The grain side of leather is the "attractive" outer surface of the hide where the hair once resided. The flesh side of leather is the underside of the hide, and is often rough and occasionally fuzzy in appearance.

It is leather thickness measured in ounce weight which commonly equates as: 1 oz = 1/64" = 0.4mm. Please note: Thicker or higher oz weight in a vegetable tanned leather generally indicates a more rigid, less flexible leather. The hides are shaved, or skived, to a relatively uniform thickness during processing. Since leather is natural, there will always be weight/thickness variation within each hide; hence, most leather weights will be described as a range, such as 2-3 oz.

With vegetable tanned leather (veg tan), the animal's hide is preserved using natural tannins that are extracted from tree bark or other organic materials. It is a tough, dense (heavier), durable leather which generally has very smooth grain but is also pretty rigid. All of my tooled/carved/stamped/hand-dyed leather products are made from a vegetable tanned leather produced specifically for accepting impressions and dyes. These products will be more rigid, but will "break in" over time and mold to use. Thinner, lighter ounce weight veg tan will have more flexibility, but veg tan leathers by nature are not soft or pliable leathers. The only known exception is 'milled' typed veg tanned leathers.

A raw edge on leather can be rather fuzzy which may lend itself to an unfinished or rustic look. For a burnished edge, the edges are shaped and prepped with water or other 'burnishing' agent. Using a burnishing tool, the raw fuzzy fibers get mashed down ('slicked') using speed and friction. This process is repeated several times until a glass-like shine and feel is achieved. Flexible edge dressings, often colored, can also be applied to edges after shaping. I typically employ a combination of burnishing and edge dressing.
Sharp leather edge corners can be shaved with a cutting tool called an edge beveler. This creates a more rounded smooth edge which can aid in burnishing. Edge beveling works best on heavier and more rigid leathers.

This means that the body of the bag was stitched inside out (flesh side up) first then turned right side out (grain side up). The stitch seams will be concealed on the exterior of the item but show on the interior.

All rivets have to be "set" with a special tool in order to lock or secure two pieces together, but some are stronger than others. From lightweight use to heavier weight use it goes: rivets, double cap rivets, tubular rivets. Chicago screws, aka screw posts, only require a screwdriver or just your fingers to install them. Since they are not forced to undergo any physical change in order to lock down, they provide stronger reinforcement and can be easily replaced if they become damaged. Most leather workers would agree that the most dependable way to secure two pieces of leather together is via a traditional quality hand-stitch. I use double cap rivets, tubular rivets, Chicago screws and/or hand-stitch to insure a strong junction.

Belt: The best/easiest way to measure for a new properly fitting belt is by using one of your own belts that you currently wear now. Lay this belt out flat and then measure from the base of the buckle tongue/prong up to the center of the most used adjustment hole. Belts will often stretch with the curve of your body over time, so make sure to follow any curvature in the belt.
FABRIC TAPE MEASURE IS BEST TOOL FOR BOTH
Collar: You can follow the same instructions for a dog collar as with a belt if you have the old dog collar. If not, find the base of your dog's neck as this is where a collar will naturally rest. Measure the circumference of your dog's neck base, loosely, by placing two finger widths in between their neck and tape measure.

Your personal carry preference as well as your height will affect how an item rests on you while it is carried. I suggest that anyone who does not already know their strap preference should measure themselves. Measure from the top of your shoulder straight down to the point on your body where you would like the item to rest when carrying. Compare this measurement to the listed strap drop from the shoulder. If the two measurements are not compatible, please contact me so that we can discuss customizing the strap to fit you.