Leather is the humble workhorse of Skyrim smithing. Almost every light armor set needs some of it, from basic Hide Armor, Leather Armor and Studded Armor (no perk needed) up to Elven, Glass and Dragonscale pieces. It also goes into Imperial Armor with the Steel Smithing perk and into the Skyforge’s Ancient Nord Armor. At 10 gold and weight 2 you will never get rich selling it, but you will always need more than you have.
How to get it
The classic route is the tanning rack, which stands next to most blacksmiths. Kill the local wildlife, skin it and turn the hides into leather: a 
Deer Hide gives 2, a 
Cow Hide or 
Horse Hide gives 3, and the big pelts from bears and sabre cats give 4 each. A 
Wolf Pelt or 
Fox Pelt only yields 1, and goats are the worst deal of all: 2 
Goat Hides for a single piece.
If you would rather shop than skin, blacksmiths keep it in stock, for example Adrianne Avenicci in Whiterun, Alvor in Riverwood, Balimund in Riften and Ghorza gra-Bagol in Markarth. Loose pieces lie around in Autumnwatch Tower, The Scorched Hammer in Solitude, Alftand Animonculory, Raldbthar Deep Market and Tolvald’s Cave (3 each), and plenty of farmers and townsfolk carry a piece or two in their pockets.
Smelting and tanning
- 1
Snow Fox Pelt → 1 Leather at the tanning rack - 1 Fox Pelt → 1 Leather at the tanning rack
- 1 Deer Hide → 2 Leather at the tanning rack
- 1 Horse Hide → 3 Leather at the tanning rack
- 1
Sabre Cat Snow Pelt → 4 Leather at the tanning rack - 1
Sabre Cat Pelt → 4 Leather at the tanning rack - 1
Snow Bear Pelt → 4 Leather at the tanning rack - 1
Cave Bear Pelt → 4 Leather at the tanning rack - 1
Bear Pelt → 4 Leather at the tanning rack - 1
Ice Wolf Pelt → 1 Leather at the tanning rack - 1 Wolf Pelt → 1 Leather at the tanning rack
- 1 Deer Hide → 2 Leather at the tanning rack
- 1 Cow Hide → 3 Leather at the tanning rack
- 2 Goat Hide → 1 Leather at the tanning rack
- 1
Vale Deer Hide → 2 Leather at the tanning rack - 1
Vale Sabre Cat Hide → 4 Leather at the tanning rack - 1 Leather → 4
Leather Strips at the tanning rack
Used to craft
Leather appears in 39 recipes in the game files.
Armor
- Ancient Nord Armor – Ancient Nord Helmet (2), Ancient Nord Gauntlets (2), Ancient Nord Boots (2), Ancient Nord Armor (2)
- Dragonscale Armor – Dragonscale Helmet (1), Dragonscale Gauntlets (1), Dragonscale Armor (1), Dragonscale Boots (1)
- Glass Armor – Glass Helmet (1), Glass Gauntlets (1), Glass Armor (1), Glass Boots (1)
- Scaled Armor – Scaled Helmet (1), Scaled Bracers (1), Scaled Armor (2), Scaled Boots (1)
- Leather Armor – Leather Helmet (2), Leather Bracers (1), Leather Armor (4), Leather Boots (2)
- Elven Armor – Elven Helmet (1), Elven Gauntlets (1), Elven Armor (1), Elven Boots (1)
- Imperial Armor – Imperial Helmet (1), Imperial Bracers (1), Imperial Armor (2), Imperial Boots (1)
- Studded Armor – Studded Armor (4)
- Hide Armor – Hide Shield (4), Hide Helmet (2), Hide Armor (4), Hide Boots (2), Hide Bracers (1)
- Imperial Light Armor – Imperial Light Helmet (1), Imperial Light Bracers (1), Imperial Light Boots (1), Imperial Light Armor (2)
Weapons and other items
- tanning rack: Leather Strips (1)
The number in brackets is how many Leather each recipe needs. Bold labels are the Smithing perk the recipe requires.
Improving gear
At a grindstone or workbench, Leather is the material used to improve (temper) 94 items, including Ancient Shrouded Armor, Blackguard's Armor, Cultist Mask, Forsworn Armor, Fur Armor, Gauntlets of the Old Gods, Guard Armor, Hide Armor, Imperial Light Armor, Leather Armor, Linwe's Armor, Morag Tong Armor, Penitus Oculatus Armor, Shrouded Armor, Stormcloak Armor, Summerset Shadows Armor, Thieves Guild Armor, Vampire Armor, Vampire Royal Armor.
Good to know
- Every piece of Leather can be cut into 4 Leather Strips at the tanning rack, and the strips go into almost every weapon and heavy armor recipe.
- Leather tempers 94 items, including most hold guard armors and the Hide and Leather sets.
Data from the Skyrim game files (Skyrim.esm and the official add-ons): value, weight, ore veins, recipes and merchant lists. ID 000DB5D2 is the item’s form ID for the console.
