I have 2 side panels totaling about 30 sq/ft of hippo hide being tanned in grey. Was thinking of having some inlaid in a table (cool card table). Would like to hear what AR members have done (pics would be great) w/their's or what you've seen that has really been unique.
Wallets/belts/ . . . .

Inlaid into a card table... or desk could be cool

Out of curiousity, who did the tanning of the skins?

If you do not mind me asking, what are you paying to have the hide tanned. A friend of mine spent a large sum of money on air transport for 2 large chunks of hide. After about 4 months of indecision we dropped the hide in a lake to feed the fish. The cost to have the hide processed was $50 per Square ft and that did not include shipping.

I had Russells make me a great pair of safari boots from some Hippo hide -- they're as soft as my Cape Buff boots and just as tough - which is to say indestructible.

I haven't done it with a Hippo hide -- but I have done it with Elephant -- had an artist do a wonderful African wildlife scene on it and then used the painted hide as a table top. It's fantastic!

Hippo is great stuff -- you can do about anything with it that you can do with any other hide and it has the side benefit of being a great conversation piece.

Sjamboks.

Then use them to beat the neighborhood miscreants.

quote:

Posted 14 July 2011 05:01 Hide Post
Sjamboks.

Then use them to beat the neighborhood miscreants.

Finally, someone who knows how to have some fun with a hippos rear end

seat cover in my truck

Had a pair of cowboy boots made from mine. Turned out real nice.

Have some sjambock made to keep the women an chillen an slaves in line. The hide would make some really nice war sheilds with assaigi for a trophy room.

I have had Loveless Boots make boots, as of now I have 4 pairs and leather for many more. I had mine tanned by Speciality Leather in Boone Iowa, who also tanned my Ostrich.

I am have Wes Good at Wildlife Studio (PA) take care of the taxidermy work. Not for sure who he is have to tan this hide. Cost is around $30 sq/ft But since I was aready in for, what I like t call "First Class", return home shipment, it is hard for me to cut my loses. If I had it to do over again, I would not have brought the dried hide back to US. Shipment cost was HIGH. My head tracker made me a sjambock--cool stuff.
Thank for the info and any more that is out there!!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Todd Williams:
Had a pair of cowboy boots made from mine. Turned out real nice.[/QUOTE

Same plan for mine, got the tanned leather waiting for a bootmaker. Also planning a matching belt, and maybe a purse for Mom.

Skip, normally tanning for taxidermy and boots etc are two different process.

DOJ,

Wes said that the hippo hide is going to a different tannery vs. my "mounting" hides. Thanks for the info!

cable68,

I think a belt will be in the plans.

Mini skirts for fat girls?

The best, most often used product would be a wallet. I have a couple made from elephant leather (bought from a commercial company called Bosca from leather imported by Elton Leather Corp.) and a real funky, rough coat wallet made from large Indonesian croc.

The elephant wallets, which are really very nice credit card cases, apparently will last forever, as I have been using them for over 25 years.