About the leather used

 

Different types and colors of mostly cowhide leather in different thickness are used, sometimes in combination (double layer, two-tone etc.):        

• .       Black Latigo leather,  3.6 - 4 mm thick
• .       Natural vegetal leather at 2.5, 3 and 4.5 mm
• ·       Red leather,  3 - 3.5 mm thick
• .       Many shades of brown leather in various thickness till approx. 4 mm
• .       Leather with burgundy colored water repellent coating in nerve print, 4 mm
• .       Black cowhide leather "the luxe", 3 mm thick
• .       Pieces colorful leather 2 mm: pink, bleu, burgundy, lime, green, purple, and more
• .       Huge amount of snake-/lizard-/croco-print in various colors, dark brown ostrich
• .       Many colors of metallic leather used for peepholes
• .       Various other thin leather with exceptional prints 
• .       Hair on cow leather strips 4mm thick and thin hair on hide (for peepholes)
• .       sheepskin in greyish black, brown and beige

 
Almost all these types of leather I have in stock and the leather can be cut at any width.

The stamped name collars are made of the natural vegetal leather, which can be left natural with a beeswax coating, painted or dyed.

The natural vegetal leather is perfect to use as strips for the synthetic crystals, spikes, conchos or other decorations. I also use the thinnest variety of the natural vegetal leather for making a double layer collar. These collars will be 5 to 6 mm thick and have a nice smooth inside, like the outside.
 

Please tell me on forehand if your dog likes to swim. If your dog splashes often in the water then Latigo leather is the best choice. This leather is water repellent and can take a beating, but its not good for any kind of leather to get soaking wet often.

Water also can damage the hardware, decorations and paint/dye, even though I use high-quality waterproof products for coloring the collars. 

My advice is to take the collar off if you want to let your dog swim.
If the collar does get wet, let it dry slowly, away from heat source (do not let it dry in the sun or near a stove)

To keep your collar supple and looking like new, use special leather wax or leather oil every now and then, especially when the collar has dried up after being soaking wet.

 

Leather is a natural product and may contain traces of scratches or insect bites.

 

 

Lining

 

I use soft leather in a variety of colors for the lining. You can choose between a color to match the exterior, or if you prefer, a contrasting one that will make your collar stand out even more.

 

My sample collars with lining have not been stitched, however ordered collars that require stitching, such as for instance the Rising Sun peephole one, will be sewn by an experienced leatherworker, to ensure that the lining stays in place.

Another option is the use of more rivets in the collar to keep the lining in place. In both cases the price will be the same.

 

Dye and paint used

 

Water based non-toxic Eco Flow dyes in colors:

• ·         Antique Saddle Tan Gel (gives a well worn or old look to the leather)

• ·         Saddle Tan Hi-lite dye (this is similar to the antique gel but is designed to settle into
            the cut carving and cut work to bring emphasis to the work)

• ·         Cherry Chocolate (dye, approximates the color burgundy)
• ·         Raisin Mahogany (milk chocolate color)
• ·         Silver frost
• ·         Gold frost
• ·         Mauve Chardon (purple)
  
  

Water based non-toxic Angelus paint:

• ·         Black
• ·         White
• ·         Red
• ·         Yellow
• ·         Blue

 

The good news is that I can basically create any color you like from my range of primary colors!

These colors may differ slightly from collar to collar as they are 'handmixed'.

 

To make the natural vegetal leather collars water repellent I apply layer(s) of acrylic finisher, which gives the collar either a shiny glow or a modest shine.
The collars will also be treated with Aussi beeswax and/or Rapid leather oil.

 

Sometimes 'accidents' happen: Dogs can fight or play rough and a collar can get damaged...
Here is an example of a battered collar that was sent back to me for repairs. 
In consultation with the customer I also adapted the collar a little: made peepholes in the leaves of the flowers at both ends (in stead of the stamped leaves) so Kees' fur now shines throught those two peepholes!