Check with local shoe shops. Many of them have a splitter. This is a device that actually splits leather down to a specific thickness.
The leather is fed into the device and pulled through. It splits the bottom, rough, side off the top grain.
The only limitation, is whether their splitter is big enough to handle your leather. Most of them are made to take leather less than 8 inches wide, or so.
Skiving IS possible combined with sanding, but this takes an experienced hand, and usually you wind up with "lumpy" leather.
Most leather shops and shoe/saddle shops will sell you whatever thickness and size you need. It will cost more per foot than buying in bulk, but you really don't want bulk.
Another option, is to check online with Tandy Leather. They used to sell "craft cuts" of leather in various thicknesses, in small sizes for hobbiest that didn't need much.
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