Here's a topic I know has been pounded to death - I got back from Zim this month and my wife had pulled a bunch of old backskins from about 4 trips ago, and they're now lying in a pile on the floor. I've learned my lesson and no longer bring most backskins home, but I hate to not utilize the ones I have for something. Does anyone know of an individual craftsman or company that makes useful items of backskins, such as rugs, guncases or bags? What are some ideas of things others have had made from backskins?

Bwanna

We covered our dining room chairs with our backskins. A litte imagination and a staple gun is all you need. Atcheson Taxidermy or Jerry Huffaker can make you a rug or couch throw out of a combo of back skins. They can make great pillow covers too.

Mark

I remember seeing a rug made out of backskins that was in the shape of africa with the different backskins representing the various countries. really a neat thought.

Actually, I think the rug was posted on AR about 3-4 years ago.

good luck,

I've thought about using them at the back of a shadowbox to display things like knives, bushman bows/arrows, etc. Haven't done it yet.

Those are some good ideas guys, thanks! I was about to take all of mine and have bikini's and thong's made out of 'em. They would have made such great presents for our anti-hunting-fishing-veggan-tree huggin'-bunny lovin' friends. And let's not forgot our "Save the Night Crawler" friends.
LDK

I had an ottoman made from some of mine.

Try Andrea's Rugs. She makes some really cool pillows for very reasonable prices.

Andrea's Rugs

I usually give them away to friends and relitives who cover chairs, pillows and about anything they get a notion to attack...I quit bringing them back many years ago..

I still have the same problem with full skins, I have too many of them and don't want to part with them or sell them but I should..Then there are the buffalo, Kudu, Sable, Eland horns piled up in the garage. Not to mention elk and deer horns everywhere. Where does it all end, guess when I kick the bucket there will be one hell of a sale or so my storm and strife tells me, the same lady who tells folks our house is decorated in Southwest African, that be rodeo pictures, spurs and silver bridles amongst Buffalo, Kudu, waterbuck, etc. with a couple of Zebra hides hiding a hole in the wall or whatever!

African hides are good trading material at your local saddle shop for sure..I have chaps, spur leathers, saddles and all maner of bridles etc. that I have traded African hides for...

Look at waldenbork.com

I have had checkbook covers,and document cases made by them.Very good quality,they make great gifts.


dan

quote:

I remember seeing a rug made out of backskins that was in the shape of africa with the different backskins representing the various countries. really a neat thought.

I know Taxidermy Enterprises in Bulawayo makes a map that neat, but I've not seen a whole rug - that would really be incredible.
http://www.taxidermyenterprises.com/

Visit this website and you can have virtually anything you can imagine made with your backskins and wild game leather.

http://www.waldenbork.com/home.html

Send to Murray leather and he'll make a gun case using you skin.

quote:

Originally posted by Mark in SC:
Visit this website and you can have virtually anything you can imagine made with your backskins and wild game leather.

http://www.waldenbork.com/home.html

For the prices that they charge ($240 for a belt made from your leather) do they pay for your hunt to get the skins?

Get an oak and leather guncase made for your favorite double by FEI. I had one made for a 20 ga paradox from an eland backskin, with the hair on....Eland was shot with the same gun. Case is super nice. I had another made for a Boss 10ga with an oryx backskin, hair off. And I am making a case for my son's switchbarrel using backskins.

Here is my version.

This is going to cost an arm and a leg but I am working on having a pair of western boots, in fact, two pair (my son and I) made from my buffalo back-skin.

I talked to four boot makers in Texas; one thought he was special. After agreeing a year ago, he now mentioned he had "policies", and way more customers than he needed. Another well-known company, whose boots I prefer, said they just don't use customers' skins. Two companies, one in Abilene and one in El Paso said they would do it, but no guarantees. (I don't need guarantees. I want a pair of boots.) Right now the Abilene company has the skin and says four to five pair of western boots could be made from it, and the boots are going to look very nice. Jerry handled having the skin tanned in Kansas to my (boot makers) specification.

The answer to your question is $1,000 a pair.

My problem with trying to utilize skins is that too much of what I see offered are just novelties. I don't need a lamp made from a leg or a hoof ash tray. I think those type of uses are straight out of the 1950s.

If used to full effect I think a skin can be stunning, just as the pillows on Saeed's last post.

The boots will be something I will use. They will remind me of my hunting experience every time I pull them on. My son doesn't hunt, but his boots will certainly serve as an ice-breaker, and conversation starter when he's looking for a new girl friend, or out with his friends.

I'm rationalizing the cost. I had a custom pair of boots made in the 80s that cost almost $500. I spend more than $1,000 on rental cars every vacation.

If anyone has had boots made from their buffalo, I would like to hear their experience. In a few months, I will share mine.