Category:Leather

Leather was an essential material in the medieval period, used for shoes, belts, pouches, sheaths, and to make thongs/straps. Large mammals such as adult cattle and horses have hides; smaller mammals such as sheep, goats and calves have skins.

Like most other flat surfaces, leather should be decorated if possible, reflecting your culture and status.

What kind of leather to use

What cut to use

Leather has two distinct sides. The side on which the animal’s wool or hair grew is called the grain side. The side which was next to the flesh or meat of the animal is called the flesh side, (tougher and sometimes has a hairy texture). The grain side of leather naturally has a pattern, though some leathers have these removed so that they are perfectly smooth. Thick leather may be split into 2 to 4 layers before tanning. The top layer is called the grain split or top split. The middle layers are called middle splits and the bottom layer is called the bottom split or flesh split. The middle and flesh splits are usually sueded on both sides – buffed to give a fine velvety pile. An unsplit hide will be much thicker of course and may be described as full hide. It is doubtful weather the Vikings had the technology to laterally split a hide, so split hide or leather sueded on both sides should be avoided.

What sort of leather

For re-enactment kit you will want vegetable tanned leather. This is sometimes called tooling hide (because it is easily stamped, carved and dyed), russet hide (it can turn a reddish russet-red), may be named after the tanning solution used (e.g. oak tanned leather) or its a typical use (e.g. ‘saddle skirting’ and ‘soling’ leather, both heavy thick vegetable tanned leathers). Veg-tanned leather should be pretty smooth and will look a natural colour.

What to avoid

Chrome-tanned leather (a soft flexible leather ready dyed in a range of colours) is not suitable for authentic kit. Chrome-tanned leather will generally be shiny on one side. If in doubt, please ask.

How thick should it be?

Leather is sold by weight, thickness, and occasionally by iron. You need to see a piece of leather to know if it is suitable for a particular job, but as a rough guide shoe soles and vambraces should be made from l0oz - l3oz = 5/32" - 13/67" = 4mm - 4.5mm - 7 1/2 - 9 3/4 iron. For shoe uppers and pouches you will want leather of about half this weight and thickness.

Preserving leather

Leather is made by immersing an untreated hide in a solution of tannin or oak bark to prevent decay. However, further treatment of the leather is necessary to prevent rot caused by exposure to the elements.

Almost any animal fat or beeswax would be authentic for preserving leather. However, there are modern products available. 'Dubbin' is a mixture of tallow and glycerine, softens and preserves. 'Mink oil' (not made from mink!) has a similar effect as does 'Neat's Foot oil', which is made from pigs’ feet. 'Ko-Cha-Lin' is probably the best of all. 'Leather Food' and neutral shoe polish softens, preserves and nourishes leather against the effects of the weather. Do not forget that applying leather preservative is not a one off event, as you will have to renew the treatment two or three times a year.

However, the various leather preservatives will darken the leather, especially if contaminated with iron – the tannin in the leather reacts with the iron and turns the leather a very dark colour. No, this is not an excuse for black biker jackets!

Never use leather lacquer or varnish, as this will leave the leather looking like artificially chromed leather!