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We purchase leather from tanneries all over the world. In most cases, we sell it in the exact form we receive from the tannery. The leather industry has general terms applied to the various ways that leather is sold by, such as side, hide, skin, split, belly, etc. The actual size of these are determined by measuring devices at the tannery. As the size of each side, hide, skin, split or belly varies, the size the product you order may vary.
We price leather two ways:
1) Most of our leather is priced by the square foot (sq. ft.) or meter and sold in the exact form we receive from the tannery (side, hide, skin, split, belly, etc). We make ordering leather easy by providing dropdown boxes on the product pages that contain multiples of the estimated size. When you place an order for products priced by the sq. ft. or meter, you will be given a cost approximation (in your shopping cart) based on the estimated size of the product times the price per sq. ft. or meter. After your order has been picked, this cost approximation will be adjusted to reflect the actual size of the product (as measured by the tannery). Your final charge will be for the actual size of the product (as measured by the tannery), not the approximation.
2) A few of our leathers are priced by the each and you are charged one price regardless of size.
We price leather two ways:
1) Most of our leather is priced by the square foot (sq. ft.) or meter and sold in the exact form we receive from the tannery (side, hide, skin, split, belly, etc). We make ordering leather easy by providing dropdown boxes on the product pages that contain multiples of the estimated size. When you place an order for products priced by the sq. ft. or meter, you will be given a cost approximation (in your shopping cart) based on the estimated size of the product times the price per sq. ft. or meter. After your order has been picked, this cost approximation will be adjusted to reflect the actual size of the product (as measured by the tannery). Your final charge will be for the actual size of the product (as measured by the tannery), not the approximation.
2) A few of our leathers are priced by the each and you are charged one price regardless of size.
Leathercraft Terms
Thickness or Weight - Leather is usually measured in terms of ounces. One ounce equals 1/64th of an inch thickness. Thus, a weight of 7 to 8 oz. means the leather is 7/64th to 8/64th of an inch thickness. In an effort to make leather a uniform thickness, wet hides are run through a splitting machine. However, each animal is different and there is always a slight thickness variation throughout the hide. This is why leathers are usually shown with a range of thickness, such as, 4 to 5 oz., 6 to 7 oz., etc.
Grain - The epidermis or outer layer of animal skins.
Full Grain - Leather that is just as it was when taken off the animal. Only the hair has been removed and the grain or epidermis is left on.
Note: Only full grain, vegetable tanned leather will absorb water and tool correctly. All leather carving and tooling must be done on full grain leather.
Top Grain - Top grain leather has often been sanded to remove scars and then sprayed or pasted to "cover up" the work. Top grain is not the same as "Full Grain" leather.
Split - This refers to the undersection of a piece of leather that has been split into two or more thicknesses. Splits are usually embossed with a design and finished or sueded.
Suede Split - Leather that has been sanded to produce a nap.
Back - A side with the belly cut off, usually 15 to 18 sq. ft.
Belly - The lower part of a side, usually 4 to 8 sq. ft.
Kip - The skin of a large calf, usually 9 to 17 sq. ft.
Thickness or Weight - Leather is usually measured in terms of ounces. One ounce equals 1/64th of an inch thickness. Thus, a weight of 7 to 8 oz. means the leather is 7/64th to 8/64th of an inch thickness. In an effort to make leather a uniform thickness, wet hides are run through a splitting machine. However, each animal is different and there is always a slight thickness variation throughout the hide. This is why leathers are usually shown with a range of thickness, such as, 4 to 5 oz., 6 to 7 oz., etc.
Grain - The epidermis or outer layer of animal skins.
Full Grain - Leather that is just as it was when taken off the animal. Only the hair has been removed and the grain or epidermis is left on.
Note: Only full grain, vegetable tanned leather will absorb water and tool correctly. All leather carving and tooling must be done on full grain leather.
Top Grain - Top grain leather has often been sanded to remove scars and then sprayed or pasted to "cover up" the work. Top grain is not the same as "Full Grain" leather.
Split - This refers to the undersection of a piece of leather that has been split into two or more thicknesses. Splits are usually embossed with a design and finished or sueded.
Suede Split - Leather that has been sanded to produce a nap.
Back - A side with the belly cut off, usually 15 to 18 sq. ft.
Belly - The lower part of a side, usually 4 to 8 sq. ft.
Kip - The skin of a large calf, usually 9 to 17 sq. ft.
