Wickett & Craig Ash Grey Traditional Harness

The leather is manufactured at Wickett & Craig's facility in Curwensville, Pennsylvania. The vegetable tanning process uses tree bark tannins and takes 14 days to complete. Ash Grey Traditional Harness is available in multiple weight options ranging from 2.5-3 oz. to 9-11 oz., making it suitable for equestrian gear, high-end accessories, and leather goods.

The manufacturing of Ash Grey Traditional Harness follows the standard Wickett & Craig vegetable tanning process that the company has maintained since its founding in 1867. The process begins with vegetable tanning using tree bark tannins over a 14-day period, allowing the vegetable tannins to fully penetrate and preserve the leather.

The leather then undergoes hot stuffing, where it is infused with an exclusive blend of waxes, oils, and tallows to bring out the beauty of the leather and its natural grain. This hot stuffing process adds conditioning agents throughout the leather that contribute to its aging characteristics.

The defining step is jack glazing, an ancient traditional technique where the leather surface is beaten by a glass roll. Through this glazing process, oils are brought to the surface to create a glossy finish that preserves the leather's natural grain pattern. The back side is refinished in gray with gum paste, creating a waxy, smooth texture.

Ash Grey Traditional Harness exhibits the glossy top grain surface characteristic of all Traditional Harness leathers. The leather shows marbling with light and dark gray tones distributed across the hide, a natural result of the jack glazing process that varies from hide to hide. This marbling distinguishes Traditional Harness from more uniformly colored leathers.

The leather maintains a firm texture while preserving the natural grain pattern of the hide. The vegetable tanning process using natural tannins creates a leather that develops patina over time, with the gray color deepening and gaining character through natural use. Fine hairline marks may appear from the glazing process and can be buffed back using a dry cloth and neutral cream while rolling the grain surface over.

The conditioning agents from the hot stuffing process remain in the leather, allowing it to age beautifully without requiring extensive additional care. The gray-colored gum pasted back side provides additional versatility for applications where both sides of the leather may be visible.

Ash Grey Traditional Harness is available in multiple weight options: 2.5-3 oz., 3.5-4 oz., 4.5-5 oz., 5.5-6 oz., and 9-11 oz. The leather is sold in #1 and #2 grade, representing the least imperfections and highest quality selections from each tannage. Average side sizes measure 24-27 square feet, while average back sizes measure 18-20 square feet.

The leather can be split to lower weights for various leather goods applications beyond the standard weight options. Custom refinishing services are available for specialized requirements. The vegetable tanning process creates a firm leather that maintains strength even at thinner weights, making it suitable for stamping and tooling.

Ash Grey Traditional Harness is suitable for equestrian gear including bridles, reins, and harness straps, the original purpose for which the leather was developed. The neutral gray color provides a distinctive alternative to traditional brown leather tones for equestrian applications.

When split to lower weights, the leather becomes equally suitable for leather goods including belts, bags, wallets, purses, journal covers, and shoulder straps. The gray color offers versatility for contemporary accessories and high-end leather goods. The leather is also used for dog collars and other applications requiring durable, attractive leather that develops character with age.

The glossy finish and marbled appearance make Ash Grey Traditional Harness particularly suitable for items where the leather's surface will be prominently displayed. The ability to stamp and tool the leather surface allows for decorative applications requiring detailed work.