What Leather Thickness for??

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

It occurred to me that ther is probably a table available on the internet that has the prefererred thicknesses (and grades as well as long as I am dreaming...)

Anyone have some suggestions?

[ChuckBurrows]

Leather Grades for bark/veg tan
http://www.hermannoakleather.com/
Click on Specification Guide on the left and then click on Grading at the top - grading is based on how clean and free of range marks/brands the face of the hide is - the cleaner the face the higher the grade which can be either numerical or alphabetical or standar, utility, etc.. You'll also see a TR grade which stands for Tannery Grade - and is basically a grab bag grade.

Thickness - all depends on the end product and whether one is copying originals as close as possible or making for the CAS market so no charts that I know of other than those explaining that 1 oz of leather is equal to 1/64".
The standard for single thickness (i.e. unlined) holsters and belts is and has been for a long time 8/9 oz - in period many were more 7/8 oz and some even thinner (the real thin ones were sometimes called chicken skin rigs).
Old West money belts were generally 3/4 oz bark tan although some today use the thicker 4/5 oz and in period some were very lightweight at 2/3 oz. Heiser and some others post 1880 or so also used chrome tan chap hide.

[Slowhand Bob]

Remember, in a perfect world grades would be universal but the reality I have found one sellers grade to be far different from anothers and to some extent weight/measurements can vary somewhat also.  Some will advertise 'thickness consistent throughout' and it will definitely not be.  Some years back I ordered well over a thousand dollars worth of 8/9oz 'good grade' leather from a well known supplier and what I received was between 10 and 14oz with loose spongy nap all the way through to the back of the epidermis.  I learned a good lesson, always see the product, to select from, OR at least order small the first time so you will know how the seller grades his leather.

PS: still got a couple or so of those old hides around-

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Chuck,

Thank you for the website; I browsed it quickly 'cause I am off to Loaves and Fishes, but I also put it on my 'Favorite List' so that I can get back to it ...

Slim,

Thank you for the caution ...

I found myself needing some black pre-dyed 8-9 oz material to make a holster. When I put a 'whine thread' about the need, JD suggested Standing Bear Trading Post, which WC operates.

To make the story short, WC hand picked the hide I wanted, and has sent almost all my leather supplies to me. A quick call to them usually has my kit on it's way in 24-48 hours, and I have had them suggest that I would be better pleased with a slightly better product ... in short, they look out for their patrons the way few businesses do, and I will choose them to buy from because they have my best interests at heart (rather than just making a sale) ... I really can't say enough nice things about them ...
Their web site is:

http://sbearstradingpost.com/