The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1853-12-07
Srisntfis,
From the Scientific Americana
LEATHER-.-ITS IMPROVEMENTS.

LEATHER---ITS IMPROVEMENTS
Leather is an article Of universal use ;
il is worn by the civilized and the savage,
the high and the low, the rich and poor Of
all nations, from the icy regions OF the
North 10 the burning sands Of the tropics.
II was known and employed by man long
before the first alphabet was invented,-the
waters Of the Deluge had rolled over The
face of our planet,-the Tower OF Babe
was erected, or the foundations of The all
enduring Pyramids were laid. Leather is
an article OF manufacture entirely, a CON-
pound substance, a chemical product; al
though il is made of the skins Of animals,
il is as different from the raw material as
oil is from soap, which is one of its two
ingredients. Skins are principally COM
posed Of g%elaiine, which is soluble in hot
water, and is converted into glue by repeat
ed stcepings in warm water. Leather is
simply the raw material combined with
some other substance, which renders it
elastic and msoluble in water. Various
substances are employed TO obtain this re-
suit, and different qualities Of leather are
produced by the different ingredients m
ployed, and the modes Of using them in its
manufacture.
The process of manufacture is named
Tanning, and the principal substance EN-.
ployed is tannic acid. This acid is found
in various substances, but principally in
the fruits and banks of certain trees and
shrubs. Good upper leather should have
the following enthusiastically s%oflness,
and insolubility in water. Good sole leath-
err should be close in the grain, firm but
slightly elastic, and perfectly waterproof
The fannie acid is extracted from barks,
&c. by immersing them in water, hot or
, cold, and by simply sleeping the hides in
! this tan liquor, the tanning leaves the water,
combines with the gelatine Of the skin
chemically, and forms that useful compound
substance which forms our understand
ings, and which we term " leather
; This is the theory of tanning, but in car
rying it out into practice the m%anipula'ions
are exceedingly various, and The qualities
J, of the leather manufactured embrace a very
! extensive range OF processes, machinery,
! and chemical substances. 1t is not our in
~lention to describe any Of these mlnulely,
All the processes Of tanning are lsborl-
Gus, and expensive, and tedious. 1t re-
Quires not only weeks but months, to Ian
J. a hide we'll and the cost of manufacturing
!, leather in orr country, from the raw mate
u rial, amounts 10 no less than thirteen and a
quarter millions of dollars annually. A
great variety of new substances have beer
employed, and many curious plans adopted
10 shorten the period required in making
: good leather, nearly all, if not all of which
have proved entire failures.
~ We have published the patent speciica
ID tons Of Hubbard, Eaton, and Kennedy, 70
'e reducing the lime Of tanning. The objec
J" embraced in all Of these patents, is the EN-
ployment of some salt, gas or acid. 10 opel
The pores of the hide, and allow the lannl
" acid (which first combines with the gelatlne
n &C., Of the skin at !he s%urIace) 10 enter in
~ to the core of the hide rapidly. The OF
ne iect TO be obtained is the proper one, bu
Us The manner of accomplishing it is not col
rect, for il the pores OF the skin are undul
expanded by any chemical action, that aC
-, ZION must be injurious. Old and expert
II enced Tanners have informed US that III
K remarks which we made respecting eac
e. of the tanning patents published by VI
ie were theoretically correct and PRACTICAL
III sound.
Sc Good leather is not produced BY the il
" discriminate contact of hides and tannin
liquor. We have been credibIy inlorme
. by those largely engaged in the business
IN that not a single one of what are Gale
short processes" has been successful
rs or is now much used in our country ther
IS seems 10 be a general feeling among praC
&C tical tanners to scout the idea of new in
no proyemenls in this extensive and valuabl
81 manufacture.
Our principal object in writing this art
Gle is 10 point out The unreasonableness
-. such feelings. 1t surely cannot be denic
that Improvements in this art, as well
~ every other art, are desirable /; and that ma
'"' cannot have the true American spirit, wi
believes that tanning, as now pracllced,
perfect and cannot be improved. Viii
~ we make it duty 10 comment freely c
~ what we consider defects in any new
old plans, in machines or processes, v
like TO see every new plan (if 1t docs n
wear absurdi,y on its face) fairly test
and candidly judged Of. Thi, is the on
H. way to progress and improve, and the ia
Ivy ure of a thousand plans should never
10 held up as a bug.bear and a barrier TO .
!" res, the Introduction and trial Of a ne
and reasonable one 10 improve any a
W; e 1t is our opinion that Improvements "
yet be made in the manufacture Of lealhI
of such a character as will reduce its ma
,hs uiacturing cost at least one half, for it ca
"" not possibly be considered a fixed ia
that this art has arrived at its "manif
A"' destiny of perfection.