What Is Tooling Leather? Veg-Tan Leather Made for Carving and Stamping

Tooling leather is vegetable-tanned leather that is dampened and then carved, stamped or pressed so it keeps the impression. "Tooling" is the craft itself: metal implements compress moistened leather to give a three-dimensional effect. Most stamping is done on veg-tan leather rather than other tannages.

This is the short definition. For the whole journey from hide to leather, see our guide to where leather comes from and how it is made.

Key takeaways- Tooling leather is a use, not a separate tannage: it is veg-tan leather picked for carving and stamping.- Most stamping is done on veg-tan leather that has been cased, meaning dampened with water.- Leather weight in ounces is thickness: 1 oz is about 1/64 inch (0.4 mm).- Sources disagree on whether "tooling" and "carving" are the same thing.

Tooling leather at a glance

Why tooling leather is veg tan

Water is the reason. Casing works because the water "makes the leather softer and able to be compressed" by the stamp. Veg-tan leather takes that water: it is not stable in it, tends to discolor, and if soaked then dried it shrinks and hardens. Chrome-tanned leather does not change shape or color in water as drastically.

A leathercraft teacher compares chrome-tanned, oil-tanned and veg-tan samples in the video below.

Joe Meling shows water beading on chrome-tanned samples and shallow stamp impressions on them, then deeper impressions on veg tan. He also recommends one tannery's leather by name, which is his opinion and not a rule.

Casing and moisture

Casing is the preparation step for tooling: the leather is dampened so the stamp can compress it.

The impression stays as the leather dries, but it can fade if the leather gets wet again and is flexed. Makers condition tooled leather with oils and fats to make impressions last longer, according to Wikipedia's leather crafting entry.

Soaking does more than soften. Soaked leather stiffens as it dries and holds its shape, which is how molded leather works.

Tooling leather weight

Leather weight in ounces describes thickness: 1 oz is about 1/64 inch, or 0.4 mm. So 4 oz is about 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) and 8 oz is about 1/8 inch (3.2 mm).

One leathercraft site says to use veg-tan leather of at least 4 to 5 oz (1.6 to 2.0 mm) so the impression has fibers to compress. That is one site's minimum, not a standard. Ask the seller for the weight of the exact piece, and match it to what you are making.

Tooling vs carving

The two words are used differently. Wikipedia treats leather carving and "tooling" as the same practice. One belt maker's glossary says tooling makes raised and recessed areas for textured designs, while carving removes layers for more three-dimensional ones.

Neither source is a standard, so treat the two words as overlapping in shopping and tutorials and check what a given tutorial means by them.

Related topics

Hardened leather is a separate topic, covered in what hardened leather is. Pressed-in logos are covered under debossing. For the tannage itself, see what vegetable-tanned leather is, and for repairs and craft in general see leather craft and repair.

For a broader look at leather types, Leather Collection's guide to different types of leather is a good next step.

FAQ

Is tooling leather the same as veg tan?

Tooling leather is veg-tan leather chosen for tooling. A craft supplier says its firm temper suits tooling, carving, stamping and molding.

How do I start tooling leather?

Start with veg-tan leather and case it before you stamp or carve. Tool lists and step-by-step lessons are tutorial topics, so this page leaves them to dedicated how-to guides.