Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-05-12

Ileatuer Is emplOyeu LOT ln0 bOleB OIL DOOtS anu
shoes, for many parts Of saddery and harness, for
making leather trunks, buckets, hose for fre-en- !
gines, pump-valyes, &c.
CONVERTING HIDES INTO HARD LEAruBR-The
process necessary to convert hides into the thick
hard leather used for the soles of boots and shoes
is as follows The horns are removed from the
hides, and the latter are scfaped, steeyed, and
sweated, and the hair removed The hides are
then immersed for few days in liquid which
opens the pores and fits them for the action oe the
tanning ingredients.
In the old method of tanning, which is not yet
entirely abandoned, the hides and powered bark
were laid in alternate layers 10 the tan-pt, which
was then filed with water to the brim. After
some months the pit was emptied and reflled with
/ fresh bark and water and this process was re-
peated whenever the strength Of the bark was ex-
hausted. In this way the time required for i'm.
pregnatng the hides varied, according to their
thickness and other circumstances, from one to
four years. The process has been expedited by
the use Of a concentrated solution of bark instead
of mere layers Of bark in water. The variations
of practice among different tanners extend to the
substances used astringent, as we'll as to the
manner Of applying it,
VARIOUS MATERIALS UsED.-Ground oak bark,
which was formerly tho only material in common
USE and is still the most general, produces good
leather Of light fawn color. Valoua of which
considerable quantities are used By tanners pro-
r duces leather Of great soldity and weight the
color of which is inclined to gray, and which ia
more imperVious to wator than that made with
oak bark. Catvchu, or terra -japonica. produces
leather Of dark reddish lawn color, which is
liz ht, spongy, and pervious to water in high de-
gree. Another substance which has been used Of
late years is kind of bean-pod called div-divi.
These substances used either individually or in
various combinations, and they are prepared with
plain water or with ooze, with hot water or with
cold, according to the judgment of the tanner In
whichever way the tanning is effected, the hide is
subjected to the action of solutions increasing
progressively in strength until it so perfectly pen
etrated that when cut through it presents a uni
form brown color, any appearance Of light streak
in the middle Of its thckne >eing an indication
ofimperfeot tanning. When q process is com.
plete the hides are hung up a4d allowed to dry
slowly. and while they are drying they are COM
pressed by heating or rubbing, or by passing them
between rollers, to give them frmness and dem
sity.
the thin skins prepared for ornamental pur
poses many are tanned with substance called
sumach, prepared from the we'll known plant Of
that name. After a preparatory cleansing, &C.,
the skins are sewed up into the form of bag
with the grain or hair side outwards they are
nearly filed with solution of the sumach inGa
- ted with air, the aperture tied up, and the bags
then thrown into q cisteyn of hot sumaeh liquor.
Being thus acted on, within and without, the
skins are soon impregnated with the sumach.
Tho bags are then opened, the liquor removed,
and the skins washed, dried, dyed, and wrnkled
. by pressure with a grooyod instrument,
y CLASSIFICATION OF LEATHER SKINs.-The stout
4 est leather is made from ox-hides. Buff leather
was formerly made from the hide Of the buffalo,
= but it is now furnished By the cowhide. Calskin
. supplies the great demand for the upper part Of
: boots and shoes Sheep skins form a thin, cheap
leather lamb skins are used for gloves; goat and
kid skins form n light leather of fine quality deer
- skins are usually shamOyed or dressed in oil;
horse hide is prepared for harness work, &C. and
this with seal skin, is also used for making
n elled leather; dog skin makes thin tough leather,
but most of the gloves sold dog skin are made
"A of lamb skim Hog skin makes a thin porous
Fleather and is used for covering the seats of sad
dies.
lie In making shamoyed leatherj Of which wash.
t. leather is cheap example, the skins of deer,
st goats, and sheep are imprOgnaed with oil instead
rt of the other ingredients mentioned above. After
o certain preparation the skins are beaten for
/ many hours with heavy wooden machines and
oil is forced into the pores. Sheep skins, when
@ simply tanned, are employed for inferior bookbn-
Of ding, and for various other purposes for which
q cheap leather is required. The mock or imitation
e morocco and most of the other colored and dyed
feathers used for women's and children's shoes
carriage Innings, and the covering of stools, chairs
sofas writing tables, &C. are also made of sheer
skia Lamb skins are mostly dressed white or
=. ColOred for gloves.
Japanned leather Of various kinds is used in
4 coach-making, harness-making and for various
@ other purposes. Patent leather is covered with a
q coat of elastic JAPAN which gives surface like
4 polished glass, impermeable to water; and hides
- prepared in perfectly elastic mode of japan
: ming, which will permit folding without cracking
- the surface, are called enammelled leather; such
! leather has the japan anneaed, something in the
, same mode as glass; the hides are laid between
blankets and subjected to the heat of an oven at
q particular temperature during several hours un-
p til finished properly.
n In making Russia leather the skins are first
d freed from the hair fleece by stepping them in
" ashlye, then rinsed fuled, lermented and clean
If ed. They then soaked for fortyoight hours in
t. a bath composed of water mixed with a paste ol
A. rye flour. The skins when taken out Of tho bath
are left in tubs for fifteen days. then washed, and
is immersed in boiler containing hot decOction Of
IS willow bark in which they are handled and pres
n sed for half an hour This manipulation is re-
4 poated twice day fora week, after which the
70 tanning infusion is renewed, and the process il
r repeated on the same skins for another week,