Differences between buffalo and steerhide leather jackets?

[Aloysius]

I’m sure there’s a short guy on TFL who would have bought that heavy jacket from her, like how the great Tommy Ramone wore a Cycle Queen because unlike the rest of the band he was quite short so it worked better.

 

[Rugby]

1.) In terms of "weight", how different is the same exact jacket in 1,0 mm buffalo hide vs. 1,0 mm steerhide?
I think Shawn's Buffalo is actual water buffalo which is just Asian cows. So almost the same.

2.) How different is the strength and durability?
Almost the same at 1mm

3.) The flexibility/stretchability (or lack thereof) should be about the same, no?
That depends on the tanning process. Some hides are stretched when dried some are shrunk so you have to ask him for the specific.

4.) Any significant differences in softness?
Again more to do with tanning method than actual different animals.

5.) Any striking insulation properties?
1mm isn't very thick to notice any R value difference.

6.) Is it difficult to achieve a more even leather thickness with buffalo compared to steer?
The only leather from Shawn that will vary in thickness is the horse and goatskins. other hides are always split and he buys the top grain part which is always gonna be uniform.

As a side note on American Bison vs American Steer. If American Bison is available, go for that. It's the stronger of the two, and less common to come by. I got both Horween Bison and Horween Steer, both 5oz, both in the same jacket style, both weighs the same 7lbs. But the Bison feels like Godzilla and the steer feels like Bambi in real life.
The only downside (to some not to me) of Bison is that it's very rustic. Mine is semi corrected and still very rustic. Just like coarse horsehide but even more robust. In your hands you simply cannot mistaken Bison hides for any other. Period. If it's available, get it. And you'll cross off most robust from list.

Black is Bison and Slate is Steer:
View attachment 412440
Bison Grain even after spot corrections (you can still see the rustic wild lines beneath):
View attachment 412441
naked steer grain (very stay in the barn milk cows):
View attachment 412442
In jacket forms:
View attachment 412443
View attachment 412444
Go Bison!

@Canuck Panda what is your take on Johnson bison Vs HH, say, in functionality under weather as well as riding motorcycles. HH has been an absolute shield, getting better with exposure.

 

[Canuck Panda]

@Canuck Panda what is your take on Johnson bison Vs HH, say, in functionality under weather as well as riding motorcycles. HH has been an absolute shield, getting better with exposure.

Both bison and horsehide are robust leather, more so than cowhide imo. But both are more rustic. If you do bison make sure you get the 5oz softer temper ones. Most US tanneries on the east coast only produce bison / deer / anything exotic once a year, in the fall I believe, so quantities are limited in the off season, and you would have to wait a bit for the next round if current batch is no good or used up. Horsehide is more available.