Please explain "piece of kit"
 

Can someone explain this term? I have heard it used, "Nice piece of kit" refering to a nice piece of equipment. But I have also heard it to refer to a nice piece of leather work. Does it basically mean 'nice workmanship', or 'nice quality'?

This is a British term, yes?

I'm not sure if it's a Brit term or not, but I have heard it a lot over there. Generally, a 'nice piece of kit' refers to an object- but I'm sure others will chime in...

Lenny Kravitz has a different interpretation - Black Velveteen lyrics:

Black velveteen
Simple and clean
Oh what a bad machine
Black velveteen
Supple and lean
The 21st century dream
Ready to please
Free from disease
She's waiting on her knees
It's not a sin
Titanium skin
Just take her for a spin
Black velveteen
Simple and clean
Oh what a bad machine
Black velveteen
Supple and lean
The 21st century dream
Nice piece of kit
Electronic clit
Just sit down for a fit
Ready to trip
A guarantee hit
She's all you ever wished
Black velveteen don't give a damn she'll do dishes
Black velveteen knows all the night spots in France
Black velveteen's cat smells like strawberry kittens
Black velveteen always is ready to dance
She's ready to
Black velveteen
Simple and clean
Oh what a bad machine
Black velveteen
Supple and lean
The 21st century dream
Black velveteen don't give a damn she'll do dishes
Black velveteen knows all the night spots in France
Black velveteen's cat smells like strawberry kittens
Black velveteen always is ready to dance
Yeah yeah yeah yeah.
Oh yes she's ready to
Black velveteen don't give a damn she'll do dishes
Black velveteen knows all the night spots in France
Black velveteen's cat smells like strawberry kittens
Oh Yeah
Black velveteen always is ready to dance
Yeah yeah yeah yeah.
Oh yes she's ready to
Black velveteen
Simple and clean
Oh what a bad machine
Black velveteen
Supple and lean
The 21st century dream
Black velveteen
Simple and clean
Oh what a bad machine
Black velveteen
Supple and lean
The 21st century dream

a piece of equipment according to all my UK clients.

"a piece of kit" is an "item from within your kit".

your kit is quite literally that. for track day you have your kit which includes helmet, gloves, leathers etc. custom leathers would hence be a nice piece of kit. so I'm told

I beleive it original came from a army mans equipment
carried in a kit bag
in addition to the fighting stuff there was a mess kit and medical kit
shaving kit ect

Agree, its a UK or Brit term or phrase.

From http://english2american.com/dictionary/k.html

kit n. A sports kit (rugby kit, football kit, etc.) is what the Americans call a uniform - it's what you wear while you're playing. More generally in the UK, "kit" refers to the equipment necessary to perform a particular task - usually, though not always, sporting. The boundary is wooly to such a degree that I don't think I can generalise really. I've heard all sorts of things from parachutes to computers referred to as "kit". The phrase "nice piece of kit" is in pretty common usage in the UK, just meaning an item particularly good at performing its task in hand. Again it could refer to pretty much anything, though I think you'd be more likely to describe your new camera as a nice piece of kit than, say, your fiancé.