YES, a comparison of various leather types and tannings would be awesome! You already did a comparison with "vegan leather" shoes and it was super interesting. The fact splitting the leather takes away more or less strength depending on the type is also interesting. Thanks for your great job
@@insederec I'm not sure if snake oil exists but we have goana oil, i never considered applying it to leather though. Seal oil was once available for leather . Because vegetable oils harden as they oxidize and polymerise , they ain't a good choice for leather except very short term use .
@@michaelcorbidge7914 it's a turn of phrase. A reference to bogus medical tonics from the Victorian era that were about as good as drinking vegetable oil or worse
@@insederec while being a turn of phrase, it once was sold with zero oil from snakes (since snakes have little to no fat content that would be easily made into oil anyway) by con men in the 1800s iirc, may be totally wrong on the century lol
As an Aussie I have always wondered if we are missing a trick by not utilizing kangaroo leather and meat more. They are an animal that breeds like rabbits (literally in plague proportions sometimes), are water conservative to raise, and produce little to no methane because their digestive tracts work very differently to traditional ruminants like cattle. Their meat also tastes exactly like lean beef (and when I lived in Australia I used kangaroo wherever beef was required in a recipe and it always tasted pretty much the same so long as I made up for the reduced fat content) but doesn’t contain a ton of cholesterol. It really deserves to be a more Mainstream meat given how much more environmentally friendly and health conscious it is compared to beef.
You'd think that, but the one thing you actually need from meat is in the fats. Kangaroo meat is great on occasion. it's absolutely full of iron, loaded with it. A pain in the arse to cook well, due to its toughness. Not as bad as gallah I guess.😆
@@Rekeaki Why would I care about cow farts? You understand that kangaroos literally destroy their environments, right? Like, if they don't get culled regularly they turn the countryside into a barren wasteland. And then die of starvation.
I'm thinking there's more to the abrasion resistance numbers than these results suggest. Being super analytical and a motorcyclist, I at one point did a lot of reading on the best materials for abrasion resistance in protective garments. I quickly learned that all the top suits in MotoGP(and other road series) are kangaroo leather due to similar abrasion resistance while being half the thickness of cow leather. I don't recall the specifics, just the results, but I remember there being quite a bit of empirical & technical data available online regarding it's abrasion resistance and it was really good. However, most people don't own kangaroo motorcycle jackets due to the cost, hence most of the selections out there are made from cow leather. Killer boots though!
not only is the cost the problem but more of a problem is that kangaroo hides arent very big and to make a full jacket would probably require around 5 hides for 1 jacket.
Yes his test was flawed. Even though he "cleaned" his sandpaper, its still incredibly worn and dull from the first cowhide test. Sandpaper dulls just like a knife, so even if you clean the gunk off a dull knife, itll still be dull. He should have gotten a new sanding drum for each leather to make it accurate. As you said theres lots of scientific data available showing that kangaroo has a much higher abrasion resistance than cowhide, his testing was clearly flawed.
@HandandSew But if it was dull, wouldn’t that have made the kangaroo leather take longer to wear away? His test may have been flawed but I don’t think it could be in that way, since the kangaroo leather took less time to wear away.
Add a teflon coating and you can slide down the road at 300 kmh and not lose any skin! (Some companies making GP rider outfits have experimented with teflon coated roo hide).
@@Founderschannel123 I had a billfold once that was really thin kangaroo and it held up well for the most part, but didn't take the washing machine very well.
I had my own leatherworking business for around 5 years, making primarily kangaroo leather goods. I have no idea why it's not used more, it's easy to work with, can be split super thin (great for wallets) and seemed to require a lot less care than cow leather. I found that the goods wore in after a couple of days of use and then stayed the same basically indefinitely. I still have the first prototype wallet I made and it looks the same as a week after I started using it - 8 years on. I've used it every day and it's been drenched in sweat countless times.
Not sure if you can post links on youtube, but here's a video of one of the wallets I made. This one is a cow leather outer with Kangaroo pockets. I caught up with the guy who bought it the other day and it still looks like-new. ua-cam.com/video/4ifCwl38zOM/v-deo.html
I am in Australia and I get my boot maker here to make all my boots out of roo leather , soft supply and thin and cool ( great for our hot climate ) and strong as hell . A pair of boots are broken in after a day of wearing ( I wouldnt even call it breaking in as they start pretty good to begin with .)
@@soulfirez4270 how much does it cost to get some made mate? I've got extra short wide feet so getting anything close to fitting is hard off the shelf.
@@zyeborm Guess it depends on the boot maker , they will need to make a last of your foot so the first pair ( where they had to make the last or rough mold of foot 1200 bucks ) but each pair after that runs me around 700 Australian ( first pair still going strong 10 years later with a resoling .
MotoGP (like Formula 1 but for motorcycles) has a lot of riders that use kangaroo instead of cow because of the thickness to strength ratio. This allows them to reduce their weight, letting them accelerate that little bit faster.
I love these analytical videos, Weston. Here is a fact about kangaroo leather that you may not be aware of. Many track and field shoes are made from kangaroo hide. The biggest problem with track shoes is that they get stretched out of shape from all of the running and pounding. Kangaroo hide is used not only for its strength, but also for its ability to stretch, and then spring back to its’ original size and shape. For a given leather thickness, kangaroo hide is not only stronger, but it is more durable and literally flexible. Signed, Former World Top 10, former member of Team USA.
Would love to see you try out the Made In Japan Mizuno soccer cleats. They are Kangaroo leather and are regarded as the best leather soccer cleats in the market.
It would be really interesting how cordovan, kudu and other exotic leather perform as well, especially on the abrasion test. Talking of which the tension at which you hold the leather plays a major role in the results, so I strongly advice to build a bracket on which you attach the leather and then you sit it on the belt sander, otherwise your method is flawed and the most important leather test is invalid. It would also interesting measuring the hygroscopicity of the leather somehow, since a more water resistant leather is naturally more resistant than a hygroscopical one.
Interesting that the footwear of the ten thousand year old glacier preserved iceman utilised three different leathers in the construction chosen for their most appropriate characteristics. They knew about leather ten thousand years ago.
@@michaelcorbidge7914 This is exactly how evolution works, but by making things for survival. I'm certain that the same principle would apply to cooking, preservation, fire making and other pressures linked to surviving.
Giancarlo - Good point regarding tension as it applies to the abrasion test (especially when applied to football boots). From my anecdotal experience as a former pro footballer, calfskin tends to last longer than kangaroo. But, that's only across mass produced, machine made football boots (Adidas, Nike, etc...). Across high end, hand made football boots (Pantofola d'Oro, Diadora, etc...), kangaroo lasts just as long as calfskin. P.S. - Interesting surname (mine is similar) Does it originate from any particular region of Italy?
@Pukeutuminen As far as I know, yes. They are less likely to break apart with time (expecialy if you bent it by steping on the heel), they can vary the thickness according to the situation for a stiffer support and they can compress/mold to the heel better. They might also be more that I forgot
Yes to more leather comparisons. I work mostly with woven materials. We use Taber and Martindale testing machines for abrasion evaluation using ASTM standards. Any leather workers that could comment on industry standards for abrasion testing on leather? Perhaps same as wovens?
I'd love to see a collab with Farm Project testing leathers. Everyone knows he's probably the most thorough youtuber for this kind of testing. Also, you once mentioned comparing men's VS women's boots. Like, are women's boots made with lower quality, lower quality materials?
stunning! and i really love the look of the boot. i prefer structure as well. slouchy boots are a particular aesthetic that only goes with some much, beautifully structured boots go with everything!
Great analysis...learned alot. Totally agree that these Indonesian boots are worth the money. Would enjoy a comparative analysis between one of these Indonesian boots and a hand crafted American made boot ....e.g. craftsmanship, construction method,, quality of materials etc...
Kangaroo Leather has been a staple in the football(soccer) boot(cleats) industry for a long time often claimed to be more comfy than calf hide. I think it would be cool if u could cut apart a football boot made of kangaroo leather to break it down too as top tier football boots are pretty pricey
Good stuff, I will speak from experience you need to spend more time drying it out than cow hide. It tends to be more waterproof but soccer cleats, and a pair too large of golf shoes, are my only experience with this wonderful leather.
