Laser Settings for Leather
Leather engraves beautifully on CO2 and diode lasers, but natural leather, leatherette, and laser-specific laminates behave very differently. Thickness, tanning, and color all change the result.
16 community settings from 3 machines. Select a material for its full settings, notes, and photos.
Leather engraving settings
| Material | Machine | Thickness | Speed | Power | Density | Passes | Frequency | Q-pulse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laserette - Black to SilverLeather | xTool F1 | — | 900 mm/s | 90% | 160 LPCM | 1 | — | — |
| Laserette - WhiteLeather | xTool F1 | — | 200 mm/s | 65% | 120 LPCM | 2 | — | — |
| Laserette - RawhideLeather | xTool F1 | — | 200 mm/s | 65% | 120 LPCM | 1 | — | — |
| Laserette - BrownLeather | xTool F1 | — | 200 mm/s | 65% | 120 LPCM | 1 | — | — |
| Laserette - GrayLeather | xTool F1 | — | 200 mm/s | 65% | 120 LPCM | 1 | — | — |
| Laserette - NavyLeather | xTool F1 | — | 200 mm/s | 65% | 120 LPCM | 1 | — | — |
| Laserette - SageLeather | xTool F1 | — | 200 mm/s | 65% | 120 LPCM | 1 | — | — |
| Laserette - HolographicLeather | xTool F1 | — | 200 mm/s | 65% | 120 LPCM | 2 | — | — |
| Laserette - Metallic GoldLeather | xTool F1 | — | 200 mm/s | 65% | 120 LPCM | 1 | — | — |
| Laserette - Metallic SilverLeather | xTool F1 | — | 200 mm/s | 65% | 120 LPCM | 1 | — | — |
| Black MarkLeather | UV | — | 450 mm/s | — | 600 LPI | 1 | 45 kHz | 1 ns |
| Laserette Journal NotebookLeather | xTool S1 | — | 400 mm/s | 20% | 55.12 LPCM | 1 | — | — |
| Black/Silver Leatherette JournalLeather | xTool S1 | 19.05 mm | 290 mm/s | 10% | 0.08 LPCM | 1 | — | — |
| Leatherette Notebooks - Green to BlackLeather | xTool P3 | — | 450 mm/s | 18% | 120 LPCM | 1 | — | — |
| Leatherette Passport Holders Red to WhiteLeather | xTool P3 | — | 400 mm/s | 18% | 140 LPCM | 1 | — | — |
| Denim Beige/Black LeatheretteLeather | xTool P3 | — | 400 mm/s | 18% | 140 LPCM | 1 | — | — |
Tips for lasering leather
- Vegetable-tanned leather
- Veg-tan leather engraves cleanly and darkens well, which makes it the usual choice for laser work. Chrome-tanned leather contains chromium compounds and is commonly avoided.
- Check faux leather first
- Some faux leathers are polyurethane, which many makers laser, but others are PVC-based and must never be lasered. Confirm with the supplier's safety data sheet.
- Laser leatherette
- Two-layer laser leatherettes are designed to reveal a contrasting color with a light pass. Too much power melts the top layer instead of cleanly removing it.
- Low power, light passes
- Leather scorches easily. Start with low power and add passes rather than slowing down, and use air assist to keep the surface clean.
New to these terms? Read how laser settings work, or convert LPI and line interval with the line density converter.
Before you run these settings
Settings vary between individual machines, even of the same model: lens, focus, alignment, air assist, and the exact material all change the result. Run a small test grid on scrap from the same sheet first, never leave the laser unattended, and never cut PVC or vinyl.