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Leather sources

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Difficult to find Best Bridle Leather in UK these days as cattle are slaugthed at about 36 mounths for the meat trade. Old screw cows and Old Pedigree breaders are gone. Finding backs long enough for 72" dog slips is like looking for Rocking Horse ___!! We don't have any Buffs here and Argy hides are all soft.
 
Did you try entering Leather into your favorite search engine?

The internet is loaded with leather supply stores.
If you live near any butchers, chances are you can get a raw hide for free nowadays. Dehair with some lime or wood ash, then throw in a barrel with some crushed oak bark for a few months, and you'll have a full hide for a song (aside from a fair amount of labor). I've tanned enough to know it's not easy, but it sure is nice having hides to work without paying hundreds for them. More historically appropriate to boot!
 
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I have used hobby lobby leather the most, but when I made a couple of knife sheaths and the knives rusted. They were throwing knives that I didn't use much and they rusted terribly in storage. I must be using leather that's not had the right tanning process.
 
Difficult to find Best Bridle Leather in UK these days as cattle are slaugthed at about 36 mounths for the meat trade. Old screw cows and Old Pedigree breaders are gone. Finding backs long enough for 72" dog slips is like looking for Rocking Horse ___!! We don't have any Buffs here and Argy hides are all soft.
Have a look here, not a UK company but they may have what you're looking for.

https://www.hidehouse.com/pc_combin...Applications~DAC8064BE57840E7B99179026A35BBCC
 
I have used hobby lobby leather the most, but when I made a couple of knife sheaths and the knives rusted. They were throwing knives that I didn't use much and they rusted terribly in storage. I must be using leather that's not had the right tanning process.
I've occasionally had similar things happen with my home-tanned barktan leather. This would likely be a result of not getting rinsed well enough, leading to the presence of salt and/or tannic acids still present in the leather. Soaking it in water for a few days (and changing the rinse water often) should resolve the issue.
 
When we travel down state to the "big city" I have been trying to purchase leather at craft shops with no luck. I don't find much but over priced scraps that are too small for much of any project. Where are some good online sources for leather?
Thanks, Stub
Weaver leather. The best and fairly priced plus tutorials.
 
If you are in the Springfield or Branson, Missouri area check out Springfield Leather Springfield Leather Company
They sell on-line, but I have only visited in person. They have a big box of upholstery leather scraps available to pick thru and fill up a nice size bag for free when you make a purchase. The upholstery leather is good for small bags, flint wallets, etc.
 
I attend a weekly variety type auction and recently got for peanuts an old saddle with skirts that would be good for holsters or somesuch. Sometimes I've found old leather straps that could be made into musket slings or the like. (This latest find included a military freight saddle of some sort, with the horse-hair cinch, etc). Haven't ID'ed it yet but will look good with my WW1 era headstall that has US shield roundels on the blinders. I regret I never really got down and learned more leather-craft; it's a fascinating-looking hobby!
 
When we travel down state to the "big city" I have been trying to purchase leather at craft shops with no luck. I don't find much but over priced scraps that are too small for much of any project. Where are some good online sources for leather?
Thanks, Stub
Moscow Hide and Fur in Idaho. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. I've bought various things from these folks foe several decades.
You'd be surprised - tanned hides and hide pieces. You may want some elk leather but not need that whole huge hide, maybe just half.
Deer antler and tines, critter teeth, critter tails, whole critter tanned hides. These folks have some great things, taxidermy quality.
 
Tribal Spirit in Canada has good deals on hides and rawhide; Deer & Moose.
But they can't ship their Bear, fox and other outside the country.
Prices are fair and quality is good but it is all commercial tanned. I always get pretty good delivery times too.

https://tribalspiritmusic.com/
 
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