Where have all the good strap goods gone?!

[ZuzusPetals]

You walk away for more than 20 years and come back and for the love of God, it’s as though a tsunami wiped out the strap-goods industry.

What happened to good leather? I suspect a lot of it is going to auto manufacturers for interiors.

I’m slowly replacing stuff that dried out in the tack trunk. At the moment I’m doing unspeakable things to break in a $100-ish new martingale, an item I couldn’t find used because really, who gets rid of a good martingale? I clean, oil and condition tack as though my life depends on it – I happen to find the task very soothing. And yet this thing is like a pleather belt from Sears in the late '70s. Eventually, I know, it will soften. But in the meantime I’m working it and saying: “You will DO what I SAY, you BASTARD.”

I have a used bridle and halter, both high quality, on the way. I’m not going through this martingale horror again.

[equinelibrium]

Don’t get rid of your old tack! If you use the right stuff it’ll come back to life. I recently restored some US Cavalry saddle bags from the early 1900s. They aren’t in pristine condition but they’re usable and quite soft. The story is that they sat in a barn for 20+ years so they didn’t receive the best of care. So I imagine your tack will come back just fine.

I definitely agree that a lot of the newer leather isn’t up to snuff with the old stuff. I think it’s because tanning methods have changed for environmental reasons. Not to mention the fact that people tend to expect their leather goods to be “buttery soft” when new, and that’s just not practical if you want the leather to last a long time. So unfortunately you have to choose between older tack that doesn’t have anatomical features like monocrowns, or newer tack that’s made with leather that’s lower quality.

Also, the type of leather the automotive industry uses for leather interiors is very different from leather used to make strap goods. It’s much, much thinner, and is often (always?) chrome tanned vs veg tanned.

Eta, this is the recipe I followed to make my own leather conditioner that I used on the old saddle bags:

How to make your own leather condioner and use it

[ZuzusPetals]

@equinelibrium

I think it’s because tanning methods have changed for environmental reasons.

Ahhhh. That makes a lot of sense. My family 100 years ago owned a harness and saddlery manufacturing business. Some of the stuff is still in use for parades, re-enactments, films, etc. Their operation relied on some serious chemicals that aren’t in use today.

I’m going to experiment with some of my old tack to see how it responds to various treatments.

[sheltona01]

I think it goes beyond the changes in the regulations. Now most strapped goods come out of India region and they do have a slightly different tanning process. It is also different sources of leather.

Honestly most people want their strapped good cheaper and will not pay for the good leather. Nor do they necessary know what is good leather is for strapped goods. You can still get good strapped goods, but it is going to cost you. The material cost alone would be more than what most people would want to pay for a piece. They want it butter soft and already broken in, which is doesn’t happen right away with really good durable leather.

[ZuzusPetals]

This is where I start crying about the loss of Bevals.

[anon29046226]

This is where I start buying all the things before moving

[Laurierace]

My daughter owns a leather business called Remarkable Leather Goods. She won’t sell anything that isn’t the absolute best quality on the market. Everything is hand cut and stitched in the US with locally sourced leather. The quality both in terms of the actual leather itself and the workmanship is comparable to anything you have ever been able to buy. Check her out!