Ancol collars in our local pet shop, described as "hand-crafted bridle leather" cost between £5 - £7. However, the on-line suppliers mentioned on here, similarly described, seem to be around £18 - £20. I want good quality new collars for my dogs, but can I really justify paying so much more? Please share your experiences! :) :) :)

There is no compariosn with the quality.  I am familiar with the Acolade Leathercaraft ones.  The other company Hide and collars seem to be more expensive, but they do more ornamental ones.

Quality in what respect please? The actual leather, or the type of buckles, etc.? Thanks.

As an accessory retailer myself i can understand your confusion about the prices when they seem to be the same however, you will find that collars made by large companies such as ancol etc are hand finished and not really 'hand made' smaller companies who specialise in leather products tend to be cut, sewn and finished completely by hand. This process takes longer so costs more but i think the attention to detail speaks for itself.

Both collars will perform equally as well but in my experience a good quality collar is worth paying a little more for as they only get better with age.

If its the cost you find hard to justify just think of it like this.. a £20 collar could last your dogs lifetime if looked after, and £20 for something they wear 24/7 over those years can only be a couple of pounds per year... nothing really. (that's how i justified the expensive collar i bought my eldest last month lol)

hth, Rox

Thanks, Rox - so where did you buy yours from, dare I ask?

No problem, the collar i bought him is one i retail myself - i wouldnt want to break forum rules by posting our link so ive emailed you.

Rox :)

hey, i recently bought a collar from a & e collars.  I sent them a design and they sent me the collar within a week.  I think its really good quality and well worth the £20 i paid for it.

I have an Ancol leather collar for Barney, but he is only a pup at nearly 8 months and growing fast. I bought the current one a bit too big and paid about £7, but it is still going strong (after about 4 months) and has softened with its age. Still looks brand new when cleaned! I would consider purchasing a more expensive one if he ever stops growing!!!!!!?????? :-o

Julia

I make leather collars (leads and bridles as well).....

There are a lot of differences...

Firstly the leather quality and where it is cut from the hide. With a product like Ancols, they are mass cut, so you MAY get a collar from teh strongest part of the hide (tail end nearest the spine), you may  not, you may get one cut from the belly side nearest the neck.

This affects the stretching and strength of the collar.

'Hand-crafted' can cover quite a wide range of processes.....

Hand-STITCHED is better and thats not what Ancol or many of the other companies are selling you.

A machine stitched collar (or whatever item) is not nearly as strong as a hand stitched one, because of the way the stitching works.
Machine stitching is where the thread on the front, and the thread on the back STAY on the same side all the time, one is looped down and under the back stitch, and then goes back to the front. If you rip a stitch on this, the whole lot will unravel.

Hand stitching involves double stitching, where the threads cross over, forming a figure 8 in and out of the holes..... this means you rip a stitch, the item will NOT unravel.

also the term 'bridle leather' .... thats just leather than can be used to make bridles from. For quality leather you want to know that its English Bridle Leather..... if you buy from somewhere like  Hide and Collar, or Accolade, (*ahem* or me) then you can ask where the leather comes from... I use John Whites for the dark havana stuff, and Sedgewicks for the black (both 1st selection bridle leather butts or half butts, NEVER 2nd selection)....

lots of countries produce leather, indian and spanish leather is rubbish stuff, its often used to make cheap tack and its almost always machine stitched.

Then, on top of the quality of the leather and of course the hand stitching rather than machine stitching, and the item being cut from the best part of the hide, you have the time.

Machine stitching a twenty inch collar would take me about 4 minutes.

Hand stitching a 20 inch collar.... well, thats 12 stitches per inch, both edges stitched so 40 inches of stitching, 480 stitches and i stitch at around 2/3 stitches per minute (depending on the thickness of th leather and the suede lining, how many people phone me, how many times i need to pee/make a brew, LOL).... so that works out at it taking around about 4 hours jus to STITCH the collar, not including cutting it out, cutting the lining, edging the leather, creasing the leather, putting any fittings on, etc etc....

So, £20 for a lined leather collar, gives me considerably LESS than a 'wage' of £5 an hour!

Does the price seem more worth it now?

Em

Yes, thanks for a very comprehensive reply! :) :) :) Sounds as though you're doing a great job! I hope you get satisfaction from it, despite the low monetary reward?

I do :D

Its really nice making things outo f leather, nice material to work with, and i love it, wish id thought of doing it sooner!

Em

Ooh I can just picture it and smell the leather (she with the leather smell fettish, also love the smell of horses sweat).

Just bought 3 new round half check collars in 8mm as the 6mm ones bought 6 years ago were getting a bit weak around the stitch holes.  My first 8mm round one is as good as when I got it nearly 5 years ago. 

I either restitch it myself (you need to do this from time to time as stitching rots wit6h repeated wetting sand pulling), or if the manufacturer is at a show (like at Cheltenham the other week) then they happily do it for me, as ongoing service.

;) or you get ones made with man made threads which dont rot (doesnt look NEARLY as classy as stitched in white/yellow linen thread though!)....

My kitchen smells of leather, its ACE (yeah, i go sniff leather things).

Em

so do I :) :) :)

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Just been to the suppliers today, bought a half butt of black leather, oooooooooooh the smell in the car on the way home!!!!!

:D

Em

god i could imagine myself trying to stich a leather collar! id end up sticking the needle through my hand!!!

Its not the needles you need to worry about (they are blunt) its the awl...... which is unbelievably sharp, and you have to shove it through the leather using your thumb and forefinger on the other side to keep the leather straight....

This does usually entail nicks nad cuts in thumb and finger for a while until you get it right. Get it very wrong and yeah you coulod end up iwth a half inch blade stuck in your finger.

Someo f the other tools are even scarier though.... like the semi circular head and round knifes....hehehhee!

Em

OY!  Stop spending your time nattering on the computer and MAKE ME THAT COLLAR!!   :D
Dawn.

<smug grin> Done and in the post to you dear!

Em </smug grin>

Can anyone help please
I'm looking for some rolled leather collars.
I bought some once from one of the suppliers at a show.First time on it streched about 2 inches.
I find it very difficult to find good ones.
Has anyone any Ideas where to get some good ones from.
Thanks
Dog

Mine all wear round half checks all the time.  I bought 6mm thickness ones about 6 years ago, and when Jozi came back I bought an 8mm thickness which has lasted now for nearly five years, so when two of the thinner ones were getting worn around the stictch holes I decided to replace them with new 8mm ones all from Accolade Leathercraft, who have a website.  Others say they have been happy with Hide and Collars.

My collar from theemx has arrived!   EXCELLENT quality, I asked for it to be lined and it is, beautiful suede.  Brass fittings (cos thats what I asked for) a perfect fit too!  Well done Em, I hope your new enterprise takes off, easily as good as the collars from the other makers I have had in the past and at a VERY good price.  If anyone wants pics or wants to contact Em, pm me and I will put you in touch.
Dawn.

Brainless
Just had a look on the  Accolade site. They dont have the collars im looking for.Its the full rolled leather ones.size 22".
Dog

They do buckle round leather collar in any size you want.

If you don't see pictures what you want and they will make you whatever you want.

Brainless
Thanks I will get in touch with them.
Dog