Specialty Leather Processors - Ostrich, Emu and other exotic leathers

<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" background="images/wb00819_.gif"> <p> </p> <table border="1"> <tr> <td width="339%" height="18" align="center" colspan="5">No Frames View Navagation Bar</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" height="18" align="center"><a href="slphome.htm">Home</a></td> <td width="100%" height="18" align="center"><a href="faq.htm">FAQ's</a></td> <td width="100%" height="18" align="center"><a href="slphome.htm#Contacts">Contact Information</a></td> <td width="19%" height="18" align="center"><a href="pricecon.htm">Pricing Contract Leather</a></td> <td width="20%" height="18" align="center"><a href="pricefin.htm">Pricing Finished Leather</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" height="16" align="center"><a href="slphome.htm#About SLP" target="main">About SLP</a></td> <td width="100%" height="16" align="center"><a href="slphome.htm#Products" target="main">Services & Advantages</a></td> <td width="100%" height="16" align="center"><a href="slphome.htm#Fleshing">Fleshing</a></td> <td width="101%" height="16" align="center" valign="middle"><a href="slphome.htm#Shipping">Hide Preservation & Shipping Info</a></td> <td width="100%" height="16" align="center" valign="middle"><a href="colors.htm" target="main">Available Colors</a></td> </tr> </table> <p align="center"><a name="hometop"><strong><big>MISSION STATEMENT</big></strong></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><big><big><big>Specialty Leather Processors</big></big></big></strong></p> <p>Specialty Leather Processors, Inc. is dedicated to the profitable manufacturing of the finest quality ostrich leather, emu leather, and other specialty leathers, and to continuous improvement through innovation, education, and customer service.</p> <p>We at Specialty Leather intend to be an integral part in the establishment of a vital ostrich industry. In doing so, manufacturing leather at a competitive price coupled with a turn around time second to none is only half the story. Ostrich leather, Emu leather, and other specialty leathers such as alligator, deer, elk must compare favorably to the highest quality standards. Customers and tannery must work as a team as fine leathers come from the highest quality hides and skins. The finest leather making process produces mediocre leather if the skins are not right. This is why we take the extra steps of receiving documents, calls for color recommendations, advice on problems and solutions, collaboration and "in house" work at slaughter facilities. Our leather manufacturing process incorporates as much insurance as possible so that every skin received is tanned to its highest potential level of quality.</p> <p>We also stand ready to help customers find leather goods manufacturers who are willing to work with their individual leathers. In this way our customer realizes their maximum profit potential and all can come out winners.</p> <p>Leather goods manufacturers, upholsterers using leather on home furnishings and automobiles, leather golf bag manufacturers and leather handbag and briefcase manufacturers all have the opportunity to purchase specialty leathers from us from skins that we purchase for this purpose.</p> <p>Colors available number 22. Special leather colors can be made with enough lead-time and adequate swatches. All inquiries on our leathers and service are always welcome. We will do all that we can to make our customers come out a winner for having worked with us.</p> <p><small><a href="slphome.htm#hometop">Back to Top</a></small></p> <p><a name="About SLP"><strong><big>About Specialty Leather Processors</big></strong></a></p> <p>Specialty Leather Processor, Inc., is a new company, first production in March of 1998. The core business is ostrich leather, with a broader focus on tanning leathers from skins that are not well served by the tanning industry in the United States. These include ostrich, emu, rhea, alligator, deer, elk, and other game and "farm raised" skins where there is a need. </p> <p>Tom Eddy and Larry Ohge own the company. Tom has been in the leather industry since 1971 and Larry since 1982. There are three additional employees and this team has achieved a level of quality that is world class. Turn around time for most leathers is 5 to 6 weeks. We are proud of progress toward excellence in both quality and performance.</p> <p>Specialty Leather processes leather for sale as well as on contract. Orders are filled as received in any of our standard colors or for special colors upon request.</p> <p>If a person intends to send skins to be processed on contract, we recommend review of contract information, shipping information and hide preservation.</p> <p>Upon receiving a shipment of contract skins, we fill out a "receiving document" that describes the condition of the skins as we see them. This helps us focus on quality with our customer, helping them to realize the conditions of the skins that could be improved so that we can do our best work as well. Each skin is identified with a number, this assignment detailed on the receiving document. This document, along with a color chart, is mailed to the customer. The skins are then put into process and are chrome tanned and dried (crusted) within the next three weeks. At this juncture, the skins are sorted and the customer is called with our recommendation as to colors best suited for each skin. The customer chooses the color, and the skins are dyed  usually completed within the next two to three weeks. We believe that, in this way, we can maximize the value of each skin for our customers while helping them understand what they can do to improve their skin quality.</p> <p>Tanning and dying are both done in wooden drums and great care is taken that the tanning and coloring chemicals penetrate the skin thoroughly. The skins are toggle dried (stretched and dried) after coloring, then softened in large tumble mills after which finish is applied. The finish used has no dye in it, and is applied simply to provide protection to the leather, and to give it its shine and feel. Variations in luster and feel are possible as long as ample communication and sampling is done so that both the customer and the tannery understand exactly what is requested.</p> <p>Shipping is done by UPS following payment for the leather processing and shipping charges.