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Croc Leather
30 March 2013, 07:33
FrostbitCroc Leather
Has anyone shot a Croc in Africa and had it tanned as leather for shoes, clothing, gun case etc.? If you shot a 13+ foot Croc what all can be made from it total?
I realize this is a vague question but I'm headed to Moz in 2014. I already have a full mount Croc but wouldn't mind a skull if I was presented a very large toothy Dinosaur. I just wondered what else could be done with it.
30 March 2013, 07:40
jdollari had a pair of short hunting boots, a pair of deck shoes, and 2 belts made out of just the belly hide from a 14 footer, with a small amount of hide left over. from a 15 footer( belly hide plus legs and underside of neck), i had 2 gun cases, several women's purses for my sister, a couple of belts and a wallet made. i kept just the skull from him as i already had a croc rug with head on and mouth open made from the first one. shoes were made by a local bookmaker, other items made by a taxidermist in Michigan and an alligator leather good manufacturer in Fla.
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30 March 2013, 07:44
Frostbitquote:
Originally posted by jdollar:
i had a pair of short hunting boots, a pair of deck shoes, and 2 belts made out of just the belly hide from a 14 footer, with a small amount of hide left over. from a 15 footer( belly hide plus legs and underside of neck), i had 2 gun cases, several women's purses for my sister, a couple of belts and a wallet made. i kept just the skull from him as i already had a croc rug with head on and mouth open made from the first one. shoes were made by a local bookmaker, other items made by a taxidermist in Michigan and an alligator leather good manufacturer in Fla.
Thank you!!
Tanning for "leather" for items like you mentioned is different than tanning for taxidermy ---- Correct?
Is only the belly used? What did you do with the topside?
30 March 2013, 08:11
jdollaryes. for leather products, you really must glaze( garment) tan the leather if you want a shiny finish and the hide is dyed to the color you want. if you don't want the shiny finish, basically any taxidermy tan will do but agin it must be dyed.. the back skin is much too hard to be used for anything( the scales are actually bones coverd with a thin bit of skin and the grain pattern is obviously vey large.
this is my example of the results with glazed tan croc hide and cape buffalo handles( printed to look like elephant).
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04 April 2013, 23:20
L. David KeithVery nice case jd!
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05 April 2013, 01:22
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05 April 2013, 15:13
David CulpepperI shot a 12 foot croc last year and decided to just have the head mounted as I did not have room for a full body mount. The rest of the hide I am having tanned into leather and will hopefully have a enough for a pair of boots for me and a belt for my brother. Specialty Leather in Iowa is tanning the hide and they estimated that it would cost $600. Before I send it off to have the items made I plan to take pictures of it with a ruler for reference and send to boot maker to see if he thinks there is enough usable leather for what I want to do. The boot maker does make some ridgeback boots from the scales on the back but I am told these come from smaller crocs that are about 8 feet. Its probably going to be a couple more months before I get the hide back so time will tell.
Good Hunting,
05 April 2013, 16:45
Jerry HuffakerLeather specialties in Iowa do an excellent job on tanning. If you want to use the back for something you'll need to shoot a smaller one so the spiney bumps won't be so big. Loveless boots in OK city can make boots-shoes for you.
Jerry Huffaker
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06 April 2013, 05:02
Patricio GaudianoAmerican tanning and leather has allways done a good job for us, basically you have to get the alligator "belly skinned" instead of skinned for taxidermy, if you go on the american tanning and leather website they will show you how to do it, and you basically throw the back part of the skin away since the cites tag will be on the front and the back will have nothing.
I got 2 pairs of boots from a 9 foot skin, however on larger gators it really depends on how many scars/calcifications there are on the skin on wheather you will be able to get 1 or2 pairs, also you will be able to get a couple of belts, and asorted knick nacks....
the tanning is charged by cm as measured acreoss the widest point in the belly.