Black Sheep Leather
Materials
Italian Full Grain Vegetable Tanned
Made by Artisan tanneries in Italy with their unique tanning methods. Full-grain leather refers to hides that have not been sanded or buffed to remove imperfections on the surface. The grain remains giving the leather strength and durability so that instead of wearing out it develops a ‘patina’ over time.
Japanese Shell Cordovan (Shinki Hikaku)
There are only a few tanneries that still produce Cordovan leather in the whole world. The Japanese have a certain reputation in this field and the name Shinki-Hikaku often appears. Shinki leather is the most revered and most expensive horsehide in the world. What makes it so special is the quality of the hides which are cured for months in mimosa bark tanning solution and then dried. These hides have the perfect balance of strong shrunken grain, character on the surface, lack of scarring and flexibility. Shell cordovan comes from the butt of a horse, which is where the densest leather exists. This allows you to get an almost mirror finish on the leather as well as no creasing during use.
Natural Tanned Leather
Sometime I use a natural colour leather for my hand dyed items to create a particular colour I want for my finished products. This natural leather is full grain vegetable tanned and also sourced within the UK.
Sedgwick English Bridal
Traditional Bridle leather with an open grain texture hand-finished at J & E Sedgwick’s in Walsall. This smooth surfaced material originally made for equestrian use, has a high shine finish due to the care and attention it receives as it works its way through the various Sedgwick processes.
Thread
Just as important as the type of leather the threads used can be the key to a strong and long lasting product. For hand stitching I use either waxed polyester or “Lin Câblé” waxed French linen thread (widely used in luxury branded products) and bonded nylon for the machine stitch.
Leather Stamps and Embossing Service
I also offer an initials embossing service. Please contact me before placing the order to discuss for a further details.