you mean, does not collect any taxes, Maybe they were tariffs? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted September 2, 2019 How quickly we sidetrack... [heavy sigh...] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fredk Report post Posted September 2, 2019 13 minutes ago, chrisash said: The king "Charlie boy" i guess you mean, . . . sheesh, it was George 1st. Back on course; I advise people to take up with a good tannery/supplier and work up a relationship with them. I have with Le Prevo. I can tell them what I want the leather for and let them send me out something. In my 'medieval' period I was sometimes actually looking veg tan with surface scars, would you believe it? and thats what Le Prevo supplied Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
