My Dogs New STRONGSTUFF COLLAR + SLIP

[Tom2010 31]

Much more strength in it than the leather one i baught a few months ago what is starting to go soft and loose. this one will deffo stand the weather! Ill take more snaps of my other dog in his later.

[Temugin 2]

Tom if the leather one went loose it's probably because it was from the belly of the hide ... Not good for making leads and collars .. If it was quality leather it would last 30 years for sure providing you put a little Neatfold oil on once a year ..

[mally 832]

You won't go far wrong with strong stuff gear, i use his collars and slips on all my dogs when out lamping. Wouldn't use anything else as you can rely on them

[unicornleather 60]

A properly made leather collar, slip or lead will last many years if it is cared for.

People seem to make collars out of the wrong leather (usually shoulder), you need a good English 4-5 mm bridle butt to make leatherwork that needs strength.

All leather will stretch to some extent, adding neatsfoot oil (not neatsfold as they have written)as someone has suggested is the worst thing you can do for veg tanned leather, AVOID USING JUST OIL OF ANY KIND (if you were to look at the fibres/cells of the hide under a microscope after oiling it you'd see a soggy yucky mess which makes the leather stretch quickly and weakens the cells.

All veg tanned leather will lose moisture whether it's used or not, best thing to condition leather to make it last is any product without any silicone or preservatives and includes, tallow, bees wax and lanolin or all 3 if possible.

I make my own leather conditioner simply because I use so much veg tan in my trade, I have hides that I have hand dressed that are at least 25 years old when I first trained and are as good as new.

Avoid leatherwork adverts saying quality this that and the other, the majority of people wouldn't know quality leather or leatherwork if it jumped up and bit them!

Go to a traditionally trained saddler, he or she will know EXACTLY HOW TO HANDMAKE REAL QUALITY LEATHERWORK!

[Gin 498]

Very interesting reply unicornleather.

[hunters glory 31]

Hi unicornleather . is stones beeswax leather cream ok if so i will get some for my leather collars

[unicornleather 60]

To be honest I don't know exacltly what is in stones beeswax leather cream as I don't sell it or use it.When I did buy and conditioner in I used Fiebings leather conditioner which I can buy trade, as far as I am aware it hasn't got any nasties in it but didn't give the hide the shine I wanted so I started making my own so I have complete control over what and how much goes in it.I even make my own lard and tallow which is hard work but I believe the old ways are best.

[Bootsha 1,306]

a fair and valid point made by all on here, but may i add my ten pence worth in with a view to being constructive, borne of umpteen years of hands on experience.

 

I used leather collars all my life, lurcher collars, terrier couples etc etc, i oiled every summer and let dry naturally, i still have the original leather terrier couple that i had when i started, oiled and looked after every year, and they still are supple and look good, but a fox or similar isnt much bothered if your leather collar is oiled or not, and his teeth will cut through them or puncture them making them weaker at a blink of an eye.

 

Damaged leather collars, regardless of how well looked after, can and do snap at the most in oppertune moments, fact that i have experienced first hand,

You could put one of Strong Stuffs collars through a hobart f****n mincer and they'd still be in useable condition on the other side, not as pretty fair enough, but very safe and useable. That is one of my main reasons for switching to ss collars, and i wont use anything else again now.

 

I judged a lurcher show on the weekend, i chuckled to myself how many of the dogs had ss collars on.

 

Regards

 

B

[unicornleather 60]

But we are not talking about leather being bitten!

Polypropylene webbing used for collars and saddlery is fine, you can sling it in the washing machine time and time again, I make dog collars, harness and leads from it for everyday use but it will fray if it catches on thorns, bushes etc and eventually will break.

It's a woven fibre and once the thread goes through wear and tear it goes, one of the most common repairs I have in my workshop is polypropylene webbing breaking on front straps on horse rugs and head collars, both of which get a hard time!

The use of webbing on dogs is ok as it simply won't have the stresses and forces working on it half a ton of horse can generate.

 

Getting back to oiling leather, it's a personal choice but oil does not feed or condition leather in the same way as fats and waxes can.

[Ben Coward 19]

Use Renapur www.renapur.com

 

The best thing I have ever used on my leather.

[Strong Stuff 2,171]

But we are not talking about leather being bitten!

Polypropylene webbing used for collars and saddlery is fine, you can sling it in the washing machine time and time again, I make dog collars, harness and leads from it for everyday use but it will fray if it catches on thorns, bushes etc and eventually will break.

It's a woven fibre and once the thread goes through wear and tear it goes, one of the most common repairs I have in my workshop is polypropylene webbing breaking on front straps on horse rugs and head collars, both of which get a hard time!

The use of webbing on dogs is ok as it simply won't have the stresses and forces working on it half a ton of horse can generate.

 

Getting back to oiling leather, it's a personal choice but oil does not feed or condition leather in the same way as fats and waxes can.

 

I guarantee the ones I make won't!

 

www.strongstuffdoggear.co.uk

 

You'll be a long time breaking one of those.

 

 

[Bootsha 1,306]

But we are not talking about leather being bitten!

Polypropylene webbing used for collars and saddlery is fine, you can sling it in the washing machine time and time again, I make dog collars, harness and leads from it for everyday use but it will fray if it catches on thorns, bushes etc and eventually will break.

It's a woven fibre and once the thread goes through wear and tear it goes, one of the most common repairs I have in my workshop is polypropylene webbing breaking on front straps on horse rugs and head collars, both of which get a hard time!

The use of webbing on dogs is ok as it simply won't have the stresses and forces working on it half a ton of horse can generate.

 

Getting back to oiling leather, it's a personal choice but oil does not feed or condition leather in the same way as fats and waxes can.

 

I know that mate, but i was merely pointing out the reason why I, and possibly many like me have made the transition. The 5 ply webbing in my ss collars you could pull a f****n bus with, simple as over and over. They are bombproof, hardwearing and low, sorry, nil maintenance. That was the point i was trying to put accross, not what ingredients you use in your leatherwork.

 

Regards

[unicornleather 60]

You have a breaking strain of around 5,000lbs per square inch on good quality bridle butt 5mm leather, strong enough for most !

I was adding the post about how a leather collar should last a lot longer than it had