Tom Armstrong Name taken in vain!

[m1903a3]

Originally Posted by Norme

Hi Jerry,
In his description of the Navy holster the seller describes it as being made of horse leather, can this be true?
Norm

That's an excellent question Norm, one that never occurred to me.

But since you asked, I did a little Googling and think that the answer is in the range of maybe to probably. It turns out horsehide is the same weight and thickness as cowhide, but somewhat stiffer and shinier. It also turns out that it was once preferred for holsters because it let the natural oils surface, with some thinking that help keep rust at bay. It is also was commonly used in motorcycle jackets!!

Who would have thought?

Update: The original specification for the Army Air Force "Jacket, Flying, Type A-2" required "seal brown horsehide leather". Eventually they were also made from goatskin or cowhide.