Cowhide Character Development?

[gtdean48]

I have a used FQHH that is developing lots of character as I wear it doing almost everything I can around the ranch.
Now, I also have a cowhide Highwayman that looks brand spanking new.
I know this cow is tanned differently than the Horween Horse so can I accelerate its patina development any?[huh]

 

[Smithy]

I have a used FQHH that is developing lots of character as I wear it doing almost everything I can around the ranch.
Now, I also have a cowhide Highwayman that looks brand spanking new.
I know this cow is tanned differently than the Horween Horse so can I accelerate its patina development any?[huh]

Never done it myself but there are lots who have used the hot water treatment to speed things up with seemingly good results.

Although I'm a great believer in just wearing a jacket and not babying it. Wear it lots, dump it on the floor in a heap, fall asleep on the sofa in it, take it to the pub, etc, etc. Works for me at least.

But don't baby it. If it's from a good maker and well-made, it can take a lot of hard treatment and I find that's what brings out a leather jacket's (be it horsehide, cowhide, etc) character.

 

[ButteMT61]

I met some cows this fall that were really nice - lots of character. I will ask the farmer next time how he developed such good-natured cows. lol
Cowhide for me is softer and tends to take longer to get those "character" lines, etc. Horse, being a stiffer hide, gets them more quickly.
YMMV, but I think they both age differently and I would not expect them to behave in the same manner during the process. Just my observations...
Old cow/steer look incredible. So do old HH jackets. Just different.

 

[armscye]

I wash all of mine in cold water, and hot-lexol afterward, as documented on this board. Great grain, patina, and the seam stitching tightens a bit, giving that great "worn through grand adventures" look.

 

[Highwaymanman]

Wear the hell out of it and don't use any conditioning agent whatsoever. I have a black cowhide jacket that was showing much patina until I gave it a coat of Obenauf's. Basically, the patina was scuffs and dry patches showing and the Obenauf's put paid to both issues.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Cowhide can be a very characterful hide - depends a lot on how it was processed. Soaking or washing will brink out the grain in the blandest hides.

 

[Sloan1874]

Major Major's blue steer Aeronautical has had some hard work done with HWT and it's developed some real character.

 

[Highwaymanman]

Major Major's blue steer Aeronautical has had some hard work done with HWT and it's developed some real character.

What happened to him?

 

[Sloan1874]

Oh, MM's over on CLaD now. Very different forum.

 

[gtdean48]

One tag says cowhide & another says steerhide. I'm putting it thru a cold water wash then tumble airflow only.

 

[Peter Mackin]

Oh, MM's over on CLaD now. Very different forum.

I for one miss him....

 

[rocketeer]

Oh, MM's over on CLaD now. Very different forum.

CLaD ?

 

[Sloan1874]

Classic Leather and Denim

 

[Jeff M]

As with horse hide...get it wet, wear it around while it dries a bit so it will conform to your body/crease where you crease, let it slow dry in the air.
Do that a couple of times and it's on it's way to aging nicely.

 

[Sloan1874]

I for one miss him....

All welcome there, Peter. Well, almost everyone... Bringing it back to the cowhide question, in my limited experience on this, I found the graining to be 'tighter' and the hide a bit more resilient in terms of taking it on.

 

[simonc]

I do like the puffy matt sheen the CX steer gets, if you are going balls-out on say a bike jacket, its also considerably softer and thicker than horse. I'm holding a piece of 4oz steer cordovan right now and its beastly thick. I always have a fresh piece of coasters sized sample hide on my desk to touch and sniff. Please don't tell anyone how I live.

 

[Highwaymanman]

How is it puffy?

 

[simonc]

I'm not a chemist but when you feel HH its flat and hard to touch almost brittle, when you rub Steer its soft and sort of rounded and slightly squishy to touch as if the cell ends are mushroom shaped as opposed to narrowly shaped arrow heads on HH. A certain fatness to the way Steer is formed, see here http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=1415 you can see the density in this jacket.

 

[gtdean48]

One tag says cowhide & another says steerhide. I'm putting it thru a cold water wash then tumble airflow only.

I wore it while it was damp until it dried. Seems to fit a tad better but can't see any difference in the grain.
I'll wear it as much as I can but the thing still looks brand spanking new to me.
Thanks for all the replies. Keep the suggestions coming....

 

[tropicalbob]

A friend of mine once described cowhide as having a "meaty" feel.