Super thick leather

[Vinces0583]

Hello all......

Brand new to the forum, just signed up.  I'm desperately trying to find the thickest leather available.  I need at least 20 oz leather for a project I've been working on for aaaaaaaaaages.  The vast majority of retailers out there sell up to about 16 ounce but that's it.  Also, can you tell me which species I should be looking for?  I've read the good old bovine has some of the thickest in the neck area but also heard (rumor mostly) that water buffalo and also wild boar have super thick hides.  Can anyone help point me in a legit direction with some contacts for super thick pieces of leather I can experiment with?  Thanks so much all and Happy Holidays.

[Tugadude]

I wonder if it would help for you to tell us what you intend to make with the 20 oz. leather?  There might be other options depending on what your project is.  

As far as who you might contact, I'd try Springfield Leather Company and ask them.

[TomE]

I think the problem is biological; there are no 20 oz cows.

[MarlinDave]

Sew or glue 2,  10 oz together.

[MikeRock]

Would rawhide work?  What is your project goal??

[Vinces0583]

Sorry for sounding mysterious but I'd rather not say what the application is at the moment.  I'm kind of trying to reinvent the wheel.....the proverbial, build a better mousetrap kind of thing; an invention of sorts that's been mulling around in my brain for the better part of 20 years and patentable  I have considered most options including laminated pieces but believe it or not that's already being tried by many others with mixed degrees of success.  You'll have to educate me on rawhide as the only version of it I'm familiar with is in dried chew toys for my dog.  Others who make similar products use chrome tanned and/or vegetable tanned leathers so based upon what's been done in the past I can't see rawhide working unless it's able to be reconstituted somehow and contains that upper top grain.  For the pieces I'll be working with I don't need large material.  I could easily get away with 8 or 10 inch pieces but it's that thickness that's been the main hurdle at the moment.  On that note, is the hide usually split before it's tanned either veg or chrome?  What I've been thinking is if I could get hold of an un-split but tanned piece.  When hides are split I'm assuming they measure from the top-grain....down....to whatever uniform thickness they're trying to achieve.

Edited December 17, 2022 by Vinces0583
Added information

[Vinces0583]

1 hour ago, TomE said:

I think the problem is biological; there are no 20 oz cows.

Lol.  Don't think I haven't considered starting to breed mini cows.

[TomE]

5 minutes ago, Vinces0583 said:

Lol.  Don't think I haven't considered starting to breed mini cows.

Saddle skirting (unsplit hide) is typically up to 16 oz thickness.  The Hermann Oak Leather Co (tannery) is very helpful and could advise you based on your specifications.  If you're new to leather, download the Springfield Leather Co catalog and read the introductory material about choosing leather for your project.

[Vinces0583]

2 minutes ago, TomE said:

Saddle skirting (unsplit hide) is typically up to 16 oz thickness.  The Hermann Oak Leather Co (tannery) is very helpful and could advise you based on your specifications.  If you're new to leather, download the Springfield Leather Co catalog and read the introductory material about choosing leather for your project.

Thank you very much for the guidance.  I'll contact both of those companies,.  I've reached out to Weaver who is sending me a sample of 18oz and they've been VERY nice to chat with.  

[MikeRock]

I mentioned the rawhide because I've made Indian shields up to 3/4" thick from Long Horn bulls and buffalo bull hump.  It just gets steamed to a soft state and shrinks in radially as it drys and thickens quite a lot.

You need a flexible hinge or something similar, so no joy with rawhide. 

Good luck.  The tannery folks might be on the lookout for old range bulls for you, we skinned some out that would probably have filled the bill.  They made good dog food!