Best Weight Leather

[craftsman827]

WHAT IS THE BEST WEIGHT LEATHER FOR MAKING TOOLED & CARVED 1.25" OR 1.50" BELTS ?

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN H. O. 8/9 oz. & Wickett & Craig 8/9 oz. tooling leather ?

I here people on LEATHERWORKER say Hermann Oak is "STIFFER" would that make a difference ?

THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE I'M PURCHASING A SIDE OF LEATHER TOMORROW,

WONDERING WHICH ONE TO BUY .

[NVLeatherWorx]

Hermann Oak is a bit tighter, at least in my opinion, but it is what I would consider to be the best leather to work with, especially when it comes to doing belts. As far as a difference in weighting there shouldn't be any from one tannery to another. I would recommend H.O. over W&C based on their tanning formula alone; H.O. uses Oak tannins, oils, and barks to tan their product while W&C uses the same base formula ingredients as are used in South American tanneries which gives the leather a pinkish/reddish hue versus the beautiful russet color that you should be looking for. Not trying to sound like I am knocking W&C but the finest veg-tanned leathers have always been those that have been Oak tanned; this even applies to the European hides that are pit tanned.

One step that is often missed by leatherworkers is the post tooling/stamping conditioning; don't forget to give the leather some of its suppleness back through the application of PURE NEATSFOOT OIL. Make sure that it is a pure formulation and not a compound or blend; this will help with any perceived "stiffness". Besides, a belt should be a bit tighter feeling as it is going to be stressed and strained over its lifespan and it will naturally relax over time anyway as do all veg-tan leather goods.

[JLSleather]

To answer your question.. yes, there is a difference. Both work quite well, though. I've used both quite a bit, and have not had any problems -- both tool very nicely.

For single layer UNlined belts, I'd go with 8/9 or even 9/10. Most of my belts are 7/8 lined with 3/4 and edge stitched.