The Bend

This is the best part of the hide. Here, the leather is the thickest (at full thickness, 2 to 4 oz. thicker than the rest of the side). Due to the tightness of the fibers, this is the firmest part of the hide. It is sometimes confusing that this prime cut of leather cracks more easily than the rest of the side. Since the thickness is greater and the fibers are tighter in this cut, folding it will force the grain to crack. To prevent cracking, dip the area to be folded in warm water to soften it before bending. Use this part of the side where length, minimum stretch, firmness and durability are essential. Where these qualities are not essential, choose another part of the hide.

The Belly area is often considered the waste area of the side, but the center section can be a very useful piece of leather. The belly is softer and has looser fibers than the top part of the side. But when a belly piece is sewn to the back of a piece from the Bend, Neck or Middle, it provides comfort for the object it lies against and has all the strength of the piece it is sewn to. (Note that the tanners trim the side and cut some of the fleshy leg pockets out, but some may remain. The dotted line indicates an area that may need to be trimmed, depending on the side.)

The Neck and the Middle are of good quality, but may have more blemishes than the Bend. Barbed wire scratches and natural fat wrinkles will often be found in the Neck area. Tanners make special efforts to smooth out these wrinkles, but depending on the age of the animal, they might still be visible. Tests prove that the Neck, Middle and Belly have as much tensile strength (ability to stretch without tearing) as the Bend, and sometimes more. The Middle area can be used almost anywhere the Bend is used and can be used for items where more length is required than the Bend can provide.

How leather is measured