Stuck in between a rock and a hard spot!

[Ace Lungger]

Howdy Pards, Did you all get your email flyer from Tandy today? They have Imported Saddle skirting full sides, 8-10 oz. if you by 2, you get 44-48 sq. ft for $119.00.
here my deal a friend of mine bought out a couple old saddleshops, here a few years ago, and has this leather stored! I mentioned to him a couple weeks ago, I was going to have to get some leather, and he mentioned this and that he needed to get moved and a lot of it sold, so i said I want to buy some of it! I have no idea weather the leather than tandy has on sale is a bargin or not? But, if you don't have leather you can make anything, but then, if you income level can't justify the expense to play, what do you do! I can borrow the money to go to Tandy, because I got a lot of stuff I am going to put on ebay!
There no doubt that my friend is going to sale me some leather, but being stored in a barn, what happens if it gets hiyt my lighting and burns up, or you know we are in Tornado Alley and we have been having more of them each year here lately, if it gets blown away, i got no leather! I can make a lot of things, but i can't make leather!!
So I guess I will roll the dice and hope nothing happens!
  Sorry for getting so long winded and off track! Just thought I would let those know that don't get the email flyer, you might want to check it out!
Later
ACE

[Marshal Will Wingam]

How old is the leather and where was it made? A couple year-old US tanned hide would be my choice over imported stuff.

[Ace Lungger]

MW,
I thinking it is 4 years old, but my friend has been using some of it, it might not all be good, Because I don't know if it is rolled or laying flat or what? I wonder, if it has been laying flat will the middle ones or lower mold or mildew?
I will agree, even if I am a newbie, that the USA mde leather is a lot better, because Stitch sent me some W&C, and you can see the differents. But the means have got to justify the end! And you don't sell no leather goods in the area I live in! I feel blessed that I bought that truck load of scraps, but a lot of it isn't big enough to do anything, but try your Stamping on, but i did get some nice peices, and then David giv me a box of scraps, and then another good friend sent me a large box of scraps. But I am down to the point that I am going to have to do something if I am going to make any Holsters! So I still don't know what to do?
I got to go this weekend yo some carpenters houses and see if any of them have a junk 8 1/2 or bigger blade. The only junk one I found yesterday was a 7 1/2, not big enough!
Thanks for your input!
ACE

[HorsePen Henry]

Ace, take a ride over to both places and sort through the leather they are offering at your price and see if it is worth investing in. Today is a nice day for a ride anyways. Heck, if nothin' elase go shoot a few rounds out back and you always feel better after that. Yesirree!!!
Horse Pen

[Ace Lungger]

HP,
I would like to look at that leather, but, where it is stored is hard to get to! And the Tandy leather is 120 miles one way! I am going out shooting this afternoon, and i question i will just make more spur staps and knife sheaths.
Thanks
ACE

[David Carrico]

Well I'll throw my hat in the ring. The leather is from an old saddleshop a friend of mine and myself bought out several years ago. We filled three 20 ft gooseneck trailers full of stuff. Most of it was from the 50's and 60's. The leather is 10 times better than anything on the market today. I showed some of the latigo to Shep Hermann and asked why we can't get good latigo like this today. Too many man hours involved in making it like that today. Sorry, not getting rid of any latigo, so don't ask! Hey, we only had probably 100 or so latigo backs, you can't get this stuff anymore! We did have an unopened roll of five sides of Hermann Oak skirting,  from the 60's, still had the shipping label on it. Most of the stuff cuts like butter! We have used a lot of it, but there is a lot of partial sides and misc that is good, but I just don't have the space. We also have lots and lots and lots and lots of hardware. It's a really cool story I could start a whole thread about it sometime. The big find was the several pair of never worn Levis with the tags still on them, from the 40's or 50's, we sold for $1,200 a pair. Over 300 pair of boots! When I get the hardware and leather back to my place, I will put a page on my website to liquidate. I would say I have enough to fill a 20 ft trailer! Most is North and Judd, still in the original boxes! I don't have the space to store it, so there will be bargains. Of course Ace has first shot at it. On aonther note, I received a flyer from Wickett and Craig. Skirting and bridle leather, 8-10 oz $100 per side, 10-12 oz $107 per side, 12-14oz $112.00 per side.
Thanks!
David

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Well, Ace, it sounds like there really isn't any choice to be made, here. That leather sounds like it's a finer quality than what you'll find anywhere today. Thanks for the information, David.

[Ace Lungger]

MW,
I figured it was a lot better quaility! And now I know! I need to Sale a Harley
Later Greg