TOOLS

The few tools essential in leather-work are illustrated in the text, where their use is described. They comprise:

1. A Lithographic Stone or a Slab of Marble (preferably the former).

2. A Tracing-point and some 6H Graphite Pencils.

3. An Incising Knife.

4. Modellers of different sizes.

5. An Opener.

Special tools, Punches, Wheels etc., are treated of at greater length in dealing with the different processes in which they are used.

CHOICE OF SKINS

The art of working in leather is now so general that it is not difficult to obtain skins specially prepared for the purpose. It is an essential qualification that nothing of a fatty nature be used in their preparation. The tanning process of the best skins, whether with a glossy surface artificially obtained by rolling or with a dull surface, should be a very simple one. Oak and sumach tannins (used especially for morocco leather) are those which best preserve the suppleness and capillarity of leather. The susceptibility of its colour to alteration from exposure to light is greatly influenced by the materials used in tanning. Oak wood and chestnut are the tannins least influenced by light. Skins tanned with cassaigre and mimosa, light at first, become darkened in a marked degree by exposure.[1]

So many varieties of leather are on the market that some guide will be found useful in selecting the most suitable for the different methods of decoration. These methods may be classified as follows:

Cut, or engraved leather.

Carved leather.

Punched or hammered leather.

Modelled leather.

Modelled leather with punched background.

Leather decorated by pyrogravure and pointogravure.

Stamped leather.

Open-work leather.

Leather mosaic.

The leathers which may be used in these various styles of decoration are

Sheep-skin.

Cow-hide.

Calf.

Ox-hide.

Morocco.

Russia.

Pig-skin.

Chamois.

Vellum.

Sheepskin does not lend itself either to incising or to carving and is only useful for cheap work; it is very malleable and models easily, but for that reason lacks the firmness of calf when modelled. It is also not possible to get such good colour results with sheep-skin as with calf, cow-hide, or ox-hide. It can be used for large work, such as wall-hangings, screens, etc., but is not recommended. Beginners, however, will find it useful on account of its low price.

Cow and calf are the most suitable leathers for really artistic work. Cow-hide may be obtained with either a glossy or a dull surface; the dull skins are sold specially prepared for decorating and give good results, the smoothness of their surface making them particularly suitable for modelling and pyrogravure.

Calf varies greatly in thickness and colour. It should be noted that in carved and modelled work the advantages of great malleability in the material are more than counterbalanced by the disadvantages; durable results cannot be obtained with very malleable leather which yields easily to the tool, and since high relief can be worked without difficulty in comparatively thick leather by damping it, its use is much to be preferred.

Ox-hide is frequently as thick as strong cardboard and is the ideal leather for carving, hammering and pyrogravure. In cut decoration a better effect can be obtained with this leather than with thinner skins, and being very firm, it is equally suitable for modelling.

Morocco leather, which is mostly of the kind called “Cape morocco,” is goat-skin with a grained surface produced by pressing hard seeds upon the skin while it is still damp from the tanning. For bookbinding and similar purposes this grain is crushed by pressing hot plates heavily on the surface. The only way of decorating leather so treated is by an inlay (or literally onlay) of skins of other colours, and is known as Leather Mosaic.[2]

The so-called Russia leather is generally very light and soft and well adapted to modelling on wax. It should not be cut.

Pig-skin is very firm and was formerly much used for the fine stamped bindings of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries. It does not lend itself well to carving, but is very suitable for pyrogravure because of the contrast between its light tint and the dark brown mark produced by the hot tool.

Chamois leather, which is not always prepared from the skins of deer or chamois, is only suitable for flat ornament. It may be decorated by pyrogravure or with stencilled ornament, or used in its natural colour as background to an open-work pattern of leather of another colour.

Vellum, a very thin and stiff white skin, can be decorated with brush or pen-work. It is principally used for bookbinding. Those who wish to paint on vellum can draw their inspiration from the marvellous miniatures of the Middle Ages: a description of this style of decoration, however, does not come within the scope of the present work.