Horsehide Leather Holster ?

I have seen multiple times that horsehide holsters wear like iron or something similar.
Having some experience with horsehide still on the horse, horsehide is considered thin, and easily damaged compared to cowhide still on the cow.
Why is horsehide tanned and made into a holster considered to be tougher wearing than cowhide? Something different in the tanning process?

What about kangaroo leather, sharkskin, elephant hide, alligator, etc. In comparison for wear?

I dunno about the durability of kangaroo leather, sharkskin, elephant hide, alligator, etc. I do know that many top holster makers have stopped using horsehide because of the lack of quality of the available hides. I have heard that the fad of using horsehide was just that - a a fad, and there is no real benefit in doing so.

I have a number of Lobo horsehide holsters and they are
much more durable and stiff in my opinion.

Geronimo Jim said:

I have a number of Lobo horsehide holsters and they are
much more durable and stiff in my opinion.

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Same here and also belts.....

I'm no expert, but from what I've read horsehide is used in holsters because it's denser than cowhide. The result is thinner leather that is also more moisture resistant, i.e. it helps keep sweat off your gun. The downside is that it sometimes doesn't take dyes as well as cowhide and it can also be difficult to get really detailed boning.

Also, it's not just holsters. Bomber jackets from WWII made from horsehide also have a good reputation for durability, with a number of them still in excellent shape.

Is there a practical difference between horsehide and cowhide? I don't know. Probably not a signficant difference assuming good quality construction with either leather type. It does seem like horsehide may give an advantage for IWB holsters due to the thinness and moisture resistance, but I can't say if that would be signficant, either.

The only horsehide holster I've owned was a Kramer belt scabbard. I can say that it was definitely the thinnest holster I've ever owned, OWB or IWB, and did not seem to be lacking in the durability department. However, I didn't own it very long as I quickly settled on IWB carry. All my other holsters have been cowhide.

FWIW, I've been eyeing Kramer's IWB #3 holster and my next belt from the Beltman will likely be horsehide.

I have a very excellent horsehide iwb rig made by Mike Barranti. Also, an incredibly tough pair of horsehide boots made by Leddy’s in Abilene. I am told that good horse is not that easy to find - some is too thin - but good horse wears better than anything I have seen, especially for the comparative thickness. Also makes the horses behave.

I always choose horsehide when possible. It's thinner and just as durable as leather. The fit is also closer to a kydex, as my guns tend to almost click in. Got 3 iwbs.....2 Lobos and one Del Fatti

Horse hide is "supposed" to be denser. Shark skin and elephant hold up well. Be Safe,

Walkinghorse, the answers are good so far with the understanding that holsters are made from a vegetable tannage of the animal's two butt portions, called 'shell butt cordovan'. Much sought after for very expensive shoe uppers.

Horsehide bomber and motorcycle jackets would be made from a chrome tannage of the rest of the hide, to be supple, larger, and waterproof. You wouldn't want a jacket made out of little bits of veg tanned horsehide! Not least because it absorbs water. Which is why it was once used in holsters. There are only two tanners left in the world of veg horsehide, one in USA and one in Japan. One hears about modern horsehide production even today but it was made famous first by Chic Gaylord in the '50s and then by his protégé Paris Theodore in the '60s (who wasn't really in business more than about ten minutes; and I say that without disrespect because his designs are still a benchmark for style with function).

The other leathers are not used alone to make complete 'modern' (that is, stiff) holsters.

Kangaroo is a leather I use daily to line my cowhide holsters (notice where I live) and is super thin: 1mm or less despite the sheer size of the animal. The other leathers you mention are used as the outside of a cowhide holster; called a 'facing' vs. a lining. I would put all of them in the 'very wear resistant' category; but elephant is quite a thick leather. Another would be stingray: literally every surface of it is covered with beads of bone under a paper-thin layer of skin.

Another is ostrich, as a full hide or leg. An ostrich hide, used often in cowboy boots, is incredibly dear, as are all the others except kangaroo. But the leg is affordable if one wants only trim pieces and is the only part of the hide that has those striking scales extending from the claw to the knee. Very tear resistant as is kangaroo. I have used both in my work for years:

this one is in the 'avenger style' that John Bianchi and I created originally in the mid-1970s. It is much-advanced over the old one, in terms of design engineering, features, and material selection. Kangaroo inside, ostrich trim, American cowhide body.

