How to Make Leather: 9 Steps (with Pictures)

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How to Make Leather: 9 Steps (with Pictures)
How to Make Leather: 9 Steps (with Pictures)
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Leather is a material obtained from the skin of an animal by tanning or other similar processes. The leather is not subject to bacteria and degradation due to the alteration of the protein structure in the skin. The process of creating leather dates back to ancient civilizations and has evolved becoming simpler. Follow this procedure to learn how to make leather.

Steps

Make Leather Step 1
Make Leather Step 1

Step 1. Remove the skin from the animal's flesh

Make Leather Step 2
Make Leather Step 2

Step 2. Soak the skin in water

Soaking will help remove dirt or other materials from the skin.

Make Leather Step 3
Make Leather Step 3

Step 3. Remove the hair from the skin

This is done chemically with a calcium carbonate bath.

Make Leather Step 4
Make Leather Step 4

Step 4. Remove the meat

Use a mechanical fleshing machine to remove meat from inside the skin. Put the inner part of the skin on the steel roller of the machine to remove any excess meat parts.

Make Leather Step 5
Make Leather Step 5

Step 5. Put the skin back into the calcium carbonate

This bath is known as soaking and will remove any unnecessary inter-fiber substances and proteins.

Make Leather Step 6
Make Leather Step 6

Step 6. Complete the tanning process

This can last from 1 to 4 days, depending on the procedure you choose.

  • Do a vegetable tanning. A vegetable tanning uses tannin extract, which is found in the bark of trees such as oak, chestnut or hemlock. The tannin extract is mixed with water and placed in a rotating drum with the animal's skin. The rotation distributes the extract on the skin evenly. The process takes 3 to 4 days and produces a flexible leather that is used for furniture or suitcases.
  • It does a mineral tanning. Mineral tanning involves the use of a chemical substance called chromium sulphate which must be absorbed by the animal's skin for the tanning to be correct. This process takes approximately 24 hours to complete and produces an elastic leather used for garments and bags.
Make Leather Step 7
Make Leather Step 7

Step 7. Dry the leather

After the leather has undergone the tanning process it can be considered leather. Hang the leather to dry. Use a fan to speed up the process.

Make Leather Step 8
Make Leather Step 8

Step 8. Soften the leather

A tool such as a loom can soften the leather by ironing it and lubricating it with natural oils. This process ensures that the leather remains flexible.

Make Leather Step 9
Make Leather Step 9

Step 9. Customize the leather

Cut, dye and finish leather to end user specifications.

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