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NickInSLC -> RE: Leather Weights (1/15/2006 2:12:41 PM)
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As somebody who builds floggers, I think it's wonderful for more people out there to know more about leather.
Deer is pretty soft, but lambskin is even softer. Goat skin is very soft too, especially kidskin. Elk is soft, but thicker and therefore thuddier than deer. Moose is a tad firmer than elk and quite a bit thicker. Plus, it has a very primal energy to it that most people can appreciate. Depending on the tannage, buffalo can be as soft as elk. It's usually pretty firm though, it's rather dense, and very thick and heavy. I have access to a tannery that latigo tans buffalo. With that tan, buffalo becomes extremely dense and has a huge thud with a nice sting mixed in.
Cow leather comes in most tannages and in different thicknesses. You can find cowhide to emulate the sensations of most of the different types of game hides. I personally avoid vegetable and latigo tanned cowhides for flogger tails as they are pretty stiff and tend to hold a nice edge where you've cut them. Suede leather is quite popular for flogger tails, although, in my opinion, it's garbage and I won't work with it. Something to do with 'lips and assholes'.
The only other species of leather that I use is veg tanned kangaroo. It has a brutal sting when used for flogger tails. And if you're doing any braiding or decorative knotwork you're wasting your time if you work in any other leather than kangaroo. Your best bet is to order directly from Austrailia. We use Packer Tannery.
While this is hardly an exaustive list of types of leather, I only feel qualified to tell you about things I have experience with. Here in Utah, I have very little access to exotic leathers. If you're interested in playing with exotics, look up Charles Hardtke leather in Texas. If memory serves me, they're in El Paso.
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