leather belt pouch | Casing The Leather | Wet Molding | small utility belt pouch

Casing The Leather If you're wanting to learn how to wet form leather, you've come to the right place. You can use any veg tanned leather to wet form. medium temper leathers work better because they easy and hold a shape. The thicker your leather is the trickier it will be to get it to form around your object. Proper “casing“ (moisture content) of leathers (such as vegatable tanned, used in carving and stamping designs) to be shaped over an article, or wood form, is very important. the leather should be thoroughly immersed in water until the air bubbles stop rising. this can be from 10 minutes to an hour or more. you cannot get too wet! it is then enclosed in a plastic bag (or air-tight container) for a few hours, or overnight, so that it “sweats“ and the moisture thoroughly saturates all of the leather fibers. before using, it must then be removed from the bag and placed on the bench (grain side up) so that most of the surface moisture can evaporate. through experience