Heat, Sparks & Fire Policy
Effective September 16, 2026
Every hood we build is real leather over a real welding hood shell. Leather takes sparks and spatter better than anything else you can put on a hood — but it's a natural material, and it isn't fireproof. This policy spells out what that means, what we cover, and what we don't. The short version is in our FAQ.
1. What you're buying
Every Southern Leather Works hood is a standard welding hood shell — Jackson, Tiger, sugar scoop, carbon fiber pancake, and others — hand-finished in real leather, suede, or exotic Pirarucu leather, and in some cases custom paint. The leather is a finish over the shell. It does not change the shell's heat rating, and it does not make the hood fireproof.
2. Leather is heat- and spark-resistant, not fireproof
Leather is a natural material and is technically flammable. It stands up to sparks, spatter, and the radiant heat of normal welding, cutting, and grinding. Under direct flame or sustained contact with hot metal it will scorch, char, and can burn. The plastic or carbon fiber shell underneath, the paint, the lens assembly, and the headgear can also melt, warp, blister, or fail under the same conditions.
3. Your responsibility
You are responsible for keeping your hood a safe distance from your torch, arc, and workpiece, and for using it as intended by the shell and lens manufacturer. A welding hood is protective equipment for your face and eyes; it is not a heat shield for the work. If the leather is scorching, the hood is being exposed to more heat than any welding hood is built for.
4. Heat damage is not a defect
Scorching, charring, or burning of leather; melting, softening, or warping of the shell; blistering of paint; and heat damage to the lens, lens holder, or headgear caused by exposure to flame, hot metal, or excessive heat are not workmanship defects and are not covered as such.
5. Case-by-case review
We still want to see it. Email southernleatherworks1@gmail.com with your order number, clear photos of the damage, and a short description of what happened. Every incident is reviewed individually.
- Build or workmanship issue on our part: we repair or replace the hood at no charge.
- Heat damage: we may offer to re-wrap or repair the hood at a reduced cost. The offer, price, and turnaround depend on the condition of the shell and the extent of the damage.
- Shell compromised beyond safe repair: we will tell you, and quote a replacement.
Decisions under this policy are made at our discretion.
6. Returns
Heat-damaged hoods are considered used and are not eligible for return or refund under our Refund Policy.
7. Safety
Stop using any hood with a warped or softened shell, a lens holder that no longer seats the lens correctly, damaged headgear, or leather that has burned through. Continuing to weld with a compromised hood risks eye and face injury.
Southern Leather Works is not responsible for injury or property damage resulting from a hood that has been exposed to heat beyond what it is designed for, or that continues to be used after heat damage. See our Terms of Service for full warranty disclaimers and limitations of liability.
8. Questions
Ask before it becomes a problem. If you're doing work where the hood is going to see a lot of heat — torch cutting, gouging, preheat, overhead pipe — email us and we'll tell you what to expect.