Tell me it ain't so..Chinese cowboy Boots!

[J.W.Neely]

http://www.navyseals.com/community/articles/article.cfm?id=5425

[Foothills Drifter]

Howdy......
I guess it is so......I just took a look inside my Ariat boots and......you guessed it, they are made in China    My Red Wings say made in U.S.A. 

Good shootin......
vern...

[Big George McCoy]

And y'all been wondering why an hour after you buy a pair of boots you got a hankering to buy another pair.

[Foothills Drifter]

Howdy Rafe......
Thats good  But I did have ta think about it for a second or two 

Good shootin......
Vern...

[Forty Rod]

I'd just like to find a pair that will last longer than six months.

In the past I had boots that would go on for years, what with re-soling, new heels, and all.

I'd also be deeeeelighted to find a pair made for wider feet.

[The Arapaho Kid]

It's getting hard, these days, to find simething that ISN'T made in China.  You can damned well bet that most, if not all, the Chinese stuff is made by prison labor.  One wants to be very careful with any leather goods that come out of China.  When they tan the leather, they use cattle manure for part of the curing process.  Everything is ok...until...the item gets wet.  Then....OYE VEY!  WHAT A STINK!

[Four-Eyed Buck]

China makes just about everything now a days. the Durango's that I really like from The Fort are Chinese made. Unfortunately, a lot of the new Hoover uprights are Chinese made as well. That's why I retired, they're phasing the Ohio operations out. We're down to maybe 1,000+ or - from almost 3,000 in the early '90's. Okay, guess I started ranting there Anyhow, yes, the Chinese are making just about everything...............Buck

[Delmonico]

Most of our guns we use are Italian, Japanese or Spanish.  The reason, most folks want a high wage, but don't want to pay a high price for goods. (Who ever ain't guilty of this raise yer hand.)

The leather tanned with urine or manure is just another urban myth, urine and manure destroy leather, it does not tan it.  Thats why most farm boots are oil tanned, to protect them from manure and urine.   Most leather that is not oil tanned is chrome tanned and that does sometimes smell funny when it is wet, the cure, use a good Goretex approved boot oil or cream.  The reason for the Goretex approved label is that it will oil the leather with out filling the pores.  This lets the leather breath.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Well heck, now I have to go check all my boots.

[Russ T Chambers]

Both pair of my Naconas say the were made in the USA.

[The Arapaho Kid]

Most of our guns we use are Italian, Japanese or Spanish.  The reason, most folks want a high wage, but don't want to pay a high price for goods. (Who ever ain't guilty of this raise yer hand.)

The leather tanned with urine or manure is just another urban myth, urine and manure destroy leather, it does not tan it.  Thats why most farm boots are oil tanned, to protect them from manure and urine.   Most leather that is not oil tanned is chrome tanned and that does sometimes smell funny when it is wet, the cure, use a good Goretex approved boot oil or cream.  The reason for the Goretex approved label is that it will oil the leather with out filling the pores.  This lets the leather breath.

When I was in Vietnam...we went up to Hong Kong for R & R.  I bought a pair of boots up there.  Brought them back and they were ok until I got them wet once.  My hooch started smelling like leftovers from the back end of a cow.  When I discovered it was my boots making the smell...I got a can of Av Gas and took care of them!  They burned nicely and stunk to high heaven while burning!

[Delmonico]

So every knowledgable leather worker I've ever talked to, says there is nothing in either that would tan the leather and my somewhat limited knowledge of chemistry also tells my the same thing.  Can you explain to me in scientific terms how cow poop preserves the hide and turns it into leather?

Remember lack of scientific facts is what legands and myths are made of.  Since I've been round many a cow in my life time and what they are eating makes a difference in what the waste products smell like (just like people) I can tell you from experiance that not every smell is exactly what you think it is.  I have been told, don't know for fact, that the smells from wet cheap boots are often from the pressed materials that are used in the insoles and sweat from you foot only makes it worse.  Get them wet and they smell like the recycled materials used in the insoles.

BTW: The Durango Fort Frontier Boot is oil tanned as good boot leather should be, not because of smell, but for durabilaty.  But then the average "cowboy boot" buyer does not want the oil tanned cause it don't look right when done on some strange creature that ain't a cow.

[Willie Wheelgun]

Tony Lama, made in the good old U S of A.  Mine last so long, my wife buys me a new pair and throws the old ones out!  My packers are Wolverine.  Made in America and minimum Vibram soles.  Great boots.

[The Arapaho Kid]

So every knowledgable leather worker I've ever talked to, says there is nothing in either that would tan the leather and my somewhat limited knowledge of chemistry also tells my the same thing.  Can you explain to me in scientific terms how cow poop preserves the hide and turns it into leather?

I haven't a clue on this.  All I know is...when those boots got wet...they smelled just like cow dung and it was a very strong smell.  I'm familiar with the smell of cow droppings and that's exactly what those boots smelled like.

[Delmonico]

Me Sharps smells like rotten eggs when fired, but I never put no rotten eggs in the catrides when I load them.   However both invole Hydorgen sulfides, so the smell is very similar. 

I have heard this story about every 3rd world country that produces leather goods, so far off the top of my head it is Mexico, Pakistan, China, Hong Kong, (while owned by the brits)  Argentina, Tiawan and India.  Yet, no one with a basis in chemistry seems to know how it is done with out destroying the hide or why it turns it into leather.  This "stinky" leather is not good leather, that is no doubt, but as to use poop or pee from, horses, people, cows, birds or any of the other creatures said to poop or pee substances used to make leather I will file in under "Urban Legands" till I see some real proof.  Perhaps TV's Myth Busters would like to take this one on.

[L.G.]

While spending a year working out at the White Sands, I made a few trips down to El Paso.  Lots of boots made there, in America, but by Mexican and indian labor I bet.  Even at their warehouse stores, my bad feet had a time finding boots that fit nicely.