Well my fear was the warm water. However, I thought this stuff was like rawhide. That stuff lasts quite a while. Anyway I will go with artificial. I thought it would be cool to do it all traditional down to the material, but since I'm skinning with nylon anyway I guess it's kind of silly!!! I may get some of the stuff anyway just to mess around with. I like to experience how things were done "back then." I am a firm believer in learning the old before you learn the new.