Red was waiting for you to chime in on this. Interesting and educational as All ways. Thankyou!

the only 2 horsehide holsters i own are from Galco. a front pocket for my 442, and a royal guard for my G19. had 'em for a while, and they have held up better than most. the rough side out seems to keep them from shifting as much. smooth inside aids in drawing. i like the horsehide but not sure its any better than steer, or kydex for length of service...

Buffalo hide at a gunshow 25 years ago for $25 I thought it worth the money - still do. Seller said he made it himself --


Seems a little more soft & flexible than most other holsters ---->

I have two horsehide leather jackets and they are much, much denser and actually warmer than any cowhide or goat that I have, and it does wear like iron, one of my jackets is a WWII flight jacket and it's still going strong. It has a great patina when broken in also.

Horsehide is an excellent leather for holsters and belts. Unfortunately, horsehide is never available in significant quantities because there is only one tannery (Horween's) in North America that produces vegetable tanned horsehide, and Horween's output is largely committed to large volume users (chiefly the shoe industry and baseball manufacturers) with relatively little remaining for other potential customers. What does become available is usually the relatively small pieces from the butt area, limiting possible applications and yielding relatively high waste losses.

As others have pointed out, veg-tanned horsehide is significantly more dense than cowhide. That added density provides equal strength with less thickness and bulk. Also, that density results in greater resistance to moisture infiltration. Both of these factors are desirable for holsters and belts, particularly IWB-style holsters and shoulder holsters, which are constantly exposed to moisture from perspiration of the user.

During my years in the business I kept tabs on several suppliers occasionally offering Horween's horsehide, and made a point of purchasing as much as I could get when available. My general rule of thumb was to maintain at least 6 months supplies based upon order volume. Even at that there were regularly extended periods during which my suppliers were not able to fill orders, pending availability, for months at a time, and more than once I found myself down to only a few weeks worth of supplies on hand. Consequently, I chose to limit the use of horsehide to those products benefiting most from its application (IWB and shoulder holsters). Other producers may have had similar or different experiences, and I'm sure that larger producers have greater influence on suppliers than smaller shops.

Another factor involved in producing horsehide holsters is the additional labor required to obtain the desired result, particularly during the wet-forming process which requires significantly more time, labor, and attention than working with cowhide (neither one is particularly simple or easy, but horsehide is considerably more time consuming).

Limited availability, higher materials costs, and more labor add up to higher prices for the finished products. While an individual may make the conscious choice to acquire horsehide holsters, that choice must be made with the knowledge that selection may be less, wait times may be greater, and unit prices will be higher.

Best regards.

Thanks guys for the first hand using experiences, and for the expertise and knowledge of holster making and using from guys in the holster trade!!

I have a horsehide IWB from Lobo and couldn't be happier with it. It is one quality holster. It's my warm weather carry. Several people have also ordered them when they saw mine.

Just for fun, let me note that another hide used from time to time is Cape Buffalo.....

I have a Milt Sparks inside the waist (think it was called Summer special) for my 2 1/2 mdl 686. I was told at the time horsehide helps keep body moisture away and retains it shape better than cowhide. Both issues I find correct and after 15 yrs still happy with it

Horsehide holster

I've used Kramer horsehide vertical scabbards and Greg's #3 IWB for the past twenty years with nothing but good results. They are every bit the equal of the Sparks, Mernickle and other makers' holsters of either cow or horse hide. In balance I think that having quality base materials independent of the animal matters more but horse is more dense and I've found tends to wear just a little better, not much, mind you, than cow hide. The problem, as mentioned above, is supply.

sipowicz said:

I always choose horsehide when possible. It's thinner and just as durable as leather. The fit is also closer to a kydex, as my guns tend to almost click in. Got 3 iwbs.....2 Lobos and one Del Fatti

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When I received my first horsehide holster I thought a mistake was made and that they had sent me a kydex holster instead.