Potentially stupid question

[AtlBGhunter]

I’ve been able to accumulate a fair amount of skins through my various adventures. I wanted to see if it is possible to turn hair on tanned hides into useable leather. I recently got some boots made out of a gator and they told me they’d love to work with buff, kudu etc. if anyone has any experience. Please let me know.

 

[Jared640]

Leave the hair on them. Just an idea

 

[Muskox]

Never seen hair on boots before.

Looks like something one of my female cowgirlfashionista coworkers would wear.

 

[RR 314]

Jerry Jeff Walker had a pair of hair on boots back in my youth and I thought they were awesome back then. I may have evolved over the years, but I have actually thought of getting a pair made with a cape buffalo backskin. They would either be awesome--or an epic fail. Difficult to tell until made.

 

[Muskox]

That is the problem with custom leather goods.

I had some custom bags made out of that mahogany colored latigo leather years ago. They are beautiful

Ordered some boots out of the same leather and they look like hell. Nice color, but they pick up so much dirty being oil tanned.

 

[buck wild]

I don't think that's possible OP. During the tanning process, the hair is stripped from the hide during the early stages; thus you can have a leather product. Once through the tanning process with hair on, I don't think there's a way to slip the hair off the leather.

 

[channelkat]

I am interested to hear if anyone has actually tried it. I am skeptical the fished leather would come out anything like expected, but I suppose it depends on the specific tanning method originally used.

 

[JimP]

In
the tanning process the hide is soaked in lye I believe to loosen and remove the hair. This is done before the actual tanning process even starts.

If it could be done I would imagine that it would be quite costly.

But here's a suggestion, have the boots made with the hair othe inside.

 

[buck wild]

In
the tanning process the hide is soaked in lye I believe to loosen and remove the hair. This is done before the actual tanning process even starts.

If it could be done I would imagine that it would be quite costly.

But here's a suggestion, have the boots made with the hair othe inside.

The "other" side is a suede finish and likely not an even finish at that. It won't contain the leather grain people seek for boots. purses etc. That grain is on the hair side of leather.

OP, guess you'll have to make another trip to kill some stuff to make boots. Seems like a reasonable solution to me

 

[Adipose]

The "other" side is a suede finish and likely not an even finish at that. It won't contain the leather grain people seek for boots. purses etc. That grain is on the hair side of leather.

OP, guess you'll have to make another trip to kill some stuff to make boots. Seems like a reasonable solution to me

It is not actually suede, its called a rough out and is a lot more durable than suede. Suede is a scored leather of the hair side. A rough out is the side with no hair. I have a few pairs of rough out boots, they are great.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Inuit make and wear hair-on boots from caribou hides. Apparently they wear well.

 

[BGHNTR416]

It is my understanding that the tanning process is different. Tanned hides left laying around lose integrity and become very fragile. They will fall apart if you try to rehydrate them. You can tear them apart like tissue.