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The difference in leathers

So I don’t know much about leather, I’m still learning, that’s fine. My first leather hide, selected with help, was a Craftsman tooling side, 2-3oz/0.8 -1.6mm thickness, something of a special order, they said. This has worked beautifully for three saddles so far, with two more in production. It machine cuts well, takes dye really well, moulds beautifully and glues quickly. Winner! Except I can’t get hold of any more very easily up this end of the UK. So I’ve been trying a different type of leather. Not quite working so well, sadly. It has some interesting good and bad points. Doesn’t cut so good, takes dye well but then becomes very stiff when it dries. Its cracking when worked, but that’s producing a lovely antiqued, sort of burr walnut effect. It has produced a sweet (if a bit wonky) set of saddlebags in a new design which I never thought was going to get finished! I’m persevering, its interesting, let’s see how we go.

tan-saddlebags-new-design-work-in-progress-detail

However, I think this might be an idea… Seminar Day – Understanding Leather and its Uses