Club Obi Wan

I'm currently talking with Gerry via e-mail because I'm ready to buy my first Wested and I'm really interested in horsehide.

Currently it seems, however, that horse is only coming in black and dark brown - so no authentic yet.

I've gone back to Gerry to query that - aware of what Peter said in an earlier thread - so stay tuned

Interesting...

I understood that the horsehide would indeed be AUTHENTIC brown. I emailed Peter a few weeks ago to this end and he confirmed the authentic brown colour. Maybe Wested are simply waiting for a new batch of authentic brown horsehide to arrive?

I am seriously toying with the notion of ordering another jacket in this new hide, but would only consider doing so if it is authentic, not dark brown hide.

Needless to say, I'll watch this space for Peter's response.

Update: I asked Gerry if this meant there was no authentic horsehide yet and she writes:

"Sorry - Not yet - but the Dark Brown is really nice."

I'm a bit confused too, ob1al, considering Peter mentioned it being authentic brown. I'm 101% ready to order once there's a green light on authentic brown horsehide.

Probably best just to sit tight until Peter does get the authentic brown.

The old dark brown is nice, but for me the authentic brown colour is just perfect.

I'll wait... :junior:

They do call it authentic brown for a reason.

What reason is that, Buff?

And how come they don't call the other UNauthentic brown...?

Only kidding - I see Peter is online, perhaps he will answer our questions?

Unauthentic Brown... ...has a nice ring to it.

It sounds like some old-time prospector who thought he had struck it rich on 'fools gold' -

"Say Pa, there goes old Unauthentic Brown!"

"Stay away from him son, that Fedora wearing wizards just a crazy old man!"

Someone with a dark brown Wested should change their COW name to Unauthentic Brown.

LOL Bofflehead.

Unauthentic Brown and the Nugget of Gloom.

(OK - sorry to hijack your thread Indiana Irwin, back on topic!)

I wonder if the dark brown is as soft and pliable as the authentic brown sample I have? Even that would be interesting, as all leather eventually weathers with use...even when you use Pecards. I doubt I'd live long enough to witness same, but it does happen! (grins) Please keep us in the loop! Peter told me that two horsehide jackets have been made and delivered, and he was impressed, so when the man himself likes what he's made, you've got a winner! Regards. Michaelson

Michaelson, as you have a sample of the authentic brown horsehide it proves there must have been a batch kicking around at some point, doesn't it? :

Sure does....there must have been enough to make those two Raiders jackets he said he's already delivered too! So, I'm guessing those were made from sample hides, and he's probably now awaiting a proper shipment for production. Just guessing here, though...Regards. Michaelson

So would horsehide be the warmest of the leathers for a jacket in the winter, now?

It all depends what your wearing underneath I guess.

But on the jacket alone I think it works like this: horsehide, cowhide, goatskin, lambtouch cowhide, lambskin.

Whoa - I'm think I'm straying into Michaelson's teritory here...

::backs away slowly::

That's right. How does horsehide stack up to, say, goat?

Is it the same in durability or in distressability? Stiffness?

Where does it fall in the Lamb-to-Goat scale?

See my post above.

In terms of toughness, from what I've read it depends on who you talk to about which is tougher, Goat or Horse. The Horsehide does distress naturally, I believe.

::Begins to wish Michaelson would surface to take up the point...::

I'm over here hiding the bushes to see how you come out with this one. You're doing ok in my book. It does indeed depend on whom you talk to. I think that the horsehide will take on a more definite pattern in it's use pattern than goatskin does, as goat has more pattern detail, where the horsehide reminds me of lambskin, surface wise. (I just re-read that, and now I'M confused. Hope you understood that. ) Regards. Michaelson

Hope you understood that

Nope, not until the 3rd read, then I saw the logic in a flash of blinding light.

Anyway, the main thing is I escaped from my skirmish with knowledge not looking like a fool, so I'm quite happy.

