Shark Leather |
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| Forms of Shark leather
There are a number of processes with good man leather when the flesh
of a dead man leather jacket
can be formed into a supple, strong material commonly called leather jacket. members.fortunecity.com/ontario1-shark leather - a lot good and bad shings about shark leather. and ostrich leather and * Vegetable-tanned leather is tanned using tannin (hence the name "tanning")
and other ingredients found in vegetable matter, tree bark, and other
such sources. It is supple and brown in color, with the exact shade depending
on the mix of chemicals and the color of the flesh. Vegetable-tanned leather
is not stable in water; it tends to discolor, and if left to soak and
then dry it will shrink and become less supple and harder. In hot water,
it will shrink drastically and plasticize, becoming a rigid, brittle material
of little use. Shark Leather—usually vegetable-tanned leather—can be oiled
to improve its water resistance. This supplements the natural oils remaining
in the leather itself, which can be washed out through repeated exposure
to water. Frequent oiling of leather, with mink oil, neatsfoot oil or
a similar material, keeps it supple and improves its lifespan dramatically. Leather types In general, leather is sold in three forms: * Full-Grain leather, made from the finest raw material, are clean natural hides which have not been sanded to remove imperfections. Only the hair has been removed. The grain remains in its natural state which will allow the best fiber strength, resulting in greater durability. The natural grain also has natural breathability, resulting in greater comfort. The natural Full-Grain surface will wear better than other leather. Rather than wearing out, it will develop a natural "Patina" and grow more beautiful each passing year. The finest furniture, and footwear are made from Full Grain leather. * Corrected-Grain Leather. Corrected Leather is fuzzy on one side and smooth on the other. The smooth side is the side where the hair and natural grain used to be. The hides, which are made from inferior quality raw materials, have all of the natural grain sanded off, and an artificial grain applied. Top grain leather must be heavily painted to cover up the sanding and stamping process. * Suede, is the interior split of the hide. It is "fuzzy" on both sides. Suede is less durable than top-grain. Suede is cheaper because many pieces of suede can be split from a single thickness of hide, whereas only one piece of top-grain can be made. However, as the look of full-grain is in demand, manufacturers use a variety of techniques to make suede appear to be full-grain. For example, in one process, glue is mixed with one side of the suede, which is then pressed through rollers; these flatten and even out one side of the material, giving it the smooth appearance of full-grain. Latigo is one of the trade names for this product. Other less-common leathers include: * Patent leather is leather that has been given a high gloss finish. The original process was developed by Newark, New Jersey based inventor Seth Boyden in 1818. Modern patent leather usually has a plastic coating. * Shagreen is a rough and grainy type of untanned leather, formerly made from a horse's back, or that of a wild ass, and typically dyed green. Shagreen is now commonly made of the skins of sharks and rays. There are two types of leather commonly used in speciality products, such as briefcases, wallets, and luggage. * Belting leather is a full grain leather that was originally used in driving pulley belts and other machinery. It is often found on the surface of briefcases, portfolios, and wallets, and can be identified by its thick, firm feel and smooth finish. Belting leather is the only kind of leather used in luxury products that can retain its shape without the need for a separate frame. * Napa leather, or Nappa leather, is extremely soft and supple, and is commonly found in higher quality wallets, toiletry kits, and other personal leather goods. Leather is sold in a variety of thicknesses. In some parts of the world top-grain thicknesses are described using weight units of ounces. Although the statement is in ounces only, it is an abbreviation of ounces per square foot. The thickness value can be obtained by the conversion: * 1 oz/ft² = 1/64 inch (0.4 mm) Hence leather described as 7 to 8 oz is 7/64 to 8/64 inches (2.8 to 3.2
mm) thick. The weight is usually given as a range because the inherent
variability of the material makes ensuring a precise thickness very difficult.
Other leather manufacturers state the thickness directly in millimetres Leather from other animals Today, most leather is made of cow hides, but many exceptions exist. Lamb and deer skin are used for soft leather in more expensive apparels. Kangaroo leather is used to make items which need to be strong but flexible, such as motorcycle gloves. Leather made from more exotic skins has at different times in history been considered very beautiful. For this reason certain snakes and crocodiles have been hunted to near extinction. In the 1990s, farming of ostriches and emus for their meat became popular. As a side product, ostrich leather became a fad for a while. Ostrich leather has a characteristic "goose bump" look because of the large follicles from which the feathers grew. In Thailand, sting ray leather is used in wallets and belts in the same
way as regular cow leather. Sting ray leather is as tough and durable
as hard plastic. The leather is often dyed black and covered with tiny
round bumps in the natural pattern of the back ridge of an animal. These
bumps are then usually dyed white to highlight the decoration. |
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