[Northkeep] Hard Leather

[Evangelos]

Hello all,
       I am planning a leather project but realized I have never hardened
leather before and have some questions.
 What is the best/longest lasting method for hardening leather? What
different ways are there? Also, should I dye the leather before I harden it?
If I am going to shape it, should I shape it before hardening? These may
seem very simple to answer, but I would rather ask and know for sure than to
mess it up.
      Thx,
          Centurion Evangelos Thrakkios
          Squire to Sir Asoph Hearts


-- 
"An army of sheep led by a Lion will always defeat an army of Lions led by a
sheep"
-Arab proverb