Durability of exotic skins?

[DWFII]

I remember when rhea was just showing up on the market. It was dry. If I remember correctly, rhea comes from South America. So they have an entirely different tradition and process for preparing and tanning the hides.

Klein Karoo ostrich has been, for decades, the premium ostrich in the world. For a number of reasons--the unique tanning methods, for sure, but the water and soil factor in as well. When the US slapped the trade embargo on SA some years ago many of the South African ranchers moved their operations across the border into Zimbabwe. Even though the leather was coming from the same consortium, it was markedly inferior.

Now the US has gotten into the act and the domestic ostrich that I have seen tends to be more like calf than iconic ostrich. It is stiff, dry and characterless. It would take close inspection to tell the difference between domestically (US) produced ostrich and low grade cow prints.

I haven't seen any rhea in years but admonitions to keep a leather conditioned (moisturized) are never out of place.

 

[Patek]

Does Ostrich need any special conditioner like reptile does?

 

[DWFII]



Does Ostrich need any special conditioner like reptile does?

Frankly, I don't think that reptile needs a special conditioner.

That said, all leathers need a conditioner that is free of petrochemical based oil and/or oils that are prone to going rancid. And one that does not leave a sticky residue on the surface .

I use Lexol...mostly because I have used it for many years. But I also like Bick4 and several other products depending on the persistent oil content of the leather. In other words, some leathers are already oil stuffed and not meant to be spit-shined or to be a "dress" leather. Others are quite the opposite and don't want a conditioner that is formulated with heavy oils.

 

[Xenon]

What about stingray? I know DWFII mentionned that the substrate was particularly porous and prone to pick up dirt/water but if kept clean and properly moisturized will the tiny bumps remain a long time or will the twisting and bending of it when used as shoe upper eventually lead to failure and falling off over time? I ask this because i read somewhere that stingray was not advised for shoe making

 

[DWFII]

It's hard to say. I have never made a full boot or shoe out of stingray.

I started to make a pair some years ago and was so confounded with the problem of dealing with the 'ivory" beads gracefully, that I abandoned the project. I could not get the sewing machine needle to track evenly--the needle was always deflecting or breaking--enough to satisfy me.

I experimented with creating a "collar" and stripping the beads off under the collar. That worked but it it was no easy task and almost as uncontrollable as sewing directing into the beads.

Both as a point of pride and of personal criticism, I have never been one to accept erratic or sloppy work. I might have been better off stitching the shoe together by hand but even then I suspect that I would cringe from the results.

As a consequence, I don't have any boots that have come back to me after a number of years to draw from.

All that said, the fiber mat (what would be the flesh side of the skin on any other leather) is very loose on stingray and, in fact, is more of a mesh than a mat (or at least it was when I first started fooling with stingray). I suspect that the beads might have a tendency to pop off after a while or at least lose colour simply because where ever the shoe flexes, the beads will be rubbing up against each other

 

[Patek]

Does Ostrich need any special conditioner like reptile does?

Frankly, I don't think that reptile needs a special conditioner.

That said, all leathers need a conditioner that is free of petrochemical based oil and/or oils that are prone to going rancid. And one that does not leave a sticky residue on the surface .

I use Lexol...mostly because I have used it for many years. But I also like Bick4 and several other products depending on the persistent oil content of the leather. In other words, some leathers are already oil stuffed and not meant to be spit-shined or to be a "dress" leather. Others are quite the opposite and don't want a conditioner that is formulated with heavy oils.

Interesting. Some of the gator products I have say to only use reptile conditioner. Just to be safe I use the Saphir reptile product on them.

What happened with the guy that had the bespoke stingray shoes made. I never saw the final result.

 

[DWFII]



Interesting. Some of the gator products I have say to only use reptile conditioner. Just to be safe I use the Saphir reptile product on them.

Well, you could ruin a pair of alligator shoes, for instance, if you used something like neatsfoot oil (which is a perfectly good product for some, never-to-be-shined leathers) on them.

Since most customers don't have the...what? perspicacity...to research products or the experience to know one product from the other, it is not really all that astonishing that manufacturers recommend something they know will not do damage.

Saphir reptile is probably a safe choice.

 

[HLow]

Hi DWFII,

Here's a quick question for you with regards to ostrich skin. I have just begun trying my hands on working with ostrich skin and the fibrous/papery flesh side is giving me lots of problems when i try to skive it down by hand. Are there any suggestions on working with it?

As for the shagreen articles, i must say that the hard beads are rather indestructible as i have a card case made and it still holds up very well for the 4 years i've had it (until it got stolen....). And Patek, i assume that you are referring to the pair of black stingray shoes made by Riccardo? The finished shoe is on his thread on page 4, i suppose you can drop the OP a pm so see how his shoes are holding up

It's hard to say. I have never made a full boot or shoe out of stingray.
I started to make a pair some years ago and was so confounded with the problem of dealing with the 'ivory" beads gracefully, that I abandoned the project. I could not get the sewing machine needle to track evenly--the needle was always deflecting or breaking--enough to satisfy me.
I experimented with creating a "collar" and stripping the beads off under the collar. That worked but it it was no easy task and almost as uncontrollable as sewing directing into the beads.
Both as a point of pride and of personal criticism, I have never been one to accept erratic or sloppy work. I might have been better off stitching the shoe together by hand but even then I suspect that I would cringe from the results.
As a consequence, I don't have any boots that have come back to me after a number of years to draw from.
All that said, the fiber mat (what would be the flesh side of the skin on any other leather) is very loose on stingray and, in fact, is more of a mesh than a mat (or at least it was when I first started fooling with stingray). I suspect that the beads might have a tendency to pop off after a while or at least lose colour simply because where ever the shoe flexes, the beads will be rubbing up against each other

 

[DWFII]



Hi DWFII,

Here's a quick question for you with regards to ostrich skin. I have just begun trying my hands on working with ostrich skin and the fibrous/papery flesh side is giving me lots of problems when i try to skive it down by hand. Are there any suggestions on working with it? 

Caution, care, and a very sharp knife. No way around it...it's the nature of the beast. Sometimes I just pull the loose stuff off with my fingers

 

[HLow]

Thanks and i will do just that, i'll just put more hours into practicing on scraps first

Caution, care, and a very sharp knife. No way around it...it's the nature of the beast. Sometimes I just pull the loose stuff off with my fingers