Today’s boots are made of an increasing array of exotic and specialty leather. It is important that you know that exotic skins used are not from animals on any endangered species list. For more information on leather types and exotic leathers visit Wikipedia.

A

Alligator
Most skins are from special farms that are primarily in the United States. Some come from state supervised hunts. These skins have an especially high gloss finish with a deep rich color. The distinctive squares are called tiles.

Antiqued Leather
This is type of leather finishing process where a contrasting color spot is sprayed on the leather surface. The leather is then rubbed to create highlights.

B

Brush-off Leather
Type of leather finish where the tanner adds color to the surface. The manufacturer when uses a brushing wheel to take off some of the coloring material which changes the color tone.

Burnished Leather
This finish develops a surface with a look of great depth. This is accomplished by actually burning the finish that is on the leather using high heat caused by friction.

C

Calfskin Leather
Leather made from the skins of young cattle. It is characterized by a natural fine grain. The close pores tight fiber make-up and fewer surface blemishes add value to this skin. It readily takes and holds a high luster shine.

Cobra
Leather made from the skins of a cobra, one of the most venomous snakes known. The cobra is much smaller snake than the python or boa.

Cottonmouth
Also known as Water Moccasin. Poisinous snake native to the southeast United States.

Crunch
This leather had been wadded, exposed to high pressure, then allowed to dry. The unique pattern is formed when an angled sprayer sprays the finish or unevenly.

D

Deerskin
Leather made using the hides of North American deer. The skins are provided by hunters or collectors of hides. This type of leather is very supple.

Distressed Leather
A type of finish created by scraping the leather before it is dyed. The ink turns the nicks darker, creating the leather’s distinctive look. This type of finish can also be created by uneven dying of the leather.

Driftwood
A type of finish that is created by dying leather after a bleaching agent has burned creases into the leather. The creases turn dark and leave the leather with dark lines in it.

E

Eel
Supple leather with good strength for its light weight. Skins collected by fishermen of all oceans.

Elk
Leather made from the hides of elk. Elk is native to North America and the Nordic countries of Norway, Finland, and Denmark. This leather has very good strength for its light weight.

F

Full-Grain Leather
Leather made from the first cut taken from the hair side of the hide from which nothing except the hair and associated epidermis has been removed. Scars, scratches, or other imperfections may be lightly buffed.

G

Glazed
Type of finish produced by polishing the grain surface under the heavy pressure of a roller made of agate, metal, or glass.

Grubber
A very heavy, course sueded split leather.

K

Kangaroo
Leather made from the hide of kangaroo. Kangaroos are native to Australia and Tasmania where they are considered pests. They are harvested by professional hunters who are issued permits by the government. Kangaroo has the highest tensile strength of any leather. (Three times the strength of cowhide, same thickness). The grain appearance is similar to that of kidskin.

Kidskin
Leather created from the skins of mature goats. This leather has great strength and resiliency in relation to weight and degree of softness.

Kingfish
A fish found mostly in Utah, Wisconsin, and Idaho Lakes. They are caught by commercial fishermen from October to April.

L

Latego
A type of leather that is tanned but does not have a finish on it.

Lizard
Made from the skin of the teju lizard (also called alligator lizard) that is found in South America. It is very easily shined because of the hard tiles on the surface.

N

Nu Buc
A very tightly sueded finish. The surface of the leather is actually sanded to achieve this.

O

Ostrich
Skins from the flightless bird native to southern Africa. Hides obtained from birds raised on commercial ranches. These skins are extremely desirable because of the unique grain with quill bumps.

P

Paradise Snake
Also known as Karung. This is a type of watersnake found in India and Ceylon. This kind has a lizard-like scale instead of an overlapping scale like most other snakes.

Pigskin
Leather made from the skins of pigs or hogs. It is tough and durable and has compact fibers.

Pioneer
A brand of oil retan leather. After the initial tanning the leather is subjected to hot steam in a tanning drum and then shot with hot oil and waxes. The open pores absorb these chemicals until they are saturated. This leather is primarily for work boots.

Pull-Up
Type of leather where the oils migrate away from a pressure point making the leather look lighter where pulled. This is a sign of good oil content and better grade leather.

Python
A snake that is a subspecies in the Boa family. They are large, constricting, non-venomous snakes found in Africa and Asia. The skins offer many unique patterns. Both belly and back cuts are used.

R

Rattlesnake
These poisonous snakes are native to the United States. There are several species. Eastern, Western, and Cane Break are currently used. The snakes are collected through roundups.

Rough-Out
Leather where the meat or flesh side of the skin is used.

S

Sea Bass
A fish from the cold waters of the northern Atlantic. This leather has a unique scale design.

Sea Snake
A very poisonous snake that is caught in the Indian Ocean. They have paddle-like tails to adapt to the deep ocean which is their habitat. They are caught using deep nets as they travel in large numbers.

Shark
Leather made from the skins of various sharks found in warmer coastal waters. The leather has a very high resistance to abrasion and scuffing and is one of the toughest hides available.

Shrunken Shoulder
Leather taken from the shoulder of bulls. The skin is physically reduced in size and leaves the leather with a distinct pattern and texture.

Sueded Leathers
This is a type of leather tanning. The fibers of the leather are separated in order to give the leather a nap or roughened finish.

T

Tamaro
Also called corrected grain. The grain of this leather is sanded smooth before finishing.

Teak
Refers to a leather with a sprayed and buffed finish. It gives the leather an antique look.

Tigersnake
A type of watersnake found in Southeast Asia. Also known as Chouri.

V

Vipers
Venomous snake native to Europe and Asia. The most popular viper is Cobra.

W

Watersnakes
Refers to the species of snake known as Aires native to southeast Asia. All watersnakes are caught twice a year during the monsoons using nets.

Whipsnakes
A type of snake native to Asia that is known as a rodent eater.

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