Comment on Cherry Blossom Wolf Mask #1 by merimask
what kind of leather do you use? Chrome tan?
Never chrome tan...it goes funny when tooling and it resists dyes and paints. I just use 8oz vegetable tan, which is better for the environment anyway. 
Okay thank you! My dad is a saddle maker, and he's teaching me some stuff so I was just curious what you use. We have tons of leather just laying around that he said I could have xD
You can use chrome remover on chrome-tanned hides, which can help a little. Better to just start with clean veg tan from the beginning though. If it's dark and it won't accept water on the smooth side, it's really no good for tooling or shaping.