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Buffalo Jackson Trading Co. Leather Sunglass Straps Review – $27.95

Buffalo Jackson Trading Company is all about the American values and style which any rugged gentleman would have. Their Leather Sunglass Straps in medium whiskey is a clean stylish way to keep any guy looking effortlessly cool, even in a wind tunnel.

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CONSTRUCTION

These medium-sized sunglass straps are made with a single strip of 100% full grain cowhide measuring 15 ½ inches long and 7/8 of an inch wide. On the outside, the Buffalo Jackson logo is proudly center displayed in bold capital letters. On the inside, there is a thin layer of pigskin lining glued and sewn together with dark brown nylon stitching which travels along the entire border of the strap. A debossed stamp on the inside declares its country of origin as “Old Mexico” which must mean… Mexico. The leather smells fantastic like a good piece of leather should.

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FUNCTION

These straps do what they’re supposed to do. They keep your sunglasses on your neck. The strap wraps relatively close to most heads with about a 2-inch margin of free space. I much prefer this than to those cotton or nylon lanyard straps that flop way back and irritate your neck. On maximum pull between my two hands, there is very little stretch which is likely due to the pigskin lining. When putting the straps onto my basic Ralph Lauren sunglasses, they hold on to the arms well with good snug tension and don’t fall off even if I swing the sunglasses around a bit. They do come off easily enough with a little force. I haven’t used it long enough to test the long-term stretch of these straps but the pigskin seems like a very tight no-stretch lining so I am going to assume these will last longer than my glasses.

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AESTHETIC

The look of these straps holds true to the rugged gentleman goals of Buffalo Jackson. The width and large branding of this leather will keep these straps for the more casual outing to the beach, hiking, or fishing, whereas I see the slimmer Elkton strap on the website better suited for the polo or golf game. The colors of the nylon, pigskin, and leather are all near identical and the leather will lend itself to some pretty sweet patina overtime through rain, sweat, and hand oils. This strap is “Whiskey” color and there is a darker “Dark Walnut” option as well.

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BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

The Buffalo Jackson Trading Co. Leather Sunglass Strap is a good buy at $27.95 for those looking for a versatile go-to strap. With minimal care, this casual accessory will definitely last a while and look better with abuse. Pick the XL size for Rayban Wayfarers or other XL sunglasses.

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Orox Leather Co. Proletariat Hat Review – $70.00

From the makers of the Medicus Dopp and iPad Sleeve 2 & Air comes the one-of-a-kind Proletariat Hat by Orox Leather Co. In a world (and a leather review blog) of leather bags, wallets, belts, and shoes, a casual leather hat is not the easiest thing to find but a quality leather hat is practically nonexistent. Luckily for us, Orox Leather Co. has put together a hat using a little bit of history, a good amount of hard handwork, and a whole lot of quality materials.

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CONSTRUCTION

All Orox goods are handmade in Portland Oregon. Like the iPad Sleeve and Medicus Dopp, the leather found on the brim and double ring adjustment strap on the back is the classic oil tanned full grain leather from Minnesota. The front strap is full grain English Bridle leather from Pennsylvania dyed to the same color as the brim. The front strap has the Orox debossed logos subtlety pressed on the sides and both front and adjustment straps are held into place by genuine copper rivets. The shell of the hat is waterproof waxed canvas from New Jersey.

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FUNCTION

The term “proletariat” is thought to have been first been used in the Roman times during their census taking to describe the working or labor class of citizens. Appropriately, this hat has a utilitarian and versatile design. The waterproof canvas protects in the rain and doubles as an emergency water bowl for your dog according to the website. I tested this second part out with my friend’s dog. I couldn’t get the dog to drink, but the hat did hold water. The most superficial layer of the canvas did get wet but it clearly did not soak through. Just don’t think about putting the hat immediately back on if you were to use it as a water bowl. The relatively flat shape of the top allows you to flip the hat on a table to also act as a valet for holding your keys, wallet, and phone when you’ve gotten home after a long day. This hat is also one size “fits most” for heads measuring 22-24’’ in circumference by adjusting the leather strip in the back.

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AESTHETIC

I recently did a quick Google image and eBay search for “leather” + “hat.” I found that you can easily get a Stetson cowboy hat, an urban streetwear baseball cap, or a biker hat in leather. But unless I want to look like I’m from Texas, in a music video, riding a motorcycle, or into some weird S&M stuff, there’s no good option out there. Fortunately this proletariat hat works both functionally and aesthetically. It looks like a mix of a cadet cap, Stetson cap, and a newsy cap so it definitely works with a casual everyday outfit and to be honest, it would also work in Texas, in a music video, on a motorcycle, and… well you get the picture. It also looks great on men (selfie texted and approved) and women (evidence below). The hat also comes in Black/Black, Brown/Brown, and Gray/Black.

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BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

The Orox Leather Co. Proletariat Hat is fairly priced at $70. Comparatively, leather Stetson’s range run in the hundreds and waxed canvas hats usually start around $40-$50. If you love hats, waxed canvas, or leather, this is a great collectible yet wearable item.

 

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Matoirs Vintage Style Tooled Women’s Bag Review – $197

Here’s a review of a beautiful piece that caught my eye from a designer and leatherworker on etsy from Australia. Melanie Hudson of Matoirs Leather Products has been selling handmade and hand tooled leather bags for about 2 years now but working with leather since she was very young, assisting her father binding leather books. Her etsy shop features vintage style handbags that are hand tooled or hand painted with detail and rich beautiful colors. Continue reading “Matoirs Vintage Style Tooled Women’s Bag Review – $197”