Veg Tan Leather

We stock premium varieties of dyed and natural full grain veg tan leather in varying weights from 3 oz to 15 oz. Available in sides, single / double shoulders, bellies, sheets and panels. Ideal for leather craft, tooling, leather working, carving, and saddlery projects. Buckskin Leather is the authorized distributor for Hermann Oak Leather in Canada. Hermann Oak leather produces a variety of veg tan leathers for leather crafters, medieval armor, footwear, saddlery, horse tack, boot making, orthotics, and harness applications. Canada & USA Shipping available. 

All hides are supplied in uncut condition and priced per square foot or by the side for saddlery skirting, English bridle, and harness leathers. Quantity discounts are offered for a minimum of 3 side bundles of mix and match weights.

Hermann Oak Leather has been tanning the finest quality vegetable-tanned leather since 1881 in St. Louis Missouri. In 2014, Buckskin Leather Co. was chosen as their new Canadian Hermann Oak leather distributor for Canada.

We thank our predecessor, Caledon Leather Sales Inc. of Calgary, for their 28 years of service representing and promoting the Hermann Oak leather tradition and their products. We would like to inform all previous Caledon Leather Sales customers that we not only carry the same lines Caledon made available but we have expanded the lines and have introduced new and exciting Hermann Oak weights and lines for saddle makers, leathercraft, hobbyists, and leatherworking applications.

What is Veg Tan Leather or Bark Tan Leather?

Veg tan leather ( also know as Vegetable-tanned leather) utilizes organic tree bark and its all-natural tanning agent “tannin” to produce a hide substance capable of absorbing water and swelling as required for tooling, case forming, and carving leather.

Veg tanned leather or otherwise know as Bark tan leather is required for any applications requiring tooling, carving, casing, and stamping of leather as in belts, wallets, saddlebags, holsters, rifle cases, body armor, saddles, tack, and leather orthotics.

This particular full-grain veg-tan leather will have the characteristics of minimal stretch, firmness, durability, and the ability to hold tool design, carving, case forming, dying, and stamping.

Our hides are available in:

• Sides: 20-25 sq. ft.
• Double Shoulders: 10-15 sq. ft.
• Single Shoulders 6-9 sq.ft.
• Bellies: 5-6 sq. ft.

Available in various thicknesses including weights starting at 3 oz up to 15 oz ideal for light carving to heavy saddle skirting, bridle, and harness.

The natural color of “russet” is undyed for further custom-dying by the leather crafter.

What is English Bridle Leather?

English bridle leather is a full vegetable-tanned leather designed specifically for strap leathers, belts, and horse tack equipment in the saddlery trade.

Our English bridle leather is pre-colored into a natural transparent deep finish along with a pasted flesh side. This feature eliminates the need for lining the backside for belts and straps that can be then edged for a stand-alone single-ply leather.

Colors available in Black, Chestnut, Havana brown, British brown, and London tan. Weights range from 8 to 10 oz and average 20 to 25 sqft.

Types Latigo Leathers – Chrome Tan,  Veg Retan or Alum Tan (Indian tan).

What is Chrome Tanned Latigo Leather?

Chrome tanned latigo leather is a softer more pliable leather. It is produced in either dry pigmented or natural oil tan finish and is ideal for saddlebags, and general horse gear with the exception of any strap goods as chrome tanned leather is subject to more stretch.

Colors available in Black, Burgundy or Brown in various thickness, 4-5 oz, 6-7 oz, and 8-9 oz.

What is Veg Tanned Latigo Leather?

Veg-tanned latigo is a firm latigo using only tree bark tanning to produce strong, colored leather for cases, scabbards, saddlebags, and saddles were no tooling or case forming is required. This leather is prefinished and can also be used for strapwork where minimal stretch and tying is required.

Sides average 20-25 sqft and are available in a deep burgundy or black in 8 to 10 oz weight.

What is Veg Re-tanned Latigo Leather?

Veg tan re-tanned latigo leather is a firm durable strap grade latigo with a limited degree of stretch while maintaining pliability for tying. Veg-tan re-tan latigo leather is initially tanned in chrome for flexibility and then “Re tanned” in Veg/Bark for a denser, firmer grain which results in a flexible, firm, limited stretching latigo. The hides are then hot stuffed with tallow and wax to add moisture resistance for outdoor applications as in saddle latigo’s, reins, saddlebags, lace leathers, and saddle strings.

Available in black, burgundy and brown and either 6 to 7 oz or 8 to 10 oz. average 20-25sqft.

What is Alum Tanned (Indian tan) Latigo Leather?

Alum tanned latigo leather is known for its “yellow center”, which is the firmest and most dense grained latigo. Also called “Indian Tan Latigo”, the tanning process condenses the hide fiber and is recommended where an extremely tough and durable leather is required for strap applications. Ideal for boot laces, saddle strings, and heavy-duty strap latigo.

Colors available in brown, or yellow. All alum tanned latigo sides average 20-25 square feet and are graded as “B” branded, or “A” brand free.

What is Harness Veg Tanned Leather?

Harness leather is veg-tanned leather with the additional process of hot stuffing with wax and animal oils (tallow) to produce a firm, non-stretching, weather-resistant leather for use in outdoor horse harness gear, lines, reins, etc.

This veg tanned harness leather is available in either natural “Russet” (Medium brown in appearance due to wax finish) or “Black”. These sides average 20-25 square feet and average 7 to 7.5 feet in length along the backbone. Weight 10-12oz ( medium ) or 12-14oz ( heavy ) or 13 – 15 oz extra heavy.

Hermann Oak Leather Single Shoulders 

Veg Tanned Hermann Oak Single Shoulder Leather. Great for holsters, journals, handbags, wallets, saddlebags, cases, chap tops, hobby craft, and other smaller leather crafter projects.

Single shoulders weights include 2/3oz, 3/4oz, 4/5oz, 5/6oz, 6/7oz, 7/8oz, 8/9oz. The average size of our veg-tan single shoulders is 6 to 9 square feet.