@Rose Anvil I don't sportsball personally, I I think this is a great idea. I can only imagine the marketing hype that goes into specialized athletic shoes. This could be an entirely new audience for you.
Could you review some of Cabela's work boots? I would like to see the quality of them and if they really have Goodyear welts like they claim. Another boot I would like to see would be the Keen Milwaukee work boot. Thank you and keep up the great content!
When I was in the Australian army the boots were made of kangaroo leather. The weird thing with the leather is it expels water. You get your boots wet and you can see the water getting pushed out through the leather. Really strange to see. You just see it bubbling through the leather
I'm surprised that kangaroo leather isn't more abrasion resistant since it is used a lot in motorcycle racing application. But then again, a lot of people say it is because of comfort mainly since it is allegedly more stretchy (I never had any kangaroo leather and I am not a racer)
The abrasion test was the least "scientific" imo, because he was just using the pressure of his hands to keep the swatch on the spinning cylinder. He might have been using more pressure on the kangaroo leather. This is just an observation; I know nothing about leather.
I raced (motorcycle) and went down 3 times in my kangaroo suit. Only had to have it repaired once on the last one where some stitching opened up a bit. Granted this was a few yrs after pretty consistant use. You sweat A LOT and eventually that sweat can start breaking down the suits integrity.
Absolutely do a video 📹 comparing different types of leather please 🙏🏿. Sincerely you are helping this sneakerhead 👟 make better decisions on purchasing shoes.
Project Farm could probably help you set up a pretty snazzy test for running a bunch of different abrasion tests on different leathers. Grateful for your videos as always. Keep up the great work!
Big fan of kanga leather here; I used to buy it from David Morgan, they offered various lace and hide choices about 20 years ago. Dunno if they still carry it, bit what I got was super high quality and lasted forever. I'd love to see more studies on kanga leather if you should decide to do it!
Thanks for the Prof.Barnets review and also the info on kangaroo leather. I have boots from several Indo bootmakers- 2 pairs from Prof Barnets, 2 prs from ImperiumID, and a Junkard, a Sagara, a RenavgoodsCo, a Norddleather and a Monroe Heritage, and in general , they're all pretty good (Monroe , imperium and Sagara being my favs, it's a matter of getting the sizing right.
It make sense Kangaroo leather is stronger from an evolutionary standpoint. Kangaroos are relatively large, yet active mammals that hop long distances daily. These forces of mass combined with acceleration from jumping places great strain on their bodies and their skin has to help hold them together. Cows mostly graze all day and don't exactly run around.
i immediately looked up the pricing on a kangaroo veg tan hide expecting it to be outrageously expensive, but it actually seems pretty affordable. im gonna have to get some to play with.
If you hunt around you can find 3rd grade hides for around AU$30. They have scrapes and tick bites on them but if you are making stuff like wallets you can cut around the defects.
@@pineapplesideways3820 So cane toad does have some use?! Now that would be a very interesting leather to examine given the mega bucks various state govs are spending to eliminate them before they eliminate the local wildlife. Can you give some more details please? 😀
Weston- a suggestion for you: when doing the tension test, cut a dogbone (with smooth radiused curves down to a controlled central width that is the same on both samples) out of the material and use clamps to grab onto the piece. The width at the center is your control point. This is the standard type of fixture in tensile test machines. For puncture resistance, use a rounded penetrator- not a sharp point. GREAT video!
Yes please! More Kangaroo testing. I am in love with the look of those boots, but if I spent that much on a pair of boots, I would want to work in them. I'm an archaeologist, so I am frequently wet and putting odd stresses on my boots. I'm really interested in the resistance to deformation (how well will they hold their structure under stress). What a gorgeous pair of boots.
I am an Aussie who wears cowboy boots made locally out of kangaroo leather , I walk in red clay all the time , wet or dry ,doing all sorts of bending twisting and the like . I have a pair of boots that has lasted 14 years and held its shape perfectly ( colour not so much the red clay stains everything ) . Highly recommend roo leather as it is light ,soft and supple but extremely strong ( and roos breed like rabbits and as such I am always culling there numbers , I personally think we should utilize there leather and meat far more even if it is a touch lean and hard to cook ( quick cooking works best )
@@dickn.ormous1064 I Use 60% Lard 10% cod liver oil and 30% bees wax all melted together into a boot cream( often refered to as Dubbin) . Easy to make and works great to keep them boots looking good water proofing them and conditioning them .
I like the side by side comparisons! I think that is the best way to determine the strengths & weaknesses of each leather. I think compare different animal leathers *but* make sure each leather type is processed in the same way (chrome tan, veg tan, for example) and that each leather is the same thickness. That way, you are truly comparing *just* the animal source of the leather and not the thickness or the way the leather is processed. I am curious if bison & elephant hide is worthy of the hype I’ve seen about it and how it compares to kangaroo & cow hide.
In soccer cleats within leather cleats, kangaroo leather is the commonly accepted best for the cleats. The uppers tend to be softer and result a nicer feel when kicking a soccer ball! I have kangaroo leather adidas Copa mundials and I love them despite it being a 40 year old design! So this video made me so interested!
As a soccer player, I love kangaroo leather. It’s one of the best upper materials for football boots out there. Super soft, nice and durable, and it shapes to wider feet really nicely. It’s a shame it’s banned in California now because most brands are switching away from kangaroo leather to a synthetic upper or cow leather. I wouldn’t have a problem if they made the boots cheaper but they are the same price for cheaper leather or no leather. Especially on models that are KNOWN for kangaroo leather uppers.
I have worn kangaroo leather boots in the past. They are really great for hotter climate areas and take a high gloss shine quickly. Super comfortable and break in quick. Will scuff easily on the toes. A really good choice for dress shoes and boots
@@brandonlabrie162 hmmm 🤔. Wouldn't never have characterized him that way. He has a NY/Philly type tough guy bent to him but always seemed fairly humble to me. Trust me you spend a lifetime sticking your hands into someone else's old stinky shoes, you aren't pompous.
@@brandonlabrie162 I always found him to be quite humble. He has a lot of respect for both his client and the medium he works in. It's a hard balance to strike I can tell you from experience
I have a pair of rm Williams kangaroo comfort craftsman and the kangaroo is noticeably more comfortable than the yearling leather. Roo hide is amazing. Hi from Australia.
9:50 I disagree, I think these boots are way better then other boots in their price range due to the kangaroo leather, I don’t know much about leather pricing, however if I were to guess, that boot if made of cowhide would be way cheaper. For $457 you’re getting a $500-600 boot with kangaroo leather, that is insane.
Prof. Barnets made me a pair of boots and a pair of amazing engineer boots and the really kick ass. The maker is so humble and friendly. I can only recommend this guy.
Kangaroo leather has been the traditional leather for soccer cleats (football boots) for decades. Mostly due to the softness I believe, but I guess the strength is probably a big reason as well. Some players refuse to wear anything but kangaroo leather. Really neat testing!
I’ve heard similar things being said about Ostrich leather too. Supposedly it’s stronger because it has grain in 2 directions where cow leather grain goes one way.
Would love to see some horse culatta avant-garde boots like CCP etc, mythicised to be best of the best construction amongst fashion circles (unlikely) vs more classically made menswear boots
This is such an incredible review and this channel is such a hidden gem. My parents are cobblers by trade so I appreciate the passion and attention to detail you have in these reviews. It really brings light to an uncommon career. I also studied materials testing in college and wanted to let you know i really liked how you tested the leathers. Its very similar to how we test plastic in the industry. Please keep up the great work! Thank you!
A "flex test" would be interesting. Like a walking test. To see how it holds up to flexing as you walk. This might give us an idea of how hard wearing it is.
