Is oil tanning a variant of chrome tanning?

[harimau777]

I like the feel of the oil tanned sides at the local Tandy Leather and I'm thinking of getting one to use for a vest.  However, I want to avoid chrome tanned leather in something that could come in contact with skin a lot and I've gotten mixed messages on whether oil tanned leather is just a variant of chrome tanned or not.  Does anyone know if Tandy's oil tanned leather would be likely to contain any sort of heavy metals or anything like that?

Similarly, my understanding is that latigo is generally chrome tanned and then vegetable tanned.  However, Tandy describes their leather as "vegetable tanned latigo".  Does that mean that it is not chrome tanned?

Thank you for the help!

[TwinOaks]

IIRC, oil tanning IS a type of chrome tanned leather, however it's not likely to be harmful to you.  A  google search will give you a more detailed description of various tanning processes (it's on this site as well).  And NO, it won't contain heavy metals (Presumably you're thinking of Mercury tanning that was done ages ago).  Chrome tanning is simply a fast, relatively economical way to preserve hides with various chromium sulfate and  chromium salt compounds.  NOTE that this is NOT the same thing as straight chrome

[byggyns]

Regarding your latigo question, my interpretation was that latigo was only veg-tanned, but is a "stuffed" leather. The waxes, oils, and dyes are forced into the leather at the tannery, which is what makes it different from typical veg-tan. From what I understand, bridle and harness leather are similar.

There are chrome re-tan leathers like chromexel that use both veg and chrome tan processes.

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

There are both straight veg-tan latigo and re-tan latigo.  The straight veg-tan is a more traditional way of tanning latigo, (traditional in that it was used in the times before chrome tannage, which is quite a few decades now) and typically more expensive.  The re-tan, in theory, holds up to exposure to extreme conditions better than the straight veg, and is quicker and less costly to produce.

 

Edit: According to Wikipedia, chrome tanning was developed in 1858, so it's been around for more than a few decades. I don't know at what point in time tanneries started to use a re-tan method to make latigo. The latigos on vintage saddles appear to either be alum tan or straight veg-tan. Someone older than myself that was in the saddlery business long before me might have more insight as to when re-tan latigo became more widely used.

Edited May 27, 2016 by Big Sioux Saddlery