Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Know If You Have Calfskin Leather

Calfskin leather is used for soft leather shoes.


The lightweight, soft, supple and comfortable feel of calfskin makes it a desirable leather choice. The material is resistant to abrasions and is quite durable. This kind of leather actually gets softer and more supple with use. This kind of leather is used for book binding, shoes and straps. Determining what kind of leather you have can be tricky but there are some helpful hints that can indicate the origin of the leather piece. Does this Spark an idea?


Instructions


1. Look at the product label, if there is one. This will indicate what material you have.


2. Feel the leather with your hands. Calfskin leather is softer than many other leathers that you will find. This is due to the young age of the cow that it came from. Kip leather is only slightly older than calfskin. It also has a soft, flexible texture and it is used for things such as baseball gloves and purses. Calfskin and kip leather are difficult to tell apart.


3. Measure the thickness of the leather. Calfskin will usually fall in the .8 to 2 mm range of thickness.


4. Look at the hair follicle pattern on the leather. Calfskin has very dense and random patterns of follicles.


5. Examine the fiber structure of the leather. Calfskin is dense, tight and strong.


6. Fold the leather and manipulate it with your hands. Calfskin leather will also be relatively supple and flexible, compared to cowhide, horsehide, pigskin or buffalo.







Tags: Calfskin leather, kind leather, leather Calfskin, your hands Calfskin, hands Calfskin, hands Calfskin leather, leather used