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  1. #11
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by WillowEstate View Post

    Thanks, Tom and Artificer for the additional thoughts. I do have my doubts about the quality of the leather - it is stamped as "Real Leather" and smells like leather but it might be one of the near substitutes - I'll know when I try bevelling it.
    Unfortunately "Real Leather" is one of those terms... you know the sort, they say something without actually meaning very much.

    It says nothing of the quality or composition of the leather.

    In the same way some makers of cabinets call particle board "All Wood" which is true in the loosest sense of the word, "Real Leather" only means that the product is made of leather- leatherboard is basically particle board made from shredded leather instead of pulped wood, it is then given a veneer of amazingly thin leather to give it a surface.

    FWIW:
    In the leather industry "Full Grain" means uncorrected top grain leather.
    "Top Grain" means that they're using the skin surface, although it may have a new grain heat pressed into it or have scars/brands sanded off or filled.

    Other countries have better consumer protections/labeling, but in the US pretty much all other terms are meaningless as the "Real Leather" may in fact be a split-

    When leather is thinned to it's desired thickness it is sliced through on a huge table machine. The upper skin surface is the top or grain, the lower cut is the split. Sometimes these 'splits' are sold as suede, sometimes these are sent through the heat press to have an artificial surface grain applied to them, then they are given a surface dye.

    BiCast/Bycast leather is this split grain leather which is given a heavy polyurethane coating/lamination to look like a shiny leather, frequently with a slightly crinkled pull-up antiquey finish.
    It's similar to the way most patent leather is produced today (it used to be top grain leather which had been lacquered). This type of product cannot be called 100% leather or "Real Leather" in a number of countries. The US is not one of them- I don't know about the UK.

    Good luck with the edging!

    ith:
    Last edited by artificer; 27th May 13 at 12:05 PM.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    28th April 13
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    SE QLD, Australia
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    Thanks, Artificer, that's great education for me and, I'm sure, anyone else following the thread.

    "FWIW:
    In the leather industry "Full Grain" means uncorrected top grain leather.
    "Top Grain" means that they're using the skin surface, although it may have a new grain heat pressed into it or have scars/brands sanded off or filled."


    "Full Grain" is a term I hadn't heard. I had heard of "Top Grain" but had assumed it just meant Top Quality - I'm better educated now!

    "BiCast/Bycast leather is this split grain leather which is given a heavy polyurethane coating/lamination to look like a shiny leather, frequently with a slightly crinkled pull-up antiquey finish."

    I think you may have hit the nail on the head here, this sounds a very good description of my sporran and if it has the polyurethane coating you suggest, that could explain the roughness of the maker's mark - melted plastic!

    "This type of product cannot be called 100% leather or "Real Leather" in a number of countries. The US is not one of them- I don't know about the UK."

    I think in the EU, "split" would be allowed to be called Real Leather but probably not "100% Leather". Reconstituted leather board would not, similar to wooden fibreboard, which is always referred to as Medium Density Fibre (MDF) and not real wood.

    Thanks again for making it a good day - I learned something new!
    Regards, Sav.

    "The Sun Never Sets on X-Marks!"

  3. #13
    Join Date
    11th February 13
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    Marietta, GA.
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    If you can, take it over to a saddle shop and see if they might have something to smooth it out with or maybe they can do it for you (for a small fee)
    LOCH SLOY!
    Cheers, Wil

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