Latigo leather is
cowhide
Cowhide is the natural, unbleached skin and hair of a cow. It retains the original coloring of the animal. Cowhides are a product of the food industry from cattle. Cowhide is frequently processed into leather.
Process
Once a cow has been killed ...
leather
Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hog ...
that is combination tanned. First it is
chrome tanned, then it is
vegetable tanned.
Before modern combination tanning, latigo had been combination tanned with
alum and
gambier.
Latigo is usually infused with oils and waxes. Techniques such as hot-stuffing, wet-stuffing, and fat liquoring have been devised to increase the amount of oil and wax the hide can hold.
Due to oil/wax infusion, and its partial chrome tanning, the leather is moderately flexible, less rigid than full vegetable tans, but more rigid than full chrome tans. Because of its weight and tanning process, latigo is among the most expensive cattle hide leathers.
In Western saddlery latigos are the name given to straps securing the
cinches to the saddle rigging. They are named for the latigo leather used to create them. They are traditionally burgundy in color.
Latigo is frequently manufactured in weights of 8-12oz, appropriate for use in belts and straps for bags and cases. Lighter latigos in the 3-7oz range are also manufactured, although in smaller quantities. Much Latigo is manufactured in black, or various hues of brown and red. However, latigos in brighter colors are also available, white included.
Bright colors are achieved by bleaching the hide prior to dyeing, and by applying pigment to the surface of the hide.
References
Western-style riding
Horse harness
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