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Leather Cuts & How To Use Them

Leather Cuts & How To Use Them

Leather has the unique distinction of being a material that is sold without consistent measurements. If you have ever purchased fabric, rope, wood, or other crafting materials you go in with an idea of how much you need and what questions to ask to get it without having much in the way leftovers. Leather is a different ball game. So lets go over the most common cuts and what they're best for, so you can get what you need with confidence. 

WHOLE HIDE

  • Approximately 45-50 sq. ft. 
  • Comes in lighter weights, most of the time
  • Usually available as chrome-tan or hair-on
  • Great for upholstery, clothing, bags and other large projects requiring seamless cuts

SIDE OR HALF HIDE

  • Approximately 21-26 sq. ft. 
  • Wide availability in chrome-tan and veg-tan
  • Extremely versatile in terms of what can be created due to the size of the piece and cost effective "bulk buying" prices
  • Comes in all weights, colors, finishes and qualities
  • Ideal for just about any sort of crafting you can think of!

DOUBLE SHOULDER

  •  Approximately 11-15 sq. ft. 
  • Wide availability in chrome-tan and veg-tan
  • Features both of the shoulders, affording good length especially for belts or straps

DOUBLE BEND

  • Approximately 22-26 sq. ft. 
  • More consistently shaped
  • Great for belts, straps, reins, stirrups, etc. 
  • Includes areas of the neck and back for durability and minimal stretch

SINGLE BEND

  • Approximately 11-15 sq. ft.
  • Attributes the same as the Double Bend

SINGLE SHOULDER

  • Approximately 7-12 sq. ft.
  • Typically only available in veg-tan
  • These are somewhat oddly shaped, coming from one shoulder and including the neck
  • Can have some stretch marks and blemishes
  • Tend to be low cost with much less left over for single or small projects

BELLY

  • Approximately 4-7 sq. ft. 
  • Great for small projects and testing
  • Weight is inconsistent and the fibers are soft, causing more stretching
  • Super inexpensive!

SMALL SKINS

  • Approximately 3-7 sq. ft. 
  • Can be found in veg-tan, however, more common in chrome-tans
  • Great product for jewelry, accent pieces, fashion statements, wallets and other accessories

CRAFT CUTS

  • Range in size from 8 1/2"x11" to 24"x24"
  • Can be veg-tan or chrome-tan
  • Like the small skins, these are a great product for jewelry, accent pieces, fashion statements, wallets and other accessories
Filed in: education, leather
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All Leathercraft Library patterns and projects are property of Tandy Leather. Projects and patterns available are a part of the Tandy Leather Archive and may contain outdated product information or service offerings. Projects and patterns can be reproduced for personal use by printing, but Tandy Leather cannot guarantee the quality of reproduction or printing due to the image quality available. Some project and pattern themes or motifs may not be representative of Tandy Leather’s current views.