About
Gaucho is a color variant of Unicorn Elk leather produced by Charles F. Stead. It is one of six colors in the Unicorn Elk range, which also includes Bronze, Leaf, Polo Brown, Shingle, and Black. The leather is made from Scandinavian elk hides that were originally tanned in a Finnish tannery during the 1970s and later rediscovered and finished to this limited color range.
About
Gaucho is a color variant of Unicorn Elk leather produced by Charles F. Stead. It is one of six colors in the Unicorn Elk range, which also includes Bronze, Leaf, Polo Brown, Shingle, and Black. The leather is made from Scandinavian elk hides that were originally tanned in a Finnish tannery during the 1970s and later rediscovered and finished to this limited color range.
Gaucho shares the distinctive characteristics of Unicorn Elk leather, including natural grain patterns marked by life in the Arctic wilderness. The color name follows C.F. Stead's practice of using reference names rather than traditional color descriptors, and Gaucho is also used as a color designation for the tannery's Kudu leather offerings.
Material origin
Gaucho Unicorn Elk is produced from selected hides of Scandinavian elk, which are moose from the Cervus genus and part of the deerskin family. The source hides come from Finland and Norway, where the animals live in Arctic Circle conditions.
The leather's origins trace to a Finnish tannery located in the Arctic Circle that operated during the 1970s. Full-grain elk skins were tanned to a crusted state at this now-closed facility. The crusted skins were later discovered in an old tannery storeroom and subsequently dyed and oiled to create the current limited range of six colors, including Gaucho.
Specifications
Gaucho Unicorn Elk leather measures between 1.6mm and 2.2mm in thickness, depending on the specific hide. Individual skins range from 12 to 18 square feet in size. The leather receives a chrome tannage and is sold as sides, or half hides.
The weight specification is 4.5 to 5 ounces, which corresponds to the 1.8 to 2mm thickness range. These measurements place the leather in the heavy-weight category suitable for footwear construction.
Characteristics
The leather presents a full-bodied, heavy-weight construction with the distinctive grain character associated with elk. Each hide displays natural markings, scars, and imperfections acquired during the animal's life in Arctic wilderness conditions. This results in no two skins being identical.
The texture is dense yet notably soft to touch. Gaucho Unicorn Elk is comfortable and supple immediately upon use while maintaining durability. The leather receives a natural wax finish that retains and enhances its full character, creating what C.F. Stead describes as a lifestyle leather.
Applications
The leather is ideally suited to unlined boot construction, where its supple nature and natural finish provide immediate comfort. Heritage footwear manufacturers including Parkhurst Brand use Gaucho Unicorn Elk, with Parkhurst marketing it under the designation "Gaucho Moose" in models including The Allen and The Richmond. Oak Street Bootmakers and Crown Northampton also incorporate the leather in their premium footwear offerings.
References
"Unicorn Elk Leather: Discover the Unique Collection by Charles F. Stead". TXTURE Boots. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
"C.F. Stead Tannery". Crown Northampton. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
"Waxed Elk (Moose)". Charles F Stead and Co Ltd. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
"CF Stead Waxed Elk Leather". The Tannery Row. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
"Parkhurst The Allen in C. F. Stead Gaucho Moose". Patina Project. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
