Alligator hides...

[TraderMike]

I thought an alligator skin soft rifle case would be cool looking.... though I have never actually seen one.

 

[Panhandler80]

At the price of alligator hide leather goods you're sitting on a gold mine, I've seen brief cases over $15,000, wallets for $1,000 plus, I have an alligator hide belt that cost, well I won't mention it here.

Not really. Most any leather guy can work with alligator. Problem is he won’t charge you cow hide prices. He’ll charge you 70-80% of farm raised alligator retail price for an item… and chances are it won’t come out as nice. It’s a losing proposition no matter how you cut it. Even at 70% you add on my cost of tanning, tags, gear, boat maintenance, gas, etc and its about a wash.

Now, if I knew how to do the leather work… then I’d be in business.

 

[Panhandler80]

I thought an alligator skin soft rifle case would be cool looking.... though I have never actually seen one.

I’ve seen a couple. Pretty cool.

 

[Panhandler80]

It’s been a few years, but I plan to get back after them this year. An Alaska hunt last fall, a crappy river boat, and rebuilding a 20 year old offshore 42’ single screw put alligator hunting on hold.

Ran my brand new river boat yesterday and she’s a dream. 1754. With a 40 hp and she did 34 with one big dude, 33 with two and 32 with three. Light load but plenty of power. I was a bit worried.

 

[Unckebob]

So I had a few adult beverages last night and decided to unroll the hides that I have on hand. We’ve got to do something with them at some point. They keep stacking up and I literally just sit in a Tupperware bin doing nothing.

If anybody ever wants to go kill a couple of them let me know. I’m thinking about taking this year off. I have pretty much guaranteed tags. And typically kill between two and 10 every year. Application period is about to start. View attachment 289934View attachment 289935View attachment 289936View attachment 289937View attachment 289938

Boots?

 

[Panhandler80]

Boots?

Crazy, but you pay more for your stuff (free material) than you would for custom OTC.

Oh, and that would be after you spend at Paula money on tags and tanning.

If you public harvest for fun and turned into a garment, you’re probably looking at three or four times the price of off the shelf. Hence the reason mine sit in the closet, rolled up.

 

[Unckebob]

Crazy, but you pay more for your stuff (free material) than you would for custom OTC.

Oh, and that would be after you spend at Paula money on tags and tanning.

If you public harvest for fun and turned into a garment, you’re probably looking at three or four times the price of off the shelf. Hence the reason mine sit in the closet, rolled up.

Interesting, I would not have thought that.