Church's Ranch Oxhide--What Is It?

[pejsek]

My guess is peccary. Nobody else seems to use the term. But if the glove (or shoe) fits....

My all-time favorite Church's leather is Cape Buck. The Ranch Oxhide is growing on me, though.

 

[alliswell]

why peccary? Peccary's a pig, not an ox.

 

[pejsek]

I'll admit my mind doesn't always jump to the literal, but I don't think these are actually oxhide. Oxhide seems to be the province of budget shoemakers and the Church's ranch oxhide seems, well, nicer than that.

 

[bengal-stripe]

I believe, it’s a ‘shrunken grain’.

There are methods of tanning, which result in a smaller final hide than the skin that went into the tanning process.
Not only does the skin shrink, it will bring out the grain (the markings) much more intensely.

Hermes uses a shrunken bovine (I think they call it ‘bull hide’) on some of their stuff. It might look a bit like scotch-grain
(a texture pressed into the leather), but it’s actually a shrunken grain.

Shrunken goat is the ultimate leather for fine book bindings.

Here is a shrunken kudu (African antelope), which I had recently made into a pair of boots.

 

[bengal-stripe]

I've done a bit of googling.

The Norwegian tannery Aarenes seems to be the main supplier internationally of shrunken bovine leather which they call "Krymp".

http://www.aarenes.no/england.html

By the mid 20th Century, they had begun processing shoe upper leather which eventually developed into the shrunken grain leather that Aarenes are now famous for. Like most tanneries in the Northern hemisphere, Aarenes have managed to survive by finding niche markets. Their shrunken grain leather is a popular choice for up-market leathergoods manufacturers such as Hermes and Dooney & Burke and is also used in footwear.

The tannery is well ordered and bright and has a good clean beamhouse incorporating mechanical handling devices. Hides are split in the lime and the splits sold for gelatin production.

With experience, they have found that the smaller weight range of ox hides (17-24kg) are best suited to their particular shrunken grain process. This may be due to tightness of the fibre structure or maturity of the collagen from animals of this age. In terms of quality, Scandinavian hides are used which, whilst more expensive, do produce a better product; as Andreas Moeller says: 'If you start with good raw material, it is easier to make good leather'.

http://www.leathermag.com/m/fullstory.php/aid/12029

 

[The Swede]

Originally Posted by alliswell

why peccary? Peccary's a pig, not an ox.

Not exactly a pig, maybe a cousin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peccary

 

[pejsek]

Thank you, bengal-stripe, for the characteristically informative reply. Interesting that Aarenes lauds krymp's water-resistant properties.

The shrunken kudu is splendid. Isn't kudu also the source of Cape Buck?

No other shoe-maker seems to use the term Ranch Oxhide, so it seemed to me it must be one of those peculiar (and not very illuminating) house names Church's is so fond of. Crup, anyone?

 

[Leather man]

Well, firstly Peccary is a kind of pig skin - a closely related animal. Ranch Oxhide is not Peccary for sure.

Secondly I have a pair of boots in Ranch Oxhide - but unhelpfully no Church's care ticket came with them - that usually tells you what sort of leather the shoes are made from. Bengal Stripe is normally right however so I'd go with what he's said. Certainly Ranch Oxhide is a name or term Church's have used for many many years.

Thirdly I believe Cape Buck is from a South African Deer - not sure which animal.

 

[meister]

Originally Posted by pejsek

My guess is peccary. Nobody else seems to use the term. But if the glove (or shoe) fits....

My all-time favorite Church's leather is Cape Buck. The Ranch Oxhide is growing on me, though.

I have a pair of espresso coffee coloured suede Church's in Cape Buck aka springbok that don't fit me.