Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
Or start hunting down one of Aero's?
Aero's Jerky Horse IS Chrome tannedBut they are not chrome tanned. Nothing beats an original.
Or start hunting down one of Aero's?
Aero's Jerky Horse IS Chrome tannedBut they are not chrome tanned. Nothing beats an original.
Is Lost Worlds still making A2’s ? You don’t hear much coming from them these days. Used to be an occasional story popping up every now and then about dealings with the owner, and his eccentric ways.Only A2s I can think of using chrome tanned HH are the ones from LW.
Evidence shows that the majority of vintage A2s used chrome tanned but some were definitely veg tanned.
Any fit picsAero's Jerky Horse IS Chrome tanned
Not entirely accurate.Horse Hide back in war times was actually cheaper to use than Bovine. There was a surplus of HH. That has flipped today. Now cow is cheaper.
J, i didn’t express myself well. i amended my post to also say which hides were more readily available for the location of the factory. Even if horse were a few cents cheaper, if you aren’t near a ready supply of it but have deadlines and quotas to meet, you can’t afford to be choosy when each performs equally well.Horse Hide back in war times was actually cheaper to use than Bovine. There was a surplus of HH. That has flipped today. Now cow is cheaper.
Thanks for that info. I do wonder if it was subjective to different tanneries though. Certainly the majority of the A2s WERE from HH. So either there are details that we don’t know about or the government was nuts in choosing to go with the “more expensive HH”.Not entirely accurate.
In Mr. Eastman’s excellent book, Type A-2 Flight Identification Manual, there is a letter from the Chicago Tanning Company dated Sept. 14, 1931 that states “A coat can be made of Genuine Cowhide and it will cost from 35¢ to 50¢ a garment less than Horsehide…”. I don’t know how the prices changed over time, but when the A-2 was first made cowhide was cheaper than horsehide. Don’t know about goatskin.
In the A-2 specification documents, a note dated Aug 18, 1932 was concerned about horsehide supply stating “Due to the indicated shortage of horse hide in case of a major emergency, Substitute Specifications should be prepared which will not require the use of horse hide leather.”
So both availability and cost drove the A-2 to be manufactured out of cowhide versus the original horsehide.
I would agree with this 100%, as I would with the aniline finishes found on nearly all high end repros vs. pigment.Personally, i think the almost exclusive use of veg tanning in modern repros is one of the biggest piss takes going.
Glad to.Thanks for that info. I do wonder if it was subjective to different tanneries though. Certainly the majority of the A2s WERE from HH. So either there are details that we don’t know about or the government was nuts in choosing to go with the “more expensive HH”.
My own guess is HH was more naturally water resistant and also could be more durable though cow is not far behind in that category.
So perhaps the overall cost ended up being less in the long run due to the jackets longevity?
Like Juanito, I agree with this 100% too. It's one of the biggest elephants in the room concerning a very large amount of high end repros and something I've probably banged on too much around here!Personally, i think the almost exclusive use of veg tanning in modern repros is one of the biggest piss takes going.
Sure does, and I am certain that wasn't a real concern 75+ years ago. In reality, there would be no reason to use veg tanned hides--the process is a month long vs. a few days (time = money) and it is not as durable from my understanding, particularly where moisture and humidity are concerned.I thought chrome tanning cause environmental concern?