What kind of leather is this?

[Mocivnik]

I got whole hide of this leather into my hands at the local leather shop, but just after 2 projects I ran out of it. It's a really good one to work with, despite it looks bloddy amazing and comfortable to wear/bend. It's 2.5mm thick (about 6 oz.).

Anyone knows, what type of leather this would be? Any help appriciated.

[Handstitched]

Just looks like a  (bovine) chrome tan leather with a milled grain. 

[tsunkasapa]

1 hour ago, Handstitched said:

Just looks like a  (bovine) chrome tan leather with a milled grain. 

Second that.

[Chakotay]

Agreed with it being milled, but it could also be veg-tan. Try the boil test.

[DanDSilva]

Milling is a pretty common technique, so there are probably lots of cowhides from different makers that look like that.  If you don't want to gamble on one that might not turn out to be to your liking, maybe bring a scrap back to the store you got it from and ask who made it or if they plan to restock it.

[Mocivnik]

7 hours ago, Handstitched said:

Just looks like a  (bovine) chrome tan leather with a milled grain. 

What's a bovine? and what exactly is milled grain?

3 hours ago, Chakotay said:

Agreed with it being milled, but it could also be veg-tan. Try the boil test.

What's the boil test? 

1 hour ago, DanDSilva said:

Milling is a pretty common technique, so there are probably lots of cowhides from different makers that look like that.  If you don't want to gamble on one that might not turn out to be to your liking, maybe bring a scrap back to the store you got it from and ask who made it or if they plan to restock it.

Well..that's exactly what I did, but they told me "yeah, we just took this hide at one of the sellers, we don't know which one, nor which exact type of leather this is". I think he said it's veg tan, but not so sure anymore.

[battlemunky]

With that white core to it I'm betting it's chrome tanned.

It looks like nice supple stuff but I have no idea how you find it's origin.

Best of luck to you scoring more!

 

Also, bovine is cow and milled is that grain on the hair side, the wrinkly parts. Milling usually makes the leather softer/more supple.

[LatigoAmigo]

11 hours ago, Mocivnik said:

what type of leather this would be?

It strikes me as bison (American buffalo). I buy it at the Hide House in Napa, California. They ship world-wide.

Here are some examples from their website.

https://www.hidehouse.com/

[Garyak]

Looks like a 3-4 Oz pebble grain bag side. Easy enough to match on the pebble grain, as far as feel, you’d have to be there to see if it’s a match. 

[Handstitched]

16 hours ago, Mocivnik said:

What's a bovine? and what exactly is milled grain?

Bovine....Mooo....moooo..   Porcine....oink oink   ....and yummy , but thats for  a totally different  thread. 

The milled bit is where its basically  put in a machine and rotated , and dried . The lines in the grain  etc. become bigger, bolder,  softer, making it totally awesome    but can't be cut with a (belt) strap cutter or burnished , believe me...and us....we've  all tried it. You can try it yourself...until the cows come home  ..ha ha !!     sorry  

HS

[Chakotay]

23 hours ago, Mocivnik said:

What's a bovine? and what exactly is milled grain?

What's the boil test? 

Well..that's exactly what I did, but they told me "yeah, we just took this hide at one of the sellers, we don't know which one, nor which exact type of leather this is". I think he said it's veg tan, but not so sure anymore.

Boil a cup of water in the microwave. Then throw a tiny scrap of the leather into it.

If it just gets wet (but otherwise holds it's shape), it's chrome-tan.

If it shrivels up like a piece of fried bacon, it's veg-tan

[Mocivnik]

On 6/9/2022 at 2:22 PM, Handstitched said:

Bovine....Mooo....moooo..   Porcine....oink oink   ....and yummy , but thats for  a totally different  thread. 

The milled bit is where its basically  put in a machine and rotated , and dried . The lines in the grain  etc. become bigger, bolder,  softer, making it totally awesome    but can't be cut with a (belt) strap cutter or burnished , believe me...and us....we've  all tried it. You can try it yourself...until the cows come home  ..ha ha !!     sorry  

HS

ah, so many words for cow in english :D

And yeah, I noticed, I had to cut straps using ruler and stanley knife, it's impossible to use anything else. But still, the leather is a blessing, it's really good one.

