Initialize and manage Skin Tools

Initialize and manage the Skin Tools layer system on skinned meshes, including setup, switching between skin clusters, and removing or resetting layers.

Initialize Skin Layers

You can initialize skin layers in one of the following ways:

• Choose Skin > Initialize Skin Layers
• Open Skin > Skin Tools and click Initialize Skin Layers in the Skin Tools interface.
• Enable Initialize Skin Layers in the Skin > Bind Skin options before binding.

This command creates the Skin Tools layer structure on the selected skinCluster.

Add Skinning Layers (Bind Skin option)

Menu: Skin > Bind Skin (Options)

Creates the skin cluster and initializes Skin Tools simultaneously.

Creates a new skin cluster and initializes the Skin Tools layer system during the bind process. This option integrates Skin Tools setup directly into binding workflows.

This option is disabled by default and is not supported for workflows such as Interactive Bind Skin or Quick Rig.

Work with multiple skin clusters

Skin Tools supports meshes with multiple skinClusters.

The Skin menu in the Skin Tools menu bar lists all skinClusters associated with the selected mesh.

• The currently active skinCluster is marked with a checkmark.
• Skin clusters are ordered based on node traversal. The most recently attached skinCluster appears first in the menu.
• Selecting a different skinCluster updates the Skin Tools UI to target that cluster.
• The last active skinCluster selection is preserved while Skin Tools remains open during the current Maya session.

Skin Tools operations apply only to the active skinCluster.

Reset to Default Weights

Menu: Skin > Reset to Default Weights

Warning: Resetting skin weights will reset skinning layers on the selection. Do you want to continue?

Resets all skin weights to Maya's default bind skin weights. Existing Skin Tools layers are deleted, the standard Maya reset operation is performed, and the Skin Tools layer system is re-initialized with a single default layer.

Delete Skin Layers

To remove skin layers from the selected skinCluster, use one of the following:

• Choose Skin > Delete Skin Layers
• Open Skin > Skin Tools and delete the layers from the Skin Tools interface.

Deleting skin layers removes the layered structure and returns the skinCluster to standard Maya skinning behavior.