What do you use your back skins/hides for?

[Ridge Runner]

I am in need to find useful projects for the hair on, back skins I have collected.

My dilemma is that want to make something useful for regular use without worrying about the hair being worn off.

Typically I have seen hides used for stool/ chair upholstery, pillows, gun cases, floor and table coverings, purses/bags, and vest.

Doesn't the hair wear off under any kind of normal use? Thus loosing the appeal for using these type hides for any regularly used item?

Any suggestions or more information will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Newboomer]

If you have wall space some hides like zebra make a striking focal point. I use some of mine for sofa throws.

 

[BigSteve57]

I like to see them as large as possible so I use them for filling empty walls as in the upstairs "hall of skins":

Or in the stairwell of Zebra:

Or putting them on pedestal mounts:

Or for surprising overnight guests:

 

[greyfox]

I had a patchwork door mat made, been three or four years and no wear at all, 2 dogs, zero chewing or interest in it. Looks great!

 

[K-man]

Mine are displayed "ladder style" in the trophy room as I do not have enough wall space for them separately. I allow kids(and adults) to handle them and we usually play Guess Which Animal They Match To. Its a great way to let people touch and feel without damaging a mount.

 

[kgesch]

We have ours on either side of our bed. Nyala (to soon arrive) on wife's side, gemsbok on mine.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Pillows are nice. I’m looking for the right old ottoman to recover with one. Impala is very soft and works well as a throw over a cushy chair. I have one just thrown over a table with the TV and books on it. Another at the foot of a recliner.

 

[CAustin]

Pillows and extra carpet next to my bunk at deer hunting camp

 

[Bhfs300]

Hi
I did a thread about this four years ago if you haven’t seen it?
Here it is.
https://www.africahunting.com/threads/what-can-be-done-with-a-hide.24641/

 

[Philip Glass]

I am in need to find useful projects for the hair on, back skins I have collected.

My dilemma is that want to make something useful for regular use without worrying about the hair being worn off.

Typically I have seen hides used for stool/ chair upholstery, pillows, gun cases, floor and table coverings, purses/bags, and vest.

Doesn't the hair wear off under any kind of normal use? Thus loosing the appeal for using these type hides for any regularly used item?

Any suggestions or more information will be greatly appreciated.

If you like the skins then use them! Don’t worry about wear. This just gives you a reason to go hunt another one decades from now. I am not a fan of keeping back skins unless I have a specific use for them.
Philip

 

[Ridge Runner]

Hi
I did a thread about this four years ago if you haven’t seen it?
Here it is.
https://www.africahunting.com/threads/what-can-be-done-with-a-hide.24641/

Bfs300,

Yes,
Your thread is where I saw the gun case idea and a couple of others who posted replies referring to use hides as purses/bags, pillows, chair throughs.

My thread, I am asking for other ideas and about hair loss on regularly used items like pouches, gun cases, pillows, etc..

I have a warthog backskin with hair on. What I am considering is removing the hair from the amount of hide I plan to use in making cartridge cases for my .458 Win Mag. and 30-06.

I make everything by hand, no machine sewing, buffing, or polishing. When I make something I want it to look as good 20+ years from now as the day I made it.

 

[AustinL]

I had planned on having my warthog hide tanned as hair off for leather then having a custom pair of boots made.

Alas that plan failed as warthogs did not cooperate

 

[ActionBob]

Back skin from my first cape buffalo

 

[K-man]

Back skin from my first cape buffalo

View attachment 306068

I see the logo- do you have information on where to have it done and how much did it cost? Nice looking bag!

 

[ActionBob]

I see the logo- do you have information on where to have it done and how much did it cost? Nice looking bag!

Meredith is related to TCI in Bulawayo. No idea what it cost, I had a lot done and it was 4 years ago. They also polished and did scrimshaw on the front hooves of that buffalo for bookends. Superb workmanship and even quality of the wood. Especially compared to some I had done in South Africa.

 

[ActionBob]

Patchwork done by Relive Africa, Port Elizabeth, EC, RSA. Bookends by TCI.

 

[Ridgewalker]

That map is AWESOME!

 

[jeff]

That map is AWESOME!

+1

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

My dog finds a blue wildebeest hide we have on the floor a most proper place for her to scratch her back.

 

[CBH Australia]

That map is AWESOME!

+1

What they said