Leather Information

SHELL CORDOVAN

Shell cordovan is often considered to be one of the finest leathers in the world. Due to its unique properties, shell cordovan has become popular for footwear and leather goods manufacturers around the world. Shell cordovan is an equine leather which comes from a fibrous flat muscle beneath the rump of the horse (shell).

It is characterized by its tight grain structure and smooth feel. While most leathers are utilized and tanned to have the grain side (the side where the hair once was) out, shell cordovan is actually flesh out. A process which traditionally takes over six months; the shells are processed, tanned, stuffed, shaved and finished to produce the final shell cordovan. Any animal within the equine family will actually have these “shells” (horse, mule, donkey, zebra, etc.) but horse is really the only animal used to create the shell cordovan.

Firmness: ●●●●○
Patina: ●●○○○
Thickness: 3.5 - 4.5oz

Unglazed Natural

Glazed Natural

Color 8

Color 4

Black

Dark Cognac

Intense Blue

Ultraviolet

Dark Green

Armagnac

Violet

Middleborough

Marbled Ultraviolet

Marbled Color 8

Marbled Garnet

Marbled Black

Tumbled Black

Tumbled Color 8

Amaretto

DUBLIN HORSEHIDE

Dublin is tanned using Horween's Cordovan vegetable tanning liquor formulas which are more than 100 years old. Dublin Horsehide is my preferred leather to work with from Horween (outside of Shell Cordovan) due to it featuring a rich blend of oils and waxes not often seen in traditional vegetable tanned leathers which yields a leather that ages wonderfully. Once tanned, the leather is infused with a blend of natural waxes and finally ironed to create a smooth surface that highlights the natural markings of the hide.

Firmness: ●●●○○
Patina: ●●●●○
Thickness: 3.5 - 4.5oz

Natural

Color 8

Brown Nut

Black

CHROMEXCEL HORSEHIDE

The original pull-up leather that utilizes techniques and formulas that were developed over 100 years ago. Chromexcel is tanned using a bark retannage from a proprietary recipe which then gets hot stuffed with Horween's secret blend of natural oils and greases.

Firmness: ●●○○○
Patina: ●●●●○
Thickness: 3.5 - 4.5oz

Natural

1940s CALFSIN

Lost in the Horween warehouse since the 1940s, this beautiful calfskin is no longer able to be produced as Horween lost the original written recipe. This almost 80 year old leather has a beautiful look and will age nicely over time for as leather you won't find anywhere else!

Firmness: ●●○○○
Patina: ●●●○○
Thickness: 2.5 - 3.5oz

Natural

STEERHIDE

Operating since 1867, Wickett & Craig remains as one of the last tanneries being operated within the United States. Wickett and Craig has solidified itself in the market with some of the finest Veg Tan products around that are utilized in a wide variety of applications. All the leathers we carry will have a quick and even patina that can be utilized in all our products.

Firmness: ●●●●●
Patina: ●●●○○
Thickness: 4 - 4.5oz

Natural Veg Tan

Russet Harness

Unglazed Harness

STEERHIDE

Operating since 1958, Lo Stivale produces some of the finest Vegetable Tanned steerhide that I have found. Lo Stivale produces beautifully consistent 100% natural produced leather utilizing the tannins from trees that make for truly exceptional leather goods. The leather undergoes “fattening” in tallow barrels utilizing fats and oils which lends to the perfect medium tempered leather.

Firmness: ●●●○○
Patina: ●●●●○
Thickness: 3.5 - 4.5oz

Whiskey

Tan

Taupe

Black

Olive

Forest

Navy

Burgundy

Cognac

HORSEBUTT

Maryam SRL offers some luxurious veg tan horsehide products (Shell Cordovan, Horsefront, and Horsebutt) in a wide variety of finishes. Their vegetable tanning processes yields pronounced grain horsebutt products which are highlighted by their dye and finishing process. 

Firmness: ●●○○○
Patina: ●●●●○
Thickness: 3.5 - 4.5oz

Natural Nubuck

Toscanello

Asphalt

Dark Green

HORSEBUTT

In business since 1896, Guidi offers a wide variety of hide types in a number of tannages. Their horsebutt is much softer tempered compared to the other tanneries that we carry. The leather ages quickly over time with use.

Firmness: ●○○○○
Patina: ●●●●○
Thickness: 4 - 4.5oz

Cinnamon

CALFSKIN

Guidi's calfskin is a thinner leather with just the right amount of pull-up that allows the character of the leather to be revealed after continued use.


Firmness: ●○○○○
Patina: ●●●●○
Thickness: 2.5 - 3.5oz

Natural

OILED HORSEBUTT

Operating since 1951, Shinki Hikaku excels in all things horsehide (Shell Cordovan, Horsefront, Horsebutt). Shinki Hikaku are the masters of their craft and all of their products have some of the most deep colors you will find on any leather around. Their tanning process takes upwards of four months that produces some of the most uniquely textured horsebutt you will see on the market.

Firmness: ●●●●●
Patina: ●●●○○
Thickness: 3.5 - 4oz = *                   4.5 - 5oz = **                   5.5 - 6.5oz = ***

Natural   *

Color 4   **  

Burgundy   *

Cognac   *

Dark Brown   **

Dark Green   *

Navy   **

Tumbled Tan   ***

Tumbled Brown   ***

REPLICA RUSSIAN CALFSKIN

In business since 1892, J&FJ Baker produces the best oak bark tanned leathers in the world. This calfskin is a replica of the famed Russian Reindeer recovered in the 1970s from the sunken ship, Metta Catharina, in the 1800s. J&FJ Baker studied the leather and replicated each facet of this unique leather; including its beautiful birch smell.

This leather is pit tanned for almost 14 months in three different types of tree bark (Oak, Willow and Birch) and a small amount of fish oil. Once tanned, a final application of dubbin and birch oil are applied which result in an incredibly luxurious and uniquely distinct smell (the best smelling leather we have!) of birch.

Firmness: ●○○○○
Patina: ●●●●○
Thickness: 5.5 - 6oz

Brown

WAXED FLESH CALFSKIN

All the calfskins utilized by J&FJ Baker are from locally bred herds. The hides are prepared in lime for 2 weeks then spend the next 3 months being pit tanned in Oak Bark. The wax applied to the flesh side is a secret recipe utilized by Baker.








Firmness: ●●●●○
Patina: ●○○○○
Thickness: 3 - 3.5oz

Brown

Chromexcel

The original pull-up leather that utilizes techniques and formulas that were developed over 100 years ago. Chromexcel is tanned using a bark retannage from a proprietary recipe which then gets hot stuffed with Horween's secret blend of natural oils and greases.

Firmness: ●●○○○
Patina: ●●●●○
Thickness: 7 - 8oz

Black

Burgundy

Natural

Rowdy

Rowdy is a Combination Tanned and Fat Liquored leather which yields itself to great texture and strong tensile strength.

Firmness: ●●●○○
Patina: ●●●●○
Thickness: 8 - 9oz

Black

Burgundy

Natural

Rowdy

Rowdy is a Combination Tanned and Fat Liquored leather which yields itself to great texture and strong tensile strength.

Firmness: ●●●○○
Patina: ●●●●○
Thickness: 8 - 9oz

Natural

1940s Calfskin

Lost in the Horween warehouse since the 1940s, this beautiful calfskin is no longer able to be produced as Horween lost the original written recipe. This almost 80 year old leather has a beautiful look and will age nicely over time for as leather you won't find anywhere else!

Firmness: ●●○○○
Patina: ●●●○○
Thickness: 2.5 - 3.5oz

Natural