Then -vs- Now...who'd a thought

Reading the post about American auto plants being shut down because of problems with parts suppliers from overseas got me to thinking. I picked up new leather belts Monday for my lathe and drill press and was told something I had never thought about. I titled this post like I did because what I was told is happening is a direct consequense of the way things are done nowdays vs the way they used to be done in years past.

What I was told is that good, thick leather belting is getting hard to find. The belt for my drill press is only 3/16 thick and, fortunately was obtainable in that thickness as a single layer. The one for my lathe is only 1/4 thick but to get it it had to be made in two layers. This is all due to the way modern cows are being raised and bulked up so fast nowdays to get them to market ASAP. In years past a cow would usually have 'some age' on it before getting taken to slaughter but that isn't the case anymore. The guy at the belt supplier told me that the average age of cows that they are getting their hides from anymore is only 6 months old. As a result of being taken at such a young age their hide hasn't had the chance to get really thick like it did in years past. Used to be, the guy said, that single thickness leather belts above 1/4 thickness were readily available but nowdays it's very rare to find. Too he said it is killing their ability to fill orders for round leather belting over a certain diameter because the hides simply aren't thick enough to cut them out of.

Granted I know this isn't some major catastrophy or anything but it is one of those things where the "new' way of doing things in one area creates problems in other areas that we really woundn't think about until faced with the problem created.

Now, how many of you can name something being done nowdays differently than in years past, that is having unintended consequenses on something else at least semi related, that you wouldn't expect. Understand here and now I'm not looking for this to turn into some political post and get deleted. What I'm looking for, what I am really curious about, are legitimate problems being caused nowdays by changes in the way things are being done Now -vs- Then

The airplanes of the '20s and '30s often used Sitka spruce for the wing spars. Sitka spruce had an extraordinary strength-to-weight ratio, and was ideal for that application, given the rather anemic power-to-weight performance of airplane engines of the time. Unfortunately, the best spar material, and the only stuff that was suitable for wing spars, was that with very tight growth rings, which meant old-growth trees, because second-growth trees grew too fast and produced a coarse ring pattern. Since Sitka spruce also had applications in furniture, construction and musical instruments, the old-growth stands were rapidly depleted. You can still find it, but it's very expensive.

That sounds nuts to me they kill lots of old cattle every day. Very few cattle would be slaughtered at 180 days, most aren't even weaned yet.

You need to find someone smarter to buy belting from, if he thinks "cows" are 6 months old when slaughtered. Cows, whether dairy or beef, are about 2 YEARS old when they have their FIRST calf, and they are not disposed of then. Before that they are heifers. Dairy cows may be in the herd for 5-10 years, beef cows way longer. Steers are well over a year old when they are slaughtered for meat, whether dairy or beef steers, and depending on the feeding program they were on, may very well be two years old. Female bovines do not reach estrus (when they are breedable) until well over a year of age, so how can they be a "cow" at six months of age? Our ignorant public thinks anything bigger than a pig, with four hooves, no matter the gender, is a "cow". Do all of us dairy and beef farmers a favor, and instruct him of the idiotic misinformation he is spreading. If ignorance is bliss, he should be ecstatic!

Fred - I'm not trying to argue, but what makes "second growth" trees grow faster than the "old growth" trees?

I know nothing about the timber industry.

Paul

X 2

You belt supplier is full of hot air. Lots of old beef and dairy cows killed that are 6 plus years old.

There are various grades of leather. calf skin, rawhide, old cow, horse etc. just like people, some have thicker skin than others, but, most leather is bonded. ie glued together. Ever take a good look at old horse harness. Some of it is half inch thick, and you can even see the stitches where they are sewn together. Strong as well, could pull a truck or tractor out of a stuck position. Oh, by the way, leather belting is often bonded to achieve the thickness required. Talk to another supplier.

Got me to wondering, WHAT ABOUT BUFFALO LEATHER?
Is it used in the same product markets as cow hide, horse hide etc??? Just wondering. Nice subject matter. Regards LOU.

this explains it
better than I can

Six mounth old COW. At that age they are just of nursing the cow. Your guy is full of wild stories. I can get leather in different thichness at the local harness shop.

The reality is that there is no demand for raw leather in the US. Almost all tanning and leather goods manufacturing is done overseas. My guess is your supplier is getting his leather from China, and he takes what he can get. Probably very little thick leather is imported.

I just went with a 2" wide strip of standard corded 1/4" belting on my lathe. Made it up at work. Figured it would last my lifetime. The next generation won't have any need for it. Most won't know what a lathe is let along an old flat belt drive South Bend.

Six months old would be a heifer or steer calf or maybe a bull calf. A cow is an old mamma with a thick hide that varies in thickness by breed. A lot of old mamma cows are slaughtered too. Jim

I agree,you ought to find someone smarter to buy your belts from.I think he made up a story to get a higher price for his belt or to cover up the fact that he didnt have any in stock.

He's feeding you a line of shut!!!

Just curious, What city did you buy from?

A thin skinned cow or steer. Better be careful what you say around those or you will hurt their feelings.

Brother feel in a vat at the tannery that soaks the incoming hides from rail cars. They pulled him out right away, ripped off his clothes and hosed him off. The hides swell up and get real blubbery and are then sent to the slicing machine where they take many layers from one hide. They also make the hides blue or pink or yellow or whatever color you desire. When they had visitors from various companies that buy their hides they all had to get down on their knees and scrub the place spotless. Work in a tannery isn't all it's cracked up to be.

You've just been fed a truckload of sh!t. Animals today are younger but they're a lot older than 6 months...
Add to that... there are any number of old cows going to slaughter all the time. Should not be hard to find a hide from a 10 year old beef cow if that's what was needed... More likely scenario is that your belt supplier simply isn't willing to pay the price to get what he needs so his suppliers send the 'good' stuff elsewhere.

Rod

About 15 years ago, a sales person from a seal
and packing company, Trostel co., in Milwaukee,
told me that good thick leather for pump
leathers, and piston cups was getting harder to
find...that it previously came from Russia, that
had lots of work horse, but even Russia was
phaseing out work horses.

They get more sun, mostly. The old-growth trees grow in the shade of the older trees.

Hey Wayne,
I have some nice ocean front lots in Arizona. You can have your pick of them, and I will throw the boat in for free.
You been had big time!
Tom

Thanks Fred and Sid for the replies. Good reading on the link. This is something I should have known, but had never really thought much about.

Paul

Just one issue I have with that link. Forest fires are not exclusively caused by people. I'd guess more are caused by lightning than people.

Theres a tannery in Hartland Maine.There are plenty of hides from US cattle .Years ago a lot of hides came from Africa.

Did a search,There are 780 tanneries and leather finishing companies in the US.9 in Maine 75 in Texas 94 in CA.I do a bit of leather work.I never had any problem finding leather.