Type of leather on a leather faced pad?
 

I've had in my possession two vintage guns with pads that had leather added to the back/face of the pad. I would like to replace the leather on one, as it was nearly all gone. Scraping the rest off does not leave a good look. Does anyone have an example and are able to identify the type of leather and color?

Is it usually brown pigskin? I guess it could be anything. Thanks.

I've seen leather-faced pads in light brown, dark brown, maroon, and black. I've seen them made of pig skin and goat skin but I imagine any tough, thin leather will do.






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Goat skin is common. CSMC sells it in black, and i beleive brown as well. Black is most commonly seen on leather faced pads. You can face 4-5 pads with the pieces they sell.

If your pad is good enough to just reface it, then great. Usually the pads are too deteriorated as well and need replacement as well.

Make aure your pad surface is good a clean anf smooth. Any imperfections will show through the leather. Barge cement (shoe glue) works great for attaching it.

Thanks for the info and source to all. The pad is a period Jostam Anti-Flinch and is as good as the gun, but having scraped the few remaining pieces I need to cover it.

Thanks.

Here's an example of a new Silvers Orange pad that is leather faced with calf skin. The original orange actually looked pretty good on my BHE but it was obviously a little to new looking so I aged it with a little Maxwell House to give it more of a vintage look. It would help to have a before and after picture to reaaly see the difference the aging made but I do not have one. It was significant.

Do you glue an oversize piece of leather on and then trim the edges once it dries ?

That is my question also. And how do you do the cutting? It looks like you had a little trouble on the top.

Ol Larry at Midway covers how to do a leather pad but not certain I like the way he did, but can't think of a better way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRhfi43bQM8

I did not do the pad installation. I only did the aging process. I am not certain how the actual trimming of the leather was done. I will say that the picture does not do it any justice. It looks a lot better in person.

Leather was often just put on the face of the pad. That's what I have. A poor man's leather covered pad for a run of the mill gun in my case. If I put a completely leather covered pad on this gun it would fall apart.