What kind of leather to learn with

[Warhauk]

I'm trying to determine what cheap kind of leather I can start using. There seems to be a big difference between vegtan and chrome tan, at least from the descriptions ive read. So am I correct in assuming that learning to tool, I would pretty much have to spend the money on the vegtan? For non tooling practice, is chrome tan acceptable? Im not completely sure what direction I want to take my work in. Most likely renfaire style pieces and stylized belts, wallets, etc

[Hardrada]

The first thing you need to decide is WHAT you're gonna make. The product is what determines the choice of leather.

[johnnydb]

1 hour ago, Warhauk said:

I'm trying to determine what cheap kind of leather I can start using. There seems to be a big difference between vegtan and chrome tan, at least from the descriptions ive read. So am I correct in assuming that learning to tool, I would pretty much have to spend the money on the vegtan? For non tooling practice, is chrome tan acceptable? Im not completely sure what direction I want to take my work in. Most likely renfaire style pieces and stylized belts, wallets, etc

You can usually pick up belly sections of veg tan for really inexpensively...and make some cool things with them to learn tooling and stitching and dying and wet forming. 

Chrome tan is for extremely pliable leather uses. Veg tan can become soft and pliable but it takes treating to get that way. 

 

Baseball gloves are chrome tanned leather but still require oil and forming to close easily. But a lot of chime tanned leather is thinner and more pliable than baseball gloves. 

 

The "coin purse" gathered and tied at the top is chrome tanned leather...but purses and handbags are veg tanned leather. So is armor. So are arrow quivers. 

 

[DJole]

I have a few hides that were very inexpensive, remnant sales from Tandy. 30 dollars for a nice red pebbled chrome-tanned full hide is a deal!  
I also have some veg-tan bellies that I picked up for 10 dollars apiece, so I could have cheap leather to work with. 
So I have leather to learn with, and some nicer stuff for other projects. 

Like the above poster mentioned, what you plan on doing with it is the first step -- if you're going to learn tooling, wet-forming, and other projects which require stiff leather, you'll need veg-tan.
For other projects, chrome-tan may be just fine. 

Edited November 3, 2021 by DJole

[Warhauk]

Thanks for all the advice. I am definitely interested in learning proper tooling. As far as the stuff I am currently looking to learn, things like armor, detailed leather books, and general renfaire stuff. I also can see myself making wallets, belts, dog collars, leashes, maybe even watch straps. Stuff that you can personalize well with proper tooling and really make it stand out. I am just a little hesitant to make larger purchases such as sides if it turns out I can only use those leather types for things like upholstery or clothing that I'm not particularly interested in (which seems to be a common recommendation for chrome tanned leather).  I have made a few purchases and are waiting for them to come in, but it is only about 12 sq ft pre cut squares of various vegtan leathers I saw on clearance from tandy.

My main question about cheap learning leather was more revolved around what can be learned from cheaper leather such as chrome tanned that is widely applicable. I know for tooling, vegtan is necessary, but as far as learning the cuts, stitching, and various techniques, will the 2 leathers be about the same for learning or are they vastly different?

Edited November 3, 2021 by Warhauk
Additional content

[chrisash]

I disagree with Johnny about the ladies bags, I would consider the majority are made from Chrome leather

You will find a few UK based Facebook leather forums that will point you towards leather suppliers for all leather types, some are small companies like "Artesian Leather+ who do A size pieces of veg and chrome through to "Abbey" and many others

[LatigoAmigo]

2 hours ago, Warhauk said:

will the 2 leathers be about the same for learning or are they vastly different?

I think there is more to this conversation that just veg and chrome tanned leathers... different tanneries, different animals, different processes.

So, for example, someone might mistake a combination tanned leather, like a supple latigo, for chrome tanned leather, whereas a firm latigo might be considered veg tanned. When in truth, latigo is combination tanned.

Here is the tannery list from Horween Leather (sorry that it might be hard to read), where you will find there are many different tanning processes, with vast differences between them.

Edited November 3, 2021 by LatigoAmigo

[Tugadude]

15 hours ago, Warhauk said:

I'm trying to determine what cheap kind of leather I can start using. There seems to be a big difference between vegtan and chrome tan, at least from the descriptions ive read. So am I correct in assuming that learning to tool, I would pretty much have to spend the money on the vegtan? For non tooling practice, is chrome tan acceptable? Im not completely sure what direction I want to take my work in. Most likely renfaire style pieces and stylized belts, wallets, etc

Yes, for tooling, you need to use Veg-Tan.  You might look for Beg-Tan bellies as they are typically a cheaper cut of leather.  The drawback is you might not be able to source it in the thickness you want.  Some dealers will split it down to size though.  This is for practice.  There are reasons against using belly leather for the majority of your work.  For one thing it sometimes suffers from stretch marks and it is also more stretchy than typical Veg-Tan.

For "non-tooled projects", I suggest you reach out to Springfield Leather Co.  They offer discount-priced leather sides.  They also sell many leathers by the foot, eliminating the need to buy a whole side or hide.

[battlemunky]

I'd like to add that just starting out, avoid soft and/or thin leather, until you get stitching figured out. Soft stuff will pucker at the stitches and it's a bit easier to get tension figured out after you get stitching figured out. Thinner leather will be a bit easier to pucker even if it isn't soft.

[Samalan]

never use junk use the best and do your best work , and if it's not good do it again. but don't use junk or all  you will get is  junk.

[Spyros]

I'm with Mr Samalan above

Figure out what is the best leather for your projects, start with that and stick with it until you're satisfied your projects look the best they can.  If that makes you nervous you don't need to start with big projects that need a lot of leather, you can learn every single technique by making watch straps, key holders, small pouches.    Don't start cheap, start small to keep the cost of errors down. 

You'll find good quality leather* burnishes differently, interacts differently with finishes, stretches and cuts differently, the flesh side looks different, and generally gives you different options.  Note, I didn't say necessarily better or easier, I said different.  So, learning how to do those things on cheap leather means you'll have to re-learn them later, and what's the point of that?

I understanding getting a bag of cheap offcuts to practice stitching, but once you're happy with your stitching I'd go straight to the good stuff for everything else.

*Good quality sometimes means simply getting the better cuts of the hide, eg bend instead of shoulder, shoulder instead of belly etc.

Edited November 4, 2021 by Spyros

[Samalan]

Spyros thanks for helping out you said everything I should have said LOL good advice my friend .

[Warhauk]

Great advice everybody. It has definitely helped me out.