Need help finding horsehide leather hides for T-2 jacket

[deathscythe]

I am planning on making a couple replicas of Arnie's motorcycle jacket from T-2 for my father in law, brother in law, and myself. I would really like to do it right, and make them out of horsehide. I have been googling for several weeks for anywhere to buy horsehides, but all I have found are jackets made out of it.
I know it's really hard to come by here in the US, and I was wondering if someone in the UK or somewhere might know where to find a few black horsehides. I don't have a problem paying a bit to ship it here, because I just can't seem to get it any other way.

Any help or info for how or where to find some would be much appreciated.

-Alex

 

[ONEYE]

Terminator Leather Jacket Apparel - Sideshow Collectibles

:confused

 

[deathscythe]

That's interesting! I hadn't seen that.
That is the jacket from the first movie, though. I am making the jacket from the second movie.

I am going to make the jackets. I do a lot of leather work, so my f-i-l & b-i-l would like it better if I make them myself. If I wanted to just buy them, I would order them from the original maker: Bates Custom Leathers

So, anyone from across the pond know where to find horsehide?

 

[ONEYE]

I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention bump.

 

[deathscythe]

Wow - over 100 views, and nothing?!
I know somebody in Europe must know where to find some horsehide!
I don't have a problem making more of these jackets if there is a minimum order size for the leather (within reason).
I'll give a discount on a jacket to whoever helps me get in contact with a place to buy the leather if I don't find it first.

I will be starting a thread at some point for some of my leather work stuff, and will definitely be chronicling my progress on this jacket once I get the hides.

 

[Risu]

Have you tried contacting the Hide House here in California? I don't know if they carry horse hide, but they stock a lot of different types of leather, and maybe if you call them they can special order some horse hide or even put you in touch with some place that does sell it.

 

[deathscythe]

Thanks for introducing me to the Hide House, Risu!
They don't carry horsehide right now, but they do carry goat - which is nice to know.
I'd never heard of them before; bookmarked.:cool

I may have found a tannery that will do HH, but it's a little tough to contact them because of the time difference; I'm in Seattle, and they're in Chicago so by the time I get home from work they are closed. I'll try to call them at lunch today.

The thing is, that it sounds like I'll need to order a minimum amount, so I will probably have enough to make a few extra jackets.

Keep ya posted.

 

[deathscythe]

As far as I can tell, nobody is selling HH in the US right now.
But, I will be getting a sample from a tannery that can make some for me. It looks like they are the last tannery in the country that will or can do HH. They don't have a minimum order size, but it will be cheaper per pound if I order more.
I will probably be selling a couple of these jackets, so I will probably be starting an interest thread in the JY at some point.
There are a few things to finish first before I make the jackets, but I'll be ordering the leather all the same...

 

[terryr]

Googled 'buy horse hide'.

Horse Hides and Hair-on Horse Hides, Horse Skins, Horse Rugs, Horse Pelts, Peau de cheval

Horse Hide - Where To Buy ? - Leatherworker.net

 

[deathscythe]

Thanks for helping with the search, terryr.
I have used that as a search entry, and I've also seen the pages you linked to.
The first one is interesting, but hair on hide skins don't do me very much good as I'm looking for chrome-tanned (i.e. garment type) hides. Most places that I could find that sold any kind of HH were all Cordovan cuts (think shoes), or North of Cordovan cuts (belts and straps). These both come from the butt of the horse, but are typically too thick for making jackets.
The second link you posted is actually the same page I read which informed me that Horween is the last tannery in the US that does HH, which is why I have a sample from them on it's way to me right now.

If all goes well I'll be in contact with Horween again once the sample arrives in the mail to nail down specifics for price and quantity for my order. As they will probably need to actually tan the hides for my order, it will probably be a month or two before the leather actually ships.

Once I get a firm price per pound (HH is sold by the pound, not by the square foot), and a better idea of their actual average skin size and approximate yield, I will post an interest thread in the JY for the jackets - hopefully with tentative pricing.
I will have final pricing for the jackets (to post in the future JY thread) once my own jacket is done, because it will effectively be the first one to nail down all the details.

 

[terryr]

There you go. Same site.

Horse Leather

The horse leather is only available in cream color at this time. This is tannery-run grade leather. The weight is 3 to 3.5 oz. and the size per hide ranges from 11 to 17 sq. ft. The horse leather is chrome-tanned.

 

[whiteraven]

Horse Hides and Hair-on Horse Hides, Horse Skins, Horse Rugs, Horse Pelts, Peau de cheval

They sell horse hides.

LOL... guess I wasn't the first.