GRADING &

MEASURING

 

QUALITY ISN'T EXPENSIVE.  IT'S PRICELESS.

Alligator and crocodile skin prices fluctuate according to market demand, supply availability, and currency exchange rates.   Price is based on 2 factors:  grade and size.   The better the grade and higher the size, the more expensive the skin.

 

American Tanning and Leather LLC supplies luxury brands, small craftsmen, and individual buyers with the finest skins available at the very best value.

 

Please contact us for pricing or shop online.

The grade or selection of the skin is determined primarily by the quantity and location of natural defects in the skin.  Our leather is the same, luxuriously tanned quality from a Grade 1 to Grade 5.  We never cut corners on making leather.

The simplest way to grade is as follows:

Skins are measured in centimeters across the belly, and must be ordered in a range as below:

QUADRANT

BASED GRADING

DEFECTS IN:

GRADE:

0 Quadrants

1 Quadrant

2 Quadrants

3 Quadrants

4 Quadrants

Grade 1

Grade 1/2

Grade 2/3

Grade 3/4

Grade 4/5

Please note that this is a simplified grading chart.  Grading is more subjective, and each skin has its own unique characteristics.  We do not include the head or tail defects of wild alligator skins in the grading, and farmed skins have a more strict grading standard since they are more expensive and rare.  For more detail on grading, please contact our office.

SIZE RANGES

(AND AVERAGES)

SIZE RANGE:

AVERAGE SIZE:

00/24 cm

25/29 cm

30/34 cm

35/39 cm

40/44 cm

45/49 cm

50/59 cm

60+ cm

20-22 cm

27 cm

32 cm

37 cm

42 cm

47 cm

55 cm

varies

Alligator bellies' shape can range from square to rectangular. The skin may narrow at the top or bottom of the belly, as it approaches the legs. Wild alligators typically have a longer shape of the belly, while farm raised alligators have a shorter belly shape. The length of the skin does not factor in the price, however you may use a denominator of 6.5 to determine the approximate length of a skin.  Example:  34 cm alligator / 6.5 = 5.23 ft in length. The belly size will be around 34 cm x 34 cm, but the cutting area of the belly will be slightly smaller.

 

MEASURING OF SKINS

HOW ARE ALLIGATOR AND CROCODILE MEASURED?

Alligators are measured by the centimeter, with the measurement calculated by placing a ruler east/west across the belly.  The skin must be flat, and the measurement is taken from edge to edge, not including the outermost half bone, with partial centimeters being rounded down.

 

(Ex: A skin measuring 48.75 cm will be measured as 48 cm).

TYPES OF SKIN DEFECTS

HEALED SCARS

OPEN SCARS / CUTS

HOLES

PARASITES

Healed scars are old battle wounds and bite marks.  Healed scars have closed grain, and may be acceptable in the cutting area, depending on the project.

Open scars and cuts are wounds that were fresh and unhealed on the skin.   These types of defects have open grain, and typically cannot be included in the cutting area.

Holes usually occur from scars or cuts that opened up during the tanning process due to the mechanical action of the drum rotation.  Holes may also be a result of poor skinning technique.

Parasite damage appears as tiny round "bored" holes.  They are a result of leeches and are only found on wild alligators.  Parasite damage may be healed or open.

WIDE UMBILICAL SCARS

WRINKLING

GRAIN DAMAGE

BONES / BUTTONS

Wide umbilical scars are more prevalent in farm raised alligators and rarely occur on wild alligators.  The cause of wide umbilical scars has been debated with causes ranging from egg handling to early hatching.

Wrinkling may occur in both farmed and wild alligators.  Wrinkles can be a result from raw skin issues such as rapid weight loss of a sick wild alligator or improper diet. Wrinkles can also be caused from tanning issues.

Grain damage may be caused from improper raw skin preservation and care.  It may also occur from poor tanning techniques which result in overheating (and burning) of the skin during the tanning process.

Bones or "buttons" are osteoderms which form in the skin.  Bones are usually found in the neck and upper belly region in larger wild alligators and are rarely found in small or farmed animals.

