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Genuine leather: diode, CO2 and fiber laser compatibility
xTool and Monport list genuine leather for engraving on diode, CO2 and fiber lasers. OMTech lists fiber lasers as unable to cut or engrave leather. Glowforge states that some leather is processed with chemicals that are not laser-compatible.
- Also called
- veg-tan, chrome-tan
- Diode laser
- Engrave or mark: Yes (2), cut: Yes (2)
- CO2 laser
- Engrave or mark: Yes (3), cut: Yes (1)
- Fiber laser
- Engrave or mark: Disagree, cut: No (1)
- Thickest one-pass cut listed
- Not listed
- Listed as No by
- OMTech
Compatibility by laser type
Yes (2) 2 manufacturers or stores list it as workableNo (2) 2 list it as not workableDisagree manufacturers list bothWith conditions workable only under a stated conditionNot listed no manufacturer statement
| Laser type | Engrave or mark | Cut |
|---|---|---|
| Diode laser (blue, about 450 to 455 nm) | Yes (2) Yes: xTool, Monport. | Yes (2) Yes: xTool, Glowforge. |
| CO2 laser (10,600 nm) | Yes (3) Yes: xTool, Monport, Boss Laser. | Yes (1) Yes: Boss Laser. With conditions: xTool. |
| Fiber laser (1064 nm) | Disagree Yes: xTool, Monport. No: OMTech. | No (1) No: OMTech. |
The material lookup adds a cut thickness for genuine leather.
Manufacturer statements
| Laser and job | Manufacturer | Lists it as | Wording or table entry on the page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diode, engrave or mark | xTool | Yes | Engraving: Wood Plywood MDF Bamboo Leather Paper Some dark and opaque acrylic Rubber Silicone Glass (with coating) Stone Ceramics (with coating) Plated/coated metal Stainless steel Fabric Cork | xTool: Fiber vs CO2 vs diode laser guide (blog) |
| Diode, engrave or mark | Monport | Yes | Leather: YES (diode). All lasers are compatible with leather. | Monport: CO2, fiber and diode material compatibility guide (blog) |
| Diode, cut | xTool | Yes | Cutting: Wood Plywood MDF Bamboo Leather Paper Some dark and opaque acrylic Felt Cork | xTool: Fiber vs CO2 vs diode laser guide (blog) |
| Diode, cut | Glowforge | Yes | Both Glowforge Aura and Glowforge Spark cut, score, and engrave laser-compatible materials including wood, acrylic, leather | Glowforge: Craft Series tech specs (Aura, Spark) |
| CO2, engrave or mark | xTool | Yes | Engraving: Acrylic Wood Plywood MDF Bamboo Leather Paper Rubber Silicone Glass Stone Ceramics Plated/coated metal Fabric Cork | xTool: Fiber vs CO2 vs diode laser guide (blog) |
| CO2, engrave or mark | Monport | Yes | Leather: YES (CO2). | Monport: CO2, fiber and diode material compatibility guide (blog) |
| CO2, engrave or mark | Boss Laser | Yes | A CO2 laser cuts and engraves non-metals: ... genuine leather | Boss Laser: Materials and safety FAQ |
| CO2, cut | Boss Laser | Yes | A CO2 laser cuts and engraves non-metals: ... genuine leather | Boss Laser: Materials and safety FAQ |
| CO2, cut | xTool | With conditions | Thin cloth, felt, hemp fiber, cotton, or leather can be cut, but edges may char due to high heat. | xTool: Support article 363, safety guide |
| Fiber, engrave or mark | xTool | Yes | Engraving: Metals: Stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, brass, copper, gold, silver, and platinum Plastics: Engineering plastics like ABS and PVC Some opaque acrylic Stone Ceramic Leather Rubber Silicone | xTool: Fiber vs CO2 vs diode laser guide (blog) |
| Fiber, engrave or mark | Monport | Yes | Leather: YES (fiber). | Monport: CO2, fiber and diode material compatibility guide (blog) |
| Fiber, engrave or mark | OMTech | No | Fiber: Cannot cut or engrave wood, leather, or clear acrylic. | OMTech: Diode vs CO2 vs fiber lasers guide (blog) |
| Fiber, cut | OMTech | No | Fiber: Cannot cut or engrave wood, leather, or clear acrylic. | OMTech: Diode vs CO2 vs fiber lasers guide (blog) |
One-pass cut depth
No one-pass cut depth is listed for this material on the laser machines page.
Notes
- Glowforge states: “some leather is processed with chemicals that aren't laser-compatible.” It lists chrome-tanned leather as one to check and describes vegetable-tanned leather as tanned with plant tannins.
- xTool support article 363 puts “PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), vinyl, leather, artificial leather” in one row of its harmful-materials table. The same article also states that thin leather can be cut.
Fumes
Laser cutting and engraving give off fumes. The machine's manual has the venting rules for that machine. The fume and room lookup compares a machine's exhaust airflow with fume extractor airflow.