S.B. Foot Excalibur

The leather features a polishable surface treated with Wet Stuff Retain, a moisture-retention process that enhances the leather's water resistance and suppleness, resulting in a smooth texture with a slight waxy feeling. Available in colorways including Black Cherry, Cigar, and Black, Excalibur develops rich undertones and patina through wear, making it popular among boot enthusiasts who value leather that ages visibly over time.

Excalibur is manufactured using an oil-tanning process that produces full-grain leather with a firm temper. The leather typically measures 5-6 ounces in thickness, positioning it as a medium-weight leather suitable for footwear construction. The oil-tanning process contributes to the leather's durability and resistance to water and perspiration.

The semi-aniline finish provides a protective layer while maintaining the natural grain patterns of the hide. This finishing technique allows the leather to develop patina while offering more protection than pure aniline leather. The finish is applied to achieve a medium to bright luster that can be maintained through polishing.

One of the defining characteristics of Excalibur is its pullup effect, where the leather lightens in color when bent or stretched due to the oils within the leather redistributing. This visual effect becomes more pronounced with use and is considered desirable by leather goods enthusiasts.

Excalibur's primary application is in Red Wing Heritage footwear, where it appears in several classic styles including the 6-inch Classic Moc (style 8847) in Black Cherry. The leather is selected for heritage boot construction due to its balance of durability and comfort. It offers a softer break-in experience compared to more rigid leathers like Featherstone while maintaining sufficient structure for footwear applications.

Beyond Red Wing's own production, Excalibur is available to leatherworkers through authorized distributors. The leather's characteristics make it suitable for various leather goods including belts, bags, wallets, and other accessories where full-grain oil-tanned leather is appropriate. The 5-6 ounce weight makes it particularly well-suited for items requiring both durability and flexibility.

The Goodyear welt construction used in Red Wing Heritage boots made with Excalibur allows for resoling, extending the functional life of footwear made with this leather. This construction method, combined with Excalibur's durability, contributes to the long service life associated with Red Wing Heritage products.

As an oil-tanned leather with a polishable finish, Excalibur responds well to regular conditioning with leather care products designed for oil-tanned leathers. The Wet Stuff Retain treatment provides inherent water resistance, though the leather benefits from periodic application of conditioning oils or creams to maintain suppleness. Conditioning every three to six months, or more frequently with heavy use, helps preserve the leather's characteristics and promotes even patina development.

Polishing Excalibur can enhance its luster and provide additional protection to the surface. The semi-aniline finish accepts polish readily, allowing users to restore or increase shine as desired. Areas that develop scuffs or scratches can often be improved through conditioning and polishing, as the oils in the leather help minimize the appearance of minor surface damage. Light brushing with a horsehair brush before conditioning helps remove surface dirt and prepares the leather for treatment.

The leather should be allowed to dry naturally if exposed to significant moisture, avoiding direct heat sources that could cause the leather to dry out or crack. Once dried, reconditioning helps restore oils that may have been displaced by water exposure. For footwear, cedar shoe trees help maintain shape during the drying process and absorb residual moisture.

S.B. Foot Tanning Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Red Wing Shoes Company, manufactures Excalibur at its Red Wing, Minnesota facility. The tannery has supplied leather to Red Wing's shoe manufacturing plants for over a century, developing proprietary leather formulations specifically for Red Wing's heritage and work boot lines.

Excalibur is produced as part of S.B. Foot's smooth-finished and oil-tanned leather collection, which includes other varieties such as Portage, Prairie, and Boundary. The tannery's production methods combine traditional tanning techniques with modern quality control processes. Hides are graded after tanning, with Excalibur typically offered in Tannery Run quality, which includes a mix of standard and premium grade hides.

The leather is sold both directly to Red Wing's manufacturing operations and through authorized leather suppliers to independent leatherworkers. This dual distribution approach allows S.B. Foot to maintain Red Wing Heritage as its primary customer while supporting the broader leather crafting community.