I think I may have seen this topic in the past, but I am not sure - an my apologies if this is the wrong topic area - but I am inerested in having my game hides tanned.

I did my first African hunt (Zimbabwe) in June. The backskins from my buffalo, kudu, and two impala are supposed to be shipped over with the skulls/horns/capes.

I am thinking about having them tanned for leather - especially the buffalo for a briefcase and maybe rifle slings. I have not been able to find anyone (including on the internet) that tans these tougher hides for such purposes. I am would also like info on anybody that may craft such items as briefcases, slings, etc.

Thanks for the help.

The same tannery that does your capes for mounting can do the hides for leather. I had that done with my first eland and pair of impala. I still have them because I haven't been able to come up with good uses for them, however from the next safari's warthog I had Russell's make a dandy pair of moccassins. If you're planning on having any garments made, make sure that you specify that you want the hides split before they go for tanning. You might want to do that with the buff, anyway, because those skins are massive!

Hey DD,
I searched high and low and contacted a lot of people (including Russell, Conroe, New Method, etc.) about tanning African hides for leather and was essentially turned away. The finished product isn't home yet but so far I've gotten the best answers from:

Specialty Leather Processors, Inc.
2135 Industrial Park Rd.
Boone, Iowa 50036
(515) 433-0176
Specialtyleather.com
specialtyleather@opencominc.com

I'll try to remember to post photos and a report when I get the first stuff back. Feel free to email if I forget.

Great hunting with great hunters,
Kyler

As I understand it, it is illegal to tan hides for leather in the US due to the toxic effluent from the tanning process. That may be why all leather products made in the US are so high. I think this subject was covered in the movie "A Civil Action".

Hides can be tanned in the USA for leather, most "Hair-on Tannerys don't do leather too.

Ther're aren't many left though, do to the tightening laws on polution, but there are still tannerys around

I had my backskins tanned "hair on" by the South African taxidermist that did my mounts over there.
The result was FAR superior to the mess I recieved from the California [San Diego?] tannery that did my first batch as "hair off" leather.
Then I just got a mess of shredded leather scraps that are unusable for any leather product - many holes, tears, thin spots, - not pretty.

The hair on pieces from South Africa can be used as throws or table covers or several other decorative functions.

Les

You should PM Steve Robinson "Shakari" on this forum. He is making boots and possibly other items from my buffalo and impala there in SA.

quote:

Originally posted by LHowell:
I had my backskins tanned "hair on" by the South African taxidermist that did my mounts over there.
The result was FAR superior to the mess I recieved from the California [San Diego?] tannery that did my first batch as "hair off" leather.
Then I just got a mess of shredded leather scraps that are unusable for any leather product - many holes, tears, thin spots, - not pretty.

The hair on pieces from South Africa can be used as throws or table covers or several other decorative functions.

Les

I just had the same experience last year from 2003 hunt. The skins from the US Tanery look like shit and I threw them out for about triple the price than the back skins in South Africa. The SA skins & taxidermy I had done in 2000 are great. I have a bunch from a box hunt in 2004 and I did all tanning and mounts in SA.