</p> <p>Any quantity is welcome. Volume discounts are available.</p> <p><small><a href="slphome.htm#hometop">Back to Top</a></small></p> <p><a name="Products"><strong><big>Product Services and Advantages</big></strong></a> <ul> <li>Excellent Customer Service</li> <li>Six week turn around time</li> <li>Will process small or large lots</li> <li>Feedback on skins sent to us for processing</li> <li>Use skin ID tags to assure identity of your skins</li> <li>Advice on color choices</li> <li>Color consistency</li> <li>Ability to match unique colors given some lead time</li> <li>Aniline Finish</li> <li>Leather softeners that cant be beat</li> <li>Honest and Fair Business Dealings</li> <li>Competitive Pricing</li> <li>Help in finding leather goods manufacturers who will work with your leather</li> </ul> <p>WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?</p> <p>When skins are received at our plant, they are immediately checked in and recorded on a Receiving Document. This document is a complete inventory of your shipment and includes an evaluation of the skin quality and any defects such as feather pecking, bruising, cuts, holes, etc. Each ostrich skin is assigned a number and any notations will be made and related to that ID number. After the complete shipment is inventoried, you will soon receive a copy of the receiving document along with all the notations, a copy of our Color Chart, and a letter explaining our procedures and time frame.</p> <p><a href="slphome.htm#hometop"><small>Back to Top</small></a></p> <p><a name="Contacts"><strong><big>Contact Information</big></strong></a></p> <p><strong><big>Street Address</big></strong><br> <big>2135 Industrial Park Road Boone, IA 50036</big></p> <p><strong><big>Email Address</big></strong><br> <a href="mailto:specialtyleather@opencominc.com"><big>specialtyleather@opencominc.com</big></a></p> <p><strong><big>Office Phone</big> <big>Number</big><br> </strong><big>515-433-0176</big></p> <p><strong><big>Office Fax Number</big><br> </strong><big>515-433-4434</big></p> <p><a href="slphome.htm#hometop"><small>Back to Top</small></a></p> <p><a name="Shipping"><strong><big>Hide Preservation & Shipping Information</big></strong></a> <ol> <li>Scrape flesh and fat after skinning. Scrape off as much fat as you can before salting, as the salt will not penetrate the fat, and the skin in that spot will not be preserved. (<u>Fleshing tips</u>)</li> <li>Cool down skin in 5 gallons of cold salt brine containing 1 capful of bleach for approximately one hour. Add salt to water the night before until no more salt will dissolve.</li> <li>Lay skin feather side (grain side) down on a slanted surface that has been covered with salt and salt the skin making sure that all edges are salted. (About 10 lbs. salt per skin). Lay the second skin on top of the first and repeat the salting process.</li> <li>The skin(s) will drain for four to five days and your slanted surface will allow the water to run away from the skin(s). You will see the drainage slow. When this occurs, shake the old salt from the skin and spread new salt on the flesh side. Fold the skin flesh side to the inside. Place the hide bundle in a double walled paper bag, such as a feed bag then that bag in heavy plastic bag, and then into a box for shipping. Enclose your Name, Address, Phone No., FAX, e-mail etc. inside of a plastic bag (ziplock bag is good). You can also tape envelope with shipping and contact instructions to the outside of the box.</li> </ol> <p>        <a href="faq.htm#frozen">(See the FAQ on shipping frozen hides in Summer and Winter.)</a></p> <p><a href="slphome.htm#hometop"><small>Back to Top</small></a></p> <p><a name="Fleshing"><big><strong>Fleshing</strong></big></a></p> <font SIZE="3"><p>Fleshing knives</p> <p>Fleshing knives are available through many "taxidermy" supply houses. They are blades with handles on both ends, curved, with a right angle edge on the concave side, and a beveled edge on the convex side. Power rotary knives can be used as well and are used in many slaughter facilities for preparing the carcass, and are more expensive. A type of fleshing tool can be made from wood, curved and beveled to form a tapered edge. Use a good piece of hard wood as your home made knife will need to stand up to the rigor of the task. For more information in fleshing knives, call Specialty Leather Processors at (515) 433-0176.</p> <p> Fleshing tips <ol> <li>Set up a "beam" that has a crown, slanted down and away from you, with the high side toward you about waist high, and the low side supported by a stationary object (wall or post). This "beam might be a butt end of a large telephone pole, a tree trunk, a 55 gallon drum, plastic drum, etc. Use anything that will give you a crowned surface to work on.</li> <li>Lay the skin on the beam with the neck away from you and the tail folded over the end of the beam near you.</li> <li>Put on your plastic apron or plastic pants and gloves.</li> <li>Holding the skin securely between your body and the "beam", scrape the fat from the skin, using the concave side of the fleshing knife with the "right angled" edge, pushing the fleshing knife away from you, down on the skin. Use the convex side with beveled edge only when you need to cut as you do in the wing area.</li> <li>You will notice that on the crown (central quill area) of the ostrich skin, there is a membrane under the thick layer of fat through which you can see the fat pockets behind each large feather. Do not remove this membrane, but try to remove most of the fat above it.</li> <li>Work your way toward the wings and neck. Do not spend a lot of time on the wings. If you get most of it off the wings, the tannery will do the rest.</li> </ol> <p>The tail section that you were using at first to hold the skin still needs to be fleshed. Turn the skin around with this tail section on the beam, and scrape with very little downward pressure. Flesh only to the membrane. Because the direction of the feather root is opposite to the direction you are fleshing in this tail section, it is easy to make holes in the quills. You will soon discover how far to go. Skins from feather pecked birds and skins with feathers remaining in the area will almost always have holes develop behind a few quills</font></p> <p align="center"><img src="_vti_bin/fpcount.exe/?Page=index.html|Image=1" alt="Hit Counter"></p> <h5>Copyright © Specialty Leather Processors. All rights reserved.<br> Revised: November 26, 2006.</h5> </body>