Aero buffalo, anyone have any experience with Aero's buffalo hide?

[holdemchamp1225]

hi everyone,

Hope all is well.

Specifically looking at the buffalo Aero used for making jackets for Levis contracts? How does the buffalo hide compare to Aero's FHQQ, vintage horsehide, and their steerhide in terms of wear, weight, break-in time, ruggedness, and grain patterns. Thanks in advance for the help.

Cheers,

Bruce

 

[H.Johnson]

Bruce,

I bought one of Aero's prototype 'Levis' jackets made from buffalo hide, having bought and enjoyed items made of (Indian) buffalo hide while working in India. Based on this experience I was expecting a much heavier, stiffer hide (like the Indian hide) and was initially disappointed that the hide Aero used was much lighter and more supple - I like a very heavy, stiff jacket. The buffalo hide was not quite as stiff initially as the FQHH that Aero was using at the time and is lighter than their (very) heavy cowhide.

I should add that I overcame my initial disappointment and I wear the jacket often - it's now something of a favourite as I like to wear it with a collar and tie, etc. to work. It wears well, although I suspect that it's no where near as tough as the Indian buffalo hide to which I referred earlier. It doesn't show much graining in spite of frequent use - usually a sign that leather has not been 'pressed' excessively. It is very 'dry' compared to some heavily fatted hides (e.g. 'oil-pull') and this takes some getting used to.

I don't understand what you mean by 'break-in time' but it was about as comfortable 'out of the box' as an average well-fitting FQHH jacket.

I hope this helps.

 

[holdemchamp1225]

Thanks for the help Dr., really appreciate it...

I was under the impression that the buffalo hide would be thicker and heavier than their FQHH but it seems it is not. Sort of like the heavyweight steerhide. Shame really but I guess the softer, more pliable buffalo would be enojoyable to wear as you would not have to struggle with the initial stiffness.

Bruce,

I bought one of Aero's prototype 'Levis' jackets made from buffalo hide, having bought and enjoyed items made of (Indian) buffalo hide while working in India. Based on this experience I was expecting a much heavier, stiffer hide (like the Indian hide) and was initially disappointed that the hide Aero used was much lighter and more supple - I like a very heavy, stiff jacket. The buffalo hide was not quite as stiff initially as the FQHH that Aero was using at the time and is lighter than their (very) heavy cowhide.

I should add that I overcame my initial disappointment and I wear the jacket often - it's now something of a favourite as I like to wear it with a collar and tie, etc. to work. It wears well, although I suspect that it's no where near as tough as the Indian buffalo hide to which I referred earlier. It doesn't show much graining in spite of frequent use - usually a sign that leather has not been 'pressed' excessively. It is very 'dry' compared to some heavily fatted hides (e.g. 'oil-pull') and this takes some getting used to.

I don't understand what you mean by 'break-in time' but it was about as comfortable 'out of the box' as an average well-fitting FQHH jacket.

I hope this helps.

 

[H.Johnson]

To clarify, if we regard stiffness (resistance to flexing), thickness and heaviness as separate variables, the Aero buffalo 'my' jacket was made from is not so stiff as Aero's FQHH but is thicker and heavier. Not, however, quite as heavy as the '6 ounce plus' cowhide they were using at the time, but more stiff. I would say it has more bovine charcter than equine.

I suspect it is from a different species of buffalo (perhaps North American Bison) than the buffalo leather I have seen in India, which is both stiffer than Aero's FQHH and thicker and heavier than their heaviest cowhide.

Knowing the work that Aero and LVC put into this reproduction, I have confidence that the hide that was finally chosen would be as near the original as it could be.

Good luck!

 

[AeroLeatherUSA]

Aero Buffalo hide

Hi All

Our Buffalo isn't American Bison but Indian Water Buffalo. Typically it's thicker and a bit heavier weight than our FQ Horse, as well as being a bit more supple.
Beautiful hide, lots of varying grain.

Lightly grained....

to heavier grain...

 

[Doublegun]

Mark,

Thanks for posting. Is there any chance that Aero will offer the leather in a different color? To me, and maybe it is just the pictures, the leather looks a little bright, almost orange like a basketball, not a rich color like the other leathers offered by Aero.

Thanks,

Jay

 

[AeroLeatherUSA]

Mark,

Thanks for posting. Is there any chance that Aero will offer the leather in a different color? To me, and maybe it is just the pictures, the leather looks a little bright, almost orange like a basketball, not a rich color like the other leathers offered by Aero.

Thanks,

Jay

Hi Jay

We used to offer Seal (which appeared more Cordovan in color) but as Russet was the more requested, we discontinued handling Seal earlier this year.
The Russet is a more reddish-brown in color. The pics shot that particular day turned out a bit more "orangey" than the hide actually is.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Hi Mark Moye!
Very good to see you here!
Here's the discontinued Buff seal as on my Aero repro A2....

HD

 

[JLStorm]

Im not a LW fan, as Ive found them a bit difficult to deal with and Id much rather order from the Aero factory where I can customize all that I want, but LW at one point had some pretty thick buffalo from what I saw on their website.

 

[DJS Press]

Im not a LW fan, as Ive found them a bit difficult to deal with and Id much rather order from the Aero factory where I can customize all that I want, but LW at one point had some pretty thick buffalo from what I saw on their website.

