Is Artminds leather safe to use in our laser?

Does anyone know how Artminds leather is tanned? My wife brought this home from Michael’s and I haven’t had any luck researching it.

I found where someone here engraved a sheet of Artminds leather, a couple of years ago, but there was no mention if it was safe to laser cut.

Thanks

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It’s likely “natural” veg tanned–you can take a small piece and if it absorbs water, it’s a definitely veg tanned. Just let it dry flat if you want to use this test piece–it should be fine afterwards.

Only chrome tanned is bad to use–and usually that process is more common for pigskins and other thin hides (including thin splits of cowhide), and will not absorb water like veg or oil tanned can (though there are other factors, like “stuffing” and dyes that affect this).

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Great information to know. Thanks so much. For some reason I was thinking we should only use veg tanned leather. So oil tanned is fine then, too?

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Yes, oil tanned is OK–it’s what I use most of the time myself, though most of the time just etching & only a few things I make do I use the GF to cut, too…

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Ok. Great. Thanks for the information. :slight_smile:

Chrome tanning is only bad insofar as the fumes it puts off, as I understand things. If your vent is well set up, you should be fine.

Someone feel free to contradict me with some citations, but I don’t think it will harm your machine,

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You are correct. Chrome tanned leather can be lasered. It doesn’t make as nice engraves or tool as easily (if you do light scores and then tool along the scores for instance). It’s stiffer as well but there isn’t anything that will harm your machine.

It also seems to stink a little more. But it’s better for some things like wrist cuffs, etc.

Veggie tanned or brain tanned are softer and generally the leather of choice here.

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