Shinki Dark Cherry Oiled Horsebutt

Shinki Hikaku, founded in 1951, is the only tannery globally to specialize exclusively in horse leather production. The tannery's integrated production process, which takes up to ten months from raw European hides to finished leather, combines vegetable tanning with oil treatment to create the distinctive characteristics of this material.

Dark Cherry Oiled Horsebutt exhibits the structural properties characteristic of horsehide from the animal's rear quarter. The leather can be produced in weights over 50 percent higher than regular boot leathers, resulting in a notably thick material with a smooth, heavy feel and firm body that resists wear. The grain is tougher than cowhide, providing superior abrasion resistance while developing character through use.

The horsehide grain is denser than cowhide, contributing to added durability and resistance to damage. Despite being thinner than cowhide in overall thickness, the grain side of horsehide proves sturdier while maintaining suppleness and light weight. The fibers in horse's rear quarters are more compressed than those found in steer hide, contributing to the leather's structural integrity.

Horsebutt leather commonly displays faint stripes, and some hides develop a distinctive honeycomb pattern of wrinkles. These characteristics are natural variations in the hide and contribute to each piece's unique appearance. The leather is more flexible and breathable than shell cordovan, making it suitable for footwear applications where comfort and movement are priorities.

The production of Dark Cherry Oiled Horsebutt begins with raw horse hides imported from Europe, sourced from well-regulated regions with high animal welfare standards. The hides come from horses processed for the food industry. Shinki Hikaku handles the entire production sequence from raw hide to finished leather through its integrated facility in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.

The complete tanning process requires ten months, beginning with two months of submersion in tanning pits. The tannery employs mimosa tannage using bark and water imported from Australia. During this stage, each hide undergoes extended baths lasting months with mechanical agitation to ensure thorough penetration of tanning agents. The hides lose approximately 30 percent of their volume through shrinkage during processing.

The vegetable tanning process firms up the leather fibers, after which a light chrome treatment adds toughness to the material. This combination tanning approach creates the foundation for the leather's durability characteristics. The hides then undergo three to four months of natural drying before advancing to the finishing stages.

The finishing process incorporates multiple steps including milling and tumbling to bring out the grain, dyeing to achieve the dark cherry coloration, oil application, skiving, sanding, and final leather finishing. The oils and waxes worked into the leather during finishing provide the signature density, smoothness, and durability associated with Shinki's oiled leather products.

The Dark Cherry coloration distinguishes this variant from other Shinki Oiled Horsebutt offerings. The deep cherry red tone is achieved through Shinki Hikaku's dyeing processes during the finishing stages of production. This color choice is exclusive to John Lofgren and not available to other manufacturers working with Shinki Hikaku leather.

The oiled finish gives the leather an oily to the touch quality, feeling soft and slightly worn-in from the start. The oil content exceeds 15 percent of the leather's weight, with the oil infusion reinforcing the fibers and making them resistant to cracking, splitting, or hardening. This treatment contributes to the leather's exceptional durability and its resistance to water, stains, and perspiration.

The finish features pronounced grain that becomes more accentuated through the combination of vegetable tanning and oil treatment. Shinki's aniline finish allows the natural grain to remain visible, showing characteristic blemishes, veins, bites and scratches that are inherent to aniline-finished leather. The finish produces a polished luster with less waxy feeling compared to horsebutt leather from other tanneries.

John Lofgren Bootmaker applies Dark Cherry Oiled Horsebutt in multiple boot models from their production line. The Devil's Causeway Engineer Boot, developed as a collaboration between John Lofgren and Standard & Strange, uses this leather as a signature material. The Wabash Engineer Boots are also produced in Dark Cherry Oiled Horsebutt, providing customers with another style option in this exclusive leather.

The leather may exhibit slight initial stiffness when new, but it swiftly molds and conforms to the foot's shape, providing exceptional comfort after the break-in period. The material's combination of flexibility and structural integrity makes it suitable for engineer boot construction, which requires leather capable of maintaining shape while allowing necessary movement.

John Lofgren boots using this leather incorporate Japanese steel shanks, British Goodyear welting, and finishing details characteristic of the maker's production standards. The dark cherry color provides a distinctive visual alternative to more common black, brown, and natural leather options typically available in heritage engineer boots.

Vegetable-tanned horsebutt leather proves highly accepting of patina development. The dark cherry leather ages quickly compared to many other boot leathers, developing the characteristics valued by heritage footwear enthusiasts. The much larger and more uneven grain pattern compared to cowhide creates unique aging characteristics as the leather accumulates wear.

Friction from regular wear, combined with cleaning and conditioning, adds luster to the entire leather surface over time. Areas experiencing heavy wear develop more pronounced shine, while the overall appearance darkens and gains depth. The leather's initial matte appearance gradually transforms as oils from handling and care products interact with the leather's surface.

The aniline finish allows the natural grain to patina visibly, with the leather developing a beautiful appearance that becomes more attractive with age. Lines and wrinkles that emerge through use are distinct characteristics of oiled horsebutt leather, with each pair developing a unique pattern based on the wearer's movement patterns and boot care practices. The vegetable tanning process produces particularly sturdy and durable leather that maintains structural integrity while developing patina.