It makes me wonder how it would fair against Bison? From what I understand Elephant hide is bar none the strongest but even with hides responsibility sourced like an animal that passes away at a zoo, sickness, etc. No one will touch it due to PETA going after the boot maker. I'm all for utilizing a resource like that as long as it doesn't encourage slaughter. Kangaroo's are responsibly sourced, it is unfortunate that due to a law we can no longer utilize the leather in America. Once again thank you PETA. I remember when you thought no one should own dogs and we should reintroduce them to the wild. Mind you a lot of them do a lot of good. But sometimes things go to extreme and no one researched anything. It sourt of reminds me of phosphorus in bio solids and run off. It causes zero issues, instead I get bags of Milorganite in 32lbs now instead of 40 lbs. Yet the biggest source of phosphorus are leaves that run off into the water supply that we are encouraged to leave on the side of the street in fall. Nothing in this world makes logical sense and a lot is just to appease an activist group, or political party. It is the perception of conservation rather than actual conservation that matters. It reminds me of all this moving to electric vehicles, yet the heavy metals involved in the batteries, the pollution caused for the electricity to charge them doesn't balance out until you put 110,000 miles on the vehicle. Even then will you need to buy a new battery by that time? If so you now polluted the environment worse than a gasoline vehicle. The power grid in my state if only dedicated to Tesla's for instance could only produce 20% of the needed vehicles on the road. Instead I see Tesla chargers mostly powered by diesel generators in my state due to the power grid being unable to handle it. It just gives people the illusion that they are doing more for the environment. My apologies for the rant. I am just upset that excellent tanneries like Wickett & Craig, Seidel, Horween, etc. are unable to turn this into an American tannery product due to laws regarding the importation of raw Kangaroo hides.
Yeah, elephant leather is not a viable material for any kind of scale production - not enough zoos around the world to support a mass-made shoe. Bison ought to be a very durable leather, though.
@@ElijsDima Correct, it is not a viable leather anymore. But it is now buried and left to rot which I don't agree with either. But it is due to the very perception of it's use being a death sentence and having so much political backlash everyone refuses to use it now. That is what I disagree with. Bison is solid and sustainably sourced. Seidel often does small batches of it. It is supple and from what I understand 30% stronger than cowhide pound for pound. Nick's did a small run of peanut bison and considers it a work leather. I don't actually own any boots not made out of cowhide. I just hate to see things not utilized. Then again I grew up being raised by depression era grandparents and parents influenced by that. My youngest grandparent was born the day the stock market crashed. So I suppose it is more a personal distaste for something not being utilized and letting emotions get the best of you. I can understand the cause behind it, be sympathetic, but it doesn't mean I agree with it. For instance despite having more horses than ever before Americans even when the horse passes away bury the horse vs selling the hide to a tannery. It has caused Horween to be unable to produce what was once an American staple and instead have to import Horsehides from Europe in order to cope with the demand. Long story short due to emotional rather than truly conservative reasons we as Americans pound for pound are the most wasteful nation as a rule on the planet. But we like to comfort ourselves with the fact we do a little here or there. It is why I am not fond of environmental efforts that make people feel better about things but have little to no impact in actuality. I'm just as guilty as the next person, I just can sort of emotionally detach myself from the illusion of what something does actually do something. I always prefer to research the facts of something rather than blindly accept what I am told. It's sort of like modern education not teaching people to discern fact or fiction on social media. There is no cause for it despite probably being the single most important thing to teach in a modern day era. People no longer know how to research, how to figure out what is real and unreal. So instead a lot of assumptions get made and people choose to believe what makes them feel good. I get that, to choose otherwise could be far more depressing. It is harder to accept a hard truth versus a sugar coated lie. It always has been and always well be. Perception is reality is probably the thing I hated most, and yet my greatest and most long lasting lesson I had to learn when joining the workforce. It doesn't matter how hard you work except to yourself. It only matters to give the illusion to others how hard you work, or whether you give the impression of being a hard worker and a good person, and what they can see. Doing real work helps you because you did the right thing, as does doing the moral and upright thing. But under no circumstance should you assume that your boss sees it that way. Discerning what they actually want to see, hear, etc, is the difference between being promoted if you want. It's knowing when to bend and not to bend, and what they want to see. I suppose the fact that I know how phony it all is gets to me at the end of the day, and simply lets me know how superficial we as a society are. If you want to put yourself first, compartmentalize it all, and can look yourself straight in the eye it is the road to success. Your social awareness is bar none the most helpful thing that can cause you to succeed or fail in life. You just have to decide as a person if that is worth sacrificing for. I personally can't do it, because I wouldn't be myself anymore. I learned for me my conscious is more important to me than monetary gain. It is why I learned to live within my means, and achieve success in life in others means. I know the road to financial success but am unwilling to do what is required for it. The cost to how I see myself, looking myself in the eyes, and self worth is too much. I get it is just psychological and at the end of the day the paycheck is more worthwhile when I live my life, but that is my own personal weakness of emotion overriding logic. So in a way I understand the comfort of living with the perception of yourself. The only way I could change that would be to change me. Hence the price we pay, is it worth it? I think electric cars, banning imports of goods, certain laws, are just there for that. Emotions, logic requires a certain level of detachment. And I think we all as human beings can only detach so much. It is why I am both curious and frightened of what a true artificial intelligence would be like. I imagine self preservation being at the top of the list but measuring out pros and cons without emotions overriding decision making or quote unquote fairness would be very enlightening. Meanwhile all this is said from a small griping of the leather industry. My apologies for heavily derailing the conversation and letting my emotions getting the better of me. Thanks to whomever reads this.
@@ElijsDima maybe not scale production, but I’d personally pay $500-1500 for a pair of high quality boots made from these more exotic leathers then these sneaker heads paying $500-5000 for a pair of cheaply made Nike’s, it may not be good enough for “production” but a few unique orders for custom boot makers 🤷♂️
All my soccer boots were Kangaroo. They were much thinner than comparable cowhide, and they were touted as much better when wet. Wet strength might be a useful thing to test for in boots.
I have a kangaroo leather wallet that has already lasted me longer than any cowhide wallet I've ever had, and is still going strong. I had switched away from other wallets for a while because I was looking for something thinner, but someone suggested I try a roo hide wallet and I do not regret it. thinner than a cowhide wallet and seems to be lasting a lot longer.
@@MybeautifulandamazingPrincess As an Aussie, most leather and meat from roos and wallabies are from culling. They often breed out of control in areas so the animals will unfortunately get killed anyway; might as well not let it go to waste. Though if the leather comes from other countries their obvs raising kangaroo just for slaughter which sucks
@@gtuyhjkml Oh I see, how interesting! Just learned today about kangaroo leather lol I need to visit Australia one day, it's one of the most unique and amazing lands in the world in my opinion
For the abrasion test, were you starting with the same thickness of leather or were you using the slightly thicker cow leather compared to the kangaroo leather? Thickness is probably going to contribute to the resilience when abrading the samples.
As a whipmaker who works exclusively in kangaroo, I have some... how would you say? -Refinement of resolution to add to the conversation. So there are many ways of making a whip and many leathers and tanage to choose from, but the veg tan double belly-double bolster method is probably the best one Ive seen thus far. What this entails is starting over a handle of steel, a leather core if cut from veg tan cowhide because cow being much longer than kangaroos, offers the possibility to make long straight pieces of leather like the core and subsequent bolsters, in one piece. Whereas the kangaroo is cut around the hide so as to use the strongest parts of the hide (the base of the tail and the center of the back) for the two most demanding parts of a bullwhip; the transition zone between the handle and the thong and the end of the braided thong, just before the fall hitch. The point here is, I can try to make the same whip using the same techniques, but with chrome tan kangaroo, and it will not make for a strong whip. So tanage is very important. I could simply cut one long strand around the kangaroo hide, like layers of an onion, and cut those to the length needed to make up my braiding strands, but then I wouldn't have any way of knowing if the transition zone would be cut from the strongest parts of the hide or from the weakest (the flanks and neck). So HOW you cut a whip is just as important as what you are cutting it from. And while kangaroo is far superior to cow leather in TENSION (as in when you are pulling on a strand during braiding....), it is far less resistant to cuts and abrasions than cowhide is. So yes, kangaroo hide in the right tanage can be very strong, it really depends on what it's intended use it... I would much prefer having work boots made of cowhide but reinforced with a tow cap than having that boot made of roohide. It depends on what you are doing with it and how you are doing it.
