Madame Chairperson of Laser covered whether or not they allow chrome tan a few replies up I believe, seemed like a hard no to me. What’s the benefits of using laser to cut leather though? Just accuracy of cuts, doesn’t it singe the edges pretty much always though?
Speed and accuracy if you are cutting a bunch of the same shape. I used it to cut a dozen circles much quicker and cleaner than I could by hand. I also used the laser to add text in the middle of them.
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Chrome tanned is grey unless dyed. Veg-tanned is a flashy tan unless died. Vegtan will absorb water readily. Chrome tan won’t. Gets more difficult if additional processes like oiling and/or waxing is done. “Oiled Leather”,for example, is usually chrome tanned then oiled to darken and make more supple. Latigo leather is first chrome tanned then veg tanned (and therefore not good for lasering).
If buying from a vendor, ask them.
To cut down on char, you can wet the vegtan thoroughly, dry off any surface moisture, and laser while still wet. Minimizes char and edge stiffness. If planning to tool, let dry until ready, then tool.
Let dry completely before dying or sewing.
One nice thing about layering leather is that you can pre-drill the stitching holes and get them very even. I make 1/100” (0.01”) diameter circles where I want a stitch hole. Laser, then widen with a sewing awl and get very nice, straight stitches on both pieces to be sewn.
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Yep…pretty much. But the blackened edges can be lightly sanded and/or then washed and/or then saddle soaped, depending on your need/use.
Right, @Webdevel, @nicksilva, @HankCowdog ? I wouldn’t want to inadvertently mislead.
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I cut wet and wash off the edges under running water after cutting while still wet. This removes the burnt hair smell from lasering leather.
If you do this, likely no sanding is needed afterwards. Note that I offen use an edge beveler which removes some of the cut edge to round the leather edge. I also burnish the edge using water and saddle soap and a wooden burnisher to compress the fibers, stiffen, and polish the edge.
Off topic somewhat, but FWIW I like water and saddle soap (or even just water) for burnishing edges. I tried gum tagaranth but never had good luck with it (wrong technique, perhaps?)
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For now 2 to 4 oz for some wallets. When I hand cut pieces I try to finish first because dying and drying tends to change the shape and size enough to irritate me, so I’ll probably do the same with the laser. That’s good to know about tape- I had been wondering that.
That was gonna be my next question - what about oil tan. I have some of this
http://springfieldleather.com/Zulu-Suntan-Oil-Tan-Side-3-4-oz-
that my daughter wants me to make her a clutch out of. But the web site doesn’t say how it’s tanned. Guess I’ll be emailing them.
I have linked this thread to Laser’s Tips and Tricks section on the wiki. Worth saving. Thank you all. Carry on.
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Gotcha, that’s helpful. I’d just heard it singed stuff and was curious what the pro/con ratio was.
That’s kinda what I thought, I’m not familiar with either craft enough to know whether that’s way more work than it’s worth. Does make sense for big projects as mentioned, didn’t think about needing that.
Vague answer: it depends. Mostly on what your results need/are wanted to be, but on other stuff, too.
It’s ALL way more work than than it’s worth, since whatever it is, they probably sell at Lowes Depot or MegaloMart or Amazon for less than you or I can make it here from scratch. 
edit: there a leather-working basics class today you might want to try and fly stand-by on: https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/5726
Another edit: Belay my last…I see you have already taken LWBs…
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A good plan b is to use the pattern to cut an acrylic (or MDF) template and use that to mark and hand cut the non-laser-safe leather.
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That’s already on the to-do list!
How many volumes is your list? Do you just add at the end or append to each topical volume?
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I todo lists are easy: I need to work on my “completed” list 
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Many of my to-dos begin with “find time to get to the Makerspace”
But yeah it’s like a World Book set.
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I’ll talk about this at the next laser committee meeting. May 6th. Featuring @Scott_Blevins Brisket and @nacho Offerings.
The reason Chrome treated leather is on the no-go list is that it just doesn’t etch\cut well as a general thing. Laser bounces off the metals, heats things, burns and chars. How much? Depends on the piece. It will cut and etch some. Others it just rejects the laser and burns the leather.
Chrome treated leather is usually light weight, used to for fabrics, gloves, car seating, luxurious things. It can support vibrant colors and textures.
Lasering it will not damage the lasers, unless it generates a lot of smoke. For now though, it is on the No Cut list. Please respect. If your opinion is different, let’s discuss in a new thread or at the meeting.
It’s hard finding a definitive source regarding chrome tan leather and lasers. The most recent info I can find (2017) is the plastics in fake leather emitting toxic fumes. That the biggest issue with real chrome tan leather has to do with wrinkling and curling and not that it’s bad for the laser.
ah yes, I remember that now. some looked like crispy bacon after I was done.
mmmmm, bacon.
Most Oil Tanned leather is first chrome tanned, then treated with oil to make the cool pull-up color shadings.
The specific leather you mentioned IS chrome tanned (I called and asked) - should NOT be cut on any DMS laser.
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