Howdo you tell if it chrome tanned or oil tanned

[Bert03241]

Been searching and all I find is oil or chrome vs Veg tanned. Is there a way to tell chrome tan from oil tan?

[LeatherLegion]

    As far as i know there is no such thing as "oil tanned" . Oils are usually added after the tanning process and  have nothing to do with the process itself . I am curious to hear other opinions 

[tsunkasapa]

2 minutes ago, LeatherLegion said:

    As far as i know there is no such thing as "oil tanned" . Oils are usually added after the tanning process and  have nothing to do with the process itself . I am curious to hear other opinions 

That is my understanding as well.

[ScottWolf]

39 minutes ago, Bert03241 said:

Been searching and all I find is oil or chrome vs Veg tanned. Is there a way to tell chrome tan from oil tan?

"Oil tanned" is term used for leather that has been tanned and then impregnated with oils as part of the tanning and dyeing process. It isn't actually part of the tanning though, it is done post tanning and it does affect the leather in that it is softer, has somewhat of a pull up and is easier to break in, which is why you see boots and other footwear being marketed as using "oil tanned" leather, as the addition of more oils makes it a durable and somewhat water resistant leather. Redwings boots are marketed this way. In the end, it is chrome tanned leather with the additional Oil process that makes it oil tanned leather. If you burn a piece of chrome tanned leather, it will smolder and continue to burn after the heat is removed and will also produce a greenish blue smudge mark if you run it across a piece of paper. Veg tan wont really burn at all and will stop when the heat is removed and will leave a black smudge when rubbed against a piece of paper.

[Bert03241]

so how do you tell if its just plain chrome tan or if its been oiled?????

[chrisash]

Do you mean either veg tan or chrome tan, chrome tan is generally used in clothing and leather bags etc and under 2mm thick though it can be  thicker but hard to find, often has a blueish stripe down the centre of the leather

Veg tan comes in all thickness and more often used by leatherworkers, if you cut a small part and immerse in water and then shape it, when it dries it will retain the shape and be very hard

[Tugadude]

8 hours ago, Bert03241 said:

so how do you tell if its just plain chrome tan or if its been oiled?????

There are just things you begin to pick up on.  For example, does it exhibit strong pull-up characteristics?  Many chrome tanned leathers have none.  They also might have a finish on them, something which oil tanned leathers rarely do in my limited experience.

If I'm questioning it I grab a piece, push a finger up from underneath and look at the surface.  If it shows decent pull up and I can easily wipe it away with a quick rub, to me it is conclusive, oil tanned.

Is there a specific reason you are concerned about this?

Keep in mind most leathers will either say in the ad or you can contact the seller to verify.

[Bert03241]

yes i have some of each but don't know which is what LOL and I dont want to use the oil tan

also SLC doesn't list chrome all they list is Oil tan which is weird because some of you are saying theres no such thing as oil tan

[Gulrok]

Yeah so oil tanned leather is just a type of chrome tanned leather finish/post processing. Its not part of the tanning process but rather post tanning / dying process that puts a bunch of oils into the leather.

[LatigoAmigo]

@Bert03241 You are asking a legitimate question to which there is no simple answer.

When I started working leather about a half-century ago the choice seemed to be either "oil-tanned" or "oak-tanned". Tanning techniques and terminology have certainly changed over the years resulting in more leather choices. Here is an excerpt from the website of The Horween Leather Company, my favorite source of leather that you might find interesting:

"Specific and proprietary mixes of bark extracts and natural agents are used to give Chromexcel, and many of our leathers, its heavy vegetable re-tannage. The benefit of combination tanning comes from the specific attributes that both chrome and vegetable tanning impart. Generally, chrome tanned leathers yield soft, supple, and durable leathers, while vegetable tanned leathers are round and full feeling, patina well, and are easy to coax into shapes using heat and moisture.

"The next step is "hot stuffing" – that is, the impregnation of the hides with oils, waxes, and greases that are solid at room temperature. Stuffing is achieved through the use of steamed mills and is the process that is responsible for the "pull-up" of this leather. Pull-up is the temporary displacement of these oil and wax blends that cause a lightening of the leather."