 

  

On 6/9/2022 at 12:11 AM, battlemunky said:

With that white core to it I'm betting it's chrome tanned.

It looks like nice supple stuff but I have no idea how you find it's origin.

Best of luck to you scoring more!

 

Also, bovine is cow and milled is that grain on the hair side, the wrinkly parts. Milling usually makes the leather softer/more supple.

Did the hot water thing on it, showed no special movement at all, so I don't think its veg. tanned.

 

 

[fredk]

1 hour ago, Mocivnik said:

. . . 

And yeah, I noticed, I had to cut straps using ruler and stanley knife, it's impossible to use anything else. B. . . 

Try to get one of these rotary blade knives. They cut this type of leather much easier

[Mocivnik]

57 minutes ago, fredk said:

Try to get one of these rotary blade knives. They cut this type of leather much easier

Actually, I'm not working often with this kind of leather, but I also discovered what's best to cut with (so far): fresh new blade from the box. Cuts like a butter, is working for me just perfect tho. 

[fredk]

The rotary knife is good for cutting any thin leather, up to even 4mm thick. It doesn't pull the leather so you get a nice straight cut the whole length

[Sheilajeanne]

On 6/9/2022 at 3:47 PM, Chakotay said:

Boil a cup of water in the microwave. Then throw a tiny scrap of the leather into it.

If it just gets wet (but otherwise holds it's shape), it's chrome-tan.

If it shrivels up like a piece of fried bacon, it's veg-tan

Wow, now I just learned something new! What I've done previously is wetted a scrap of the mystery leather, and tried to stamp or tool it. If it won't stamp or tool, it's obviously NOT veg-tan.

And yes, rotary knives work great for thin, stretchy leather. But just like with a regular blade, you have to make sure the blade is SHARP!

Edited June 18, 2022 by Sheilajeanne

[tsunkasapa]

6 hours ago, Sheilajeanne said:

But just like with a regular blade, you have to make sure the blade is SHARP!

And keep your fingers out of the way!

[fredk]

11 hours ago, tsunkasapa said:

And keep your fingers out of the way!

Experience talking ?  

 

[tsunkasapa]

No, I still have all 10. Even after running saws for 45 years. But a girlfriend almost lost a bit of hers. I like to learn from OTHER'S mistakes.

[Mocivnik]

10 hours ago, fredk said:

Experience talking ?  

 

1 week ago exactly at this hour I missed my veins for an inch.

 

[Handstitched]

On 6/19/2022 at 7:09 AM, tsunkasapa said:

And keep your fingers out of the way!

My intro to leather, I nearly lost the tips of my fingers. My fingers were just over the edge of the ruler when cutting ...and ...OOPS!!!  The tips of my fingers were nice and straight though  

HS

[Tequila]

On 6/19/2022 at 9:31 PM, Handstitched said:

My intro to leather, I nearly lost the tips of my fingers. My fingers were just over the edge of the ruler when cutting ...and ...OOPS!!!  The tips of my fingers were nice and straight though  

HS

Knew a guy that got a short finger from cutting, we called him Nubby. 

[tsunkasapa]

3 hours ago, Tequila said:

Knew a guy that got a short finger from cutting, we called him Nubby. 

Several years ago, when I was still building houses, one of the local carpenters was cutting metal roofing through his table saw.  It kicked back and took several of his digits. We call him Fingers.

[fredk]

I once worked with a chap who had lost 3 fingers on each hand. We called him Kevin

[Handstitched]

On 6/24/2022 at 7:47 AM, fredk said:

I once worked with a chap who had lost 3 fingers on each hand. We called him Kevin

I worked at a newspaper in my younger days. Out he back collecting supplies, someone yelled out

" quick, get an ambulance !!"  I turned around and  saw a bloke with two of his fingers hanging down on a few bit s of skin. He got  his hand caught in a guillotine .  He lost his fingers. 

I nearly threw up and almost passed out...I wasn't feeling very well   

HS