Is skirting too stiff for belts?

[ffjdh]

I decided to start trying some decent leather so I called Wickett and Craig today try one of their sides.  I ended up purchasing a side of their skirting.  I liked the idea of skirting because I could redye is darker is need be.  I do leather 100% as a hobby and make firefighter stuff- belts, suspenders and straps.  I don’t make enough to justify purchasing multiple sides of different color.  When I was placing the order and told them what I was planning on doing with the leather they said the skirting is a bit stiff and recommended the English bridal.  The problem is the bridal is Pre finished  and I’d be stuck with what ever color I purchase it in.  How stiff is skirting?  Can I soften it up by oiling it or should I limit my self to one color and go with the bridal?

[YinTx]

I am surprised they didn't just recommend regular tooling leather.  You can dye it, oil it/ leave it, tool it, stamp it or not.  All up to you.  W&C tooling is generally nice stuff.  I'll let others chime in on skirting, as I don't think I have any of that.

YinTx

[JLSleather]

If you're making straps, bridle leather is nice.  But the skirting can be tooled, stamped, dyed, stained, whatever. 

Not sure who told you that skirting is stiff.  Some probably is - somewhere.  But "stiff" is't a word I would use for W/C skirting.. certainly it's less "stiff" than Hermann Oak skirting - and even that isn't "stiff".  I make belts from it all the time.  Having said that, I have also made belts from W/C english bridle, which turn out quite nice (the chestnut is STUNNING).

Keep in mind:  W/C has sent us some FANTASTIC leather, but all places have "grades" of leather - not all "skirting" is equal.  We always buy the top shelf stuff, no matter where we shop (which is why some places can no longer sell us leather).  RARE to see me "endorse" somebody, but I'll speak up a bit for W-C.  Their lower grades may be "stiff".. and maybe that's what they were referring to - I've never bought those so I wouldn't know.  But their "standard" grade DOES work well for what you describe.

[BigSiouxSaddlery]

Understand that skirting is simply unsplit strap leather.  The rep from W&C may have meant that full thickness, unsplit skirting MAY indeed be a little stiffer for belts than some people want. Their bridle doesn't have a lot of body.  Some people even say it's mushy.  Compared to real true English Bridle, it is mushy.  If you want to tool your belts, skirting or strap is your best choice.  Whether you buy skirting or strap (tooling leather) just depends on if you want to line it or not.  You can split down the skirting yourself and have exactly the same leather as if you ordered their strap leather.

Edit:. I'm going to add that you CAN stamp wickett's EB.  If you want to carve it however, you will not get the depth nor the burnish that you get with skirting.  The EB will take enough moisture to case up.  Also, there is a little difference in their skirting.  Their russet seems like an entirely different leather altogether than the other colors.  It doesn't take dye consistently nor evenly.  If you are wanting to dye your projects from their skirting, I'd start with their most natural, lightest color.

Edited January 28, 2020 by BigSiouxSaddlery

[oltoot]

Starting off, BSS already said everything well. To minimize size of inventory, I made (and still Would) belts out of split (leveled) HO Skirting a lot. End color is then totally, though not always easily within your control

[chrisash]

As Skirting is not a term of what is used in England, perhaps someone could explain what it is, I assume its used for the skirt on saddles but can you define it 

[JLSleather]

1 hour ago, BigSiouxSaddlery said:

Understand that skirting is simply unsplit strap leather.  ...You can split down the skirting yourself and have exactly the same leather as if you ordered their strap leather.

And.... there you have it.  We order "skirting" leather split down to what we need.

W-C natural "skirting" (tooling) leather is very light, almost bleached color.  Hermann Oak is a bit more color (I wouldn't use the word "darker"), and W-C "russet" leather is a bit more color than either (but not as much color as the chestnut).  We order black already dyed black, just because it saves us quite a bit of time and we KNOW we'll need black.  But even the black tools very easily.  At some point I get some room and I'll photo all of these side by side.

[jcuk]

Hi i also have made many belts from skirting leather ( Tandys light weight skirting leather ) split it down to the weight i wanted dyed and sold them with no problem at all.Even made one from the the full length of the hide for a waist size of 30" split it to weight down to about 3mm punched the crew punch hole where i would normally do for 30'' belt Church window punched one end marked the stitches doubled over and stitched trimmed excess leather once it was stitched worked a treat for me. 

I know some might think 6mm for a belt maybe to heavy but it was for a work belt.

Hope this helps

JCUK

[ffjdh]

So many helpful responses.  Thanks!  Maybe I misunderstood what the Rep was saying.  I don’t do a lot of tooling/carving, but I do stamp the leather.  The biggest thing for me was being able to be flexible on colors since I will probably have the leather for a little while.