When using leather I never use copper nail or rivets. Here is why, leather wears away and leaves the caps for the horn to wear upon.

Jaye,

I can't disagree or agree with you because "leather " is such a broad term, by that I mean animal hides are tanned (made into leather by so many different chemicals) that one type of leather may disintegrate in contact with cu and another may tolerate it very well. Most horseshoe pads are made of "vegetable tanned " process, that alone encompasses hundreds of chemicals from the "natural" world ,ie oak, chestnut,hemlock etc. and then the chrome (heavy metal) process.

Copper on the other hand is chemically cu. nothing more,
In the past cu rivets and nails were commonly and satisfactorily used by many farriers /horseshoers/ etc. . Because cu. has remained the same, I would think that perhaps the "leather" you are using has changed , just a thought in the process, what do you think?

Regards

Ray Steele


PS it's probably the Jame.....Bushmills

Jaye, I think pad leather changed about 10-12 years ago. Been using galvanized nails ever since without any concerns. I'm using up my leftover copper nails in plastic exclusively or making "penny welds". Don't make any money on those pesky "call backs" when those cu rivets fail.

By the way Ray, your leather has been a pleasure to work with this year. How much do you have left?

Brian,

found about 20 more bends and about 400 # of butts. So I have maybe 50 bends in x heavy +

Regards

Ray Steele

brian robertson wrote: Leather is a good tool, I use quite often. I just don't use Cu or galvinized nails when applying with a shoe. The pic is of a shoe pulled off today and had float the heel because the leather weather away from the copper cap.

I've got to do a couple tommorow that Ray was so kind to supply the leather /plastic for last month.

Jaye,

I too have not experienced the problem you illustrated. I put a lot of leather on a lot of horses but your experience has not been mine. I hope it never is.

Rick Burten wrote: The picture of the shoe is not one of mine, it was a horse that I was called in on because he was lame. Plastic is where i used copper nails.

I've never had a problem with copper and leather pads. But I'm a bit of a pad snob. I only use Ray Steele's leather pads. IMHO everything else is substandard. Come to think of it, I only use RayGuang shoes or hand made shoes made with bar stock I bought from Ray Steele. If somebody made a better product I would switch in a heartbeat. If you want the good stuff, you've got to pay for it.

P.S. Ray, do I get discount on my next order?

Tom,

I had a shoeing customer use that word "discount " a few weeks ago, I've heard it before and one of these days I going to look it up in the dictionary, but I'll say the same to you as I said to that shoeing customer, "i was thinking "bonus". on on my part".

Thanks for the kind words, and please let me know if the products do not meet your high standards.

regards

Ray