While I like the thought of it, it would obsoletize even more Metal gloves. At the same time, they could get a buff to avoid somewhat such effect. Giving them a lesser defense of Boots occurs to me like a solution. Steel and Tungsten mechanical reduction, TiChrome heat resistance and Super Steel for some mild energy shielding. To compare, there's already Spear guard or the incentive of Lifting Belt for sledgehammers as forms of protection.
Slippery siphoner leather can be an additional tabi boot when infused... or not. With Lighting Punches, there's already plenty of AP cost reduction. Now we would risk making unarmed less appealing. What about a chance to obtain AP depending on leather quality? A melee version of a Dragunov giving much less AP maybe isn't as broken.
Next, a small amount of acid damage that infused mutant dog leather would do, wyrms with the rusting version. Nothing too fancy, just as Rust Maker, hah.
But at this point, it sounds more like cosmetic effects than a game-changing implementation.