I would love it if you could do the converse Gianno. It is a collab with Tyler the Creators brand Golf Le Fleur and it is supposedly a hiking shoe but I am not so sure. It would be really interesting
How about some Georgia logger boots? I hear so many great things about them and I've recently purchased a pair that ended up being costly to ship here to the UK. I'm extremely happy with the quality and construction, just would love to hear your take on them Weston. I'd love a pair of Nicks, JBs, or whites loggers but the $500 dollar price tag and $80 dollar shipping cost on top has meant I've had to look at other cheaper brands for the time being. Hopefully this Georgia logger boot will do for now.
Would you ever consider doing reviews on smaller brands in places like the Philippines? Been using a brilliant pair of Achilles PH's Andres and feels so different and robust vs my usual Docs or Timbs. This video has absolutely made kangaroo leather boots a want and will be purchasing them in the future.
Yes on more leather comparisons. I am intrigued specifically on kangaroo leather abrasion resistance compared to others.. as well and further tests on overall strength.
Great video I think a video comparing many different leathers would be very interesting. You could even compare synthetic materials like biothane. Maybe also compare different tanning processes.
I think another full leather analysis video would be amazing! How to clean different types of leathers how to preserve different types of leathers decent conditioners and oils for different types of leathers.
This was great! Would love to see some more cheap work boots tackled. Particularly the brand Hytest and Suadex. I see these all the time at my worksite. Great vid!
You checked so many boxes with this video! I see a lot of great looking Indonesian (and Chinese) boots but never thought they'd be build like this. I also don't own any Kangaroo leather so this was really interesting. Thanks man for sparking another expensive obsession :)
a possible explanation for the performance in the abrasion test could be that the thight packeting and density of the leather in conjunction with the relatively long time of the test, heated the leather more and caused the fail. Maybe and alternative and more fair method would be counting the strokes that the leather can stand against a metal brush or something like that. sorry for bad english
In the knife sharpening world, kangaroo leather has become vogue as a strop. It can be cut very thin, but it's density and stiffness allow for a strop that is less prone to roll or dub your edge when stropping compared to a more traditional cow leather strop. Horse butt leather is similarly stiff and prized for leather strops.
I would love to see if you cut in half a pair of Meermin Chelsea boots and Carmina Chelsea boots to see the difference since a lot of people say they are practically the same, especially since the founders come from the same family.
This was an awesome test and tell broadcast. Thank you, I learn so much about how things are made and is it worth the cost and why. Thank you. Your broadcasts could be used in a college history course as well as a shoe and boot education of Podiatry course of the why and how of development. Thank you again and Aloha. 🌺🌸🌴❤️🇺🇸
Thank you so much for this video! I've been hoping that you would do a video on this type of leather and definitely would love to see a comparison video on different leather types including vegan leather.
Hi Weston, can you do a sum-up video of comparing different leathers (cow/sheep/horse/kangaroo)? It would be fun and informative like the white sneakers series ^^
Would love not only a comparison of kangaroo but a list of all the common and exotic leather like shark, stingray, cordovan, ostrich and the like and chart it out
R.M. Williams (established 1932) make Chelsea boots here in Australia - such as their Craftsman model - using Kangaroo leather as well as Yearling cow leather. Great boots.
Many years ago (50+), while paying for college by fighting forest fires, I had a pair of Sears boots that had heavy cowhide lower sections and kangaroo above. After three seasons the cowhide was trashed, while the kangaroo still looked new. Unscientific, but I found kangaroo fantastic for boots.
Don't want to discredit your experience but like you said, not that scientific because it could be due to the fact that the cowhide was in the lower parts of the boot (that I would guess have more to endure?)
All I know of Kangaroo leather is that it has the finest knap of all the leathers. This was discovered through exhaustive experimenting polishing knives and inspecting the bevels/edges at a microscopic level. It polishes an edge like no other leather will. You can probably still contact the guy who makes the Wicked Edge system for more information, or look up his videos about it on UA-cam.
A test of is it a stronger/tougher leather for boots would be good. It takes more energy to break it, when pulling, but that doesn't mean it will hold up better on boots that are getting scraped by the sharp rocks & plants when in the outdoors, like desert & mountain type environments.
YES, a comparison of various leather types and tannings would be awesome! You already did a comparison with "vegan leather" shoes and it was super interesting.
The fact splitting the leather takes away more or less strength depending on the type is also interesting.
Thanks for your great job
there's a lot of hearsay and snake oil out there, it would be a great service
@@insederec I'm not sure if snake oil exists but we have goana oil, i never considered applying it to leather though. Seal oil was once available for leather . Because vegetable oils harden as they oxidize and polymerise , they ain't a good choice for leather except very short term use .
@@michaelcorbidge7914 it's a turn of phrase. A reference to bogus medical tonics from the Victorian era that were about as good as drinking vegetable oil or worse
@@insederec while being a turn of phrase, it once was sold with zero oil from snakes (since snakes have little to no fat content that would be easily made into oil anyway) by con men in the 1800s iirc, may be totally wrong on the century lol
As an Aussie I have always wondered if we are missing a trick by not utilizing kangaroo leather and meat more. They are an animal that breeds like rabbits (literally in plague proportions sometimes), are water conservative to raise, and produce little to no methane because their digestive tracts work very differently to traditional ruminants like cattle. Their meat also tastes exactly like lean beef (and when I lived in Australia I used kangaroo wherever beef was required in a recipe and it always tasted pretty much the same so long as I made up for the reduced fat content) but doesn’t contain a ton of cholesterol. It really deserves to be a more Mainstream meat given how much more environmentally friendly and health conscious it is compared to beef.
You'd think that, but the one thing you actually need from meat is in the fats.
Kangaroo meat is great on occasion. it's absolutely full of iron, loaded with it.
A pain in the arse to cook well, due to its toughness. Not as bad as gallah I guess.😆
@@adifferentangle7064 its a lot easier to put fat into a kangaroo meat dish than it is to take the methane out of cattle production!! ;-)
@@Rekeaki Why would I care about cow farts?
You understand that kangaroos literally destroy their environments, right?
Like, if they don't get culled regularly they turn the countryside into a barren wasteland. And then die of starvation.
Buy my pair of gidion off me please
@@adifferentangle7064 I've heard venison also difficult cooking. You'd be amazed the results from a pressure cooker.
I'm thinking there's more to the abrasion resistance numbers than these results suggest. Being super analytical and a motorcyclist, I at one point did a lot of reading on the best materials for abrasion resistance in protective garments. I quickly learned that all the top suits in MotoGP(and other road series) are kangaroo leather due to similar abrasion resistance while being half the thickness of cow leather. I don't recall the specifics, just the results, but I remember there being quite a bit of empirical & technical data available online regarding it's abrasion resistance and it was really good. However, most people don't own kangaroo motorcycle jackets due to the cost, hence most of the selections out there are made from cow leather. Killer boots though!
not only is the cost the problem but more of a problem is that kangaroo hides arent very big and to make a full jacket would probably require around 5 hides for 1 jacket.
Yes his test was flawed. Even though he "cleaned" his sandpaper, its still incredibly worn and dull from the first cowhide test. Sandpaper dulls just like a knife, so even if you clean the gunk off a dull knife, itll still be dull. He should have gotten a new sanding drum for each leather to make it accurate.
As you said theres lots of scientific data available showing that kangaroo has a much higher abrasion resistance than cowhide, his testing was clearly flawed.
@HandandSew But if it was dull, wouldn’t that have made the kangaroo leather take longer to wear away? His test may have been flawed but I don’t think it could be in that way, since the kangaroo leather took less time to wear away.
Add a teflon coating and you can slide down the road at 300 kmh and not lose any skin! (Some companies making GP rider outfits have experimented with teflon coated roo hide).
