That premium leather I bought for $120 was a complete waste

I spent $120 on a top-grain goat leather hide from a specialty supplier for my last project, thinking it would last forever. The stuff cracked and peeled after just 6 months on a journal cover I treated with the same care as my cheaper materials. Has anyone else had bad luck with expensive leather, or did I just pick a bad supplier?

2 comments

2 Comments

jennyp191mo ago

I use Fiebing's acrylic resolene and my goat leather held up fine for years.

phoenix291mo ago

OH man, that really stinks! I actually read somewhere that goat leather can be tricky because it has a looser grain structure than cowhide, so it might not take heavy daily wear as well. Some tanneries also use cheaper finishing methods that make the leather look nice at first but then peel off fast. Maybe try a veg-tanned cowhide next time, those tend to hold up better for projects that get handled a lot. The resolene might help too but if the leather itself is poor quality, no coating can save it.