Glossary of Leather Terms

This glossary is a growing, neutral reference for leather and leatherworking terminology, including tanning, grading, materials, and common tooling vocabulary. Use the A–Z index to jump to a letter, then scroll or search within the page to find a definition. Each entry is kept to a few sentences so it is easy to scan, quote, and reference in research.

A

Aniline Leather: Leather dyed with transparent dyes so the natural grain, pores, and character marks remain visible. It typically has minimal surface coating and develops patina with use.
Alum Tanned: A tannage method that uses aluminum salts to stabilize the hide, often producing a lighter, softer leather. It is commonly associated with certain specialty leathers and historical processes.
Awl: A pointed hand tool used to pierce holes in leather for stitching or lacing. Stitching awls are designed to create clean holes that help thread pass through the leather.

B

Backgrounder: A stamping tool used to compress and texture the negative space around a carved design. It increases contrast and helps the main elements stand out.
Bonded Leather: A composite material made from leather fibers or scraps bonded together with adhesives and coated or finished. It is not a single hide layer and behaves differently from traditional leather.
Bridle Leather: A firm, durable leather traditionally used for tack, commonly vegetable tanned and finished with waxes or tallows. It is valued for strength, burnish, and clean edges.
Burnishing: The process of smoothing and polishing a leather edge using friction, moisture, and sometimes a burnishing agent. It compresses fibers to create a rounded, finished edge.

C

Casing: Moistening vegetable tanned leather to the right internal water content so it cuts, models, and stamps cleanly. Proper casing allows for the best possible swivel knife cuts and stamp impressions.
Chrome Tanned: Leather tanned with chromium salts, usually resulting in a soft, flexible material with good water resistance. It is common for garments, upholstery, and many bags.
Corrected Grain: Leather whose grain surface has been sanded or buffed to remove imperfections, then often embossed for uniform texture. It trades some natural character for consistency.
Crust: A stage of leather that has been tanned and dried but not fully finished with final surface coatings. It is often dyed, conditioned, or finished later depending on the product.

D

Drumming: A tumbling process in rotating drums used to soften leather, distribute oils, or apply dyes and chemicals more evenly. It often increases suppleness and surface character.
Dye: A coloring agent that penetrates into the leather rather than sitting fully on the surface. Dyes typically preserve more grain detail than heavy pigmented finishes.

E

Edge Beveler: A hand tool that cuts to round off the edge of a piece leather. It helps edges burnish cleanly and reduces sharp corners.
Embossing: Creating a raised dimensional design by pushing the leather out from the back and filling the cavity with leather putty or a similar substance.

F

Finish: A surface treatment applied to leather to protect it, change sheen, or improve stain resistance.
Flesh Side: The inner side of a hide, opposite the grain side, with a more fibrous texture. Depending on the leather and project, it may be left natural, slicked, or lined.
Full Grain: Leather that retains the hide’s original grain surface without sanding or heavy correction. It shows natural character and is often valued for durability and patina.

G

Grain Side: The outer surface of leather where the hair once was, typically smoother and denser than the flesh side. Many premium leathers highlight the natural grain pattern here.
Gum Tragacanth: A plant-based burnishing agent used to slick edges and compress fibers. It helps produce a smoother edge with less fuzzing.
Grading (Tannery): A sorting system based on cosmetic defects, scars, holes, and usable yield in a hide or side. It describes appearance and cutting value, not how well the leather was tanned.

H

Harness Leather: A strong leather traditionally used for working tack, typically stuffed with oils and waxes for durability. It is known for weather resistance and a firm, substantial feel.
Hide: The skin of a larger animal (commonly cattle) used to produce leather, as opposed to smaller “skins” such as goat or sheep. Different areas of the hide vary in stretch and density.
Hot Stuffing: A process where waxes, oils, or tallows are driven into leather using heat. It improves water resistance and contributes to pull-up and waxy finishes.

I

Iron (Stamp): A stamping tool used to create repeated lines, borders, or geometric textures. In many traditions, “irons” are the workhorse tools for clean, rhythmic patterning.

J

Jig: A fixture or guide used to keep cutting, punching, or stitching consistent. Jigs reduce drift and make repeatable production easier.

K

Kid (Leather): Leather made from young goat, often prized for a fine grain and softness. It is commonly used for gloves, small goods, and refined linings.

L

Latigo: A durable strap leather traditionally used for cinch and tie straps, often combining tannages for strength and weather resistance. It is commonly oil and wax conditioned for long wear.
Lining: A secondary leather or fabric layer added to the inside of a project for structure, comfort, or a cleaner interior finish. Linings can also reduce stretch and hide seams.

M

Molding: Shaping damp leather to a form so it holds contours after drying. Vegetable tanned leather is commonly molded for holsters, cases, and structured parts.