@@rachel705 yeah, I'm also really curious about the reason why the kangaroo leather is less abrasion resistant in the test
It would be cool to see more leather comparisons. Thanks always fun to watch.
More cooler is i never heard of kangaroo leather being an actual thing.
@@Founderschannel123 I had a billfold once that was really thin kangaroo and it held up well for the most part, but didn't take the washing machine very well.
How about also comparing synthetics like goretex?
Kangaroos don’t like washing machines very much.
Or Crocodile and Alligator shoes/boots too? :-0
I had my own leatherworking business for around 5 years, making primarily kangaroo leather goods. I have no idea why it's not used more, it's easy to work with, can be split super thin (great for wallets) and seemed to require a lot less care than cow leather. I found that the goods wore in after a couple of days of use and then stayed the same basically indefinitely. I still have the first prototype wallet I made and it looks the same as a week after I started using it - 8 years on. I've used it every day and it's been drenched in sweat countless times.
Not sure if you can post links on youtube, but here's a video of one of the wallets I made. This one is a cow leather outer with Kangaroo pockets. I caught up with the guy who bought it the other day and it still looks like-new.
ua-cam.com/video/4ifCwl38zOM/v-deo.html
I am in Australia and I get my boot maker here to make all my boots out of roo leather , soft supply and thin and cool ( great for our hot climate ) and strong as hell . A pair of boots are broken in after a day of wearing ( I wouldnt even call it breaking in as they start pretty good to begin with .)
@@soulfirez4270 True that. My kangaroo dress shoes were amazing.
@@soulfirez4270 how much does it cost to get some made mate? I've got extra short wide feet so getting anything close to fitting is hard off the shelf.
@@zyeborm Guess it depends on the boot maker , they will need to make a last of your foot so the first pair ( where they had to make the last or rough mold of foot 1200 bucks ) but each pair after that runs me around 700 Australian ( first pair still going strong 10 years later with a resoling .
MotoGP (like Formula 1 but for motorcycles) has a lot of riders that use kangaroo instead of cow because of the thickness to strength ratio. This allows them to reduce their weight, letting them accelerate that little bit faster.
That's crazy.
It's like saying the guy not wearing socks will be faster ! LoL
@@edwardfletcher7790 thinner, lighter, more flexible, less insulation (cooler). Every kg counts, and rider comfort has a huge effect on performance.
The acceleration is negligible, but the comfort is measurable.
@@aaronleverton4221 exactly its more a comfort thing that will produce better times over the long length of a race due to less rider fatigue.
To those in the comments, don't forget about the gloves, dexterity and fine hand control is a big part of riding success.
this one physically hurt to see cut up. Such a beautiful pair of boots.
Leather might be tough but it looks crap really
@@CastorRabbit why
not my style, but still beautiful. I'm in Indonesia now and feel inspired to find a bootmaker!
I love these analytical videos, Weston. Here is a fact about kangaroo leather that you may not be aware of.
Many track and field shoes are made from kangaroo hide. The biggest problem with track shoes is that they get stretched out of shape from all of the running and pounding.
Kangaroo hide is used not only for its strength, but also for its ability to stretch, and then spring back to its’ original size and shape.
For a given leather thickness, kangaroo hide is not only stronger, but it is more durable and literally flexible.
Signed,
Former World Top 10, former member of Team USA.
Football/soccer cleats too
Would love to see you try out the Made In Japan Mizuno soccer cleats. They are Kangaroo leather and are regarded as the best leather soccer cleats in the market.
I have a pair of Morelia neo ii. While it doesn’t have a lot of kangaroo leather it is soft and really thin. Has held up really well.
Puma King also
The Adidas Copa Mundial cleats are kangaroo leather too.
Neat! And I like the look of lots of the stuff coming out of Indonesia. Haven't tried any though
It would be really interesting how cordovan, kudu and other exotic leather perform as well, especially on the abrasion test. Talking of which the tension at which you hold the leather plays a major role in the results, so I strongly advice to build a bracket on which you attach the leather and then you sit it on the belt sander, otherwise your method is flawed and the most important leather test is invalid.
It would also interesting measuring the hygroscopicity of the leather somehow, since a more water resistant leather is naturally more resistant than a hygroscopical one.
Water resistance and hygroscopic aren't necessarily mutually exclusive properties.
Interesting that the footwear of the ten thousand year old glacier preserved iceman utilised three different leathers in the construction chosen for their most appropriate characteristics. They knew about leather ten thousand years ago.
Ostrich, kangaroo, gater, horse, cow, etc leather test would be so interesting
@@michaelcorbidge7914 This is exactly how evolution works, but by making things for survival. I'm certain that the same principle would apply to cooking, preservation, fire making and other pressures linked to surviving.
Giancarlo - Good point regarding tension as it applies to the abrasion test (especially when applied to football boots). From my anecdotal experience as a former pro footballer, calfskin tends to last longer than kangaroo. But, that's only across mass produced, machine made football boots (Adidas, Nike, etc...). Across high end, hand made football boots (Pantofola d'Oro, Diadora, etc...), kangaroo lasts just as long as calfskin.
P.S. - Interesting surname (mine is similar) Does it originate from any particular region of Italy?
The cellastic toe and heel stiffener can often be upgraded to leathers for a small price when you are getting them MTO
Absolutely agree. But cellastic make boots look slimmer 😁
@Pukeutuminen As far as I know, yes.
They are less likely to break apart with time (expecialy if you bent it by steping on the heel), they can vary the thickness according to the situation for a stiffer support and they can compress/mold to the heel better.
They might also be more that I forgot
I loved the little leather experiments. Looking forward to more of those.
The red arrows and the text to show what your are saying, are just great. It makes it easier to follow you. Thumbs up!
Yes to more leather comparisons.
I work mostly with woven materials. We use Taber and Martindale testing machines for abrasion evaluation using ASTM standards. Any leather workers that could comment on industry standards for abrasion testing on leather? Perhaps same as wovens?
Yes, I definitely want the in-depth leather analysis. Make the video, sir.
I'd love to see a collab with Farm Project testing leathers. Everyone knows he's probably the most thorough youtuber for this kind of testing.
Also, you once mentioned comparing men's VS women's boots. Like, are women's boots made with lower quality, lower quality materials?
I've heard some interesting claims about Kudu leather. I'd love to see a breakdown/comparison with that leather too
stunning! and i really love the look of the boot. i prefer structure as well. slouchy boots are a particular aesthetic that only goes with some much, beautifully structured boots go with everything!
Thank you for showing me this!
I live in Indonesia but didn't know much about Indonesian made boots, this really helps finding boots for me.
Thank you for the analysis! Please, keep going and show more videos with kangaroo leather compared with other leathers, specifically, cordovan.
Great analysis...learned alot. Totally agree that these Indonesian boots are worth the money. Would enjoy a comparative analysis between one of these Indonesian boots and a hand crafted American made boot ....e.g. craftsmanship, construction method,, quality of materials etc...
Kangaroo Leather has been a staple in the football(soccer) boot(cleats) industry for a long time often claimed to be more comfy than calf hide.
I think it would be cool if u could cut apart a football boot made of kangaroo leather to break it down too as top tier football boots are pretty pricey
Good stuff, I will speak from experience you need to spend more time drying it out than cow hide. It tends to be more waterproof but soccer cleats, and a pair too large of golf shoes, are my only experience with this wonderful leather.
@Rose Anvil
I don't sportsball personally, I I think this is a great idea. I can only imagine the marketing hype that goes into specialized athletic shoes. This could be an entirely new audience for you.
I would love to see Mizuno Morelia Neo III Made in Japan models get sliced in half.
Also in rugby league/union boots. In the old days of handmade cricket boots they used kangaroo also.
I had kangaroo leather soccer cleats many years ago. Lasted forever and we're the most form fitting and easy to break in soccer cleats I ever had.
I have a couple. Some are still made that way, and they're just the best.
Adidas samba
@@richardhudson9291 I'd love to see some Sambas cut in half. No Adidas shoes use K-leather anymore, however. I think they stopped around 2012.
