Anybody know where I can get some cordovan leather? Tandy leather does not have any, I just called them.
I make my own tabs from calfhair and want to try to make some from cordovan. I have tried some commercial cordovan tabs but none can compare with what I'm used to using. I guess you get used to a certain type of tab after a long while. :(
I really like a single layer cordovan tab. I'll be watching this thread.....
Try brenttuns village leather that is where I got some. A while back.
Try midcontinent leather in Coweta Okla. Itsa mile from my house. They are a Tandy dealer but hey have a pretty good stock.
thanks Ferret
thanks Razor
You might also try to "search" on that big aution site. That's where I got mine
Watch out, you´ll probably want shell cordovan, not just any horse leather...
Stefan
What's shell cordovan? How many skins does a horse have?? :confused:
Cordovan is a very special kind of leather. It is made from the upper outside of the horses rump. A "shell" is the name for a whole peice of cordovan. They vary in size a whole shell can be big as 20in or as small as 8in.
Shell Cordovan is the only real cordovan. Anything else is just horse leather.
Cordovan is tanned in a very special way. It take six months to complete the process. It is hand died and hand polised at the completion of the vegtable tanning. This is how it gets its shine and durability.
You might try Mikes Archery Leather! A Sponsor here and One Heck of a Nice Guy!!
We have a fair amount of cordovan, and might be able to spare some at a reasonably price. We buy it direct from Horween in Chicago but there usually is a waiting period and I believe that you have to be a dealer. If you are still looking give me a hollar and I'll give you a price for a shell.
Don is good stuff. I have purchased it from him as well. In fact I asked hime about some the other day. He just emailed me back about it. I better send some money.
Thanks Don,
I really appreciate the reply.
kybowman
Kybowman just get a tab from Don they are great.LCH
Horween is the company I've heard is the only actual supplier of real cordovan. Well, I take that back....not sure if it was supplier or maker. Probably maker.
Just be aware, I've asked about cordovan tabs and was told by one shop owner "Heck, I can make any tab cordovan in a couple seconds with a bottle of dye, it's just a color of stain." I couldn't believe it. But if one dealer thinks that way, there could be more.
Shell Cordovan is used for some special high priced shoes...
There isn´t so much of that stuff around, because there is only a few square inches per horse.
In the old times there were more of the big working horses and they had bigger butts where the shell comes from.
Shell cordovan is treated a special way and you use the flesh side outside.
You have to be careful with the treatment of the cordovan.
It needs waxing only not oiling if I remember right.
But better read about it again...
Stefan
Just found this on Horween website:
http://horween.com/index.php/about/gallery/
There is a video about the shell cordovan where you can see how it´s produced
Dave, I have been told the same thing. Horween is the only one now processing cordovan. That's where I buy it and it's a long waiting list. I believe that I had to buy about 10 shells per order.
Cordovan is also a color. Before I found a source for cordovan I bought a "genuine cordovan" jacket off ****. I didn't really think it was cordovan, but decided it would be worth taking a chance, so I bought it. It wasn't.
Don how many shells do they let you buy as a dealer.
A few years back I bought a piece of cordovan from
Siegel of California and it did have the Horween name stamped on the back side. Horween will only sell to dealers.
Mike Lee
Thanks Indie, that was really informative. Makes you really appreciate the product. You learn something new every day!!
Siegel of Ca. carries it and will sell to individuals. They don't always have it in stock though.
FerretWyO, I don't know if there is a limit to how many shells you can buy or not. You do have to be a dealer and it seems like there was a minimum to buy.
If you need a tab or a peice to make your own Don is your man. Like I posted earlier I have purchased from brenttuns villiage leather before. Don however is very nice to work with and he is a sponser here. That is always a plus.
Don be careful we may buy all your shells up. :bigsmyl:
there is only one place in the world that makes genuine cordovan thats howrween leather in chicago. they dont sell retail and it is expensive. I have whent to leather shows and bought some suposedly made in italy, got home tried it and it started cracking and the finish came off, it was man made leather. after that I got took at 2 more leather distributers, same deal man made leather. so beware.
Hey Gang,
I just want to thank Don at Eagles Flight Archery for taking care of me on the shell cordovan. I received it in the mail yesterday and it is first class, just like Don!!!!! He is a very generous man, not many would be so sharing with raw material.
:clapper: :clapper:
Thanks again 2fletch,
Dave C.
kybowman
I agree. He was very good to me as well. If you need anything Don will fix you up.
I just got 3rivers cordovan tab and this thread makes me wonder if its real or just died to look like cordovan. any one know? I do like the tab regardless though
It is real. No worries there.
When I first bought a tab of this material I thought it was synthetic. It shows almost no wear, I still have the first tab I bought and it is well broke in and great for low weight target bows. Then after I had it for more than a year I was looking at it closely on the back of the cordovan and I saw part of the stamp and realized it was some kind of premium leather. You could have knocked me over with a feather. I still don't know if you can wear one out. I have a glove with cordovan on the finger tips, and three tabs, two of which are still new. I like to use the new ones on heavy bows, and the glove works well on heavy stuff as well.
The horween web site is a good read, man I would like to have a pair of boots made out of this stuff. The only trouble would be breaking them in and finding soles that would last anywhere near as long. Good stuff.
Well, the soles usually can be renewed.
The problem about cordovan teather shoes / boots is, that they look ugly after they went through the rain. ´
At least that´s what I read about it.
That material gets used for classy shoes, not really for boots, I think...
Stefan
Anybody who has been through Marine boot camp has come away with a pair of cordovan shoes issued with their dress uniform. Or at we least used to. Never had any issue with rain. Of course, we used to spit shine our shoes so they were well protected. The fake plastic corofram (sp?) shoes may have replaced them nowadays. Point is, cordovan is just as tough in shoes as it is in a tab or glove.
Alaska bowhunting sells single layer Cordovan tabs both 3under and split finger. Good tabs..
Not sure I can mention another site but The tradt**k store has small pieces of cordovan for sale. I have picked it up there and usually get 7 or 8 tabs out of an order.