Collection: Boot & Shoe Care Products

Most western or cowboy or work boots and shoes are made from cowhide, or cow's leather, but other animal hides have also been used, such as goat leather, bison, and pigskin, as well as ostrich leather, snake skin and crocodile or camian hide. Each of these types of leathers has its own characteristics.

The skin of larger animals such as a cow or bison is generally called a hide, and if a smaller animal (rabbit, pig) is generally called a skin. Animal hides are cured by drying, salting, freezing or with chemicals to stop deterioration. This begins a process of more than 20 tanning, dying, finishing and grading steps to produce the finished leather used to make your cowboy boots.

An animal hide has several layers. The outermost layer, just under the hair, is the most dense, and is the strongest and toughest. Full grain leather is the protective layer of the animal hide closest to the surface. It is the strongest and highest quality part of the hide, and is the best leather for saddlery, work boots or western boots, and furniture. Top grain leather is full grain leather that has been sanded and buffed at its surface to remove the imperfections.