I was wondering if EZ 100 is a good buckskin tan. My wife in the past
has used chrome tan. Is EZ 100 as good or better?
Chrome is your best "leather" tanning agent. It can withstand boiling water and has memory! If you stretch it it - it wants to return to its original shape. It's down-side is that its also considered a pollutant and the wastes have to be strictly regulated. Almost every shoe manufactured is Chrome tanned. One other ptroblem with Chrome tanned skins is its typically blue-green colored leather.
EZ-100 on the other hand is a washable tan - but is recommended only for lukewarm to cool water and mild detergents. It does not have memory like Chrome! EZ-100 however, if used as directed, usually fully exhausts or because it contains no metallic salts, the wastes are not considered pollutants. EZ-100 produces a white colored leather.
As for which is better - it depends on the application! For shoes and garments that recieve stress - Chrome would be best! But - as a Taxidermy tan it does not stretch well, and will try to return to its original shape. It would seem a good choice for rugs - but because it doesnt conform well to forms - its not popular!
EZ-100 however, is a good choice for rugwork! Being washable, like Chrome, but at a lower temperature, and having no memory - it conforms easily to forms, stretches well, and is an excellent choice for Taxidermy work. Its white leather is also more desirable because prime skins are typically white.
So - as a Buckskin tan - Chrome is probably a better choice - but it must be dyed to change its color! EZ-100 however can also be used, but you must remember that it will not have memory, and I would avoid using it for garments or crafts that recieve stress! The good news is that, being white leathered, it can easily be dyed, or simply left natural.