Giraffe question? rug durability, furniture, gun cases, bags

[Justbryan]

I was wondering how durable a giraffe rug would be on the floor. If giraffe hides stand-up to moderate traffic for 20 years, then I will do a rug.

If they will not hold up then I will make a couple chairs with buffalo cushions and bags/gun cases with the left-over hide. I have a new trophy room and am trying to decide what to do with a giraffe hide. I have read the thread on different ideas for giraffe.

What is your experience with the durability of giraffe hide rugs?

 

[DonPablo]

I have no experience but I've heard giraffe bone is great for knife scales.

 

[Justbryan]

I have no experience but I've heard giraffe bone is great for knife scales.

I got t4 leg bones shipped from this trip and I have 2 leg bones from previous trip. I want to make knife and pistol grips with them. Don't know where to get done.

 

[mdwest]

I have no experience but I've heard giraffe bone is great for knife scales.

Giraffe bone is indeed wonderful for knife scales.. I have used giraffe bone on a couple of knives I built in the past.. Ive also used camel bone.. It stinks to high hell when grinding and shaping it.. but it makes for a beautiful end product..

 

[mdwest]

I got t4 leg bones shipped from this trip and I have 2 leg bones from previous trip. I want to make knife and pistol grips with them. Don't know where to get done.

I know a few custom knife makers that would likely make you something very nice using your giraffe bone.. they do custom "commission" type knives.. one guy in particular does what I would consider "art" quality work.. he is a little expensive.. not who I'd use if I wanted a knife that I was going to actually use to do hard work with (although his steel work and designs are absolutely incredible and would certainly do anything you ask of a blade.. I get a little twitch when I think about using a $500-$2000 blade to baton through a log or even whittle on wood with..).

Happy to put you in touch with a few guys if youre interested..

 

[Dewald]

Giraffe rug is incredibly tough. Don’t let that concern you

 

[Justbryan]

Giraffe rug is incredibly tough. Don’t let that concern you

That is what I was hoping. I really want to use on the floor due to the size.

 

[steve white]

The hide will be tough, but the hair?....

 

[Ontario Hunter]

One of the places I hunted needed to cull some giraffe and I was thinking the hide might make a nice bedspread. My PH said probably not. Skin is too thick. He said at one point giraffe were nearly eliminated in South Africa due to demand for their hides ... for making bullwhips. Hmmm. I always thought the Boers were horsemen, not oxcart teamsters. He said the demand for bullwhips was mostly for ... ah ... completing "labor intensive works projects." :O

 

[Connor Baumgarten]

Personal I would do some leather craft. A pair of woolly chaps and a vest would be rather interesting in my opinion.

 

[CarsonG]

^^^

 

[Tra3]

Giraffe rugs are great. The fur is coarse. The hide is very thick initially and gets cut down to a pliable thickness. I have a daybed with a giraffe hide on it. It is nice to look at, but not ideal to sit on in with bare skin.
I have a giraffe rug in my gun closet, it gets walked on and is not showing wear.

 

[Philip Glass]

Giraffe hair is of the most coarse I've ever experienced. I got my arms totally cut up by it when we installed my shoulder mount on the wall and I let the giraffe slide down to the bolt through my arms.
I have an ottoman that is beautiful and it seems to have softened through the years. It is not for bare skin however so no funny business on the ottoman!
A rug will be fine depending on traffic. I look at all skins are eventually disposable. So my advice is to do what makes you happy and don't fret so much about the longevity Of the item.

 

[Mort Hill]

Live in Nashville, TN and put my rug on the screened in porch. Sprayed with Scotch Gard to handle any rain or snow mist that blows through the screen, but had no issues with wear or hair loss.

 

[Tra3]

That is a nice rug, and a very dark giraffe hide.