Hello,

Cheers from Iowa. Relatively new member but quick learner.

Can someone please help me figure out what kind of leather this is? Is there a strap maker who makes something similar someone might be able to point me in the right direction to?

Cheers-

 

I have a nasty feeling that's elephant. Hopefully it's just textured or, better still, I'm wrong.

 

That graining looks like nothing naturally available now and I also think it might be elephant.

It’s a basic 2 stitch strap and you can get cow leather stamped with that pattern. Which means you can get a strap made if you can source the leather. Elephant leather has more then a few different looks though.

 

Whatever it is, it looks as if has been made from some reclaimed material. Perhaps an old briefcase or similar.

 

Egads....if it’s Elephant I certainly don’t want it.

If anyone has a strap like this please let me know. I at least have 1/2 of the look with the Heuer watch.

Thank you all for your replies.

 

These folks have some "distressed and pebbled" straps that aren't exactly the same as the one you showed, but maybe of interest: https://www.martuleather.com/store/c2/Vintage_&_Distressed_Straps.html

 

Oh. I must have needed my coffee. Pig skin can look like that.

 

It reminds me of straps made from old baseball gloves or footballs.

 

Where in Iowa?

 

I used to have a military holster with similar looking leather. I've seen cartridge clip pouches of much the same leather. I'd also guess this is recycled leather from an antique piece of some sort.

 

Looks like porcine to me



This is how I think of elephant hide - closer to cross hatching

 

Send her the same images ask her for a custom made strap.

 

Yup, was just about to say... maybe just textured calf leather? Hopefully not elephant!

 

I don't get all the fuss about elephant leathers. If it really were that, it would have been made out of hide from prior to the ban/international restrictions on exotic leathers and therefore either recycling or using up existing stock that would otherwise just perish.

 

Elephant is still being used. https://www.abpparis.com/Elephant_a61.html

 

Even if you could be 100% certain that it was harvested before bans and was harvested ethically (not sure how you would be able to be though), if it creates demand in the market for that material, it potentially puts animals at risk...

 

Elephants never forget. They also have a great sense of smell with that huge nose. What if you somehow ended up on safari while wearing an elephant strap, and a large bull catches the scent of his Uncle Snorty on you and goes into a raging rampage? Not something I would want to chance! Going to the zoo or the circus could lead to tragedy.

 

Right. The same logic applies for the leather as for ivory, but I suspect it is even more difficult to verify the age of the leather.

 

I don't think that it would realistically be enough of an incentive to poaching as the ivory trade, hence my stance. There could even be some sustainability boons in it.

EDIT:

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/12/wildlife-watch-zimbabwe-elephant-skins-trade/

Surprised to read this. Some interesting facts and points about the trade - I thought it was much more difficult to get hold of than that.

"Hide dealer Henry Slaughter...". What a name