Ask the Magic Internet a Stupid Question No. 0033

Sometimes at night I walk Mutton without her leash on. She likes to walk on the front lawns of the houses in the neighborhood and sometimes she’ll run up to someone’s front door and sniff it. I don’t know why. Maybe the house has a dog in it or the people that live there smell like dog ass.

I don’t smell nothing, do you Skyler?

One time a while back she went up to someone’s porch and came back with a full size football in her mouth. I don’t know why she picked it up. She never picks anything else up. Maybe she could smell the pig skin and it smelled like bacon to her. Mutton has never even had bacon but she still loves it. All dogs love bacon. It’s a fact.



Is pig skin different then regular leather? Do they just make leather out of cow hides? Or do they make clothes and things out of pigskin too? And what about other animal hides? Am I missing out on a world of exotic animal leather goods? Go long Magic Internet. I’m going to throw you the bomb or something. Is that even right? I don’t know. I don’t watch football. Football sucks.

Question 33: Can you get leather made from other animals, specifically pigskin?



Magic Internet Answer: Yes. Many different animal hides are used to make leather, including pig skin. This is one reason why leather items may appear similar but differ vastly in price. Pig leather is often used to make jackets. It is sometimes a little tougher and stiffer than cow leather but many people could be wearing a pig skin jacket and not even know it.

What?! This is pig skin?! I can’t wear this now. I’ll look like an idiot!

Buffalo hide is another common type of leather. Buffalo leather can have a more pronounced pattern with deeper grooves and it is a leather that is extremely tough. This makes it excellent leather for protective motorcycle wear.

Like the Native Americans of old, this man’s motorcycle suit uses every part of the Buffalo.

Then there is sheep skin. Sheep skin leather is softer but not as rugged as most leathers. This makes it good for gloves, purses and leather pants.

And don’t forget shorts.

With tear away cod piece!

Deer skin leather is another exceptionally soft leather. It is often used to make gloves and the use of deer skin leather dates back to the ancient Indians.

Deer skin loin cloth heap smooth. Running bear no chap wang.

One could say that snake and crocodile skin is a form of leather too. Both of these skins are hard to work with so they are usually made into small pieces that are very expensive.

Not if you’re Crocodile Dundee

(Insert joke about that vest being Paul Hogan’s actual skin here.)

And now we are getting into the much more exotic leathers. Did you know that you can make leather from shark skin? It is true. Shark skin leather is very durable and also very sleek and smooth. It is another expensive leather and is most often used to make small pieces such as wallets, watch straps and belts.

Meh. It’s got nothing on the Shark Fin Hawaiian Shirt.

Life of the party not included.

And sharks are not the only fish that can be turned into leather. Sting rays make good durable leather too. Sting ray leather was even used by the Japanese to make armor.

Japanese Museum Archival File Photo: Sting ray armor.

So you see Johnny there is a plethora of different animal leathers out there to choose from. Oh and by the way. Modern footballs are no longer made from pig skin. They are made from composite leather that usually cowhide. So I highly doubt your canine companion took the ball because it smelled like bacon. Perhaps, unlike you, she just enjoys football.

Yeah? Well she’s too old for Puppy Bowl so Mutton’s football career began and ended that night on the neighbor’s lawn.



Smell ya later Magic Internet.