Well Hunter you seem to want to bring age into things but I see you are a beginner, I have been clicking guns and working on them for some seventy years possibly before your good self was a twinkle in your mothers eye, though they do say you can get young fools as well as old ones. Horne Leather and hoof are all carbon based as is life on this little ole Planet, as is hair and your good self for that matter and can all be carburised (turned to carbon). Lets see what you make of sugar? I feel that investments in some good books on organic chemistry would not come amiss.
You are to quick with the word Crap, I would like to use the words you are talking as Verbal Diarrhoea? Just so you know there is more than one way to skin a cat, because you reside on the other side of the pond does not make you all knowledgeable in fact far from it, and why you need to use derogatory terms when the English language has a fine Latin based words to describe any item or situation. From what you have said I have a good idea where you use the rocks nails and crap is it to tan your leather. I feel that you should read what I have written! Not what you think I have written!
Kind Regards
Damascus
