Dyed Sheepskin Skiver

Sheepskin has been used in bookbinding for more than 500 years. As Matt T. Roberts and Don Etherington say in Bookbinding and the Conservation of books. A Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology. "Sheepskin is a reasonably durable leather if properly prepared"

Often, a sheepskin skiver will have a sprayed on pigment finish, which covers any minor blemishes, and filling the surface grain leaving you with a flat featureless leather.

Many of these also find use as cheap desktop leather, they are also sold to bookbinders who are attracted by their low price.

Some are "glazed", which results in a leather with a glossy, shiny finish. 

Finding a genuinely good quality sheepskin skiver which does not have a spray pigment finish, or are surface treated in some way, has been a problem. So we are very satisfied to have found a genuinely fine, fully vegetable tanned sheepskin skiver.

Poor quality skivers are loose textured, elastic and full of air, these skivers are dense, though flexible and pare smoothly and in a predictable manner.

The skins have a matt surface and polish up to a very fine lustre. They also take gold tooling very well.

The skins are dyed all the way through and leave the natural surface grain of the leather untouched.

Each skin is shaved to 1.0mm so it is a perfect weight for case binding. Average skin size is 12 sq ft.

Download Illustrated Bookbinders Digest Dealing with Sheepskin Skiver here.

Here is a chart of the colours available, we have taken considerable trouble to get the colours right in this chart, so you can believe that the colour you see is close to reality. But your own monitor settings may alter the appearance of these colours. If you wish to be absolutely certain of a colour it is best to order a colour sample.

As you can see the colours are quite subdued, a good choice for bookbinders.

Price was £8.99 per sq ft plus shipping & tax

Now reduced to £7.49 per sq ft plus shipping & tax while current stocks last. 

Average skin size 13 sq ft

NOTE: The prices above are the price per square foot of this material, but is sold by the full skin. the final price, including shipping will be calculated at a later time depending on the size of each individual skin available. Please contact me below.

We accept payment via UK cheque, bank transfer or Pay Pal for this leather.

Please contact us at the email address below to arrange your order.

We are happy to supply a full sample book of the sheepskin skiver we carry, we ask £10.00 which is fully refund able against any order you place with us. Please click below.

             

Dont' miss our bargain priced oddment skins.

EVERY MONTH I SEND OUT THE BOOKBINDERS DIGEST. WHICH AIMS TO BRING YOU INTERESTING ITEMS CONCERNING THE WORLD OF BOOKBINDING AND RELATED CRAFTS. IF YOU WOULD CARE TO SUBSCRIBE PLEASE JUST MAIL ME PUTTING "EDEN" IN THE SUBJECT LINE.

edenworkshops@orange.fr