Dictionary of Key Terms
- Awl – A sharp utensil used to puncture the leather and create stitching holes.
- Billet – The end of the strap with the cinching holes which enters and exits the buckle.
- Burnish – To buff rough leather to smooth, glossy surface. This works best on slightly damp but visibly dried leather, still cool to the touch. Edges of straps can also be burnished by pulling through a piece of canvas or brown paper bag. They can also be burnished by using bone, antler, or even the wooden handle on your stitching awl.
- Buckle Turn – The part of the strap that has the buckle tongue slot and the fold to where the buckle attaches.
- Flesh Side – Leather back – Rough side of the leather that would have been attached to the animal.
- Grain Side – Leather front – Smoother side of the leather in which the hair was attached.
- Welt – Strip or piece of leather sandwiched between two other structural pieces of leather to provide strength for the stitches.