What Is 8 Oz Leather?
When shopping for a leather work belt you’ll often see the phrase “leather ounces”. Unlike fabric weights, which convey the density of the material, leather oz actually refers to the thickness.
Each oz is equal to 1/64″ of thickness. However, the oz measurement varies throughout a hide. This means that each piece of leather will vary in thickness as well.
Light Weight
In a leather shop you’re bound to hear a lot of terms like “leather weight.” What this actually refers to is the thickness of your leather. Since hides are a natural product their thickness can vary quite a bit. So to make the measurement more accurate leather is measured in ounces. One ounce equals 1/64″ of thickness.
This is a light, flexible and durable leather that can be used for belts, wallets, bags and other items. It is a great choice for stamping and tooling projects. It can also be used for crafting, embroidery and lining.
Made with a smooth Tuscan vegetable-tanned cow leather, this 8 oz leather is ideal for work and hobby applications. This leather is pliable and can be formed to create pouches, holsters, mystery braid cuffs, and traditional scabbards. It can be lined for additional strength and durability. This leather has a beautiful sheen that will age beautifully over time. It is suitable for use with most traditional tanners.
Medium Weight
You may notice that some leather goods are billed as being a certain number of “leather ounces.” This is an old term used to describe the thickness of the leather. Each ounce of leather is equal to 1/64” of thickness. Because leather is a natural product hides rarely have uniform thickness so when you see this measurement it is referring to the average thickness across the entire piece of leather.
Leathercrafters often choose this medium thickness for handbags because it strikes a balance between durability and pliable comfort. It also lends itself to many types of leathercraft techniques, including stamping, carving, and tooling. It’s the perfect choice for creating beautiful totes and shoulder bags that will become even more stylish with age. This weight of leather is also ideal for holsters, traditional scabbards, mystery braid cuffs, and belts. It’s also suitable for lining and molding leather. This thinner leather will not hold up to as much wear and tear.
Heavy Weight
A bit of leather lingo to help you understand how thickness is conveyed: A standard 4 oz piece of leather is roughly the equivalent of a quarter in terms of thickness. Leather is a natural product, so hides don’t have uniform thickness throughout. As such, tanneries use an ounce (oz) as the unit of measurement to convey thickness.
For chrome tanned leather, this is the standard garment weight and for veg tanned leather it’s the standard liner weight. This is durable leather that will mold and form, but not as well as a thinner leather. It’s great for liners, molded pouches, mystery braid cuffs and masks.
Thicker leathers measuring more than 10 oz are typically used for items like holsters, saddles and cattle halters. These are durable, heavy-duty leathers that can withstand tough use. They can also be made into heavier wallets, handbags and carrying cases. Thicker leathers can be more difficult to work with because they’re less flexible than lighter varieties.
Medium to Heavy Duty
Like your skin, leather requires a bit of TLC to keep it healthy and looking great. Use Obenauf’s Heavy Duty Leather Preservative Cream to protect and restore your work boots, saddles, baseball gloves and more. This cream is made from a blend of natural oils and doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals.
A common choice for crafting versatile and chic women’s handbags, this leather weight strikes a delicate balance between durability and flexibility. It’s ideal for a variety of wallet styles, including bifold and trifold models.