Chrome Tanned vs Vegetable Tanned Leather Strops?

[rbscebu]

I understand the different tanning processes and that veg tanning may be more environmentally friendly. Both can be made as supple or stiff as each other. Both can be made with the same surface smoothness. Chrome Tanned tends to hold its colour better. Many here appear to prefer vegetable tanned leather for their strops.

Why?

 

[Tomo]

The vegetable tanning process is much better for the environment which is reason enough for me to use it. I also kind of like the idea that veg tanning is an older and more natural tanning method that requires more time and skill to execute. It aligns itself better with the rest of my straight razor ideologically. I feels more authentic to me.

It’s also what the Horween leather company uses to produce their Shell Cordovan. To me this is the finest stropping material in existence. There seems to be no downside in quality associated with vegetable tanning.

 

[Legion]

If you go to a large leather supplier and compare two of the same hides (say kangaroo), with the two different tanning processes, they feel very different.

Veg tanned is usually a little thicker, stiffer, and has a smoother draw when stropping.

Chrome tanned is thinner, more supple, and a bit more water proof, which makes it better for clothing, but not strops. Also, Chrome tanning leaves some residual salts in the leather, which can cause corrosion on steel. That is more a concern with items that are stored in leather, like guns and knives, but long term it could be an issue for us as well.

Anybody with a veg tanned roo strop, go to a high end motorcycle gear shop, and feel a roo racing suit. The suit is chrome tanned. You will instantly see what I mean.

 

[rbscebu]

From what I have read on a leatherwork forum, the Horween leather company use a hybrid tanning process that is part veg and part chrome.

The thickness of the leather is not affected by the tanning method. It is determined by how the hide is physically processed, not chemically treated. With all else being equal, veg tanned is more supple than chrome tanned.

Again, with all else being equal, it is extremely difficult for the non-experienced to be able to differentiate between veg tanned and chrome tanned leather. Without doing a chemical analysis, about the only way to determine which is which is to burn some. You can then fairly easily tell from the smell and smoke colour.

Perhaps @Tony Miller will chime in with some advice and information.

 

[Legion]

From what I have read on a leatherwork forum, the Horween leather company use a hybrid tanning process that is part veg and part chrome.

The thickness of the leather is not affected by the tanning method. It is determined by how the hide is physically processed, not chemically treated. With all else being equal, veg tanned is more supple than chrome tanned.

Again, with all else being equal, it is extremely difficult for the non-experienced to be able to differentiate between veg tanned and chrome tanned leather. Without doing a chemical analysis, about the only way to determine which is which is to burn some. You can then fairly easily tell from the smell and smoke colour.

Perhaps @Tony Miller will chime in with some advice and information.

Hopefully he will, since he probably has more practical experience than all of us combined.

In the meantime I would encourage you to personally seek out the products you are commenting on, rather than relying on other peoples internet descriptions.

 

[rbscebu]

Hopefully he will, since he probably has more practical experience than all of us combined.

In the meantime I would encourage you to personally seek out the products you are commenting on, rather than relying on other peoples internet descriptions.

I need to rely on other people's internet descriptions before committing to a product. There is very little price difference between veg and chrome tanned leathers of the same grade.

From my internet searching and reading other people's descriptions, none has related to straight razor strips. Hence this thread.

 

[Legion]

I need to rely on other people's internet descriptions before committing to a product. There is very little price difference between veg and chrome tanned leathers of the same grade.

From my internet searching and reading other people's descriptions, none has related to straight razor strips. Hence this thread.

You asked a simple question, which I answered, based on my own first hand experience, trying out both types of leather for the task at hand.

If you have a different experience, ok. Let me hear it. I’ll listen.

But don’t ask a question, then argue the answer, if you haven’t tried it out for yourself.

This stuff isn’t quantum physics. It’s easy enough to try for yourself. If you are confident I am wrong, just go check like I said I did.

 

[rbscebu]

@Legion, point taken and thank you.

Unfortunately I don't have the opportunity to experience the differences first hand. There is a saddler in town about 100km away. Next week when I go to town for my weekly shopping, I will call in and see him.

So far, I can only go by what I have learnt by studying the matter on the internet.

 

[cotedupy]

My burnt leather smells like burnt leather.

 

[cotedupy]

(Also it doesn't really burn much. Just curls up and smells like hot leather. Silly test.)

 

[Tony Miller]

First a quote right from Horween (and note the word "generally"):

"Generally, chrome tanned leathers yield soft, supple, and durable leathers, while vegetable tanned leathers are round and full feeling, patina well, and are easy to coax into shapes using heat and moisture."



