Not all leather is created equal
Don't get caught out!
Know your full grain from your genuine leather, your vegetable tan from your chrome tan, and your butt from your shoulder or belly!
In this short three part series, we're going to (hopefully) shed some light on the often overlooked variances in leather available to you.
Know your leather: Part 3
Butt, Shoulder or Belly?
It is confusing... leather is leather right?
No.
Here at Tanner Bates, we use full grain vegetable tanned leather. In our opinion, this is the crème de la crème.
Leather is available in various different cuts, each has its benefits and drawbacks and can also depend a little on the animal from which it comes.
For the most part, we use cow hide here at Tanner Bates, which we’ll focus on below, and specifically the two finest cuts which come from the butt and the shoulder.
The Butt is cut from the rear/rump section of the animal. It can either be sold as a ‘Bend’ which is one half of a ‘Butt’. It can also be sold as a ‘Pair’ which is two Bends effectively making up the whole butt. Or confusingly it can also be sold as a ‘Double Butt’ which is the whole butt as one piece. This cut has a very tight fibre and grain structure. It is revered for its tensile strength and low stretch. It tends to have fewer natural wrinkles than other areas.
As the butt is the longest and strongest part of the hide, it is perfect for belts. Our oak bark tanned Devon leather, sourced from the world famous J&FJ Baker’s Tannery, is English Bridle Butt. We also use this cut for some of our bags and accessories.
The shoulder is almost always sold as a double shoulder rather than a single shoulder, and referred to as ‘A Shoulder’ for the whole double shoulder piece.
We use this premier cut for a multitude of products, from belts to bags and small leather goods and accessories. It still has a tight fibre and grain structure, although with slightly more flexibility than the butt, offering a fantastic combination of strength and flexibility. The shoulder tends to have slightly more natural wrinkles than the butt, especially around the neck, however typically less than the belly.
If you need an extremely long cut, you can also source a ‘Harness Back’ or ‘Back’. This is a more specialist cut and combines a ‘Bend’ and ‘Single Shoulder’ all in one long piece. Essentially half of the whole skin, with the belly removed. This would be used for extremely long straps as used in saddlery harnesses, hence the traditional name of harness back.
Finally, there is the ‘Belly’. This part of the hide tends to be smaller, thinner and stretchier than either the butt or shoulder. Due to having a looser fibre and grain structure, it is not the strongest part of the hide. We don’t use the belly here at Tanner Bates, however it does lend itself nicely to items such as gloves and linings.
In short, if you're buying anything leather, and it isn't immediately obvious, ask.
Ask how was the leather tanned.
Ask if it is full grain.
Ask what cut of leather was used.
Ask who made the product.
In our opinion:
If the person selling it cannot answer, don't buy it.
When you buy a Tanner Bates piece, we can answer these questions…
So, if you've supported us before, or are considering your first piece, thank you. It genuinely makes a difference.
With love from Devon,
Rick, Matt & Matthew
