Something is off with this leather...?

[RockyAussie]

Looks beautiful to me. If you were trying to get it.... you probably wouldn't. Though I mostly do croc skin where people pay a lot more for the multi tone effects.

[HondoMan]

I was away yesterday, so unable to respond.  To be honest, a colleague and good mate in Austria died and I was attending his funeral.  His tooling was fantastic.

Be that as it may, before I left, I dyed the leather one more time and let it sit for 24 hours.  This morning I took a wee peek and it appears better.  That marbling has lessened.  I'll do it one more time and see how it fares.

To answer some of the questions above:  Aye, I have bought butt from this tannery before - many times.  Never an issue in the past.  As I stated, I did a blue belt about a fortnight ago and there was no issue.  I would expect marbling from belly, but I never use belly - haven't since a donkey's age.  This leather comes from Italy.  I buy either from Italy or England.  We do have a tannery here in Germany, but I stopped buying from them about a year or so ago. 

As far as being perhaps a less expensive leather, I pay roughly 200€ for a double butt. I wouldn't call that on the cheap.

I believe the end result will have a very light amount of marbling, but not overly noticeable.  I do appreciate the comments and info you lot have offered.

Enjoy your weekend.

Cheers!

[Klara]

It's not cheap, but could still be lower quality. For I see similar marbling in some cheap natural shoulder I recently bought.

But I think it's a pity that you evened out the dye because I liked the cloudy effect! A lot! As @RockyAussie said, it would be difficult to create the effect on purpose.

[HondoMan]

After dying it a total of three times, with 24 hours between, that marbling is near on gone.  In the sun one can see it, albeit only a wee bit.  I agree that it is unique to have the marbling and near on impossible to create, it would be too much bother to have it on offer.  Perhaps the next butt doesn't have the effect and a belt or bag was order for such.  Problem solved and learned something. 

[Klara]

6 hours ago, HondoMan said:

After dying it a total of three times, with 24 hours between, that marbling is near on gone.  In the sun one can see it, albeit only a wee bit.  I agree that it is unique to have the marbling and near on impossible to create, it would be too much bother to have it on offer.  Perhaps the next butt doesn't have the effect and a belt or bag was order for such.  Problem solved and learned something. 

You could have sold it as a unique piece, never to be repeated, for double the price

[Cumberland Highpower]

200 Euro for a double butt/bend sounds about average really for that common cut in leather. Chahin tanned in Mexico double Bends Wholesale around $330 US here in the States and I'd call that a mediocre leather at best....And often carries that characteristic you note.

 I'd guess leather in Germany is very high compared to the rest of the world?  Is it Sepici/Turk leather or something from Mexico/Argentina?      I guess leather is very high in Germany, as I have many a time seen Weaver Leather Employees packing leather bound for individual customers in Germany.  Surely it must be high over there to warrant freighting from the States?

Europe is such a big place you can use a couple new "German Owned" tanneries.  Located in lets say, Romania or Bulgaria where workers earn 4-600 Euros a month....Tannery Heaven.

 

Edited September 17, 2021 by Cumberland Highpower