Horween uses a variety of tanning methods, veg tan, chrome tan and a "re-tan" like their popular Chromexcel which starts as a chrome tan and it then vegetable retanned, this takes about 28 days to 45 days depending on what the hides are bovine or equine and share some of the steps with their shell cordovan. Their shell cordovan in veg tanned and with all the hand glazing, etc...takes about 6 months.


Many strop makers who offer "oil tanned" leather are actually offering a retanned leather that is then hot stuffed with oils and waxes to give that supple oil/wax feel. Some tannages use more oils, others more waxes (like bridle leather). Harness, bridle, Latigo and Chromexcel all fall in these types of leather with the hot stuffing with wax and oil but some are pure veg tanned, other combination chrome/veg tannages.

So......you can use thick or thin hides to make either but "generally" chrome tannage, being more supple gets done thinner so it can be even more supple and used on clothing, upholstery, soft handbags, etc.... Veg tanning which is usually less supple, and is more often used for straps, strops, belts, tool pouches, tooling, saddlery, etc.... comes in a wider variety of thicknesses.

I can buy veg tanned horse or steer down to 2 or 3oz leather and up to 14oz or above. Most chrome tannage I have seen strops around 5 to 6oz and most, being more for garments stops around 3 or 4oz.

For reference my strops are mostly made from 8oz or above leather, my oil tanned horsehide 5 or 6oz at best, usually 4 to 5oz.

A large manufacturer, if they order enough can pretty much have whatever tannage vs. thickness they want.

Another tannery issue, dealing with end usage affecting tannage is hide quality. Some nice finished, waxed bridle, the various latigos, etc.... are considered "utility" grade leathers, working leather rather than looking leather so the best looking hides typically go to garment and upholstery tannages, and those with more surface scars defects become some of the tannages we enjoy for strops, but sadly not with the surface quality or appearance we demand.

My opinions only here guys, your mileage may vary

 

[alla2465]

from what I have been able to gather, chrome tanning is just a cheaper tanning method, and inferior to veg tanned leather.

 

[Legion]

from what I have been able to gather, chrome tanning is just a cheaper tanning method, and inferior to veg tanned leather.

I don't know if I would say inferior. It does have its advantages for certain applications. But it is a much faster process, so that makes it more cost effective, thats for sure.

 

[Acmemfg]

Chrome tanning is not metal friendly. Put a knife in a sheath made of chrome leather. Wait for a while. Wince at the knife…

 

[Tony Miller]

Chrome tanning is considered 'cheaper" and it is a faster process.....hence cheaper to produce. As mentioned I would not store any metal in chrome tanned leather but I doubt stropping would have any ill effect as the razor is not in contact long and is essentially washed with the lather, water and cloth stropping and some of us wipe them dry when done, removing any salts that could have come from chrome tanned leather.

BTW, good leather lessons as well as entertaining content can be found with Youtube creator and 'shoe surgeon", Rose Anvil. he dissects shoes of all types so you see what you are paying for and gives good lessons on leather tannages and quality.

 

[rbscebu]

Maybe I was not clear enough in my OP. Other than being more environmentally friendly in manufacture, is veg tanned leather better than chrome tanned leather for a strop and why?

 

[thp001]

Maybe I was not clear enough in my OP. Other than being more environmentally friendly in manufacture, is veg tanned leather better than chrome tanned leather for a strop and why?

Too many variables I'd say, quality of hide, area of the animal the leather is from, type of animal, thickness, oil and wax content, how burnished or napped the surface is, but if all things were otherwise equal (strop thickness, length, draw, etc) and one was making a purely empirical decision, veg tan would come out on top because environment would always be the extra factor it has over chrome.

All comes down to what you want at the end of the day. A good strop is going to be a good strop, veg or chrome.

 

[Tony Miller]

Maybe I was not clear enough in my OP. Other than being more environmentally friendly in manufacture, is veg tanned leather better than chrome tanned leather for a strop and why?

Many years ago people talked about veg tanned leather containing silica from the tree backs used in tanning and that it was thought to be abrasive. A recent search seems to imply trees only have trace amount and the bark, little more, mostly wind blown silica caught by the bark or from dirt in transport. So, whether true or not I feel that since veg tanned is "generally" more firm, this firmness makes it a better stropping tool, presenting a harder surface against the edge. That said many love my "Notovan", a combination tanned leather, chrome, then veg re-tannage.

 

[Ravenonrock]

I just sourced some Latigo leather for a DIY strop. They cut a 3” x 6ft strip of 10/11oz leather. When I picked it up I was shocked how thick it was and didn’t realize it was re tanned, both chrome and veg. Glad to hear from a pro that the chrome shouldn’t be a problem as I was bummed at my choice initially. Making it was fun, it has a medium fast draw and I rather like the look and feel of the heavy leather.

 

[Tony Miller]

Nice! Yes, most, if not all Latigo is a combination tannage (retanned).