We use leather sourced from Hermann Oak, a USA based tannery in St. Louis, Missouri. They've been in business since 1881 and the leather they produce is considered some of the finest. Vegetable tanning uses tree bark extracts (oak, chestnut, hemlock) and takes 4-6 weeks to tan a hide. Using natural ingredients ensures your dog won't have reactions to the leather and that it will last. The English Bridle leather that we use goes a step further, infusing additional oils and waxes into the leather for old fashioned durability and the ability to stand up to any weather condition.

I make saddles as a hobby and copper rivets are the only metal fasteners used by the excellent craftsmen I learned from. There are alternatives, but no one can argue that a copper rivet isn't the strongest. And they look super cool!

We use a UV laser. UV lasers are different than the common diode or CO2 lasers with leather in that they don't use heat to 'burn in' the letters. The result is a clean engraving with great resolution.

Yup. Brass is super strong. But to add to that, over time it's classic beauty develops a patina that will be unique to your piece. If you like the classic look of leather and brass, you are in for a treat over time as it gets better and better.

The simple answer is no. The Hermann Oak veg tanned bridle leather that we used was literally made to be used in weather. It might seem counterintuitive but water is not the enemy of quality leather. Three of our Livestock Guardian dogs are outside 24/7, 365 days a year and their collars hold up just fine.

That's a simple job. We recommend maybe twice a year doing a decent cleaning with a tiny bit of mild soap and warm water. Follow that with a leather conditioner and your leather collars and leads will last a lifetime.