Lost World's features American Bison, not Asiatic Water Buffalo, in their buffalo jackets. It looks beautiful in the photos on the website, but seems very pricey.

 

[Peacoat]

It is my understanding that buffalo isn't as abrasion resistant as cow or horse.

I have a French saddle made of buffalo. The company--Devocoux--recomends using their buffalo stirrup leathers instead of the standard cowhide leathers. Evidently the concern is cowhide will eventually cause excessive wear on the saddle flap. That leads me to believe their buffalo hide is not as tough as the cowhide.

So you can visualize what I am talking about, I have attached a stock picture of a Devocoux saddle. The flap is the long piece of leather extending below the seat. This is where the stirrup leathers (not shown) will rub. I took their advice and got the buffalo stirrup leathers. After a couple of years foxhunting in this saddle, I have had no problems with excessive wear on the flap, or anywhere else.

 

[DJS Press]

Can't say whether Bison or Buffalo is Tougher

I have owned two pairs of dress shoes made from American bison. Both were Cabela's private label brands that I picked up for less than a hundred bucks per pair. They have both held up much longer than the cowhide shoes I have purchased many times in the past. I usually go with Rockport, because cheap shoes not only fall apart fast, but kill my feet.

How much longer has the bison lasted than cowhide? At least double. The soles wear out long before the uppers, and getting them re-soled costs about 2/3 the price of a new pair so I haven't bothered.

Asiatic water buffalo, however, is a new one for me, so I cannot comment on it's durability, but I figure anything that thick and heavy is bound to be pretty tough. I mean, it came off a water buffalo, for Christ's sakes. I've never read anything about them being particularly dainty. My Aero Cheyenne is supposed to be made and shipped this month. Being that it will become part of my normal jacket rotation, I can't imagine that I could ever wear it out, or even come close.

 

[H.Johnson]

For what it's worth, I've owned an Inidan-made jacket an made of vegetable tanned buffalo leather for over ten years and it shows no appreciable wear and very little graining.

I also have an Aero buffalo leather jacket that I have rather worn less than the Indian jacket and it has become dull but shows little wear. The Indian vegetable tanned buffalo leather is much more substantial than the version Aero uses.

In that time I have worn a bovine leather jacket about the same amount and it is beginning to lose its surface and is moderately heavily grained.

Of course, this proves little or nothing about the wear properties of the the two type of hide, as the processing of both (which experts tell me has at least as much effect on the properties of the leather as the animal it came from) is a completely unknown quantity.

 

[tonypaj]

I guess I can say something in about a year's time, as the jacket the OP was talking about (I believe) is on its way here, to be worn by my teenage son. I shall instruct him not to be too careful. He couldn't care less about the grain or such, though, he just needed a jacket.

 

[holdemchamp1225]

C'est vous qui me tromper!! HAHAHA

Ah ha, Tony, you're the one who bought that jacket from Aero's sale page. I was discussing the specifics of that jacket with Amanda and VOILA it was sold the next day, LOL lol

I have a couple of Aero jackets BUT never had a buffalo hide hence my questions. Anyways, if that jacket was a SOLID black instead of a dark blue/black I would have bought it without hesitation. Let me know hto it turns out for your son as I would like to know how Aero's buffalo ages.

Cheers,

Bruce

I guess I can say something in about a year's time, as the jacket the OP was talking about (I believe) is on its way here, to be worn by my teenage son. I shall instruct him not to be too careful. He couldn't care less about the grain or such, though, he just needed a jacket.

 

[H.Johnson]

Bruce,

Was this one of the 'Blue' jackets that Aero made for Levi's Vintage Clothing?

Nice hide, if it is! Tony, your son will have a tough jacket.

Mine is one the other series that Aero made for LVC.

 

[tonypaj]

Bruce,

Was this one of the 'Blue' jackets that Aero made for Levi's Vintage Clothing?

Nice hide, if it is! Tony, your son will have a tough jacket.

Mine is one the other series that Aero made for LVC.

According to Amanda, yes. Based on the pictures I got it is between black and blue, but hard to say without seeing it. There's just two problems, first that my son is now between sizes 34 and 36, a year from now probably 36-38 or worse (then it's another trade with Aero). The second is that he has no frame of reference, he does not really understand what he is getting. Now if we were talking about guitars...

 

[holdemchamp1225]

HJ, yes the jacket was a BLUE buffalo from Aero's for LVC

and I was just curious as I DO NOT own a jacket in buffalo.

Bruce,

Was this one of the 'Blue' jackets that Aero made for Levi's Vintage Clothing?

Nice hide, if it is! Tony, your son will have a tough jacket.

Mine is one the other series that Aero made for LVC.

 

[holdemchamp1225]

Well Tony...

if your son grows out of that jacket and you wish to sell it, please let me know. I have a home in France near Cannes and shipping would be easy for the both of us, LOL.

Cheers,

Bruce

According to Amanda, yes. Based on the pictures I got it is between black and blue, but hard to say without seeing it. There's just two problems, first that my son is now between sizes 34 and 36, a year from now probably 36-38 or worse (then it's another trade with Aero). The second is that he has no frame of reference, he does not really understand what he is getting. Now if we were talking about guitars...