@@samthelima I thought that Copa Mundial was still using kangaroo leather? Is that not the case?
@@kel01 I thought I read that they had stopped, but apparently that's not the case.
Could you review some of Cabela's work boots? I would like to see the quality of them and if they really have Goodyear welts like they claim. Another boot I would like to see would be the Keen Milwaukee work boot. Thank you and keep up the great content!
How did you see the video 10 hours before it released!?!?
@@RoseAnvil By the power of spook
@@RoseAnvil You got a mole!
@@RoseAnvil ha! That's nuts
Can you review Cabela's boots? Certain nsa agents want to know
I hope the next videos will be about the best skin types in the world in the most detail like this one! great video
When I was in the Australian army the boots were made of kangaroo leather. The weird thing with the leather is it expels water. You get your boots wet and you can see the water getting pushed out through the leather. Really strange to see. You just see it bubbling through the leather
Yes please do more kangaroo comparisons
I'm surprised that kangaroo leather isn't more abrasion resistant since it is used a lot in motorcycle racing application.
But then again, a lot of people say it is because of comfort mainly since it is allegedly more stretchy (I never had any kangaroo leather and I am not a racer)
The abrasion test was the least "scientific" imo, because he was just using the pressure of his hands to keep the swatch on the spinning cylinder. He might have been using more pressure on the kangaroo leather. This is just an observation; I know nothing about leather.
I raced (motorcycle) and went down 3 times in my kangaroo suit. Only had to have it repaired once on the last one where some stitching opened up a bit. Granted this was a few yrs after pretty consistant use. You sweat A LOT and eventually that sweat can start breaking down the suits integrity.
Absolutely do a video 📹 comparing different types of leather please 🙏🏿. Sincerely you are helping this sneakerhead 👟 make better decisions on purchasing shoes.
Project Farm could probably help you set up a pretty snazzy test for running a bunch of different abrasion tests on different leathers. Grateful for your videos as always. Keep up the great work!
He is good 👍
Big fan of kanga leather here; I used to buy it from David Morgan, they offered various lace and hide choices about 20 years ago. Dunno if they still carry it, bit what I got was super high quality and lasted forever. I'd love to see more studies on kanga leather if you should decide to do it!
Thanks for the Prof.Barnets review and also the info on kangaroo leather. I have boots from several Indo bootmakers- 2 pairs from Prof Barnets, 2 prs from ImperiumID, and a Junkard, a Sagara, a RenavgoodsCo, a Norddleather and a Monroe Heritage, and in general , they're all pretty good (Monroe , imperium and Sagara being my favs, it's a matter of getting the sizing right.
It make sense Kangaroo leather is stronger from an evolutionary standpoint. Kangaroos are relatively large, yet active mammals that hop long distances daily. These forces of mass combined with acceleration from jumping places great strain on their bodies and their skin has to help hold them together. Cows mostly graze all day and don't exactly run around.
i immediately looked up the pricing on a kangaroo veg tan hide expecting it to be outrageously expensive, but it actually seems pretty affordable. im gonna have to get some to play with.
I have Australian made size 12 gidion sneakers kangaroo and cane toad hightops really rare if you want them
We just have to many kangaroos, so I'm not surprised that its not as expensive.
If you hunt around you can find 3rd grade hides for around AU$30. They have scrapes and tick bites on them but if you are making stuff like wallets you can cut around the defects.
@@pineapplesideways3820 lol love the hustle, turning youtube into gumtree
@@pineapplesideways3820 So cane toad does have some use?! Now that would be a very interesting leather to examine given the mega bucks various state govs are spending to eliminate them before they eliminate the local wildlife. Can you give some more details please? 😀
Weston- a suggestion for you: when doing the tension test, cut a dogbone (with smooth radiused curves down to a controlled central width that is the same on both samples) out of the material and use clamps to grab onto the piece. The width at the center is your control point. This is the standard type of fixture in tensile test machines. For puncture resistance, use a rounded penetrator- not a sharp point. GREAT video!
Yes please! More Kangaroo testing. I am in love with the look of those boots, but if I spent that much on a pair of boots, I would want to work in them. I'm an archaeologist, so I am frequently wet and putting odd stresses on my boots. I'm really interested in the resistance to deformation (how well will they hold their structure under stress). What a gorgeous pair of boots.
I am an Aussie who wears cowboy boots made locally out of kangaroo leather , I walk in red clay all the time , wet or dry ,doing all sorts of bending twisting and the like . I have a pair of boots that has lasted 14 years and held its shape perfectly ( colour not so much the red clay stains everything ) . Highly recommend roo leather as it is light ,soft and supple but extremely strong ( and roos breed like rabbits and as such I am always culling there numbers , I personally think we should utilize there leather and meat far more even if it is a touch lean and hard to cook ( quick cooking works best )
@@soulfirez4270Hi,what do you use for maintenance?
@@dickn.ormous1064 I Use 60% Lard 10% cod liver oil and 30% bees wax all melted together into a boot cream( often refered to as Dubbin) . Easy to make and works great to keep them boots looking good water proofing them and conditioning them .
Your level of meticulously in these tests are awesome, and very satisfying keep up the great content really loving it
I like the side by side comparisons! I think that is the best way to determine the strengths & weaknesses of each leather.
I think compare different animal leathers *but* make sure each leather type is processed in the same way (chrome tan, veg tan, for example) and that each leather is the same thickness.
That way, you are truly comparing *just* the animal source of the leather and not the thickness or the way the leather is processed.
I am curious if bison & elephant hide is worthy of the hype I’ve seen about it and how it compares to kangaroo & cow hide.
Bison would be interesting! Elephant hide is a thing though? YIKES
I’m 21 years old & i review weed products on my UA-cam channel as my job lmao. Tryna make it out the hood, these rappers be tryna go back 👀
In soccer cleats within leather cleats, kangaroo leather is the commonly accepted best for the cleats. The uppers tend to be softer and result a nicer feel when kicking a soccer ball! I have kangaroo leather adidas Copa mundials and I love them despite it being a 40 year old design!
So this video made me so interested!
As a soccer player, I love kangaroo leather. It’s one of the best upper materials for football boots out there. Super soft, nice and durable, and it shapes to wider feet really nicely. It’s a shame it’s banned in California now because most brands are switching away from kangaroo leather to a synthetic upper or cow leather. I wouldn’t have a problem if they made the boots cheaper but they are the same price for cheaper leather or no leather. Especially on models that are KNOWN for kangaroo leather uppers.
it's banned in CA? what the eff else is my stupid state going to ban? crap.
I have worn kangaroo leather boots in the past. They are really great for hotter climate areas and take a high gloss shine quickly. Super comfortable and break in quick. Will scuff easily on the toes. A really good choice for dress shoes and boots
The "canvas rib" is called a gemming according to Bedo's Leatherwork
I was just about to writ that !
I love his channel
That dude is so pompous. I couldn’t watch him anymore
@@brandonlabrie162 hmmm 🤔. Wouldn't never have characterized him that way. He has a NY/Philly type tough guy bent to him but always seemed fairly humble to me. Trust me you spend a lifetime sticking your hands into someone else's old stinky shoes, you aren't pompous.
@@brandonlabrie162 I always found him to be quite humble. He has a lot of respect for both his client and the medium he works in. It's a hard balance to strike I can tell you from experience
Yes please do a leather analysis on kangaroo leather. Great video and content
I have a pair of rm Williams kangaroo comfort craftsman and the kangaroo is noticeably more comfortable than the yearling leather. Roo hide is amazing. Hi from Australia.
You should definitely go in depth in some kangaroo leather, it’s so hard to find anything on UA-cam
Really cool video man enjoyed it!
Thanks man, I love your videos
Really cool seeing kangaroo boots and REALLY cool seeing the construction of some Indonesian boots. Thanks man
9:50 I disagree, I think these boots are way better then other boots in their price range due to the kangaroo leather, I don’t know much about leather pricing, however if I were to guess, that boot if made of cowhide would be way cheaper. For $457 you’re getting a $500-600 boot with kangaroo leather, that is insane.
