The final big hilt drop of the year, and I wanted to make it special. I’ve been dwelling on a holiday hilt since fall started. The laminated wool ones last year were fun but I wanted something new, something different. Introducing the English Calf Hilt. You might be asking yourself, what does this have to do with the holidays? This is a really special leather, based on an ancient Russian reindeer leather. A little too on those nose? Perhaps.
A batch of this leather was sunk in a shipwreck and sat under the ocean for over 200 years before being recovered by divers. The tanning process and treatments it was given allowed it to survive unscathed. Truly incredible. Now in modern times, a tannery in the UK has taken up reproducing this beautiful cross hatched leather. Pit tanning for over a year in a variety tree oils gives the leather and incredible aroma and water resistance. The moment you open the package you’ll know. It has a wonderful smell not unlike a campfire. It’s smoky and earthy and the crosshatch is both beautiful to look at and excellent in the hand.