Menu

GRADING &

MEASURING

QUALITY ISN'T EXPENSIVE.  IT'S PRICELESS.

Alligator and crocodile skin prices fluctuate according to market demand, supply availability, and currency exchange rates.   Price is based on 2 factors:  grade and size.   The better the grade and higher the size, the more expensive the skin.

 

American Tanning and Leather LLC supplies luxury brands, small craftsmen, and individual buyers with the finest skins available at the very best value.

 

Please contact us for pricing or shop online.

The grade or selection of the skin is determined primarily by the quantity and location of natural defects in the skin.  Our leather is the same, luxuriously tanned quality from a Grade 1 to Grade 5.  We never cut corners on making leather.

The simplest way to grade is as follows:

QUADRANT

BASED GRADING

DEFECTS IN:

GRADE:

0 Quadrants

1 Quadrant

2 Quadrants

3 Quadrants

4 Quadrants

Grade 1

Grade 1/2

Grade 2/3

Grade 3/4

Grade 4/5

Please note that this is a simplified grading chart.  Grading is more subjective, and each skin has its own unique characteristics.  We do not include the head or tail defects of wild alligator skins in the grading, and farmed skins have a more strict grading standard since they are more expensive and rare.  For more detail on grading, please contact our office.

Skins are measured in centimeters across the belly, and must be ordered in a range as below:

SIZE RANGES

(AND AVERAGES)

SIZE RANGE:

AVERAGE SIZE:

20-22 cm

27 cm

32 cm

37 cm

42 cm

47 cm

55 cm

varies

00/24 cm

25/29 cm

30/34 cm

35/39 cm

40/44 cm

45/49 cm

50/59 cm

60+ cm

Alligator bellies' shape can range from square to rectangular. The skin may narrow at the top or bottom of the belly, as it approaches the legs. Wild alligators typically have a longer shape of the belly, while farm raised alligators have a shorter belly shape. The length of the skin does not factor in the price, however you may use a denominator of 6.5 to determine the approximate length of a skin.  Example:  34 cm alligator / 6.5 = 5.23 ft in length. The belly size will be around 34 cm x 34 cm, but the cutting area of the belly will be slightly smaller.

MEASURING OF SKINS

HOW ARE ALLIGATOR AND CROCODILE MEASURED?

Alligators are measured by the centimeter, with the measurement calculated by placing a ruler east/west across the belly.  The skin must be flat, and the measurement is taken from edge to edge, not including the outermost half bone, with partial centimeters being rounded down.

 

(Ex: A skin measuring 48.75 cm will be measured as 48 cm).

TYPES OF SKIN DEFECTS

HEALED SCARS

Healed scars are old battle wounds and bite marks.  Healed scars have closed grain, and may be acceptable in the cutting area, depending on the project.

OPEN SCARS / CUTS

Open scars and cuts are wounds that were fresh and unhealed on the skin.   These types of defects have open grain, and typically cannot be included in the cutting area.

HOLES

Holes usually occur from scars or cuts that opened up during the tanning process due to the mechanical action of the drum rotation.  Holes may also be a result of poor skinning technique.

PARASITES

Parasite damage appears as tiny round "bored" holes.  They are a result of leeches and are only found on wild alligators.  Parasite damage may be healed or open.

WIDE UMBILICAL SCARS

Wide umbilical scars are more prevalent in farm raised alligators and rarely occur on wild alligators.  The cause of wide umbilical scars has been debated with causes ranging from egg handling to early hatching.

WRINKLING

Wrinkling may occur in both farmed and wild alligators.  Wrinkles can be a result from raw skin issues such as rapid weight loss of a sick wild alligator or improper diet. Wrinkles can also be caused from tanning issues.

GRAIN DAMAGE

Grain damage may be caused from improper raw skin preservation and care.  It may also occur from poor tanning techniques which result in overheating (and burning) of the skin during the tanning process.

BONES / BUTTONS

Bones or "buttons" are osteoderms which form in the skin.  Bones are usually found in the neck and upper belly region in larger wild alligators and are rarely found in small or farmed animals.