Education and Pricing
Thank you for considering Wyrmhide Leather Works for your small, hand-crafted leather goods. We would like to share some useful information around the processes that go into selecting a quality leather craft item.
All prices listed on this page are provided only to indicate the average starting price. Options such as premium leathers, custom designs, tooling, and personalization will increase the cost.
Composition of a Leather Hide
It is important to understand how materials can affect your project. First and most important is understanding what actually comprises a leather hide. A leather hide is divided into four sections. The Grain, Grain & Corium Junction, Corium, and Flesh.
Grain
The outermost layer of the hide, and it is comprised of very tight, very dense fibers. It was exposed to the elements and is very strong and smooth once any hair is removed.
Junction
Where the tight outer layer blends into the looser fibers of the corium. It is a mix of the very desirable grain layer and the looser fibers of the corium layer.
Corium
Comprised mainly of collagen fibers and is looser and more open than the grain layer. It is also the thickest part of any leather hide. Parts of this corium may be present in any finished leather hide depending upon how it is split.
Flesh
Consisting of mainly muscle and fatty connective tissues. It is not very usable and is generally removed from most leather hides.
Now that we understand how a hide is divided, we can discuss the types of leather.
Full Grain Leather - This cut of leather contains the entire outer layer of the hide (grain) and some portion of the grain & corium junction. It has not been altered to remove any “imperfections” the hide may have due to scars, insect bites, etc. that the animal may have incurred. This is the strongest of all types of leather and is good for saddlery, footwear, and furniture. It is generally considered the highest quality leather available. It is also generally the most expensive hide per “usable” square foot due to the “waste” material lost avoiding imperfections. Wyrmhide Leatherworks uses Full Grain Leather for belts and other products needing extreme durability.
Top Grain Leather - This cut of leather is very similar to Full Grain Leather, except that the top of the grain layer has been lightly sanded to remove some small imperfections and irregularities in the hide. Top Grain hides generally will still contain some percentage of scars or branding marks. The sanding process does remove a small portion of the strength and durability when compared to Full Grain Leather, but it is the tradeoff for getting more usable material per hide. Most high-end leather goods such as purses, wallets, and shoes are made from Top Grain Leather. It is considered the second highest quality leather. Almost all products produced by Wyrmhide Leatherworks are made from Top Grain Leather.
Corrected Leather - Corrected leather can come from any layer of the hide and undergoes various treatments to the surface to provide a more uniform “corrected” appearance. It is usually sanded and buffed to remove all surface imperfections, pre-dyed, and stamped or embossed to give it a final surface appearance. It is often used in place of Top Grain Leather to reduce costs. Wyrmhide Leatherworks uses Corrected Leather, only for lining leathers as this element does not provide structural durability to the product but instead enhance aesthetics
Genuine Leather - Also known as Split Leather, Genuine Leather generally comes from the left over portions of the hide after full grain or top grain leather is "split" down to a specific (thinner) size. It is then treated and surfaced to make it resemble Top Grain Leather. Most sueded leathers are genuine leather.
Pricing
Wyrmhide Leather Works is a boutique, build-to-order business with a focus on high-quality materials. We primarily source our hides from the US-based Hermann Oak Leather Company, but also source from members of the Italian Leather Consortium, particularly for our high-end liner selections. We calculate our prices based on materials and an average of direct labor-hours. Customizations such as unique pattern design and tooling are generally charged on an hourly basis.
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