Prof. Barnets made me a pair of boots and a pair of amazing engineer boots and the really kick ass. The maker is so humble and friendly. I can only recommend this guy.
Kangaroo leather has been the traditional leather for soccer cleats (football boots) for decades. Mostly due to the softness I believe, but I guess the strength is probably a big reason as well. Some players refuse to wear anything but kangaroo leather. Really neat testing!
I’ve heard similar things being said about Ostrich leather too. Supposedly it’s stronger because it has grain in 2 directions where cow leather grain goes one way.
Would love to see some horse culatta avant-garde boots like CCP etc, mythicised to be best of the best construction amongst fashion circles (unlikely) vs more classically made menswear boots
BooooooooooM!!!
Awesome content and THANK YOU Weston for answering numerous questions i have had as pertains Indonesia bootses!
Can you cut apart a pair of Haix work boots? Across the pond they are quite popular among firefighters and lumerjacks.
This is such an incredible review and this channel is such a hidden gem. My parents are cobblers by trade so I appreciate the passion and attention to detail you have in these reviews. It really brings light to an uncommon career. I also studied materials testing in college and wanted to let you know i really liked how you tested the leathers. Its very similar to how we test plastic in the industry. Please keep up the great work! Thank you!
A "flex test" would be interesting. Like a walking test. To see how it holds up to flexing as you walk. This might give us an idea of how hard wearing it is.
The best flex is kangaroo, premium soccer boots to moto gp suits are kangaroo leather so that speaks for itself
@@pineapplesideways3820 I did not know that. It would be cool to see though. To visualise it.
Yes I would absolutely love to see a comparison of different types of leather
As an Indonesian, I'm very proud to see this video. Thank you for making great videos. Your channel is awesome! Appreciate it.
The only thing that hold Indonesian down is their corruptor.
America really loves trying to ban imports of k leather, really sucks for us in Aus when we cant sell as much as we shoot
It makes me wonder how it would fair against Bison? From what I understand Elephant hide is bar none the strongest but even with hides responsibility sourced like an animal that passes away at a zoo, sickness, etc. No one will touch it due to PETA going after the boot maker.
I'm all for utilizing a resource like that as long as it doesn't encourage slaughter. Kangaroo's are responsibly sourced, it is unfortunate that due to a law we can no longer utilize the leather in America. Once again thank you PETA. I remember when you thought no one should own dogs and we should reintroduce them to the wild.
Mind you a lot of them do a lot of good. But sometimes things go to extreme and no one researched anything. It sourt of reminds me of phosphorus in bio solids and run off. It causes zero issues, instead I get bags of Milorganite in 32lbs now instead of 40 lbs. Yet the biggest source of phosphorus are leaves that run off into the water supply that we are encouraged to leave on the side of the street in fall. Nothing in this world makes logical sense and a lot is just to appease an activist group, or political party. It is the perception of conservation rather than actual conservation that matters.
It reminds me of all this moving to electric vehicles, yet the heavy metals involved in the batteries, the pollution caused for the electricity to charge them doesn't balance out until you put 110,000 miles on the vehicle. Even then will you need to buy a new battery by that time? If so you now polluted the environment worse than a gasoline vehicle. The power grid in my state if only dedicated to Tesla's for instance could only produce 20% of the needed vehicles on the road. Instead I see Tesla chargers mostly powered by diesel generators in my state due to the power grid being unable to handle it. It just gives people the illusion that they are doing more for the environment.
My apologies for the rant. I am just upset that excellent tanneries like Wickett & Craig, Seidel, Horween, etc. are unable to turn this into an American tannery product due to laws regarding the importation of raw Kangaroo hides.
Yeah, elephant leather is not a viable material for any kind of scale production - not enough zoos around the world to support a mass-made shoe.
Bison ought to be a very durable leather, though.
@@ElijsDima Correct, it is not a viable leather anymore. But it is now buried and left to rot which I don't agree with either. But it is due to the very perception of it's use being a death sentence and having so much political backlash everyone refuses to use it now. That is what I disagree with.
Bison is solid and sustainably sourced. Seidel often does small batches of it. It is supple and from what I understand 30% stronger than cowhide pound for pound. Nick's did a small run of peanut bison and considers it a work leather.
I don't actually own any boots not made out of cowhide. I just hate to see things not utilized. Then again I grew up being raised by depression era grandparents and parents influenced by that. My youngest grandparent was born the day the stock market crashed.
So I suppose it is more a personal distaste for something not being utilized and letting emotions get the best of you. I can understand the cause behind it, be sympathetic, but it doesn't mean I agree with it. For instance despite having more horses than ever before Americans even when the horse passes away bury the horse vs selling the hide to a tannery. It has caused Horween to be unable to produce what was once an American staple and instead have to import Horsehides from Europe in order to cope with the demand.
Long story short due to emotional rather than truly conservative reasons we as Americans pound for pound are the most wasteful nation as a rule on the planet. But we like to comfort ourselves with the fact we do a little here or there. It is why I am not fond of environmental efforts that make people feel better about things but have little to no impact in actuality. I'm just as guilty as the next person, I just can sort of emotionally detach myself from the illusion of what something does actually do something. I always prefer to research the facts of something rather than blindly accept what I am told.
It's sort of like modern education not teaching people to discern fact or fiction on social media. There is no cause for it despite probably being the single most important thing to teach in a modern day era. People no longer know how to research, how to figure out what is real and unreal. So instead a lot of assumptions get made and people choose to believe what makes them feel good. I get that, to choose otherwise could be far more depressing. It is harder to accept a hard truth versus a sugar coated lie. It always has been and always well be.
Perception is reality is probably the thing I hated most, and yet my greatest and most long lasting lesson I had to learn when joining the workforce. It doesn't matter how hard you work except to yourself. It only matters to give the illusion to others how hard you work, or whether you give the impression of being a hard worker and a good person, and what they can see. Doing real work helps you because you did the right thing, as does doing the moral and upright thing. But under no circumstance should you assume that your boss sees it that way. Discerning what they actually want to see, hear, etc, is the difference between being promoted if you want. It's knowing when to bend and not to bend, and what they want to see. I suppose the fact that I know how phony it all is gets to me at the end of the day, and simply lets me know how superficial we as a society are.
If you want to put yourself first, compartmentalize it all, and can look yourself straight in the eye it is the road to success. Your social awareness is bar none the most helpful thing that can cause you to succeed or fail in life. You just have to decide as a person if that is worth sacrificing for. I personally can't do it, because I wouldn't be myself anymore. I learned for me my conscious is more important to me than monetary gain. It is why I learned to live within my means, and achieve success in life in others means. I know the road to financial success but am unwilling to do what is required for it. The cost to how I see myself, looking myself in the eyes, and self worth is too much. I get it is just psychological and at the end of the day the paycheck is more worthwhile when I live my life, but that is my own personal weakness of emotion overriding logic. So in a way I understand the comfort of living with the perception of yourself. The only way I could change that would be to change me. Hence the price we pay, is it worth it?
I think electric cars, banning imports of goods, certain laws, are just there for that. Emotions, logic requires a certain level of detachment. And I think we all as human beings can only detach so much. It is why I am both curious and frightened of what a true artificial intelligence would be like. I imagine self preservation being at the top of the list but measuring out pros and cons without emotions overriding decision making or quote unquote fairness would be very enlightening. Meanwhile all this is said from a small griping of the leather industry. My apologies for heavily derailing the conversation and letting my emotions getting the better of me. Thanks to whomever reads this.
Vultain, you speak truth so I don't consider that a rant when it' makes sense. Please have a lovely and safe week with warmest regards, Celita C
@@ElijsDima maybe not scale production, but I’d personally pay $500-1500 for a pair of high quality boots made from these more exotic leathers then these sneaker heads paying $500-5000 for a pair of cheaply made Nike’s, it may not be good enough for “production” but a few unique orders for custom boot makers 🤷♂️
All my soccer boots were Kangaroo. They were much thinner than comparable cowhide, and they were touted as much better when wet. Wet strength might be a useful thing to test for in boots.
