Parts of the hide
Bovine leather consists of a network of interconnected, finest skin fibres. These fibres are not connected in the same way at all points of the bovine’s body. In the back part, the structure is denser and narrower and in the abdominal area rather loose and with larger interspaces. The skin structure is also less stable at the neck part. For this reason, tanners have a special vocabulary for the different sections of the animal skin.
Full hide - Half hide
Whole cowhides are sometimes also sold in halves for car leather or furniture leather. The cut of the skin then takes place along the back line. On price lists of leather dealers, you find whole skins and half skins.
Full hide (whole hide) - Half hide. The cut is along the back line.
Shoulder - Belly - Butt
The skin sections: Shoulder, belly, butt.
Back = butt + shoulder
The hide is divided in different sections: Shoulder, belly and butt.
- Shoulder: The shoulder is a softer area of the hide.
- Belly: The belly is a stretchy soft leather of changing thickness.
- Butt: The butt is the thickest and strongest part of the hide.
- Back: Butt + shoulder.
Butt in the tannery.
Additional information
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