::skips away before any further questions can be put leaving Michaelson holding the fort::

Looking like a fool? Heavens no...I do that quite well on my OWN merits. No, uh, wait a minute... Never mind. Regards. Michaelson

Hmmmm.... now I'm debating the possibility of selling my authentic goat Raiders towards a horsehide version.... bink

Just opened today's mail and there's a note from Gerry:

Peter will post a photograph of a swatch of the Brown Horsehide on the
forum so you can see for yourself. It is somewhere between the two
colours but is more Dark.

Has this appeared anywhere? I've been asleep down here; different timezones and all

I'm sitting here holding my two examples as we 'speak'. One example is the authentic brown, and looks just like all his other authentic hides. The other sample is a bit heavier, and is as dark as the old dark lambskin to my eye. Regards. Michaelson

Michaelson, given how we're talking about the horse's ability to weather naturally, and quite attractively, do you think it would weather and lighten (even when using Pecards) over time to be more akin to authentic?

(I probably shouldn't ask questions like that... I'll end up buying dark brown when my head says, "Wait for authentic!")

Yes, I think it will, but it's going to take a LONG time, depending on how you wear your jacket. Horsehide naturally weathers VERY nicely over time and use. But, that said, due to it's tough nature, it's not an overnight occurance. Patience is the key, as is with all the leathers, but with the horsehide, it's a real test. Compared to goatskin, though, it's like a walk in the park. I have a chrome tanned goatskin FS, and it looks like the day I got it, and I've worn the heck out of it myself! If you're wanting out of the box neat appearance, then the authentic color is the way to go. If you want it to achieve it's own color in it's own good time and your own usage, then the brown is the way to go. It's a personal call, but will work out either way you decide. Regards. Michaelson

One slight correction that I took notice of in one of the above posts.....someone listed Goatskin BELOW the durability of Cowhide. The Cow is one tough cookie, but unless someone wants to correct ME now, lol, I think that the Horse and Goat leathers are more durable than the Cow......... And, that Horsehide and Goatskin are about equal in strength and durability. Therefore, both should be placed in the #2 spot as a tie........?

I apologize for this commercial break, we now return to our normal scheduled program, lol....

Kind Regards,
Capt. D

Cap, we were talking about warmth, not durability, if this is the post you were referring to -

horsehide, cowhide, goatskin, lambtouch cowhide, lambskin.

In terms of durability, Goat and Horse are indeed classed as equal.

Ahhhh, I'm on the same page now, lol, it was a loooong day yesterday at work, brain wasn't workin' properly

Kind Regards,
Capt. D

Guess I'll pop in here to clarify things a little bit. The samples I got from Peter and subsequently sent to Michaelson were off of the same hide, the darker and thicker one came from the center of the hide while the lighter and slightly thinner one came from closer to the edge. The thing about the color is, it does vary a little as you move along the hide, but it doesn't look "patchy" at all. I think it would end up making a beautiful jacket, and the slight variations in color along the stitching and such would only add to the appeal for me. Lets wait to hear from those who have ordered one.

So just to clarify - are you saying that's an authentic sample or a dark brown sample you have there?

It's the Only sample. One part of it looks very close to authentic, one part looks very close to dark brown, but all part of the same hide.

Roger that; but in providing it, did Peter refer to it as authentic (as he has done in previous forum threads) or as dark brown (as the current Wested communication runs)? Or did he just say, "Here's some horsehide?"

Update from Gerry:

I spoke to Peter about this and he said he is trying to get the Horsehide in Authentic – this may have been misunderstood as actually having it on order or something but that is not the case yet. Once we do have it then Peter will announce it on the forum.

Being the type of guy I am, I've gone and ordered horse in dark brown

I predict that once this announcement is made Peter will be very busy
for some time filling new orders. Christmas is just around the corner,
anyone want to wager that the timing will be...perfect?

Regards,
Indybill

Maybe not Christmas, but just in time for Fall wheather. I remember Peter waiting for Authentic Lamb last year as he had to find a new supplier, and I got it in the end of August(when I ordered in early-mid July).