I have a kangaroo leather wallet that has already lasted me longer than any cowhide wallet I've ever had, and is still going strong. I had switched away from other wallets for a while because I was looking for something thinner, but someone suggested I try a roo hide wallet and I do not regret it. thinner than a cowhide wallet and seems to be lasting a lot longer.
How is it ethical to kill Kangaroo's for leather? It's the First time I'm hearing of kangaroo leather 🤔
@@MybeautifulandamazingPrincess As an Aussie, most leather and meat from roos and wallabies are from culling. They often breed out of control in areas so the animals will unfortunately get killed anyway; might as well not let it go to waste. Though if the leather comes from other countries their obvs raising kangaroo just for slaughter which sucks
@@gtuyhjkml Oh I see, how interesting! Just learned today about kangaroo leather lol
I need to visit Australia one day, it's one of the most unique and amazing lands in the world in my opinion
Would definitely enjoy the full kangaroo leather analysis, this was super insightful
For the abrasion test, were you starting with the same thickness of leather or were you using the slightly thicker cow leather compared to the kangaroo leather? Thickness is probably going to contribute to the resilience when abrading the samples.
The test samples appeared to be very similar if not identical in thickness.
As a whipmaker who works exclusively in kangaroo, I have some... how would you say? -Refinement of resolution to add to the conversation. So there are many ways of making a whip and many leathers and tanage to choose from, but the veg tan double belly-double bolster method is probably the best one Ive seen thus far. What this entails is starting over a handle of steel, a leather core if cut from veg tan cowhide because cow being much longer than kangaroos, offers the possibility to make long straight pieces of leather like the core and subsequent bolsters, in one piece. Whereas the kangaroo is cut around the hide so as to use the strongest parts of the hide (the base of the tail and the center of the back) for the two most demanding parts of a bullwhip; the transition zone between the handle and the thong and the end of the braided thong, just before the fall hitch. The point here is, I can try to make the same whip using the same techniques, but with chrome tan kangaroo, and it will not make for a strong whip. So tanage is very important. I could simply cut one long strand around the kangaroo hide, like layers of an onion, and cut those to the length needed to make up my braiding strands, but then I wouldn't have any way of knowing if the transition zone would be cut from the strongest parts of the hide or from the weakest (the flanks and neck). So HOW you cut a whip is just as important as what you are cutting it from. And while kangaroo is far superior to cow leather in TENSION (as in when you are pulling on a strand during braiding....), it is far less resistant to cuts and abrasions than cowhide is. So yes, kangaroo hide in the right tanage can be very strong, it really depends on what it's intended use it... I would much prefer having work boots made of cowhide but reinforced with a tow cap than having that boot made of roohide. It depends on what you are doing with it and how you are doing it.
I would love it if you could do the converse Gianno. It is a collab with Tyler the Creators brand Golf Le Fleur and it is supposedly a hiking shoe but I am not so sure. It would be really interesting
How about some Georgia logger boots? I hear so many great things about them and I've recently purchased a pair that ended up being costly to ship here to the UK. I'm extremely happy with the quality and construction, just would love to hear your take on them Weston. I'd love a pair of Nicks, JBs, or whites loggers but the $500 dollar price tag and $80 dollar shipping cost on top has meant I've had to look at other cheaper brands for the time being. Hopefully this Georgia logger boot will do for now.
Rose Anvil elements that have evolved for the better:
1) Weston’s mustache
2) Puncture test technique
Would you ever consider doing reviews on smaller brands in places like the Philippines? Been using a brilliant pair of Achilles PH's Andres and feels so different and robust vs my usual Docs or Timbs. This video has absolutely made kangaroo leather boots a want and will be purchasing them in the future.
Yes on more leather comparisons. I am intrigued specifically on kangaroo leather abrasion resistance compared to others.. as well and further tests on overall strength.
Great video I think a video comparing many different leathers would be very interesting. You could even compare synthetic materials like biothane. Maybe also compare different tanning processes.
Love the leather comparisons!
That’s one buff kangaroo on the thumbnail
I think another full leather analysis video would be amazing! How to clean different types of leathers how to preserve different types of leathers decent conditioners and oils for different types of leathers.
Beaver tail leather. They used them for mocasin soles.
What an interesting video. I never knew they made roo leather. Would love to see more roo skin and other exotic leather boots
I'm glad you cut this boot In half bc I've followed them for a while on Instagram and it's interesting to see the construction of them
This was great! Would love to see some more cheap work boots tackled. Particularly the brand Hytest and Suadex. I see these all the time at my worksite. Great vid!
Wow I didn't know they even made hytest still. I find vintage ones fairly often.
You checked so many boxes with this video! I see a lot of great looking Indonesian (and Chinese) boots but never thought they'd be build like this. I also don't own any Kangaroo leather so this was really interesting. Thanks man for sparking another expensive obsession :)
There's probably some weird animal leather that's even stronger, like... Platypus or some shit lol
a possible explanation for the performance in the abrasion test could be that the thight packeting and density of the leather in conjunction with the relatively long time of the test, heated the leather more and caused the fail. Maybe and alternative and more fair method would be counting the strokes that the leather can stand against a metal brush or something like that. sorry for bad english
In the knife sharpening world, kangaroo leather has become vogue as a strop. It can be cut very thin, but it's density and stiffness allow for a strop that is less prone to roll or dub your edge when stropping compared to a more traditional cow leather strop. Horse butt leather is similarly stiff and prized for leather strops.
Those boots are beautiful 🤩
I've had kangaroo shoes for 40 years.
I would love to see if you cut in half a pair of Meermin Chelsea boots and Carmina Chelsea boots to see the difference since a lot of people say they are practically the same, especially since the founders come from the same family.
Yes please! A comparison would be great!
God these boots are gorgeous! Excellent as always and great analysis, but wish you didn’t have to cut them open. Always love the heritage look
Would love to see more leather comparisons
This was an awesome test and tell broadcast. Thank you, I learn so much about how things are made and is it worth the cost and why. Thank you. Your broadcasts could be used in a college history course as well as a shoe and boot education of Podiatry course of the why and how of development. Thank you again and Aloha. 🌺🌸🌴❤️🇺🇸
Thank you so much for this video! I've been hoping that you would do a video on this type of leather and definitely would love to see a comparison video on different leather types including vegan leather.
Hi Weston, can you do a sum-up video of comparing different leathers (cow/sheep/horse/kangaroo)? It would be fun and informative like the white sneakers series ^^
Would love not only a comparison of kangaroo but a list of all the common and exotic leather like shark, stingray, cordovan, ostrich and the like and chart it out
YEAHHH!!! that would be sick for you to compare different types of leathers (horse, cow, rhino, kangaroo, bison ect...)
R.M. Williams (established 1932) make Chelsea boots here in Australia - such as their Craftsman model - using Kangaroo leather as well as Yearling cow leather. Great boots.
3:32 cordovan leather is a horse leather, right?
Many years ago (50+), while paying for college by fighting forest fires, I had a pair of Sears boots that had heavy cowhide lower sections and kangaroo above. After three seasons the cowhide was trashed, while the kangaroo still looked new. Unscientific, but I found kangaroo fantastic for boots.
Don't want to discredit your experience but like you said, not that scientific because it could be due to the fact that the cowhide was in the lower parts of the boot (that I would guess have more to endure?)
All I know of Kangaroo leather is that it has the finest knap of all the leathers. This was discovered through exhaustive experimenting polishing knives and inspecting the bevels/edges at a microscopic level. It polishes an edge like no other leather will. You can probably still contact the guy who makes the Wicked Edge system for more information, or look up his videos about it on UA-cam.
A test of is it a stronger/tougher leather for boots would be good. It takes more energy to break it, when pulling, but that doesn't mean it will hold up better on boots that are getting scraped by the sharp rocks & plants when in the outdoors, like desert & mountain type environments.
great video Had no idea on the quality of Indonesian boots....