Leather Review: Italian Embossed Croc
Welcome back to another review. Today we’re digging into some embossed crocodile leather from somewhere in Italy. Not really sure where, to be honest. My supplier’s website says, and I quote, “Tannery - Italy.” So... your guess is as good as mine.
What I do know? This stuff is full grain, veg-tanned cowhide — not real crocodile — but it’s been pressed and treated to look like croc. And honestly? They nailed the look.
What I Like
The look. Holy smokes, the look.
When I opened the box, it actually took me a second. This leather pops. It’s got that wow factor, and if you’ve worked with enough leather, you know how rare that is. Unboxing this leather and seeing it for the first time was half the fun.
The feel.
Despite the heavy texture from the croc embossing, this stuff is silky. It’s soft, smooth, luxurious. The hand feel is just amazing. Not only is it silky but that silkiness is contrasted by the chaotic texture. Those two elements together make it so fun to touch.
Finished pieces made with this leather feel expensive. A card holder or wallet made from this? It’s the kind of thing people want to pick up and turn over in their hands. And then ask where you got it.
Bifold wallet just sparkles in this leather.
What I Don’t Like
Slicker than an oil spill.
Here’s the thing — all that smoothness? It’s a blessing and a curse. When you’re working with templates and using a scratch awl to mark your lines, good luck. This leather is so slick your template will slide if you so much as breathe wrong. You almost need to tape it down like you're drafting blueprints. Seriously.
And even when you do get your lines in, the pattern is so visually chaotic that you can lose your scratch marks in all the detail. I’ve definitely spent a full minute just hunting for the line I just etched.
Skiving. Yeah, no.
Skiving this stuff is a chore. Not impossible — just annoying. The knife doesn’t dig in easily, and it doesn’t give you those clean, long strips you want when you’re thinning out pockets. You end up fighting the leather, not working with it. Again, probably not user error. Probably.
Edge work is meh.
Edge beveling is another battle, thanks to the embossed surface. It’s not smooth enough to glide your tools cleanly. And as for burnishing? Forget it. This leather doesn’t burnish like your classic veg tans — it’s more like a chrome tan in disguise. You can polish the edges all day and they’ll still look a little rough. Not terrible, just... not that glassy perfection you might be used to with something like Pueblo.
The price.
It ain’t cheap. This is high-end leather and it’s priced like it. If you’re selling your pieces, make sure your prices reflect the material. The quality is there — but so is the cost. Don’t undercut yourself.
Final Thoughts
This is a showstopper leather. It looks incredible. It feels incredible. It’s just not super fun to work with. If the edge finishing was better, this would be up there with the best I’ve used.
But for now? I’m giving it a solid 8.5 out of 10. That’s mostly on the strength of the visual and tactile experience. If the edges were easier to handle, we’d be talking 9.5, no question.
Thanks for reading.
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