Wallets & RFID
What Is Crazy Horse Leather? How It Ages and How to Care for It
Crazy horse leather is cowhide finished with oils and waxes. See how it ages, how it differs from oil wax leather and PU, and how to care for it.
At a glance
- Crazy horse leather is cowhide finished with oils and waxes.
- It lightens where it bends or rubs and shows marks with use.
- Oil wax describes cowhide treated with oils and wax and names no finish.
- Wipe the bifold with a dry cloth and wax out marks with a balm.
Crazy Horse Leather Bifold Wallet for Men, Red Brown £32.99 · Free UK delivery Shop Crazy horse leather is cowhide finished with oils and waxes. It is a pull-up leather.
What is crazy horse leather?
Crazy horse leather is a heavy-duty, oil-finished cowhide. Dr. Martens says its oil and wax layers cause natural variations in colour when the leather is scratched or rubbed.
The bifold is the only wallet in this guide listed as crazy horse. The photo below shows it.
How does crazy horse differ from oil wax leather and PU?
Crazy horse is one named oil and wax finish on cowhide. Oil wax is a plain description of cowhide treated with oils and wax. It names no finish. PU is synthetic.
Dr. Martens says crazy horse is finished with oil and waxes for a distinctive pull-up effect. Horween, a US tannery, defines pull-up as the temporary lightening of certain leathers when folded. It says the cause is displaced oil and wax. The oil wax card wallet’s listing names the oil and wax treatment but no pull-up effect.
| Material | What it is | How it looks in use |
|---|---|---|
| Crazy horse | A named oil and wax finish on cowhide | Pull-up effect, shows scuffs (Dr. Martens) |
| Oil wax | Cowhide treated with oils and wax, as listed | Soft surface with natural creases in the photos |
| First-layer cowhide | Cowhide as listed, no finish named | Matt or pebbled grain in the photos |
| PU | A coated synthetic surface | Synthetic coating with no hide |
The photo below shows the oil wax card wallet. Its tan surface has natural creases and slightly darker edges.
How do you spot crazy horse leather in a listing?
Look for the finish name in the material line of the listing. A listing that names only cowhide or genuine leather does not claim an oil and wax finish.
| Wallet | Material as listed by the supplier | Finish named |
|---|---|---|
| Red brown bifold | Crazy horse leather (top-layer cowhide) | Crazy horse |
| Tan card wallet | Oil wax cowhide leather | Oil wax |
| Tan long wallet | First layer cowhide | None |
| Black coin purse | First-layer cowhide, genuine leather | None |
The tan long wallet is cowhide with no named finish. The photo below shows its tan grain.
How does crazy horse leather age?
Crazy horse leather ages by lightening where it bends or rubs and by showing marks. The supplier of the crazy horse bifold describes the colour change this way.
Dr. Martens says crazy horse tends to show off every scuff or scrape. Garrett Leather, a hide supplier, says some scratches on pull-up leather rub out with the natural oils on a finger or thumb. It says most marks and creases from handling become a lasting part of the product.
Each hide also differs. The bifold’s listing says the colour varies a little from hide to hide.
Is crazy horse leather the same as distressed leather?
No, not by finish method. Crazy horse is a pull-up finish with a distressed, worn-in look straight out of the box, according to Dr. Martens.
Garrett Leather says pull-up leather has oils mixed in with paraffin waxes and that the mixture is roller-applied. It says distressed leather is tumbled with paraffin wax in a drum instead. Both can look worn. The method behind the look differs.
Is all crazy horse leather full grain?
No, not always. Dr. Martens describes its crazy horse as buffed full grain cowhide. The bifold here is listed as top-layer cowhide and its listing does not say full grain.
The other cowhide wallets in this guide are not described as full grain either. If full grain matters to you, check the material line before you buy.
Is crazy horse leather saddle leather?
No, not strictly. Dr. Martens says it is sometimes called saddle leather and was inspired by traditional saddlery leathers.
None of the wallets here is listed as saddle leather.
Is crazy horse leather a good choice for a wallet?
Yes, if you like a lived-in look.
It will not stay looking new. If you want a surface that looks the same in a year, choose another finish. If you like a wallet that shows wear, it suits you. The types of men’s wallets guide compares the bifold, long wallet and coin purse formats.
How do you care for crazy horse leather?
Wipe the crazy horse bifold with a dry cloth, as its supplier advises. Dr. Martens says crazy horse responds well to its own wax balm if you want to wax the marks away.
The bifold’s supplier also lists four things to avoid:
- dry cleaning
- sun exposure
- ironing
- bleach
The long wallet’s listing also says to wipe it with a dry cloth. The tan card wallet and the coin purse are wiped with a barely damp cloth.
Which one to choose
Four wallets in this guide are cowhide. Two are named for the oil and wax finish.
- Bifold, £32.99: the red brown crazy horse wallet. Choose it for a wallet that shows wear.
- Card wallet, £16.99: the tan oil wax sleeve. Choose it for a slim wallet with a worn-in look. It has front card slots and a main pocket for notes.
- Long wallet, £29.99: the tan long wallet. Choose it for more cards and flat notes. It adds an inner zip pocket.
- Coin purse, £17.99: the black coin purse. Choose it for coins and a few cards. Its flap closes with a press stud.
None of the four lists RFID blocking.
All leather wallets and card holders are in Wallets & RFID.
Leather wallets covered in this guide
| Product | Price | Why it is here |
|---|---|---|
| Crazy Horse Leather Bifold Wallet for Men, Red Brown | £32.99 | A red brown bifold listed as crazy horse leather, 11.5 x 9.5 x 2cm. |
| Oil Wax Leather Card Wallet, Slim Tan Cowhide Holder | £16.99 | A slim tan card wallet listed as oil wax cowhide with a worn-in retro look. |
| Tan Long Leather Wallet for Men, 10 Card Slots, Zip Pocket | £29.99 | A tan long wallet listed as first layer cowhide in a retro style, 18.6 x 9.5 x 1.5cm. |
 Black Leather Coin Purse and Card Holder, Envelope Flap | £17.99 | A black coin purse listed as first-layer cowhide. The photos show a pebbled grain. |
Questions answered
Who developed crazy horse leather? +
Dr. Martens says crazy horse was developed at Prime Tanning, a US tannery, in the mid-1980s.
Does crazy horse leather come from horses? +
No. Dr. Martens makes its crazy horse from cowhide. The wallets here are listed as cowhide.
Is crazy horse leather waterproof? +
No waterproof rating is given by Dr. Martens or the listings here. If it gets damp, let it dry naturally away from heat.
What is the misty bloom on crazy horse leather? +
It is natural oil. Dr. Martens says natural oils tend to rise to the surface over time and give a misty look called a bloom.
