KINGSMERE CRAFTS

Flesher:- The un-tanned flesh split of sheep or lamb-skin, sometimes referred to as lining.

Full:- Indicates the un-split or full thickness of hide or skin. It is also used as an adjective to describe the complete tanning with only one agent. Also the whole natural grain surface which has been neither split nor buffed.


Glazed goat	Dark tan suede split	Raisin coloured - pebbled, printed

Glazed:- This is very similar to an aniline finished leather other than for the surface being polished to a very high lustre. This is created by the rolling action of glass on steel rollers under considerable pressure. In the same sort of manner the individual crafts-person, using vegetable-tanned leather, can impart a "glaze" to the leather using a smooth piece of wood when the leather is damp, by a controlled stroking motion in one direction and with a fair amount of pressure. Practise will make perfect!

Goatskin, Maroquin, Saffian:- Slightly greased vegetable-tanned and vividly coloured leather made from sheepskins or goatskins. Mostly used in the decorative uppers of national footwear.

Grain splits:- Grain splits may be finished for wear on the grain side, or the flesh side. Quite often the back of the grain leather is just as usable as the grain side. That's one reason why they are such good value. You need to find a cut or torn edge to distinguish a finished split from full grain or corrected grain pigmented leather. In a grain leather the fibres are much more tightly packed near the grain surface, while in a finished split the fibres are equally loosely packed all the way to the pigment coating.

Grained leather:- Any leather on which the original natural grain has been changed or altered by whatever method.

Hardness of leather:- A defect caused by mistakes during neutralizing and inadequate selection of fat liquor components. Hard leather is dry and rustling. It can be local, found on individual parts of the hide, or general, found on the double-bend and shoulder. It is determined by the product of a certain modulus of elasticity by the area of the tested sample in square centimetres. The hardness of artificial leather and film is determined by the load needed to deflect the tested sample, bent to form a ring, by ¹/3 of the diameter, or by other determined value.

Juff, Russian:- Combined-tannage leather made from cattle hides, horse fronts and pigskins having a high content of grease.

Levant grain:- A heavy and bold grained morocco originating in the Levant and Turkey, frequently copied and embossed on sheep skins, goats or even seals. It has a pattern of irregular creases.

Limed rawhide:- This leather is used for the manufacture of percussion drum skins, for protecting hot-air balloon baskets and even in the orthopaedic world – when soaked back the leather will mould to its new shape. Also used on lacrosse sticks, scabbards and Western saddles.

London colour:- This is a light-buff colour which is identified with London-made leather bags and cases.

Milling:- The process of massaging hides to ensure softness. After the hides have been tanned, dyed and finished they are tumbled for several hours to achieve extra softness.

Naked leather:- A leather with no surface-impregnated treatment or finish, other than dye matter, which might mask or alter the natural state of the leather. Usually reserved for the finest quality skins.