N

Nubuck: A top-grain leather that is lightly sanded on the grain side to create a fine, velvety nap. It is generally more durable than suede but can stain more easily than smooth finished leathers.
Neutralization: A tannery step that adjusts leather’s acidity after tanning to improve dye uptake and long-term stability. It helps prepare the leather for retanning and finishing.

O

Oil Tanned: Leather treated with oils to improve softness and water resistance, often producing a supple, broken-in feel. It is used in many workwear and rugged goods applications.
Overstitch Wheel: A wheel tool used to mark evenly spaced stitch impressions or to set stitches into a groove. It is often used before punching to mark stitching holes or after stitching for a cleaner finish.

P

Patina: The gradual change in color and sheen that develops as leather absorbs oils, light, and wear over time. Many leathers are chosen specifically because they age with visible character.
Pigmented Finish: A finish that uses opaque pigments to create uniform color and improve stain resistance. It can conceal some natural grain detail compared to aniline or semi-aniline finishes.
Pull-Up Leather: Leather heavily conditioned with oils or waxes that lightens in color when stretched or bent. The effect highlights movement and gives a lived-in look quickly.
Pricking Iron: A tool that marks or creates evenly spaced angled stitch points for hand sewing. It is commonly used to guide saddle stitching for consistent spacing and slant.

Q

Quartz Burnisher: A smooth burnishing tool used to compress leather fibers, especially on edges or flesh sides. The hard, polished surface helps create a slick finish with less drag.

R

Rawhide: Hide that is dried but not tanned, making it stiff and very strong when dry. It is used for lacing, braiding, and structural applications where rigidity matters.
Resist: A protective coating applied before antiquing or dyeing to limit how much color penetrates certain areas. It is used to preserve highlights and increase contrast in tooling.
Russet: A traditional term for undyed vegetable tanned leather in its natural light tan state. It is commonly used for tooling, dyeing, and projects where color will be added later.

S

Saddle Stitch: A hand-stitching method using two needles that pass through each hole from opposite sides. It is valued for strength because the stitch can remain intact even if one thread segment is cut.
Skiving: Thinning leather in a targeted area to reduce bulk for folds, seams, or edges. It improves glue-ups, turns, and overall finish quality.
Split Leather: The lower layer of a hide after it has been split horizontally, beneath the grain layer. It is commonly used for suede or coated products and behaves differently from grain leather.
Suede: Leather with a napped finish, typically made by sanding the flesh side or using split leather. It has a soft feel but usually requires more care than smooth grain finishes.
Swivel Knife: A cutting tool used in leather carving to make controlled, shallow cuts that guide beveling and stamping. It is foundational in many tooling styles, especially floral carving.
Syntan: A synthetic tanning agent used alone or with vegetable tanning to modify properties such as firmness, color, and dye response. It is common in modern retanning systems.

T

Tannage: The overall tanning system used to convert hide into leather, such as vegetable, chrome, aldehyde, or combinations. The tannage strongly influences feel, firmness, and use cases.
Tooling Leather: Leather selected for carving and stamping, typically vegetable tanned so it can be cased and hold crisp impressions. It is often used for belts, saddlery, and decorative work.
Top Grain: Leather made from the upper portion of the hide, including the grain layer, but it may be lightly corrected or finished. It is widely used because it balances durability, consistency, and cost.

U

Undeveloped Grain: A grain surface that lacks a strong natural pattern or has inconsistent texture due to the hide’s characteristics or processing. It may be more likely to be corrected or embossed for uniformity.

V

Vegetable Tanned: Leather tanned with plant-derived tannins, often producing a firmer leather that molds and tools well. It commonly darkens and develops patina as it ages.
Veiner: A stamping tool used to add vein-like texture and depth, especially in leaves and floral carving. It helps create flow and dimensional detail in carved designs.
V-Gouge: A tool used to cut a V-shaped channel, often to create sharp folds, inlays, or decorative recesses. It is also used in some styles for crisp geometric work.

W

Waxed Thread: Thread coated in wax to reduce friction, improve stitch tightness, and resist moisture. It is common in hand sewing because it grips and locks stitches more cleanly.
Wet Blue: An intermediate stage after chrome tanning where the leather remains wet and has a bluish cast. It is often stored or shipped before further processing into finished leather.

X

X-Acto Knife: A small precision knife used for detail trimming, pattern work, and controlled cuts on thin leathers. It is common for templates and fine adjustments, not heavy cutting.

Y

Yoke: A shaped panel, often seen in garments and some tack, used to distribute stress and add structure. In leather goods it can refer to a reinforcing or decorative upper section.

Z

Zig-Zag Stitch: A machine stitch pattern used to allow flex or to secure edges against fraying on certain materials. In leatherwork it is less common than straight stitches but appears in some garment and accessory construction.